Discover Top 100 Audiobooks in History, American Popular Titles

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Title: VangoNotes for American Destiny

Subtitle: Narrative of a Nation, 3/e

Author: Mark C. Carnes, John A. Garraty

Narrator: Brett Barry, Alyson Silverman, Jessica Tivens

Format: Original Recording

Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-08-07

Publisher: Pearson Education, Inc.

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Study on the go with VangoNotes. Just download chapter reviews from American Destiny, 3/e and listen to them on your mp3 player. Now wherever you are -- whatever you're doing -- you can study by listening to the following for each chapter of your textbook:

©2008 Pearson Education, Inc.

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Title: VangoNotes for American Destiny

Subtitle: Narrative of a Nation, 3/e, Volume 1

Author: Mark C. Carnes, John A. Garraty

Narrator: Brett Barry, Alyson Silverman, Jessica Tivens

Format: Original Recording

Length: 5 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-07-07

Publisher: Pearson Education, Inc.

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Study on the go with VangoNotes. Just download chapter reviews from American Destiny, 3/e, Volume 1 and listen to them on your mp3 player. Now wherever you are -- whatever you're doing -- you can study by listening to the following for each chapter of your textbook:

©2008 Pearson Education, Inc.

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Title: Amerigo

Subtitle: The Man Who Gave His Name to America

Author: Felipe Fernandez-Armesto

Narrator: Michael Prichard

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-06-07

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

With imagination, thematic breadth, and his trademark wit, Fernandez-Armesto covers a range of cultural, political, and social subjects, taking us from the dawn of human migration to North America, to the colonial and independence periods, and to the "American century" and beyond. Fernandez-Armesto does nothing less than revise the conventional wisdom about cross-cultural exchange, conflict, and interaction, making and supporting some brilliantly provocative conclusions about the Americas' past and where we are headed.

Critic Reviews:

"Dazzling....An elegant tale." (Publishers Weekly)

"Fernandez-Armesto can personalize broad historical trends without sinking into triviality....History written at its best." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Genuinely enlightening

I was surprised first of all that there was enough real historical information as there is about Amerigo. Hardly enough to write a real biography but enough to get a real picture of who he was. Definitely enough to convince anyone that his name does not deserve to be plastered over two continents. But what is really interesting about this book is the light it sheds on what the early days of the exploration of the new world was like. The voyages, schemes, cartographers, memoirs (real and imaginery)--it was a fascinating time in European history.

A Seagoing Life

This is the story of Vespucci and his seagoing, pragmatic approach to life. We learn he took advantage of opportunities that came his way and that he also contrived. This book brings home that he was not the man we learned about in school for sure.

Well written and well read, the book was a little dry to me in spots. That could well be a function of the limited evidence available to scholars in general. Alternatively, the book I heard immediately prior was very intersting and may have colored my evaluation of this one. The book is informative and worthwhile none-the-less.

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Title: In the Name of the Father

Subtitle: Washington's Legacy, Slavery, and the Making of a Nation

Author: François Furstenberg

Narrator: Michael Prichard

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 09-01-06

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 6 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

How did people in our country, North and South, East and West, come to share a remarkably durable and consistent common vision of what it meant to be an American in the first 50 years after the Revolution? How did the nation respond to the problem of slavery in a republic? In the Name of the Father immerses us in the rich, riotous world of what François Furstenberg calls civic texts, the patriotic words and images circulating through every corner of the country in newspapers and almanacs, books and primers, paintings, and even the most homely of domestic ornaments. We see how the leaders of the founding generation became "the founding fathers", and how their words, especially George Washington's, became America's sacred scripture. And we see how the civic education they promoted is impossible to understand outside the context of America's increasing religiosity.

In the Name of the Father is filled with vivid stories of American print culture, including a wonderful consideration of the first great American hack biographer-cum-bookseller, Parson Weems, author of the first blockbuster Washington biography. But François Furstenberg's achievement is not limited to showing what all these civic texts were and how they infused Americans with a national spirit - what Abraham Lincoln so famously called "the mystic chords of memory". He goes further to show how the process of defining the good citizen in America was complicated and compromised by the problem of slavery. Ultimately, we see how reconciling slavery and republican nationalism would have fateful consequences that haunt us still, in attitudes toward the socially powerless that persist in America to this day.

