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Title: The Radicalism of the American Revolution

Author: Gordon S. Wood

Narrator: Paul Boehmer

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 03-30-11

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 188 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Pulitzer Prize, History, 1993

Grand in scope, rigorous in its arguments, and elegantly synthesizing 30 years of scholarship, Gordon S. Wood's Pulitzer Prizewinning book analyzes the social, political, and economic consequences of 1776. In The Radicalism of the American Revolution, Wood depicts not just a break with England, but the rejection of an entire way of life: of a society with feudal dependencies, a politics of patronage, and a world view in which people were divided between the nobility and "the Herd." He shows how the theories of the country's founders became realities that sometimes baffled and disappointed them. Above all, Bancroft Prizewinning historian Wood rescues the revolution from abstraction, allowing readers to see it with a true sense of its drama---and not a little awe.

Critic Reviews:

"The most important study of the American Revolution to appear in over twenty years...a landmark book." (Pauline Maier,

The New York Times Book Review)

Members Reviews:

A unique and relevant look at the founding

It is easy to see how this book is relevant to understanding America today - society, politics and government.

Wood doesn't quite say it this way, but his basic argument is this: the founding generation were trying to create a new society, but they failed to create the one they envisioned. Instead, the society they created turned out better - from the perspective of modern Americans - because it is more democratic than they imagined any place ever could be.

The matter of class

What did you love best about The Radicalism of the American Revolution?

This account of the revolution is fascinating for its focus on issues of class which were, on the one hand, much less distinct than those of England, and yet more distinct than we would recognize. It is a useful perspective for me as a history teacher.

What about Paul Boehmers performance did you like?

I prefer readers who don't call attention to themselves in the reading. This fits the bill

Changed the Way I Think

In December 2013, researchers from Emory University published "Short- and Long-Term Effects of a Novel on Connectivity in the Brain." The paper, published in "Brain Connectivity" starts with "Most people can identify books that have made great impressions on them and, subjectively, changed the way they think." The authors, Gregory S. Bern et. al., using functional MRIs, determined that reading a novel literally changes neural connectivity, at least for a short period of time. I believe the same changes take place while reading/listening to a non-fiction work.

If I had been in that study while I listened to Gordon S. Woods' 1993 Pulitzer-prize winning non-fiction book "The Radicalism of the American Revolution," I would have shown those changes, too. This book literally made me think differently, certainly about the American Revolution, but also about common democracy, the birth of nations, macroeconomics and the use of currency . . . & etc. The changes may be long term for me: because of the complexity of what Woods described and his interpretation of what it meant, I was only able to listen for an hour or so at a time, before I set the listen aside to think about what I heard.

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Title: Restless Giant

Subtitle: The United States from Watergate to Bush v. Gore

Author: James T. Patterson

Narrator: Robert Fass

Format: Unabridged

Length: 17 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-03-11

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 105 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Following up Grand Expectations in the Oxford History of the United States, Restless Giant provides a crisp, concise assessment of the 27 years between the resignation of Richard Nixon and the election of George W. Bush, in a sweeping narrative that seamlessly weaves together social, cultural, political, economic, and international developments.

In exploring a wide range of cultural, social, and economic concerns, Patterson and engrossing narrator Robert Fass show how the persistence of racial tensions, high divorce rates, alarm over crime, and urban decay all led many writers to portray this era as one of decline.

Restless Giant is the 11th volume of the Oxford History of the United States, which includes three Pulitzer Prize winners, a New York Times best seller, and winners of the Bancroft and Parkman Prizes. The Atlantic Monthly has praised it as state of the art and the most distinguished series in American historical scholarship.

Members Reviews:

Too Soon? Maybe, but still a good listen

History is best looked at from a great distance. We are still so close to these events that political passions can sway our opinions. Mr. Patterson does a fine job of chronicling this most recent period of our history, but I could not help but notice that he had a horse in the race. I am not saying that it is a bad thing or a good thing but that it just is. He may be a little too proud of his progressive cohorts, but I suppose he can't be blamed for that that. Having noted that, I enjoyed the book very much. Anybody who loves history will enjoy it as well.

