Empires of Trust

How Rome Built - and America Is Building - a New World

By: Thomas F. Madden

Narrated by: Richard Poe

Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

In Empires of Trust, Professor Thomas F. Madden explores surprising parallels between the Roman and American republics.

By making friends of enemies and demonstrating a commitment to fairness, the two republics - both "reluctant" yet unquestioned super-powers - built empires based on trust. Madden also includes vital lessons from the Roman Republic's 100-year struggle with "terrorism."

©2008 Thomas F. Madden (P)2008 Recorded Books,LLC

Provocative comparison, Rome vs US circumstances

Madden's portrayal of early Rome sometimes takes on a Normal Rockwell quality. Rome was, aw shucks, just some well meaning guys who were dragged into building an empire when they really just wanted to stay at home and remodel the living room.

If you can get past the whitewash, the book provides and interesting walk through Rome's early history. The political science treatment of Rome's development is a refreshing break from dull recitation of chronological events that comprises most history books.

Madden steps on plenty of toes. He s an equal opportunity offender, providing analysis and opinions that give nearly everyone an opportunity for righteous indignation. But thats what makes it genuinely interesting and thought provoking.

If you like history, political science, current events, AND if you can enjoy reading a work that is going to challenge your political orthodoxy, then you'll probably like this book.

If you find yourself shouting at Fox news commentators on TV, then you might give this a pass, take a xanax and read Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. (actually if you read Decline and Fall, you won't need the Xanax..zzzz..)

Gripe: Annoying and repeating grammar mistakes in pluralization. Maybe its GW Bush's influence on the evolution of grammar..... "is the children learnin' "

Excellent!

This is a must read for anyone interested in the realities of how our world works. A great example of the old "The more things change the more they stay the same" rule. The section near the end of comparing the Romans fighting the Jews and the Americans fighting the Islamic fundamentalists was spot on.

Too bad not enough people in the Obama administration read this book before they decided to pull out of Iraq. They merely put off what will be inevitable and lost a lot of lives to boot.

Good but repetitive.

Interesting argument on the problems of our time and their causes. Author does glaze over the horrors of Rome such as the third Punic wars causes (carthago delenda est).

Also is very repetitive especially early on with many concepts.

Would absolutely recommend to others.

Very Relevant to Modern Events in the Middle East

The author is a bit repetitive in the beginning establishing both his definition of an "Empire of Trust" and his thesis that much of ancient Roman and modern American history can be evaluated usefully in that context. Don't let the initial repetition get to you though. This starts off being a fascinating history of the Roman Empire that then begins to draw parallels to just how much our own government has been shaped by the same core principles and similar circumstances.

Even more interesting however are the last few chapters that show how the lessons learned by the Romans in their dealings with terrorism and strife in the Middle East are very much applicable today.

This isn't dry history; Madden writes in a very accessible style that is complemented well by reader Richard Poe. I was listening to this book while driving mostly and I was always disappointed to arrive at my destination and have to turn the book off.

Aptly Named Book

Certain segments of the political left view America as an evil empire. In this view, we are likened to the Roman empire of the latter centuries of classical Roman history. This book does not refute that America is becoming an empire, but it doesn’t go so far as to accuse America as a whole of being an imperial nation bent on conquest.

This will annoy people on both the left and right. The left because he doesn’t agree with them that George Bush was an imperialist dictator in democratic disguise, and the right because he acknowledges that America is indeed an empire of influence at least.

The points the author makes however are well reasoned and based on fact that can be easily researched. The only critiques I’ve seen in writing so far were taken out of context, and thus not valid.

The only real flaw I would call the author on is portraying Rome as being completely unwitting heirs to their empire. This is necessary for him to make the point that America has also stumbled on to empire, which isn’t entirely true either. There is some pro-empire sentiment to be found in ancient Rome and modern America - among Democrats and Republicans both. Democrat Presidents got America in to both world wars, Korea and Vietnam. Attacking state support of Islamic terrorism after 9/11 is hardly an imperialistic venture, but of course our government has long consisted of two main parties, neither of which has had such overwhelming control that either can step back and point a validly accusative finger at the other.

Well worth it.

Professor Madden provides a nice comparison of Roman and American culture and the similarities and differences between the two. I think this is an important work that Americans in particular need to reflect upon, given our status in the world and the direction we are currently heading in.

Madden provides a balanced approach to all sides and I would recommend this book to any one who likes Roman/American histories as well as those who like to see how the past and present are related.

Great Read

Would you listen to Empires of Trust again? Why?

NO, don't reread books. Too many good ones out there.

What other book might you compare Empires of Trust to and why?

Maybe Empires of the Sea, in terms of scope.

Which scene was your favorite?

Description of the political culture of Rome and the United States.

Any additional comments?

I thought it was a really good read. Learned alot about Rome and how the empire was founded and developed.

required reading

Awesome book, great survey of history and a reminder of how great and educated our founding fathers were.

Narration is terrific.

I liked this book so much that I bought 15 hard copies and gave them to the most influential people I know.

Understanding the concepts in this book (whether you agree or not) is a prerequisite to debating the relevant issues of today.

Alternative History

Thomas F. Madden has done us all a favor by reframing the current situation in the middle east as a repeat of the same type of struggle that erupted between Rome and the Jews. The eerily familiar terrorist tactics of the Siccarii and the incomprehensible internecine bloodshed that occurred from 144 BCE and 74 CE could have been lifted from the reader bar on CNN. Like Rome, the United States is appealed to for aid on all quarters and like Rome is universally reviled for providing it and even by the people to whom aid is rendered. You should get this book. Richard Poe does an outstanding job of narration.

Good book

I really enjoyed this book, it pretty much covers exactly what the description says it covers so no need to recap that here. I liked the story, I mostly liked the way everything was put together and the reader did a very good job.

I did knock off a star because;

1. the book feels a bit dated already. The author makes a number of comments that were current to the 2007-08 timeframe, not a huge deal but I think the author would have done better to make a more timeless book by just getting rid of the current examples

2. the book is a bit heavy handed at times trying to make sure you get the point that the author is making by using a lot of current examples. Anyone alive in the last decade can listen to the point and put 2 and 2 together very quickly, the author just makes sure you get that connection. It doesn't happen a lot but I certainly could have done without it.

So basically you'll probably like this book if you like the description. You'll probably hate this book if you think America should be thrown to the lions. I liked it.