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Traitor to His Class
- The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- Narrated by: Mark Deakins
- Length: 37 hrs and 9 mins
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Publisher's summary
Traitor to His Class sheds new light on FDR's formative years; his remarkable willingness to champion the concerns of the poor and disenfranchised; and his combination of political genius, firm leadership, and matchless diplomacy in saving democracy in America during the Great Depression and the American cause of freedom in World War II.
Drawing on archival materials, public speeches, personal correspondence, and accounts by family and close associates, acclaimed best-selling historian and biographer H. W. Brands offers a compelling and intimate portrait of Roosevelt's life and career.
Brands explores the powerful influence of FDR's dominating mother and the often tense and always unusual partnership between FDR and his wife, Eleanor, and her indispensable contributions to his presidency.
Most of all, the book traces in breathtaking detail FDR's revolutionary efforts with his New Deal legislation to transform the American political economy in order to save it, his forceful and cagey leadership before and during World War II, and his lasting legacy in creating the foundations of the postwar international order.
Traitor to His Class brilliantly captures the qualities that have made FDR a beloved figure to millions of Americans.
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Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- todd
- 01-24-20
Talented writer and narrator, but too biased/long
I've really enjoyed some of H.W. Brand's books, and ordered this one with trepidation due to the title and the title for Teddy's book. I should have listened to my gut.
If you have the same response to the title, don't order. It's a well-written / narrated story that sounds as if it comes funded by some Roosevelt foundation; nothing critical, nothing deep that would be critical, lots glazing over important motivations and facts that are common knowledge and negative.
It's not hitting you over the head as many of these books / history books do, but the language and takes show clear bias, which we all have, yet Brand just ignores about all conflicts that makes history what it is and people who they are. Roosevelt's flaws caused significant damage to the country and his family and there is plenty there to discuss (admittedly, I listened for 1/3 and skipped around for the rest, but the flowery takes become clear). His covering the bank holiday and theft of gold for example just heaps praise while ignoring all of the damage done or well documented takes that this and many of his other actions caused far more harm, but it goes further. Brand finds Roosevelt's own admission of his ignorance to be praiseworthy,
Everything about the president that ended much of what remained of capitalism and helped finally create the imperial presidency is just ignored, in favor of a fantasy of a near flawless human, who just happened to do everything right, yet somehow we just can ignore the misery and greatest depression in history. This book at best paints in more color what your few paragraphs from your leftist grade school book already covered, it doesn't do more, and sadly I'll be crossing this author off my list after several decent books (which, I now will wonder about).
17 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-08-16
Rare Combination,,, Fact AND Feeling!
The study of history is amazing when truth of BOTH a feeling and a factual nature jumps off the pages.
Agree or not with a given policy of FDR, you will know his feeling as well as his thinking. Not since Carl Sandburg or Bruce Catton history books have I experienced both truths in any one book!
Masterful!
10 people found this helpful
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- Kindle Customer
- 07-12-14
Not what it seems to be
What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?
I expected an objective book that reviewed the flaws as well as the successes, The ramifications of his actions, good and bad. Instead this is the glorification of a man with very human traits that were not as selfless as is portrayed,
What do you think your next listen will be?
Nothing from this author
What didn’t you like about Mark Deakins’s performance?
It was good but monotone. This may have been the content and length.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
Disappointment
Any additional comments?
Don't do it
7 people found this helpful
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- Patrick
- 11-08-13
Heavy Dose of History
If you could sum up Traitor to His Class in three words, what would they be?
Not Brands' best.
What other book might you compare Traitor to His Class to and why?
Any of many history books. This is not my favorite HW Brands biography; I read his works on Andrew Jackson and Ben Franklin and found both much more compelling. This could be my affinity for older America, or the difference between reading and listening to a heavily detailed piece of history, but nevertheless I was never as excited for the next page of FDR as I was for the other two. It seems to me more of the predjudices and judgements of the modern man figure into Brands' analysis of the New Deal president, and figure in more favorably than they might another hundred years down the line.
Have you listened to any of Mark Deakins’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
No, but this was good narration.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
No, I'd say this should be free to anyone that could.
Any additional comments?
Listening to mammoth recordings of detailed history is not for the faint if heart, or ear. How much did I retain?
7 people found this helpful
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- Andrea Pike
- 03-20-16
Too much time spent describing economics
An econ class in high school is the extent of my knowledge of the subject. I zoned out through most of the complicated descriptions and explanations. I know that the Great Depression and the New Deal had all to do with the banks, the private sector, government and so on and so forth, but I wanted a biography, not Economics 401. I wish the book discussed Eleanor a little more. I know this is FDR's biography, but she was such a big part of his life and was often involved in policy matters and was someone he discussed major issues with.
6 people found this helpful
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- jimpgh@aol.com
- 06-17-20
We need a FDR in the White House now
As I write this in the summer of 2020 President Donald Trump is reving up his campaign for re-election to the White House. The meaness and smallness of Donald Trump is so apparent when listening to this book's account of the generosity and grandness of FDR's vision during world war II in the depression.