Critic Reviews:

"In the deluge of founding-father books, Furstenberg's blend of high-brow intellectual history and popular culture studies stands out; rather than lionize Washington, it advances an important argument about his role in shaping American political identity." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Washington and American Nationalism at Work

Francois Furstenberg's In the Name of the Father explores the themes of American nationalism and slavery in the Early Republic era of the United States. Ever since the generations of Americans that experienced the American Civil War passed away, the successive generations have had no direct connection with slavery existing in their midst. For the preceding generations of Americans, reconciling the fact that slavery was enshrined in the Constitution while at the same time it and other documents of the Revolutionary era extolled the concepts of freedom and liberty was problematic. How could slavery exist in a nation that prided itself on liberty? Modern Americans have a very difficult time understanding just how slavery flourished and was such a profitable economic enterprise that a civil war was waged over the extension of the institution into federal territories.

Furstenberg begins by explaining how the death of George Washington and his position as Father of his Country was established as a basis for nationality while also linking slavery to Washington's legacy. Washington's death took place during one of the most heated political climates in the nation's history.

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Title: House of War

Subtitle: The Pentagon and the Disastrous Rise of American Power

Author: James Carroll

Narrator: James Carroll

Format: Abridged

Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-27-06

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 11 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

To argue his case, he marshals a trove of often chilling evidence. He recounts how "the Building" and its denizens achieved what Eisenhower called "a disastrous rise of misplaced power" from the unprecedented aerial bombing of Germany and Japan during World War II to the "shock and awe" of Iraq. He charts the colossal U.S. nuclear buildup, which far outpaced that of the USSR and has outlived it. He reveals how consistently the Building has found new enemies just as old threats and funding evaporate. He demonstrates how Pentagon policy brought about U.S. indifference to an epidemic of genocide during the 1990s. And he shows how the forces that attacked the Pentagon on 9/11 were set in motion exactly sixty years earlier, on September 11, 1941, when ground was broken for the house of war.

Carroll draws on rich personal experience (his father was a top Pentagon official for more than 20 years) as well as exhaustive research and extensive interviews with Washington insiders, from Robert McNamara to John McCain to William Cohen to John Kerry. The result is a grand yet intimate work of history, unashamedly polemical and personal but unerringly factual.

Critic Reviews:

"An aggressively compelling history." (Publishers Weekly)

"Certain to be one of the most-talked-about nonfiction books of the season." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Worthy reading ... with your eyes.

I rate the book 5 stars and the reader 1 star.

Thoroughly interesting history, well reasearched and written. Quite comprehensive on topic. Should have wide appeal. Mostly objective, though writer loses it over the Vietnam war protesters.

Although the author has a strong reading voice, his stacato phrasing is often inappropriate to the meaning and becomes almost unbearable to listen to. I would have preferred to read the print version, but I had already purchased the audio.

I expected more

It's about time somebody wrote a comprehensive history of the war machine that has dominated American policy for over half a century. Carroll is uniquely qualified since his father, General Carrol was the first head of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Sadly, this insiders look suffers from myopia - he gets the broad outlines correct and there is a lot of info you never knew before, but the big picture is missing. Also, the author narrates in a style that is best described as measured. Every - word - is - stated - with - precision. It's difficult to listen to. And he keeps on bringing in his personal life - he was in the seminary when he went to his first war protest rally in 1967 and we get a description of the loose-fitting but revealing clothes worn by the female protestors.

I had high hopes - maybe too high. It's worth reading though.

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Title: In the News with Jeff Greenfield at the 92nd Street Y featuring James Carville and Paul Begala

Author: James Carville, Paul Begala

Narrator: Jeff Greenfield

Format: Original Recording

Length: 1 hr and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-14-06

Publisher: 92nd Street Y

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

This event took place on March 5, 2006.

Editorial Reviews:

James Carville and Paul Begala are the strategic masterminds behind Bill Clintons unheralded 1992 presidential victory, and here the two discuss their 2006 authorial collaboration, Take it Back. Conversing with CNN analyst Jeff Greenfield, the pair attempts to explain the electoral defeats of Al Gore and John Kerry - two presidential candidates who, in the minds of many democrats, should have won by a landslide. Carville, a self-described "gonzo liberal", is his usual frenetic self, his peculiar witticisms standing in contrast to Begalas more staid observations. Nevertheless, the two friends share a tactical vision for the Democratic party, which includes improving liberals image on issues of the economy and defense. Likewise, the two southerners offer a prescription for broadening the partys appeal below the Mason-Dixon line.

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Title: 31 Days

Subtitle: The Crisis That Gave Us the Government We Have Today

Author: Barry Werth

Narrator: J. R. Horne

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-12-06

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Ford had to reassure the nation and the world that he would attend to the pressing issues of the day, from resolving the legal questions surrounding Nixon's role in Watergate, to dealing with the wind down of the Vietnam War, the precarious state of detente with the Soviet Union, and the ongoing attempts to stabilize the Middle East. Within hours of Nixon's departure from Washington, Ford began the all-important task of forming an inner circle of trusted advisers.

