Download the Top 100 Audiobooks in History, American

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Title: Devil of a Whipping

Subtitle: The Battle of Cowpens

Author: Lawrence Babits

Narrator: Knighton Bliss

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-15-09

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 47 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

The battle of Cowpens was a crucial turning point in the Revolutionary War in the South and stands as perhaps the finest American tactical demonstration of the entire war. On January 17, 1781, Daniel Morgan's force of Continental troops and militia routed British regulars and Loyalists under the command of Banastre Tarleton. The victory at Cowpens helped put the British army on the road to the Yorktown surrender and, ultimately, cleared the way for American independence.

Here, Lawrence Babits provides a brand-new interpretation of this pivotal South Carolina battle. Whereas previous accounts relied on often inaccurate histories and a small sampling of participant narratives, Babits uses veterans' sworn pension statements, long-forgotten published accounts, and a thorough knowledge of weaponry, tactics, and the art of moving men across the landscape. He identifies where individuals were on the battlefield, when they were there, and what they saw--creating an absorbing common soldier's version of the conflict. His minute-by-minute account of the fighting explains what happened and why and, in the process, refutes much of the mythology that has clouded our picture of the battle.

Babits put the events at Cowpens into a sequence that makes sense given the landscape, the drill manual, the time frame, and participants' accounts. He presents an accurate accounting of the numbers involved and the battle's length. Using veterans' statements and an analysis of wounds, he shows how actions by North Carolina militia and American cavalry affected the battle at critical times.

And, by fitting together clues from a number of incomplete and disparate narratives, he answers questions the participants themselves could not, such as why South Carolina militiamen ran toward dragoons they feared and what caused the "mistaken order" on the Continental right flank.

Critic Reviews:

"One of the best analyses that we have of an individual Revolutionary War engagement." (

Journal of American History)

Members Reviews:

Don't forget the reference downloads!

This book is NOT a novel. It is an in depth review of a pivotal battle of the American Revolution. It really isn't something you can listen to in your car on the way to work. You'll need the reference maps and documentation to follow along.

If you are into the study of military tactics, this is a great book. If you are looking for an overview with entertaining dialog, this book is not for you.

The Narrator

the Narrator using quote and unquote is very annoying and takes your focus off the story. there is no need to use those words in telling this story, I will avoid this Narrator in any future purchases no matter how good the book is.

it sucked!

I think being a British Officer in the battle would have been more enjoyable than listening to this repetitive dribble. if you can avoid reading it please for your own sake do.

Very Poorly Narrated

This book is not for the faint of heart. You must be a real military historian to really enjoy this book. The story is very well researched and written but the narration simply kills it.

Poor narration

Poor narration made the listening monotonous. Also, one needed a map to keep track of all the geography noted by the author regarding troop movements.

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Title: The Modern Scholar

Subtitle: The American Legal Experience

Author: Lawrence Friedman

Narrator: Lawrence Friedman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-30-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 31 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

The legal system in America is the basis of freedom as we know it today. The system is based, ultimately, on the common law of England, but it has grown, developed, and changed over the years. American law has been a critical factor in American life since colonial times. It has played a role in shaping society, but society - the structure, culture, economy, and politics of the country - has decisively shaped the law. Through history, the legal system has been intimately involved with every major issue in American life: race relations, the economy, the family, crime, and issues of equality and justice. The true strength of the American legal system lies in its ability to adapt to new and difficult issues.

©2004 Lawrence Friedman; (P)2004 Recorded Books

Members Reviews:

A fine survey of this topic, if too short

I'm a law professor of some three decades' experience. I only regret Professor Friedman had to fit this format and leave so much out. Reading his book "A History of American Law," one gains vastly more in detail about, for example, business law, as well as innumerable bits of American history, vividly told. This is less rigorous and works well as a starter, a sketch of broad outlines.

sound, with portons that are extremely interesting

Some fascinating material on colonial law, some passionate and interesting observations on the laws regarding slavery and 19th century civil rights (or lack thereof). Starts to dull down in the 20th century material, when Friedman toes an absolutely middle of the road contemporary academic liberal point of view. Although he is attempting to remain neutral, there's not much doubt where he stands on the worth of the the New Deal, for instance, and his insistence that the fall in the crime rate in the late 20th century is "poorly understood," or even unfathomable (while having just discussed (with disapproval) the "rising prison rate"), will sound ludicrous to anyone but perhaps a contemporary academic seeking to keep his colleagues mollified and not ruffle any feathers. All in all, an excellent listen, however, and an interesting lens through which to view American history.

