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Title: George Washington on Leadership

Author: Richard Brookhiser

Narrator: Patrick Lawlor

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-10-08

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 33 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Political Figures

Publisher's Summary:

Richard Brookhiser's revolutionary biography, Founding Father took George Washington off the dollar bill and made him live. Now, with his trademark wit and precision, Brookhiser expertly examines the details of Washington's life that full-scale biographies sweep over, to instruct us in true leadership.

He explains how Washington maximized his strengths and overcame his flaws, and inspires us to do likewise. It shows how one man's struggles and successes 200 years ago can be a model for leaders today.

Washington oversaw two start-ups: the army and the presidency. He chaired the most important meeting in American history, the Constitutional Convention. Washington rose from being a third son who was a major in the militia to one of the most famous men in the world. At every stage in his career, he had to deal with changing circumstances, from tobacco prices to geopolitics, and with wildly different classes of men, from frontiersmen to aristocrats.

Members Reviews:

Enjoyed the Different Perspective

Would you consider the audio edition of George Washington on Leadership to be better than the print version?

After listening to a number of biographies on Washington the information about his life becomes a little redundant. George Washington on Leadership provides a different perspective of aspects of his life and how, as a leader of an army and then a nation, his style was developed. For me, most interesting was how the author was able to intermingle Washington's leadership style into modern day terms focusing on honesty, integrity, compassion, bravery and fortitude under the most trying of circumstances, and a basic understanding of human behavior. Using Washington as a model for our own lives truly provides us lofty goals. Something our leaders in government and in the private sector community should take note of.The narrator did a good job with the reading and kept my interest. I completely enjoyed this book.

scholarly approach

Well written but not particularly well delivered, was read in a very scholarly manner rather than in a manner which draws you in to the information. However, very full of information!

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Title: President Lincoln

Subtitle: The Duty of a Statesman

Author: William Lee Miller

Narrator: Lloyd James

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 12 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-18-08

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 36 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Political Figures

Publisher's Summary:

Wars waged by American presidents have come to be pivotal historical events. Here Miller analyzes the commander in chief who coped with the profound moral dilemmas of America's bloodiest war.

In his acclaimed book Lincoln's Virtues, Miller explored Abraham Lincoln's intellectual and moral development. Now he completes his "ethical biography", showing the amiable and inexperienced backcountry politician transformed by constitutional alchemy into an oath-bound head of state, slapped in the face from the first minute of his presidency by decisions of the utmost gravity and confronted by the radical moral contradiction left by the nation's Founders: universal ideals of Equality and Liberty and the monstrous injustice of human slavery.

With wit and penetrating sensitivity, Miller shows us a Lincoln with unusual intellectual power, as he brings together the great themes that will be his legend: preserving the United States of America while ending the odious institution that corrupted the nation's meaning.

Miller finds in this superb politician a remarkable presidential amalgamation: an indomitable resolve, combined with the judgment that keeps it from being mindless stubbornness; and a supreme magnanimity, combined with the discriminating judgment that keeps it from being sentimentality.

Here is the realistic war leader persisting after multiple defeats, pressing his generals to take the battle to the enemy, insisting that the objective was the destruction of Lee's army and not the capture of territory, saying that breath alone kills no rebels, remarking that he regretted war does not admit of holy days, asking whether one could believe that he would strike lighter blows rather than heavier ones...

Critic Reviews:

"A creative thesis thoroughly explored and beautifully argued." (Kirkus)

"One of the most insightful accounts of Lincoln published in recent years." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

An analysis of Lincoln's life, not a history

Mr. Miller assumes that we already know President Lincoln's history well and so often only alludes to events and speeches rather then tell about them. Most of the time seems to be spent in deep analysis of consequences and import, rather than describing the actual history. This book would probably be much more fascinating to someone who already knows Lincolns history well. -- Disclaimer: I had to stop listening after the 2nd or 3rd chapter, because I did not know my history well enough for this to be much use to me.

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Title: George H. W. Bush

Subtitle: The American President Series: The 41st President, 1989-1993

Author: Timothy Naftali

Narrator: Patrick Frederic

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-07-07

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Political Figures

Publisher's Summary:

Yet it was ultimately his trademark propriety that cost Bush his chance at a second term. Bush's landmark budget deal was characterized as a political defeat rather than a show of fiscal responsibility; his caution in dealing with Saddam Hussein was considered by many Republicans a pathetic compromise. With his party divided, Bush lost his bid for reelection in 1992, but in a final irony, the conservatives who scorned him would return to power eight years later, under his son and namesake.