The author touches on most of the important events during the period. The Nixon episode is very interesting. Every time I hear about it from a different angle I get just a bit better understanding of it. This book also shines a revelatory light on our world just before everything changed after 9/11. That alone made it worth the listen.

Excellent Big Picture Perspective

Worth taking the time to listen! Informative and helpful in seeing not only the micro happenings, but the history and situation leading up to and allowing the presidents and their parties to exercise power.

Why We are the Way We Are

Would you listen to Restless Giant again? Why?

Yes, to allow me to remember more of the information in order to help me teach it in my U.S. History classes.

What did you like best about this story?

How it allows me to better understand why we are in the state we are in.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

I was looking for more

Would you try another book from James T. Patterson and/or Robert Fass?

maybe , this was just an account of selective historical incidents , not much of analysis or insight

If youve listened to books by James T. Patterson before, how does this one compare?

No

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Restless Giant?

not much

Any additional comments?

thought i would learn more about the states

The US from 1972 to 2000: A Review

Patterson delivers here an analysis of US Politics from Watergate to the 2000 Election Debacle. Patterson does not isolate one Administration from another. Instead, he gives the impression of a continual flow of events, independent of each other, but linked nonetheless.

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Title: Grand Expectations

Subtitle: The United States 1945-1974

Author: James T. Patterson

Narrator: Robert Fass

Format: Unabridged

Length: 31 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-03-11

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 149 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Grand Expectations weaves the major political, cultural, and economic events of the period into a superb portrait of America from 1945 through Watergate.

Read with warmth by Robert Fass, who previously narrated Oxfords Empire of Liberty by Gordon S. Wood, this history portrays the amazing growth after World War II rallied an upbeat mood and grander and grander expectations as the era progressed.

As one of four new volumes offered by Audible, Grand Expectations brings to audio one part of an elegant American history that was conceived of and originally edited by C. Vann Woodward and Richard Hofstadter more than 50 years ago.

Please note: The individual volumes of the series have not been published in historical order. Grand Expectations is number X in The Oxford History of the United States.

Members Reviews:

fast moving history

I really enjoyed this book. The first few hours sort of drag, but maybe this is becuase i had just finished the previous book in the series, Freedom from Fear, and this was somewhat repetitive. But after that, I thought this book was really enjoyable.

First, the narration is outstanding, well paced, and well read.

There are sections that are truly outstanding. Rather then delve into tons of details and give day by day, or week by week accounts of certain time periods in history, the authors given an overview. For instance, he lays out the 4 key components to johnson's liberal agenda early in his second term, and then goes on to analyze this from a longer term perspective. Now one could argue that he does a fair bit of "interpretation", and there is a fair bit of opinion in some of these sections, but i found them pretty balanced, and he offers both positives and negatives to most historical questions, including whose fault was the cold war, the effectiveness of eisenhower, and johnson's role in both domestic and civil rights issues, as well as the war.

There are a few sections which are a little weak, where the authors gives rather dull lists of statistics to support his point, and there are a few topics which seem alittle bit over stressed where i had a little trouble paying attention, but overall a very very good read and rapid moving assessment of the period and definitely worth it. I look forward to the next book in the series.

A Fairly Unbiased Look at US Political History

Where does Grand Expectations rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far?

As far as books on American history go, this is fairly unbiased and is very thorough. The author did a very good job of putting a lot of complicated history into a very easy to follow chain of events.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Grand Expectations?

Throughout the text the author presented the topics covered in a very unbiased fashion. I could not detect any spin or revisionism with the topics presented. That stands out throughout the book. I can't say anything was earth shattering because it has been covered i one way shape or form.

Which character as performed by Robert Fass was your favorite?

He did a good job with LBJ.

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

Not really. However the way this aspect of 20th history was presented I can say that I have a greater understanding of what was going on.

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Title: California

Subtitle: A History

Author: Kevin Starr

Narrator: Jonathan Davis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-09-10

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 118 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Acclaimed author, historian, and Guggenheim Fellow Kevin Starr is a professor at the University of Southern California. His extensive knowledge shines through this concise, yet comprehensive, depiction of the most fascinating aspects in California's history. From its colonial beginnings through Governor Schwarzenegger's administration, the Golden State has become a uniquely American phenomenon that has enchanted people with the possibility of a better life. In so doing, it has become a uniquely American phenomenon.