4 people found this helpful
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- Stephen
- 05-15-19
A Magnificent Biography
Writing a one-volume biography of Franklin D. Roosevelt is a daunting task because of the length of his tenure in office and the circumstances he confronted in the United States and the world. This biography is about as close to a perfect one-volume biography as you will find. The author does an excellent job in presenting Roosevelt's decisions within the context of his times while at the same time not excusing their shortcomings- for example, his decision to intern Japanese-Americans during World War II is presented in a balanced and fair way.
If I had a complaint it would be around two-thirds of the way through the book, the author in one short sentence abruptly dismisses the New Deal as a failure so he can move on to discussing the war. I think he owed the readers more of an explanation as to how and why the New Deal was a failure. That oversight in assessing the New Deal and its failure to bring full economic recovery is unfortunate given that so many political leaders since Roosevelt have tried to resurrect or expand parts of the New Deal and reap the same unintended consequences that it has brought to our economy. At the same time, I still admire Roosevelt for doing something to re-instill lost hope to those who suffered during the Depression.
4 people found this helpful
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- Ryan Arnold
- 07-09-17
Worth every minute.
I felt as if I was listening to FDR's own voice through the author's pen and the narrator's performance. The scenes were painted with such two tail and the narrator made them come alive. It was a treat to learn so much more about FDR then I ever could have imagined. I recommend the unabridged version - it may seem daunting to listen to, but I found myself hanging on every word.
4 people found this helpful
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- Glenn E. Davis
- 04-09-14
Disappointing effort by a great writer.
What would have made Traitor to His Class better?
Pure unadulterated hagiography: no critiques just a total defense of FDR's policies, decisions, and political goals. I am sure this book will be added to the Democratic Party's inspired canon of books. I have read two other H. W. Brands' books (Grant and America Colossus) and I have heard numerous lectures from Brands in iTunesU. *A Traitor to His Class* lacks the objectivity and story-telling passion of Brands' other books and lectures. Suggest reading Paul Johnson's *A History of the American People* for a through-going conservative evaluation of the FDR presidency.
Would you recommend Traitor to His Class to your friends? Why or why not?
No, I felt that all objectivity was left on the editor's floor.
Which scene was your favorite?
The description of Roosevelt's polio struggles and his psychological struggles dealing with his disabilities.
4 people found this helpful
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- Steven
- 04-05-19
Overall very good!
Good listen, book was interesting and informative. I learned a couple of new things about the time period as well. The narrator was very good and made the direct quotes sound different than the regular narrative. The only issue I had was that the reader mispronounced several key person's names repeatedly, which was somewhat annoying. It would have been wise to listen to period newscasts to hear the correct way to say their names. Otherwise, great book!
2 people found this helpful
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Story
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the longest serving president in US history, reshaping the country during the crises of the Great Depression and World War II. James MacGregor Burns's magisterial two-volume biography tells the complete life story of the fascinating political figure who instituted the New Deal. The Lion and the Fox details Roosevelt's youth, education, and his rise to national prominence, through his first two terms as president. The Soldier of Freedom is a moving profile of a leader gifted with rare political talent in an era of extraordinary challenges.
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Very good
- By STANLEY W. BELL on 07-19-23
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Heirs of the Founders
- The Epic Rivalry of Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster, the Second Generation of American Giants
- By: H. W. Brands
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In the early 1800s, three young men strode onto the national stage, elected to Congress at a moment when the Founding Fathers were beginning to retire to their farms. Daniel Webster of Massachusetts, a champion orator known for his eloquence, spoke for the North and its business class. Henry Clay of Kentucky, as dashing as he was ambitious, embodied the hopes of the rising West. South Carolina's John Calhoun, with piercing eyes and an even more piercing intellect, defended the South and slavery.
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Excellent
- By Jean on 12-04-18
By: H. W. Brands
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FDR
- By: Jean Edward Smith
- Narrated by: Marc Cashman
- Length: 32 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
One of today's premier biographers, Jean Edward Smith, has written a modern, comprehensive, indeed ultimate book on the epic life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. This is a portrait painted in broad strokes and fine details. We see how Roosevelt's restless energy, fierce intellect, personal magnetism, and ability to project effortless grace permitted him to master countless challenges throughout his life. Smith recounts FDR's personal battles and also tackles head-on and in depth the numerous failures and miscues of Roosevelt's political career.
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Interesting but flawed
- By Mike From Mesa on 09-15-13
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Franklin D. Roosevelt
- A Political Life
- By: Robert Dallek
- Narrated by: Rick Adamson
- Length: 29 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In an era of such great national divisiveness, there could be no more timely biography of one of our greatest presidents than one that focuses on his unparalleled political ability as a uniter and consensus maker. Robert Dallek's Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Political Life takes a fresh look at the many compelling questions that have attracted all his biographers: how did a man who came from so privileged a background become the greatest presidential champion of the country's needy?