Members Reviews:

Conventional Liberal Wisdom

This is a reasonably well written short biography of Bush 41 which is consistent with the approach of the other biographies in the Schlesinger series of which it is a part. But it is a political book, so politics cannot be ignored in this review. Although the author is obviously a liberal Democrat, for the most part he attempts to be fair to Bush personally. However, listeners should be forwarned that the entire book is written from a liberal point of view. Thus, for example, the"bad" Bush is the Bush of the "read my lips no new taxes" pledge and the "good" Bush is the Bush who broke that pledge. There are also many gratuitous slaps at Ronald Reagan. Thus, the book in some ways reads like an "analysis" one might read in the NY Times. Accordingly, liberals will have a more positive response than conservatives.

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Title: The Conviction of Richard Nixon

Subtitle: The Untold Story of the Frost/Nixon Interviews

Author: James Reston

Narrator: Marc Cashman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-24-07

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 35 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Political Figures

Publisher's Summary:

In The Conviction of Richard Nixon, Reston provides a fascinating, fly-on-the-wall account of his involvement in the Nixon interviews as David Frost's Watergate adviser. Written in 1977 immediately following those celebrated television interviews and published now for the first time, The Conviction of Richard Nixon explains how a British journalist of waning consequence drove the famously wily and formidable Richard Nixon to say, in an apparent personal epiphany, "I have impeached myself."

Members Reviews:

Riveting!

Well written and well narrated story of the Frost/ Nixon interviews, now in the public consciousness again with the Broadway show "Frost/ Nixon" and next year's movie version. The story might remind one of "All the President's Men" or other political thrillers. A gripping account of the extensive research and uncovering of new information surrounding the Watergate robbery and coverup in preparation for David Frost's 1977 interviews with Richard Nixon (the author was on the team of researchers who prepped Frost), and how Frost, a "lightweight" in the world of journalism, was subsequently able to confront Nixon and get him to admit wrongdoing and culpability, something even Mike Wallace had failed to do.

A fascinating chapter in recent history. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Interesting, great listen

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Conviction of Richard Nixon?

The author provides insight as to how Nixon crumbled not at the feet of a litigator, but at the feet of Frost - the professional interviewer.

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

No

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Title: General Ike

Subtitle: A Personal Reminiscence

Author: John Einsenhower

Narrator: Edward Herrmann

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-11-07

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Political Figures

Publisher's Summary:

Here, for the first time, are eyewitness stories of General Patton showing off during military exercises; of Ike on the verge of departing for Europe and assuming command of the Eastern Theater; and of Churchill stewing and lobbying Ike in his "off hours". Faced with giant personalities such as these men and MacArthur - not to mention difficult allies such as de Gaulle and Montgomery - Ike nevertheless managed to pull together history's greatest invasion force and to face down a determined enemy from Normandy to the Bulge and beyond. John Eisenhower masterfully uses the backdrop of Ike's key battles to paint a portrait of his father and his relationships with the great men of his time.

General Ike is a ringing and inspiring testament to a great man by an accomplished historian. It is also a personal portrait of a caring, if not always available, father by his admiring son. It is history at its best.

Critic Reviews:

"I would happily listen to Edward Herrmann read a telephone directory - that's how much I enjoy his work in audiobooks. When the book has the substance of General Ike, the experience is all the more edifying. The general's son, John S.D. Eisenhower, reflects on the military Ike. Each chapter explores Ike's relationship with various military figures, including Patton, Churchill, and de Gaulle. Herrmann doesn't try to do vocal characterizations, yet it's always clear who is speaking during conversations. His delivery is smooth and clear." (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

A Son's Look at a Towering Figure of the 20th Century

Looking at the first paragraph of the review by Candace Scott of 2003, I found exactly what I would have written. Having read John Eisenhower's book on the Mexican War, I was eager to read this brief memoir of what he knew of his father's relationship to certain key figures in the European Theater of Operations (and North Africa which Roosevelt agreed to only to get the American troops into action somewhere as soon as possible to seek to relieve the terrible pressure on our new Allies The Soviet Union). He specifies that he has limited discussion to the military aspect of Dwight Eisenhower's activities related to the War, with a look at his prior career insofar as it reflected upon those years and influenced his actions and only insofar as he felt competent from his interactions with his father and his personal papers to speak of him with some degree of confidence. My own feeling is that he has been quite successful in achieving this limited goal producing a book that is not so much a history as an element of history itself which later writers will have to consider in some degree in preparing their more comprehensive works. At this point in time, there seems no reason to believe that Eisenhower's activities, however viewed and distorted in the future, will have to be considered since he commanded the most numerous and complex military force ever brought to bear in combat in world history.