Decent content but unbearable lisp

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Not unless they had a great tolerance for listening to a 8 hour lecture by a man with a lisp and really needed to know about the history of American law.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of the narrator?

The pace and tone of speaking was fine. The lecturer needs some sort of speech therapy. I feel for all the students that have had to sit through this mans courses.

Was The Modern Scholar worth the listening time?

Yes, the content was interesting enough.

Any additional comments?

I listened to the sample and knew the lisp would be annoying but figured that after a while, I'd come to ignore it. However, it got more and more aggravating. I have a tendency to listen to books of this nature several times to ensure that I have gained as much as I can from the course but it seems unlikely that I will be able to tolerate it. I have made it 3 hours into the lecture and dread the remaining hours.

Worthwhile but slanted

An overview of the development of American law which usefully puts legal history into perspective as set against social and political history.

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Title: A Short History of the United States

Author: Robert V. Remini

Narrator: Oliver Wyman

Format: Abridged

Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-10-08

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 39 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Robert V. Remini explores the arrival and migration of Native Americans; the discovery of the New World by Europeans and the establishment of colonies; the causes of the American Revolution; the founding of a republic under the Constitution; the struggle over slavery, which led to the Civil War; Reconstruction and the rise of big business; the emergence of the United States as a world power; the descent into the Great Depression; the global conflicts of the 20th century; and the outbreak of terrorism here and abroad.

In addition, Remini explains the reasons for the nation's unique and enduring strengths, its artistic and cultural accomplishments, its genius in developing new products to sell to the world, and its abiding commitment to individual freedoms.

Members Reviews:

Very thorough, easy listen, heavy on US Presidents

This was an excellent listen. I have an hour long commute, and was actually looking forward to the trip because I had more listening to do. This book started at US Pre-History, but very quickly progressed into the politics of the US, and typically stayed in a "political" theme. Almost every single US presidential administrations were briefly, and some not-so-briefly were visited.

I would recommend this book to someone who appreciates a good nonfiction book, and has a good block of time available.

My one critical point: I wished there were more "sections." The audible player (my Windows Mobile 6.1 device) only showed 7 sections, so if you loose your place, and don't book-mark, you will jump back too far if you go back to the previous section. I wish the Producer created a new section for every chapter.

A politically slanted Short History of the United States

This book started out really great. I felt I was learning and being reminded of some great facts from the past.

Then I got to more recent history that I lived through and found that the content was very slanted.

This causes me to doubt the things that I learned, making it impossible for me to recommend this book to others.

Also, this book ends before the recession of 2007.

Difficult to listen to

I thought that the content of this book was o.k. Maybe a little heavy on the details and dates, but that information might be valuable to other readers. I had to quit listening to this because the narration is irritating. The narration is so rushed that it is difficult to listen to for over 5 minutes.

Listening I have the feeling I am missing things

The story is read rather enthusiastically which is nice for historical things. However I had the feeling that I am missing part. It seems that it is written from a specific political view point and not an unbiased historical view point. Taking this in consideration it is still an entertaining listen. Can anyone recommend the other viewpoint so I can get the story complete?

A Short History of the US

I enjoyed the earlier years of this history book but found as I got to the years that I'm quite familiar with, this author leans heavily to the Left. He emphasizes the faults of Republicans and diminishes their accomplishments, then dismisses the shortcomings of Democrats while embellishing the dubious accomplishments of Democrats. Example: FDR did not end the Great Depression by nearly spending this country out of existance; WWII and the war economy brought us out of the depression. If Mr.

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Title: 2008 RNC

Subtitle: President George W. Bush (9/02/08)

Author: George W. Bush

Format: Original Recording

Length: 8 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-03-08

Publisher: Associated Press

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 36 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

George W. Bush, the President of the United States, speaks on the second night of the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, September 2, 2008.

©2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use. AP will not be held liable in any way to the User or to any third party or to any other person who may receive information in the Service or to any other person whatsoever, for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing or occasioned thereby.