©2005 Kevin Starr (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Members Reviews:

Review

Excellent book for fan of history or simply for one trying to understand how modern California became so fascinating, complex and the current struggles all the more fascinating. An excellent audio book for anyone doing a 2 day drive along the length of CA or with a 5 hour flight to CA.

I'm finally fixing my patchy CA history

This is an amazing walk through time and space. California seemed to loll on the edge of nowhere culturally (at least by European perceptions, so this excludes a large body of native peoples with very rich lives, alongside its impossibly beautiful natural resources), and then it exploded through a series of convulsive changes into the modern world. There are probably as many views of this as viewers. My own bit of California has been a bit of all this: gorgeous and heartbreaking. This esteemed expert historian has mastered a huge mass of swirling details, and brought them into a coherent story here. This brings my California experience to a whole new level.

Informative and Fun

I live in California and wanted to learn more after a recent trip through the State. I was never good with history and was uncertain if I would like this. I enjoyed the story and the narration! A good job and a fun story. I was astounded at learning how California developed its character and was happy I had chose this author. If you are interested in the subject then this is a good one.

great insight

just a really terrible history of our golden state, factual just sad that history is repeating itself just in different words and phrases used in America today like tax cuts for the rich and larger prisons for our minorities

Excellent insight into the state of California

Really enjoyed this comprehensive view of California and the elements that made it what it is today. I purchased this audio book prior to my first visit to the state and found the detail fascinating and it enriched my experience of the trip my only disappointment is that it only goes up to 2005.

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Title: American Colossus

Subtitle: The Triumph of Capitalism, 1865-1900

Author: H. W. Brands

Narrator: Robertson Dean

Format: Unabridged

Length: 23 hrs and 33 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-12-10

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 144 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

From best-selling historian H. W. Brands, a sweeping chronicle of how a few wealthy businessmen reshaped America from a land of small farmers and small businessmen into an industrial giant.

The three decades after the Civil War saw a wholesale shift in American life, and the cause was capitalism. Driven by J. P. Morgan, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and others like them, armies of men and women were harnessed to a new vision of massive industry. A society rooted in the soil became one based in cities, and legions of immigrants were drawn to American shores.

H. W. Brands American Colossus portrays the stunning transformation of the landscape and institutions of American life in these years. Brands charts the rise of Wall Street, the growth of a national economy, the building of the railroads, and the first sparks of union life. By 1900, America was wealthier than ever, yet prosperity was precarious, inequality rampant, and democracy stretched thin. A populist backlash stirred.

American Colossus is an unforgettable portrait of the years when a recognizably modern America first took shape.

Critic Reviews:

"Effectively, excerpts from the first-person accounts of Booker T. Washington, Black Elk, Jacob Riis, and others convey the drama of the time.... [A] fast-paced, engrossing narrative." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

8 Thoughts on 'American Colossus'

1. Maybe the best way to understand the first third of the 21st century is to learn about the last third of the 19th.

2. Is the Internet more or less consequential than the trans-continental railroad, the transatlantic telegraph table and Bell's invention of the telephone? Is our new post-industrial way of organizing work as big a change as the transition to the industrial organization of labor?

3. Would someone living in 1910, who was born in 1869, have experienced more or less change than someone born in 1969 and alive today? (Like me).

4. American Colossus is long - 23 hours and 33 minutes (624 pages). Took 3 kids' soccer games, one college hockey game, two weekends of yard work, a basement clean-out, and various runs, dish washing/laundry folding sessions, and about 10 commutes to finish. Multitasking is the only way (at least for me) that a book as colossal as Colossus gets finished.

5. Rockefeller (oil), Carnegie (steel), Vanderbilt (railroads), Morgan (money, finance) - it is these men who created our foundational industries. Brands' thesis is that capitalism and democracy are always in tension, that the concentration of capital necessarily requires the erosion of democratic ideals.

6. It's possible that one reason I enjoyed American Colossus so much is that if is performed by Roberston Dean, my favorite Audible narrator. Anybody who questions the quality of an audiobook experience should spend some time with Roberston Dean.

