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Title: Gateway to Freedom

Subtitle: The Hidden History of the Underground Railroad

Author: Eric Foner

Narrator: J. D. Jackson

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-19-15

Publisher: HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 72 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

The dramatic story of fugitive slaves and the antislavery activists who defied the law to help them reach freedom. They are little known to history: Sydney Howard Gay, an abolitionist newspaper editor; Louis Napoleon, a furniture polisher; Charles B. Ray, a black minister. At great risk they operated the Underground Railroad in New York, a city whose businesses, banks, and politics were deeply enmeshed in the slave economy.

In secret coordination with black dockworkers who alerted them to the arrival of fugitives and with counterparts in Norfolk, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Albany, and Syracuse, underground-railroad operatives in New York helped more than 3,000 fugitive slaves reach freedom between 1830 and 1860. Their defiance of the notorious Fugitive Slave Law inflamed the South. White and black, educated and illiterate, they were heroic figures in the ongoing struggle between slavery and freedom. Making brilliant use of fresh evidence - including the meticulous record of slave rescues secretly kept by Gay - Eric Foner elevates the underground railroad from folklore to sweeping history.

Critic Reviews:

"A masterwork [by] the preeminent historian of the Civil War era." (

Boston Globe)

"JD Jackson offers a solid, easy-on-the-ears narration of this reexamination of the Underground Railroad." (

AudioFile)

Contact me for any questions: [email protected]

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Title: Crucible of Command

Subtitle: Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee - the War They Fought, the Peace They Forged

Author: William C. Davis

Narrator: Traber Burns

Format: Unabridged

Length: 21 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-06-15

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 314 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

A dual biography of two iconic leaders: how they fought a bloody, brutal war then forged a lasting peace that fundamentally changed our nation.

They met in person only four times, yet these two men determined the outcome of the Civil War and cast competing styles for the reunited nation. Each the subject of innumerable biographies, Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee have never before been paired as they are here.

Exploring their personalities, their character, and their ethical, moral, political, and military worlds, William C. Davis finds surprising similarities between the two men as well as new perspectives on how their lives prepared them for the war they fought and influenced how they fought it. Davis reveals Lee's sense of failure before the war, Grant's optimism during disaster, and the sophisticated social and political instincts that each had when waging a war between democracies.

Members Reviews:

Plutarch looks at Grant and Lee ...

If you could sum up Crucible of Command in three words, what would they be?

Grant, Lee, Parallel

What other book might you compare Crucible of Command to and why?

Davis follows the approach of Plutarch's classic "Lives". While he skips a vast amount of biographical material, he does show important similarities and differences in the upbringing, training, early military experience, and eventual command styles and grasp of strategy and tactics of the two great Civil War commanders.

What about Traber Burnss performance did you like?

Burns's reading was expressive, moved along at a good clip, and was always clear. History should always be read like this.

Any additional comments?

When you write about figures as prominent and often-written-about as Lee and Grant, you have to bring something new to the discussion, and Davis does exactly that. Of course, some will be outraged that Davis is not worshipful to Lee (the normal treatment) but instead measures his mistakes against Grant's, and shows ways in which Grant's command style was more effective than Lee's. Davis admires what is admirable about both men, and deals candidly with their flaws. An excellent addition to military history and to Civil War evaluation.

Great book!

Very interesting study in the dichotomy of the Civil War's two most famous generals. Focuses less on the battles and tactics than on the respective personalities.

Read many books on Lee

This reading was extremely detailed and provided a much more inside view of the men than i have read before. Most of it based on the men's writings.... It gave no preference to either man's character or accomplishments.... The author expressed his opinion at times but it was always back with facts....

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Title: Night of the Grizzlies

Author: Jack Olsen

Narrator: Kevin Pierce

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 12-10-14

Publisher: Crime Rant Classics and Notorious USA

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 268 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Jack Olsen's true account, traces the causes of the tragic night in August 1967 when two separate and unrelated campers, a distance apart, were savagely mangled and killed by enraged bears.

Members Reviews:

The night the bears lost their fear of humans

Jack Olsen, the legendary reporter, delivers a superbly crafted non-fiction account of a night of unprecedented violence, that is also a meditation on Man's humanity, and our relationship with the environment. The first part of the book is a comprehensive description of Glacier National Park, and the flora and fauna that inhabit it. This sets the tone of the book. One can hear the birdsong, the splash of rippling waters, feel the frigid cold of the altitude, smell the scents of pine and loam. And we're presented with descriptions of the difficult, short lives of the beasts that live there.

The second act focuses on people who live in the park; grandfathered in because their homesteads existed before the park became a national park, the hikers, fishermen and rangers that enjoy and protect it. Then a long section on the history of bears in North America, the Black Bear, the now extinct Golden Bear, and Ursus Horribilis, the Grizzly bear. (No mention of a polar bear--though). The second act rises in tension as rogue bears begin to behave very oddly. The fear mechanism that has prevented Grizzly bears from attacking humans for almost 60 years of Park history is beginning to fade, and the bears are becoming bolder, and more aggressive. And it's not just one. It's as though a bear group-think has occurred, and they've told each other they're mad as hell and they're not going to take it any more. The third act is a description of the atrocities that occurred that night, and the human reaction to it. It is by turns terrifying and deeply emotional.

Kevin Pierce narrates with just the right tone of authority and passion. Like his earlier books that I've heard: the Bundy Murders, and the Black Dahlia Avenger, Mr. Pierce has a special sensitivity for the plight of victims. He humanizes them and gives their stories dimension and impact. I found myself tearing up several times. The Night of the Grizzlies is a really great story, and an important story, told by two masterful storytellers.

Just like you are THERE!

Would you consider the audio edition of Night of the Grizzlies to be better than the print version?