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Title: America's Hidden History

Subtitle: Untold Tales of Pilgrims, Fighting Women, and Forgotten Founders

Author: Kenneth C. Davis

Narrator: Sam Freed, Kenneth C. Davis

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-29-08

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 76 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Spanning a period from the Spanish arrival in America to George Washington's inauguration in 1789, America's Hidden History explores these episodes, among others:

Members Reviews:

Boring, boring, boring

I love history, and this book was a big disappointment: dry, unoriginal, nearly unbearable. I couldn't finish it. There could be compelling human stories and social history buried here, sometimes hinted at but then not pursued. The author is neither a good researcher nor a good story teller, and the whole effort is disjointed. If you have read 1491 and Guns, Germs, and Steel or any number of books about the early history of the New World, this is not the book for you!

Great Read

Truly a great account of history that actually makes learning exciting. I will definitely recommend this book.

Slow and jumpy, time wise

Started off interesting, but by an hour into it we were getting lost as the time frame kept jumping back and forth across the centuries. In this case, a hard copy is needed as frequent referrals were the order of the day to keep the characters straight. Well-researched, honest, shocking at times (we were never told what a military failure G. Washington was).

Read a hard copy, in sections, and you should love it and learn a lot.

More of History, little of Herstory

Would you try another book from Kenneth C. Davis and/or Sam Freed and Kenneth C. Davis ?

Doubtfully, as the title was deceptive, most of the stories centered around men, with little mention of the women as implied by the title. Very few new revelations to anyone who has read much history.

Any additional comments?

The book was an interesting listen, and would be fine for the general historical novice. It is not near as revealing as the prologue suggests. I expected more about Women in the book, but it really was narrow in its focus, and primarily only discussed Anne Hutchinson. Who albeit worthy of discussion, is only one of many women who shaped American history.

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Title: This Mighty Scourge

Subtitle: Perspectives on the Civil War

Author: James M. McPherson

Narrator: Barrett Whitener

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-06-08

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 147 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Listeners will find insightful pieces on such intriguing figures as Harriet Tubman, John Brown, Jesse James, and William Tecumseh Sherman, and on such vital issues as Confederate military strategy, the failure of peace negotiations to end the war, and the realities and myths of the Confederacy.

Combining the finest scholarship with luminous prose, and packed with new information and fresh ideas, this book brings together the most recent thinking by the nation's leading authority on the Civil War.

Critic Reviews:

"It will seduce anyone, Civil War neophyte or fanatic, for its authority and judgments....There is not a bad chapter in this book. This Mighty Scourge is a marvelous read from a master historian. Like all good history, what it makes you want to do is know more." (Boston Globe)

Members Reviews:

An Introduction to McPherson

James McPherson in "This Mighty Scourge" has not produced so much a history as an analysis of aspects of the American Civil War in this compilation. Through the republication of 16 essays he answers such questions as why did the war start?, what motivated individuals to fight on both sides?, what were the geographical determined differentials in subsequent interpretations of the war?

Some of the essays are updated, some new, and some are republished. Through all the listener benefits from McPherson's long experience with the topic and related literature. Using him as guide, the listener comes away with a perspective built on those years of experience and the benefits of broad understanding of the research since the war.

I listened to learn more about the war and was not disappointed. The writing is wonderful and the reading is exceptional. This is a good introduction to McPherson. First timers to McPherson's work can move from this text to many others also availlable from Audible by him.

Outstanding!!!

Extraordinary collection of McPherson's ideas and analyses of various subjects related to the Civil War. It's one of the most enjoyable books I've listened to on the subject! Great narrator, and wonderful questions to ponder for all civil war buffs!

Excellent Book, Awful Performance

Another indespensible perspective on the Civil War from James McPherson. Here he goes into depth about some topics only briefly covered in his outstanding Battle Cry of Freedom vols. 1 & 2. The excellence of the book is unfortunately marred by a bizarre performance that is so rapid as to be almost incomprehensible. Once I slowed it to half speed it was better, only now a bit slow. I cannot imagine this audio could have been produced intentionally.

New Insights

The book is a series of essays on subjects about the American civil war. Several of them are about people, including Lincoln, John Brown, Jeff Davis and Jessie James. Those were the most interesting. Some of the political discussions were down right boring. The author did provide some new insights and I generally enjoyed the book.