7. Part of the reason I love to read history is that it takes me so many damn times to get all the facts straight in my head. I have this "5 times" rule. I need to read about something 5 times before it begins to stick. Only after about 5 books on the brain, or 5 books on behavioral economics, or 5 books on the on the 19th century do things start to come together.

8. American Colossus is a great companion piece to Bryson's At Home: A Short History of Private Life, as the both cover about the same time period but from opposite vantage points.

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Title: Never Call Retreat

Subtitle: The Centennial History of the Civil War, Volume 3

Author: Bruce Catton

Narrator: Nelson Runger

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 20 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-26-10

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 234 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

The final work in this series begins in December of 1862. Four months before, the Union Army tasted long-awaited victory at the bloody battle of Antietam. Grant continued on towards Vicksburg, Mississippi. The grim battles that lay ahead would be costly: the Vicksburg campaign, Chattanooga, the Battle of the Wilderness, the Battle of Atlanta and the March to the Sea, the siege of Petersburg. There would be two and a half more years of war before Lees surrender at Appomattox, followed by Lincolns death just six days later.

Members Reviews:

Interesting, informative and well written.

This is the third volume of the Centennial History of the Civil War written in the 1960's. There is nothing old fashioned or out of date about the information or the perspective of the writer. Catton's books remain an excellent survey history of the period. I would say Catton's books are as good as Shelby Foote's only shorter. He includes the political and social history so the book is not just about the battles. Bruce Catton was an excellent writer who painted pictures with words. His writing is not just good history it is good literature. His extensive knowledge of the topic went with his talent for pointing out the relevant facts and showing how they affected the different events covered in the book. The author's little word sketches describing particular events and people are so good they are often quoted in other books on this topic. The narration is just as good as the writing. I will definitely look for more of the narrator's books. Even if you are not a fan of history this is an entertaining and interesting book.

The Final Phase and What It Means

This is the third volume of Bruce Catton's centennial history of the Civil War. Starting in December of 1862 with the Union disaster at Fredricksberg to Lee's surrender at Appomatox Courthouse and Lincoln's assassination 6 days later, Mr. Catton weaves together the threads of all the different theaters of the war.

Mr. Catton was actually born in 1899 and as he was growing up he talk to people who had actually served in the war. He has a deep understanding of the sacrifices that the war placed on those who served and those who were at home. He combines this with a masterful skill at story telling to produce a wonderful history of the defining moment of 19th century America.

And his focus is not just on the tremendous battles of the time, but also how President Lincoln had to deal with the politics of winning the war and putting together plans for reconstructing the country once it was apparent that the Union was going to prevail.

You will be astonished at how quickly this book is finished. I highly recommend it.

Excellent Review of Civil War

Nelson Runger is my favorite reader, and I have been waiting so long for Audible to get this series. I wonder why they received permission to publish the third volume in the series but I hope soon they will get the other two: The Coming Fury and Terrible Swift Sword.

The series begins with the final days of Buchanan's administration and events leading up to the war, and the weeks after Lincoln's assassination. No one book can cover every political event and battle but this gives the reader a good sense of the history of that era.

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Title: Boardwalk Empire

Subtitle: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City

Author: Nelson Johnson

Narrator: Joe Mantegna, Terence Winter (foreword)

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-07-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 530 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Earphones Award Winner (AudioFile Magazine)

From its inception, Atlantic City has always been a town dedicated to the fast buck, and this wide-reaching history offers a riveting account of its past 100 years, from the city's heyday as a Prohibition-era mecca of lawlessness to its rebirth as a legitimate casino resort in the modern era.

A colorful cast of characters, led by Enoch "Nucky" Johnson, populates this stranger-than-fiction account of corrupt politics and the toxic power structure that grew out of guile, finesse, and extortion. Atlantic City's shadowy past through its rise, fall, and rebirth is given new light in this revealing, and often appalling, study of legislative abuse and organized crime.

This audiobook, narrated by Joe Mantegna, is the true story that inspired the upcoming HBO series of the same name. It includes a foreword written and narrated by Terence Winter.