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Not bad but,
- By Christopher on 12-20-17
By: Robert Dallek
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Reagan
- The Life
- By: H. W. Brands
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 31 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Ronald Reagan today is a conservative icon, celebrated for transforming the American domestic agenda and playing a crucial part in ending communism in the Soviet Union. In his masterful new biography, H. W. Brands argues that Reagan, along with FDR, was the most consequential president of the 20th century. Reagan took office at a time when the public sector, after a half century of New Deal liberalism, was widely perceived as bloated and inefficient, an impediment to personal liberty.
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Very little about Reagan
- By Jack Merritt on 07-30-15
By: H. W. Brands
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T.R.
- The Last Romantic
- By: H. W. Brands
- Narrated by: Matt Kugler
- Length: 35 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Lauded as "a rip-roaring life" (Wall Street Journal), T.R. is a magisterial biography of Theodore Roosevelt by best-selling author H. W. Brands. In his time, there was no more popular national figure than Roosevelt. It was not just the energy he brought to every political office he held or his unshakable moral convictions that made him so popular, or even his status as a bona fide war hero. Most important, Theodore Roosevelt was loved by the people because this scion of a privileged New York family loved America and Americans.
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Too much opinion
- By Jen Daniels on 01-26-20
By: H. W. Brands
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The Definitive FDR
- Roosevelt: The Lion and the Fox (1882-1940) and Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom (1940-1945)
- By: James MacGregor Burns
- Narrated by: David Stifel
- Length: 58 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the longest serving president in US history, reshaping the country during the crises of the Great Depression and World War II. James MacGregor Burns's magisterial two-volume biography tells the complete life story of the fascinating political figure who instituted the New Deal. The Lion and the Fox details Roosevelt's youth, education, and his rise to national prominence, through his first two terms as president. The Soldier of Freedom is a moving profile of a leader gifted with rare political talent in an era of extraordinary challenges.
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Very good
- By STANLEY W. BELL on 07-19-23
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Heirs of the Founders
- The Epic Rivalry of Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster, the Second Generation of American Giants
- By: H. W. Brands
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
In the early 1800s, three young men strode onto the national stage, elected to Congress at a moment when the Founding Fathers were beginning to retire to their farms. Daniel Webster of Massachusetts, a champion orator known for his eloquence, spoke for the North and its business class. Henry Clay of Kentucky, as dashing as he was ambitious, embodied the hopes of the rising West. South Carolina's John Calhoun, with piercing eyes and an even more piercing intellect, defended the South and slavery.
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Excellent
- By Jean on 12-04-18
By: H. W. Brands
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American Colossus
- The Triumph of Capitalism, 1865-1900
- By: H. W. Brands
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 23 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
In a grand-scale narrative history, the bestselling author of two finalists for the Pulitzer Prize now captures the decades when capitalism was at its most unbridled and a few breathtakingly wealthy businessmen utterly transformed America from an agrarian economy to a world power.
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8 Thoughts on 'American Colossus'
- By Joshua Kim on 06-10-12
By: H. W. Brands
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The Man Who Saved the Union
- Ulysses Grant in War and Peace
- By: H. W. Brands
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 27 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Ulysses Grant rose from obscurity to discover he had a genius for battle, and he propelled the Union to victory in the Civil War. After Abraham Lincoln's assassination and the disastrous brief presidency of Andrew Johnson, America turned to Grant again to unite the country, this time as president. In Brands' sweeping, majestic full biography, Grant emerges as a heroic figure who was fearlessly on the side of right.
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Underrated hero
- By Tad Davis on 12-22-12
By: H. W. Brands
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No Ordinary Time
- Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II
- By: Doris Kearns Goodwin
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 39 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
No Ordinary Time describes how the isolationist and divided United States of 1940 was unified under the extraordinary leadership of Franklin Roosevelt to become the preeminent economic and military power in the world.
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Great at 1.5 speed
- By Brett on 01-04-13
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The General vs. the President
- MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War
- By: H. W. Brands
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 15 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
From master storyteller and historian H. W. Brands comes the riveting story of how President Harry Truman and General Douglas MacArthur squared off to decide America's future in the aftermath of World War II.
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A Vivid Dramatic Accounting
- By Jean on 11-11-16
By: H. W. Brands
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Andrew Jackson
- His Life and Times
- By: H.W. Brands
- Narrated by: John H. Mayer
- Length: 25 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The most famous American of his time, Andrew Jackson is a seminal figure in American history. The first "common man" to rise to the presidency, Jackson embodied the spirit and the vision of the emerging American nation; the term "Jacksonian democracy" is embedded in our national lexicon. With the sweep, passion, and attention to detail that made The First American a Pulitzer Prize finalist, historian H.W. Brands shapes a historical narrative that's as fast-paced and compelling as the best fiction.
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Very Thorough
- By Eric on 02-07-06
By: H.W. Brands
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The Age of Gold
- The California Gold Rush and the New American Dream
- By: H.W. Brands
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 17 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story