Quite informative

One the bargain specials at Audible turned out to be an interesting collection of essays on different aspects of the Civil War, ranging from the real reasons the war began, to how close foreign powers came to intervening, to Southern revisionism in history books after the war, to whether Sherman was an underrated general, to the political life of Abraham Lincoln.

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Title: Bill of Rights & 17 Other Amendments to the Constitution

Author: James Madison

Narrator: Deaver Brown

Format: Unabridged

Length: 39 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-25-07

Publisher: Simply Media

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 55 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

To improve your understanding of the Bill of Rights, we have included original readings and commentary related to this subject, such as Alexander Hamilton's argument against the Bill of Rights and details on the origins of the Bill of Rights and the Anti-Federalists.

This information will furnish you with original source material, giving you a fuller understanding of the context and events surrounding the Bill of Rights. Whether you are doing a book report for school or just want to brush up on your American history, this is a great place to start. These are the subjects covered:

Members Reviews:

Bill of Rights & Other Constitutional Amendments

This book provided me with what I needed, a summary of the Bill of Rights and the other Amendments to the Constitution. If I need more detailed information I know where to go but for my purpose right now it was just enough - Great Summary. My only other comment is that the narrator should be replaced. I don't think he was all that into the reading.

Good start

Narrator was just fine. I don't know why some didn't find him ok. This book is a very light review and is a good start for someone who wants to study the B of R.

Terrable terrable terrable

I didn't care for the narrator's tone of voice. Spoke "as a matter of fact" with an angree attitude. He read through it too fast so it was hard for me to learn anything. Made several mistake from reading too fast and corrected too many times.

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Title: A Magnificent Catastrophe

Subtitle: The Tumultuous Election of 1800, America's First Presidential Campaign

Author: Edward J. Larson

Narrator: John Dossett

Format: Abridged

Length: 6 hrs

Language: English

Release date: 09-21-07

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 36 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

George Washington had been a non-contested favorite for president and had never campaigned for the job. In 1796, the first election after Washington announced he would not run for a third term, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson squared off as the leading contenders, but carried on Washington's tradition of not actively campaigning. Adams beat Jefferson by just three electoral votes, and the stage was set for viscious battle next time. In the 1800 rematch between Adams and Jefferson, and the newly forming parties that each represented, the gloves came off with both sides launching into hard-core campaiging for the first time.

All the tricks and tactics of partisan warfare that have become the hallmark of American elections were born. Before this election, the parties were merely informal networks and presidential administrations were bipartisan; after this election, the two-party system had been set in stone and all of the regrettable effects of bitter partisanship the Founders had warned of, and tried so hard to fend off, had been set in motion. This election shaped all future lines of battle in American politics.

The audiobook tells the story of that tumultuous, year-long campaign, vividly conveying the heady and overheated spirit of the times and bringing the personalities of the leading players vividly to life.

Critic Reviews:

"In this absorbing, brisk account, Larson re-creates the dramatic presidential race of 1800...an invaluable study of a crucial chapter in the lives of the founding fathers: and of the nation." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Many paragraphs were simply left out...

Great book! mostly disappointed in how many paragraphs were removed during the read through... Is this a condensed version?

Get this if you have to use it for a class!!!

Honestly this audiobook helped me finish the novel in 2 days what would have likely taken me a week otherwise. Be warned though that it tends to skip lines frequently, sometimes entire paragraphs. Once or twice I had to go back and read about 4 pages! Other than that, it was definitely beneficial for me as I am not an avid, nor a quick reader and helped me better understand the history behind it.

Great Book

If you could sum up A Magnificent Catastrophe in three words, what would they be?

informative, consice, detailed

What about John Dossetts performance did you like?

Pleasent to listen to.

Any additional comments?

This book details the struggles concerning the elections of 1800. Ironically, I found many parallels with present day politics. The "Federalist" who believed in big government and central power in a sort of monarchical government against the 'republicans' or "anti-federalist" that where big supporters of the original intent of the Constitution, de-centralized government doing battle. This fits the narrative we see today where the two factions are "Big Government" Republicans and Democrats and the smaller government "republicans" (emphasis on the lowercase 'r') which has members of more "traditional" Democrats and Republicans.

The book covers the elections of 1800 where John Adams (2nd President) seek re-election. However the current Vice President (Thomas Jefferson) also seeks his first win as POTUS.