Editorial Reviews:

The choice of opening music for this recording of Nelson Johnsons Boardwalk Empire is telling: though the book charts the rise and fall of Atlantic City from its beginnings as a shyster health resort in the late 19th century through the Donald Trump years to the beginning of the new millennium, the Jazz-age ragtime announces the real crux of this sprawling epic the age of prohibition, gambling, and mob protection. These transgressive themes are woven throughout the city's history as well as (the author tacitly implies) the recent history of the United States. Johnson shows how Atlantic City was one of the cradles of the American mafia as it served as an entry point to those wanting to get around prohibition (including a young Al Capone), and played host to a cast of Damon Runyon-esque characters.

Overseeing it all was the archetypal character of Enoch "Nucky" Johnson: half politician, half underworld boss, his career "personifies the greed, corruption, and high times that were of Atlantic City in its days of glory". His ties with the Republican Party and invites to the White House are a case study in official corruption, and his personality is nailed down here to memorable effect: he was "a master at holding the hand of a widow and whispering gently what a fine man her husband was".

Many will be drawn to this book on the basis of the Scorsese-produced HBO series, though they should be forewarned that Boardwalk Empire can be exhaustive in its cataloging of each step of the myriad legal processes that variously built up and tore down the antiheroes of Atlantic City; the author was professionally involved for several decades in the city's politics, and it shows on more than one occasion. But luckily for the listener, Joe Mantegna's voice immediately and effortlessly invests each word with sly insinuation and more than a hint of malevolence. He's particularly good at hinting at the self-serving and dishonest motivations behind acts of public munificence, as his voice becomes a knowing wink, a secret handshake turned into sound. His narration makes an offer you can't refuse, and at its considerable best the result is along the lines of Citizen Kane as narrated by The Simpsons Fat Tony (another Mantegna performance).

Critic Reviews:

"Joe Mantegna's steady, unaffected reading of Johnson's history of Atlantic City is a model of good audiobook narration.

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Title: The Last Stand

Author: Nathaniel Philbrick

Narrator: George Guidall

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-04-10

Publisher: Penguin Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 636 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

The best-selling author of Mayflower sheds new light on one of the iconic stories of the American West.

Little Bighorn and Custer are names synonymous in the American imagination with unmatched bravery and spectacular defeat. Mythologized as Custer's Last Stand, the June 1876 battle has been equated with other famous last stands, from the Spartans' defeat at Thermopylae to Davy Crockett at the Alamo.

In his tightly structured narrative, Nathaniel Philbrick brilliantly sketches the two larger-than-life antagonists: Sitting Bull, whose charisma and political savvy earned him the position of leader of the Plains Indians, and George Armstrong Custer, one of the Union's greatest cavalry officers and a man with a reputation for fearless and often reckless courage.

Philbrick reminds listeners that the Battle of the Little Bighorn was also, even in victory, the last stand for the Sioux and Cheyenne Indian nations. Increasingly outraged by the government's Indian policies, the Plains tribes allied themselves and held their ground in southern Montana. Within a few years of Little Bighorn, however, all the major tribal leaders would be confined to Indian reservations.

Throughout, Philbrick beautifully evokes the history and geography of the Great Plains with his characteristic grace and sense of drama. The Last Stand is a mesmerizing account of the archetypal story of the American West, one that continues to haunt our collective imagination.

Editorial Reviews:

Nathaniel Philbricks brilliant book concludes with an epilogue surveying the historiographical pendulum-swing undergone by the reputation of Colonel Custer and received wisdom surrounding his fate and the battle of Little Bighorn. The Last Stand is as much an investigation into myth-making as it is a straightforward history, and Philbrick charts a course between different extremes of opinion, allowing for a three dimensional portrayal of both sides. Philbrick compares several historical accounts and while not dismissing any nor presenting a definitive revision, he clearly describes the ambiguity around different points in the story, and leaves the decision-making up to the listeners informed imagination.

Philbrick has achieved one of two great things with this book. The first is his masterful handling of the material at his disposal, and his ability to spin the narrative thread through the build-up to Little Bighorn and the chaos and confusion of the climactic battle. With the help of George Guidalls assured delivery, the listener never loses sight of the battles development, even though the author has a habit of suddenly shifting the narrative back and forth in time and pausing the action to delve into the back stories of even the most minor character.