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Title: Thomas Jefferson and His Time, Volume 5

Subtitle: Second Term, 1805-1809

Author: Dumas Malone

Narrator: Anna Fields

Format: Unabridged

Length: 24 hrs and 18 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-08-07

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 16 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Political Figures

Publisher's Summary:

The fifth volume of the Jefferson series completes the story of his presidency, carrying him through his troubled second term, but also to the end of an official career that spanned some 40 years. Here is a vibrant account of Jefferson's disparate activities: sponsoring the Lewis and Clark Expedition; concluding the naval "war" with the Barbary pirates; engaging in a political duel with Chief Justice Marshall over the trial of Aaron Burr; attempting to impose an embargo on exports in reaction to the impressment of American seamen by foreign powers; and, finally, retiring to his beloved haven at Monticello.

Founding father: listen to the rest of the titles in the

Thomas Jefferson and His Time series:

©1974 Dumas Malone (P)1998 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic Reviews:

"Malone illuminates with erudition and narrative skill. It would appear...that Malone has read and evaluated everything of consequence ever written by or about Jefferson." (The New Republic)

Members Reviews:

Classic work, so-so reading

The work is probably the definitive biography of Thomas Jefferson. It's hard to imagine one more complete or better executed and is a real joy to read. Some reviews on this state that Malone is "pro-Jefferson" and biased towards him. Certainly, Malone is admires Jefferson (I can't imagine spending so many years on one man and not feeling some attachment to him), but he always seems objective regarding the facts in any given controversy and doesn't spare TJ any criticism when warranted. On the other hand, TJ made many enemies over his lifetime and these made numerous claims without necessarily being based in facts. Malone examines each with care and reason. The recording is dated in the late-1990s and was originally on cassette tapes. This is known because there is an occasional slip as she announces the beginning of a new tape from time to time. There are some technical problems and I recall these being mainly in the 1st and 5th volumes. On the whole, they aren't a big deal. Her tone is a bit wry for my taste but she gets the job done (the big, big job).

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Title: Thomas Jefferson and His Time, Volume 3

Subtitle: Jefferson and the Ordeal of Liberty

Author: Dumas Malone

Narrator: Anna Fields

Format: Unabridged

Length: 19 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-30-06

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 41 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Political Figures

Publisher's Summary:

Here's the third volume in Dumas Malone's distinguished study of Thomas Jefferson and his time. It deals with one of the most fascinating and controversial periods of Jefferson's life, including the final and most crucial phase of his tenure as secretary of state; his retirement to Monticello; his assumption of the leadership of the opposition party; and the crisis during the "half-war" with France, when political oppression was threatened and the freedom of individuals imperiled.

Founding father: listen to the rest of the titles in the Thomas Jefferson and His Time series:

©1962 Dumas Malone; (P)1998 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic Reviews:

"Maintains the mature scholarship established by the earlier volumes. Academic in the best sense, it not only displays an intimate familiarity with the vast literature but contains an acute evaluation of Jefferson's ideas and ideals." (Saturday Review)

Members Reviews:

Classic work, so-so reading

The work is probably the definitive biography of Thomas Jefferson. It's hard to imagine one more complete or better executed and is a real joy to read. Some reviews on this state that Malone is "pro-Jefferson" and biased towards him. Certainly, Malone is admires Jefferson (I can't imagine spending so many years on one man and not feeling some attachment to him), but he always seems objective regarding the facts in any given controversy and doesn't spare TJ any criticism when warranted. On the other hand, TJ made many enemies over his lifetime and these made numerous claims without necessarily being based in facts. Malone examines each with care and reason. The recording is dated in the late-1990s and was originally on cassette tapes. This is known because there is an occasional slip as she announces the beginning of a new tape from time to time. There are some technical problems and I recall these being mainly in the 1st and 5th volumes. On the whole, they aren't a big deal. Her tone is a bit wry for my taste but she gets the job done (the big, big job).

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Title: The Benn Tapes 2

Author: Tony Benn

Narrator: Tony Benn

Format: Original Recording

Length: 1 hr and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-20-06

Publisher: BBC Worldwide Limited

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 3 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Political Figures

Publisher's Summary:

Late each night for over 25 years, the Labour MP and former Secretary of State Tony Benn sat alone and dictated onto tape his account of the daily events at the heart of government. Here, in the second highly acclaimed Radio 4 series, he reveals what he discovered from his scrutiny of the nuclear industry and why he now believes nuclear power is unsafe. He recalls what really happened during Cabinet reshuffles by Harold Wilson and Jim Callaghan and he traces the split in the party following its 1979 defeat, the emergence of the Social Democratic Party, and his challenge to the deputy leader, Denis Healy.