In richly detailed scenes, Werth describes the often vicious sparring among two mutually distrustful staffs, Nixon's and Ford's vice presidential holdovers, and a transition team that included Donald Rumsfeld (then Nixon's ambassador to NATO) and Rumsfeld's former deputy, the 33-year-old coolly efficient Richard Cheney.

The first detailed account of the ruthless maneuvering and day-to-day politicking behind everything from the pardon of Nixon to why George H. W. Bush was passed over for the vice presidency, to the rise of a new cadre of Republican movers and shakers, 31 Days offers a compelling perspective on a fascinating but relatively unexamined period in American history and its impact on the present.

Critic Reviews:

"Barry Werth has written a crackling and instructive account." (Tom Brokaw)

"It's a story that has been told more than once, but rarely so well or in such depth as it is here." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Some mistakes took me out of it...

It's a good read, but it lost me early when the author mentioned Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President, and added the acronym 'CREEP'. It was actually the 'CRP.'

The author also mentioned a quote by Henry Kissinger, about Nixon's potential if only 'someone loved him.' Kissinger has stated that he didn't actually say that.

Mr. Werth got my money anyway, and I enjoyed most of it. I appreciate his effort to write about that strange period of history.

A Revisionist View of the Nixon Pardon

Barry Werth has done an excellent job in recounting an important story that has been misunderstood by historians. The negotiations between the Ford White House and the attorneys representing Richard Nixon make it clear that the ousted president in fact wanted to go to trial, and did not want to accept any pardon. This revelation alone makes this an important book. The narrative it presents runs counter to much conventional wisdom about Nixon's departure and the first days of the Ford administration. In particular the mysterious role of General Alexander Haig in preventing any trial of Nixon and sealing all Nixon tapes and papers for years to come. Werth's research raises questions about whether Haig may have had a self-serving hidden agenda in this regard. The book also provides insight about the arrival on the scene of Dick Cheney and Don Rumsfeld, who, as part of the neo-conservative community, were to influence American foreign policy for decades to come.

A must read!

The book is about a great man who was thrust into the Office of the President of the United States of America at a very troublesome time in our nation. Upon him was the burden of carefully administering wisdom and resolute reslove to move the nation forward with a healing balm and to learn together, as a people, to forgive as necessary for the good of the nation.

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Title: Behind the Lines

Subtitle: Powerful and Revealing American and Foreign War Letters & One Man's Search to Find Them

Author: Andrew Carroll

Narrator: Andrew Caroll

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-17-05

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 14 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Behind the Lines is the result of that extraordinary trip and represents the first audiobook of its kind: a dramatic, intimate, and revealing look at warfare as seen through the personal correspondence of US and foreign troops and civilians who have experienced major conflicts firsthand. From handwritten missives penned during the American Revolution to e-mails from Afghanistan and Iraq, Behind the Lines captures the full spectrum of emotions expressed in times of war.

Like Carroll's phenomenal national best seller War Letters, Behind the Lines is part of a larger effort to preserve correspondence that is riveting, insightful, and historically significant. This audiobook is also about Carroll's journey across the globe to visit the fields of battle where so many of these letters were written, meet with veterans and active duty troops who generously agreed to share their private correspondence, and speak with the family members who have lost their loved ones to combat.

Behind the Lines is a tribute to those who have fought for freedom, as well as a lasting reminder to present and future generations of the true nature of warfare and the sacrifices it demands of individuals, families, and entire nations.

Critic Reviews:

"This is a wonderful book that should remind us of the grinding pain endured by both those who serve and those who wait for them." (Booklist)

"The letters are...arresting in their earnestness, sincerity, and passion, and diverse in their sentiments: brave, fearful, amorous, angry, resigned, conniving, unbalanced, stoical. The result is captivating." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

What a Pity

The Author's selection of letters is first rate; these letters grant real insight into the minds and lives of the men, women and families who live through intense pain.

However, it is a great pity that the Author insists on reading his own words. His voice drones and his own writing could be edited, in length, by about 40%. His style is lethargic and prone to employ too many qualifying adjectives.

Enjoy the letters; most are beautifully written. They belie the effusive, philospohical introdcutions and reviews which add little. The letters, truly, speak for themselves and the actors who speak their words do a first rate job.