His other achievement is to bring nuance to the experience of the Sioux and Cheyenne Indian nations this is, of course, as much their story as it is of western expansionism. His depictions of Sitting Bull, as well as the trackers, warriors, wives, and daughters are all embraced into the main storyline. Hand in hand with this approach is Philbricks evocation of the landscape; the nautical theme of his previous books means that he can here write of the Great Plains as if hes describing the shifting moods of the sea.

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Title: Cahokia

Subtitle: Ancient Americas Great City on the Mississippi

Author: Timothy Pauketat

Narrator: George Wilson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-17-10

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 47 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Professor Timothy R. Pauketat illuminates the riveting discovery of the largest pre-Columbian city on U.S. soil. Once a flourishing metropolis of 20,000 people in 1050, Cahokia had rotted away by 1400. Its earthen mounds near modern-day St. Louis reveal woodhenges and evidence of large-scale human sacrifice.

Members Reviews:

probably better in hard copy

Slow starting, but once you get beyond the introductory chapters that basically are a rehash, newer archaeological evidence (very late 20th century) is included about this site plus a guess at Cahokia's longer term influence. This is one of the rare audible books where I suffered through the reading. It was plodding and based on its phrasing, sounded like the author was not familiar with the contents in advance. If the hard copy contains illustrations and maps, definitely that would be the way to go on this one.

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Title: Indian Givers

Subtitle: How the Indians of the Americas Transformed the World

Author: Jack Weatherford

Narrator: Victor Bevine

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-16-10

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 261 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

After 500 years, the world's huge debt to the wisdom of the Indians of the Americas has finally been explored in all its vivid drama by anthropologist Jack Weatherford. He traces the crucial contributions made by the Indians to our federal system of government, our democratic institutions, modern medicine, agriculture, architecture, and ecology, and in this astonishing, ground-breaking book takes a giant step toward recovering a true American history.

Critic Reviews:

"By showing how the world was changed through these contributions, the author gives a greater appreciation of the Indians of America to readers. A fine synthesis book for global studies programs as well as American history." (School Library Journal)

Members Reviews:

Eye Opening...

This is a very interesting book. It covers a wide range of topics on how early inhabitants from South and North America were instrumental in unlocking the treasures of the New World long before Europeans discovered and then exploited these peoples, reaping untold richest/benefits while virtually exterminating the benefactors without giving them even the slightest credit. One small example is the author makes a compelling case that the US democracy was in a significant way modeled after the native american values of personal freedom and tribal methods of governance...fascinating stuff!

If you desire to connect the dots from then to now

then you should read this book. So much of what we are experiencing today has its roots in the experience, wisdom and ultimately the genocide of Native Americans. So many of best ideas in the modern world came from them. And while this book is filled with facts, figures and historical information... it was so interesting that I stayed up late listening. Of course, I think Victor Bevine could read a Dell Technical manual and I would find it engaging lol. Do yourself a favor... this one is worth your time.

Powerful!

This is definitely a great book and the writer goes with a great angle too. We always hear about the rape and death of the Indians so, its a nice change up to hear about their legacy and about all of the products, foods/spices and names that they have given us. Its definitely a positive spin from their perspective. The ending and the closing lines are also outstanding!

A new look at history

Jack Weatherford always has some interesting insights to event of history and anthropology. In this book each chapter demonstrates the influence the natives of the Americas had on the rest of the world. From gold and silver to government, architecture, to food plant and medicinal plants. It is an amazing list of fact he gives particularly in the influence of the forming of the United States government. Victor Bevins did a good job narrating the story. If you want a fresh and different view of the Native Americans read this book.

A great listen for anyone in the Americas

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I recommend this book to everyone. I recommend this book to my students in Mediterranean history so that they learn how many of the things they misattribute to the Greeks and Romans are in fact Native American contributions to world culture. I recommend this book to those who love cooking and eating. There's a lot of folklore about which staple foods today originated in the Americas. This book does a good job of giving an overview.