The War That Made America

A Short History of the French and Indian War

By: Fred Anderson

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

Apart from The Last of the Mohicans, most Americans know little of the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years' War, and yet it remains one of the most fascinating periods in our history. In January 2006, PBS will air The War That Made America, a four-part documentary about this epic conflict. Fred Anderson, the award-winning and critically acclaimed historian, has written the official tie-in to this exciting television event.

In The War That Made America, Anderson deftly shows how the expansion of the British colonies into French territory in the 1750s and the ongoing Native American struggle for survival would erupt into seven years of bloodshed and unrest spreading from the backwoods of Pennsylvania to the high courts of Europe, eventually overturning the balance of power on two continents and laying the groundwork for the American Revolution. Beautifully illustrated, richly detailed, and utterly compelling, this is the story of how America as we know it today emerged from a series of fractured colonies and warring tribes into a nation ripe for independence, and nobody tells this story better than Fred Anderson.

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©2005 The War That Made America, LLC (P)2005 Tantor Media, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Like the best popular historians, Anderson combines exhaustive research and an accessible prose style in a volume that should help rescue the French and Indian War from historical obscurity." (Publishers Weekly)

It is all coming together!!!

What an amazing book! I learned so much not just about the war itself, but they did a remarkable job of really making sense of how this conflict set in motion the conditions that led to the revolutionary war and the ‘manifest destiny.’

An interesting history lesson

A quick moving telling and detailed account of a war that was very important, but overshadowed in our history classes by the revolutionary war. The author presents the many aspects and players of this conflict interesting details including the personalities and battle details that it held my attention well. The author to me seemed an amazing master of the subject!

Quick and solid

Packed plenty of history into a short book. Keep your ears open or you will miss alot. Historically balanced and not over simplified.

BIT OF A SLOG

Interesting concept, and ends very nicely, tying together what are usually considered discrete events in the North American historical timeline. Nice summary of this particular conflict. Written and read in a dry and unengaging style that made completion a challenge even for this unabashed fan of history.

The Bigger Story

What was going on, that led George Washington to accidentally start the French and Indian War and ignite the 7-Years War in Europe, which Churchill called the FIRST world war? And just what were the economic and political relationships among the very many Indian groups who acted on all sides in various alliances with and against each?

Nicely done history

If you could sum up The War That Made America in three words, what would they be?

interesting, fast paces

Who was your favorite character and why?

Washington

What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?

Excellent

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Sympathy for native americans

Any additional comments?

Brought to life the history of the French and Indian War. Most interesting to me was the positioning of the Native Americans, French, and British. Also interesting was the lack of knowledge of both the French and British commanders. I highly recommend the book.

Nice and Quick

I read his other book on the subject, but this one is a very nice refresher and condensed very well if you dont want to commit to a long read.

Great narration, good macro view of events

It covered a lot of material in a relatively short amount of time. It is a good overview of many of the events and the military and diplomatic forces at play during a pivotal time in the history of North America.

I also listened to the Dune (Herbert) audiobook years ago and having the same narrator for this one lent it a more nuanced performance that one usually gets with historical audiobooks.

Key to Understanding US History

What made the experience of listening to The War That Made America the most enjoyable?

Well writen and compelling for anyone who has an interest in history. Well performed

Love History

Would you listen to The War That Made America again? Why?

Yes, helped me understand what was going on

Who was your favorite character and why?

Washington , he was the hero

Have you listened to any of Simon Vance’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The treatment of the Indians

Any additional comments?

Enjoyed