© and (P)1994, 2005 BBC Audiobooks LTD

Members Reviews:

Benn is an inspiration

Tony Benn will be an inspiration to people in politics for generations to come and his dairies and tapes will ensure that is the case.

Very enjoyable!

As a socialist it's nice to get an incite of these volatile times from a great man.

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Title: Love and Louis XIV

Subtitle: The Women in the Life of the Sun King

Author: Antonia Fraser

Narrator: Justine Eyre

Format: Abridged

Length: 9 hrs and 25 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-05-06

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 4 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Political Figures

Publisher's Summary:

Antonia Fraser does indeed entertain us by bringing to life these very "fairytales", vividly portraying the vast edifice of Louis XIV's court between the years 1643 and 1715. Brilliantly exploring the rich dynamic that existed between Louis XIV and the many fascinating women who ornamented his personal life, Fraser examines not only Louis' mistresses, but also the wider story of his relationships with women in general.

Fraser portrays the gallantry, from friendship shading to love, the subtle art of courtship, the more frivolous and even dangerous pursuit of flirtation, and the sensual libertinage ending in sex. But if gallantry, or sex, is one theme of this audiobook, then religion is another, and it is in the connection between the two that the fascination of Louis XIV's relationships with his mistresses lies.

Critic Reviews:

"One of the most enveloping popular histories of the current publishing season." (Booklist)

"Prolific royal biographer Fraser...has assiduously researched her measured yet engrossing study." (Publishers Weekly)

Members Reviews:

An eye opener into the gilded world of Louis XIV reign.

As a lover of history I very much enjoyed this well crafted book. So few realize this period of insanity existed during the magnificence of Louis XIV reign and how many among the nobility were involved. I learned a lot.

This is a great way of clarifying the complicated names and relationships in ...

As always, Antonia Fraser has done extensive research and is remarkably informed on her subject matter. This is a great way of clarifying the complicated names and relationships in the TV series Versailles. No fiction in the book, but interesting to compare reality vs. TV show. Versailles is reasonably accurate.

Five Stars

Excellent, well researched book. Highly recommend

Five Stars

Good read.

Its good to be King

This is an ok book ,, Oh to be a King ,, Mel Brooks said ,, Its good to be King ,,( now get me the Piss pot )

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Title: Adolf Hitler

Subtitle: The Leaders Series (Dramatized)

Author: Steven Fuller

Narrator: Stephen Thorne, Full Cast

Format: Original Recording

Length: 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-08-06

Publisher: Ivan and Inge Berg

Ratings: 3.5 of 5 out of 26 votes

Genres: Bios & Memoirs, Political Figures

Publisher's Summary:

In this sometimes spine-chilling audio biography, the dark atmosphere of the age is superbly conveyed, with actor Michael Burrell giving a terrifyingly convincing interpretation of the demonic despot.

Hitler is played by Michael Burrell, with other parts played by Michael Kilgarrif and Michael Sheard.

Editorial Reviews:

Stephen Thorne heads a cast of actors in this biography of Adolf Hitler, written by Steven Fuller, who traces Hitler's rise from a violent, stubborn youth to the despotic leader of the Third Reich. Thorne's crisp diction makes Fuller's portrait a thorough and reputable account of how a young man - grief-stricken over his mother's early death, frustrated with his failures as an artist, and obsessed with socialism at an early age - became the dynamic ideologue responsible for the Holocaust. Michael Burrell gives a harsh, bristling, and credible performance as Hitler, adding even more authenticity to this remarkable biography.

Members Reviews:

Mini Bio of Adolph Hitler~ geared to Students ~

PLOT: mini bio of Adolph Hitler

This hits the highlights of Hitlers life. Lacks details but gives a solid over all bio of the man and what influenced him. FAST listen. 3 STARS~ geared for students.

Hitler in 59 Minutes

What would have made Adolf Hitler better?

It was always going to be ambitious to do a dramatization of Hitler's life in an hour. i found this work less than comprehensive, the performances were poor and bland.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Stephen Fry - The Hippopotamus

Would you listen to another book narrated by Stephen Thorne and Full Cast ?

No

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment

Any additional comments?

Would be really cool to have a dramatized version of Fuhrer by Alan Prior.