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Title: Power, Faith, and Fantasy

Subtitle: America in the Middle East, 1776 to the Present

Author: Michael B. Oren

Narrator: Norman Dietz

Format: Unabridged

Length: 27 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-14-07

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 266 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

From the first cannonballs fired by American warships at North African pirates to the conquest of Falluja by the Marines, and from the early American explorers who probed the sources of the Nile to the diplomats who strove for Arab-Israeli peace, the United States has been dramatically involved in the Middle East. For well over two centuries, American statesmen, merchants, and missionaries, both men and women, have had a profound impact on the shaping of this crucial region. Yet their story has never been told. Until now.

Drawing on thousands of government documents and personal letters, this audiobook reconstructs the diverse and remarkable ways in which Americans have interacted with this alluring yet often hostile land stretching from Morocco to Iran and from the Persian Gulf to the Bosporus. Covering over 230 years of history, Power, Faith, and Fantasy is an indispensable work for anyone interested in understanding the roots of America's Middle East involvement today.

Critic Reviews:

"Engaging....a fluent, comprehensive narrative of two centuries of entanglement." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

Thoughtful and balanced

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Oren explains the rich history of interactions that the United States (officially and through private citizens) has had with the people and governments of the middle east. His portrayal seems balanced and shows both the good will and the popular misperceptions of the region in the eyes of the people of the United States.

Don't give up

The prologue tells an intriguing tale, but then the introduction mires down into a wretchedly tedious bibliography. If you can suffer through that part, it turns out to be an excellent historical work. Don't give up, but don't try to skip forward, because the second bookmark is Chapter two. So either miss the entire first chapter, or find something to do while the reader expounds on why the book needed to be written.

Enlightening and fascinating

I don't agree with the reviews criticizing the book as being tedious and repetitive. I didn't have any trouble following the jumps in time, and I found the details and links between people fascinating and informative. Sure, it's a little dry, but I did not lose interest in it at all. If you like detailed historical information, you will also find it fascinating.

Had To Give Up

Don't get me wrong: The book itself is very interesting, full of information that fascinates and intrigues. I bought the book. The audiobook was tedious and boring.

This is an academic work. It is written in the self-important and frequently pedantic style that goes with textbooks and scholarly works. The author also can't resist showing off his vocabulary -- sometimes with constructions and words that break the flow of the piece, when a much simpler word or construction would have done the job nicely. In some cases, the construction seems to trip up the narrator, and in other cases the narrator's somewhat laborious delivery actually seems to add to the tedium of the more academic parts of the text. (But then again, the narrator is stuck with the text, isn't he?)

Since the book is pursuing three specific academic themes, examples are frequently retold and anecdotes either referenced or repeated as the author gets to each theme.

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Title: Gettysburg

Subtitle: A Guided Tour from Jeff Shaara's Civil War Battlefields

Author: Jeff Shaara

Narrator: Robertson Dean

Format: Abridged

Length: 1 hr and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-26-07

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 36 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Jeff Shaara, America's premier Civil War novelist, gives a remarkable guided tour of one of the Civil War battlefields every American should visit. He captures the true meaning and magnitude of the conflict.

Critic Reviews:

"This is an informative and moving examination of 'hallowed ground' that will appeal to both scholars and Civil War buffs, especially those planning to visit these sites." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Family treat

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

I grew up around Gettysburg and love taking my boys to the battlefield in different times of day, different seasons, it always has something new. Truly one of the most magical places in America in terms of awe and epic passion. Listening to Jeff Shaara, son of the renowed Michael Shaara spin stories like he must have heard as a child is an enormous treat.

What did you like best about this story?

Feeling like I was riding with a battlefield historian.

Which character as performed by Robertson Dean was your favorite?

N/A

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes---perfect road trip length. Like a road trip in a road trip.

Any additional comments?

More scholars as friends to listen to in the car please!

A good guide but could have been better.

Would you try another book from Jeff Shaara and/or Robertson Dean?

I have read a number of Jeff Shaara's books and will continues to do so.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The details has it related to modern day locations. How the battlefield looks on those days and how they look today.

While the background is necessary, for one who has vistited the site several times I did not need it.

Have you listened to any of Robertson Deans other performances before? How does this one compare?

The reading was very good.

Did Gettysburg inspire you to do anything?

I might get some of the other tour guides later.