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Title: Welch

Subtitle: An American Icon

Author: Janet Lowe

Narrator: Jeff Riggenbach

Format: Abridged

Length: 2 hrs and 53 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-19-02

Publisher: Penton Overseas

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Jack Welch's ability to spot opportunities and strike swift deals throughout his 40-year career has helped make GE the most valued company in the world today. Now, his innovative business philosophies are revealed in this rare perspective. With the help of interviews from today's leading CEOs and other GE executives, financial writer Janet Lowe uncovers Welch's unique management style and explores his unprecedented rise as a global leader. This informative work offers a candid discussion of what Welch has brought to American business and what he will leave as his legacy. It provides new insights into the strategies that have made GE a global power. And it translates Welch's vision and values so that anyone can learn from them.

©2001 Janet Lowe; (P)2001 Penton Overseas, Inc.

Critic Reviews:

"Lowe promises a balanced look at Welch." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Need more about Welch Himself, Less of G E's Balance sheet.

The story was more of a report of what GE did and not how Mr. Welch did it. I was looking for more behind the scenes tactics and ways he pulled off the deals and buy outs. the beginning was good about his younger days and going to College, but Welch himself faded as the story of GE's balance sheet went on.

Underwhelming

I would have rated this book higher were it the only book on its subject. In fact, Lowe and others have already written or edited an abundance of material about Welch. Moreover, judged as a biography or as a critical analysis, the book is solid but (for various reasons) nowhere near as lively as recent biographies of DiMaggio, Daley, Orwell, Chandler, Chaucer, and Greenspan. Perhaps it is Lowe's writing style. Perhaps it is her often deferential attitude toward Welch as icon. Perhaps it is the relatively modest amount of information about Welch as an imperfect (albeit extraordinary) human being. Frankly, I had hoped to obtain previously unavailable information about various transitions in his life as well as in his career. Or at least learn more about what his career transitions reveal about his values. And especially more about his reflections on past mistakes as well as successes. I plan to wait a month or two and then re-read this book. Perhaps I will then agree that it is the "fascinating and rewarding book" which George Kozmetsky claims, as quoted on the dust jacket. For now, I rate it OK.

Poster Boy for Capitalism

There is no doubt that Jack Welch is among the most influential Americans in the last 20 years. His business ideas, corporate philosophies and ability to make decisions on such a broad business scale is unmatched in recent American business history. Even his most vocal critics, who attack him on a variety of issues including corporate greed, and his profit at all costs mentality, are ironically attacking core American business values over the last 25 years, and Jack Welch is simply the best at carrying out that philosophy.

The book itself was a bit disappointing. It reads like a series of one-page articles from Fortune or Forbes magazine, taking sweeping views of topics and interjecting some quotes and context here and there from Welch, and others in the industry. In fact, a quick glance at the index shows much of the material used in writing this book came from those sources. There are far too few revelations into his character, and why he does what he does.

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Title: Desperate Deception

Subtitle: British Covert Operations in the United States, 1939-44

Author: Thomas E. Mahl

Narrator: William Sutherland

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 11-17-00

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 13 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Desperate Deception reveals Britain's widespread use of front groups, agents, and collaborators and shows how its agents manipulated polling data and influenced election campaigns. This eye-opening book details a vast program that not only helped change the course of war but also the face of American politics.

Members Reviews:

Important but Unrewarding

I so wanted to enjoy this title, particularly as it tells of a significant moment in UK/USA history. But, i am sorry to report that it is difficult and tedious to listen to. The author sounds like an old "colonel blimp" character and he continually refers to a myriad of forgotten names and overlapping organisations, including hundreds of interminable abbreviations. I know that by design it is a very complicated story to research and information is hard to find and inconclusive but any book must still be entertainig if it is to get its message across. I purchased this title some 6 months ago and am still trying to finish it but it is hard work. Perhaps then i can write a fuller more positive review. I would try harder if i felt I was making some progress but at the moment it is an unrewarding purchase.

Sounds like one, loooong footnote..

I really wanted to like this book, it just goes on and on and on discussing one group or person after another. It is as if you were writing the history of the American presidency and all you did was list their names and dates without talking about the over-arching themes and personalities. And I completely agree with the comment from one of the reviewers about the reader sounding like Colonel Blimp. I gave up half way through.

Propaganda here?

A very important point is made in this book -- that our destiny as a nation is as much affected by the deceit of its leaders as by the character of its people. This book lays out in convincing detail, how we can be led into war, or anything else for that matter. The book makes no judgment on whether the nation's isolationist mood would have been good or bad (obviously it would have been disastrous for the world if the Axis had pursued its goals without American intervention). However, the weakness of representative democracy as a means of expression of the "will of the people" is a real eye-opener.

Dull

Very dull to listen to. Too much enumeration of names. The research is good but The tone is monotone.