It was like listening to a very REAL campfire story--a great way to hear the tale.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Night of the Grizzlies?

As a camper and hiker and someone who has lived in Alaska, I truly appreciated the ENTIRE STORY. There were so many great momentsdon't want to give any spoilers. But here's one: at the end when The Journalist gets outraged about killing one of The Grizzly's Cubs, he unsheathes his knife which he flings to the ground and yells, "Dammit, the cubs would not come around if you just stopped feeding them!" Pretty much sums up the whole book.

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Title: Spies, Patriots, and Traitors

Subtitle: American Intelligence in the Revolutionary War

Author: Kenneth A. Daigler

Narrator: James McSorley

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins

Language: English

Release date: 11-19-14

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 27 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Students and enthusiasts of American history are familiar with the Revolutionary War spies Nathan Hale and Benedict Arnold, but few studies have closely examined the wider intelligence efforts that enabled the colonies to gain their independence. Spies, Patriots, and Traitors provides readers with a fascinating, well-documented, and highly readable account of American intelligence activities during the era of the Revolutionary War, from 1765 to 1783, while describing the intelligence sources and methods used and how our Founding Fathers learned and practiced their intelligence role.

The author, a retired CIA officer, provides insights into these events from an intelligence professional's perspective, highlighting the tradecraft of intelligence collection, counterintelligence, and covert actions and relating how many of the principles of the era's intelligence practice are still relevant today. Daigler reveals the intelligence activities of famous personalities such as Samuel Adams, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Nathan Hale, John Jay, and Benedict Arnold, as well as many less well-known figures.

The book is published by Georgetown University Press.

Members Reviews:

Great content, had a hard time with the narrator

What would have made Spies, Patriots, and Traitors better?

Honestly, the narrator sounds like he's narrating an industrial safety video (of which, I have seen many). Very limited range. Also, there was some excess breathing noise and other distracting sounds.

Would you be willing to try another one of James McSorleys performances?

Only if I proof-listened first. I should have done that this time.

Any additional comments?

I was excited to hear from an actual CIA clandestine operative, but was disappointed by the narrator. Hard to follow. I plodded my way through it because Audible wouldn't let me do a return.

Interesting book

very well writen and reached. Excellent back stories and personal histories on all people mentioned.

Very well researched, but a bit dry.

I appreciated the perspective of a former CIA agent. It is well researched; but, at times reads like a fact sheet. The performance reads like an AM radio news cast.

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Title: Dreamers and Deceivers

Subtitle: True and Untold Stories of the Heroes and Villains Who Made America

Author: Glenn Beck

Narrator: Jeremy Lowell

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-28-14

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 726 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

The new nonfiction from number-one best-selling author and popular radio and television host Glenn Beck.

Members Reviews:

Enjoyable

The only problem I had is that it ended. I think that these are stories of the way Americans effected the culture of this country told in a way I could get into the story.

Another great book learn a lot

Glenn Beck is a great story teller with facts and interesting story lines. You come away with a better understanding of the people in history, some you grew up with.

Fantastic read!! So many interesting stories!

I love the way Glenn and his team make history come alive with stories like these, and from his other books. There is so much hidden history in this country and so much truth that we never get to hear. Thanks Glenn!

Great true stories of America

Outstanding stories of American innovators and infamous people from our history. It is told in a very compelling and exciting way. Mostly good family listening.

Interesting listen

It was a little slow going for me in the beginning but the flow picked up as I continued to listen and I learned some fascinating things.

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Title: The Return of George Washington: 1783-1789

Author: Edward Larson

Narrator: Mark Bramhall

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-07-14

Publisher: HarperAudio

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 114 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward J. Larson recovers a crucially important - yet almost always overlooked - chapter of George Washington's life, revealing how Washington saved the United States by coming out of retirement to lead the Constitutional Convention and serve as our first president.

After leading the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War, George Washington shocked the world: he retired. In December 1783, General Washington, the most powerful man in the country, stepped down as Commander in Chief and returned to private life at Mount Vernon. Yet as Washington contentedly grew his estate, the fledgling American experiment floundered. Under the Articles of Confederation, the weak central government was unable to raise revenue to pay its debts or reach a consensus on national policy. The states bickered and grew apart. When a Constitutional Convention was established to address these problems, its chances of success were slim. Jefferson, Madison, and the other Founding Fathers realized that only one man could unite the fractious states: George Washington. Reluctant, but duty-bound, Washington rode to Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 to preside over the Convention.

Although Washington is often overlooked in most accounts of the period, this masterful new history from Pulitzer Prize winner Edward J. Larson brilliantly uncovers Washington's vital role in shaping the Convention - and shows how it was only with Washingtons support and his willingness to serve as President that the states were brought together and ratified the Constitution, thereby saving the country.

Members Reviews:

A readable history

This book covers the span of years between the end of the War and Washingtons presidency. This period is hardly mentioned by biographers or just called the wilderness years. The author said he felt these years helped Washington understand the weakness and problems facing the emerging country that helped him later as President. Larson writes about the Virginia planters putting his estate in order. When Washington traveled to check his frontier tracts in Pennsylvania and western Virginia he became worried. He found the inhabitants increasingly fractious and only sketchily loyal to the new nation. He worried that the western settlers may turn to Spain who controlled the mouth of the Mississippi river and the Western lands beyond.

The author said Washington believed that only a common interest supported by a vigorous central government and nourished commercial ties, could prevent the fragmentation of the large country. He recommends the building of canals which would benefit both private investors and the Nation as a whole. Larson reveals Washington writing to Henry Knox saying Good God! There are combustibles in every State, which a spark may set fire to!

When Congress called the Constitutional Convention in 1787 they wanted Washington to come and give stature to the proceedings. Washington was initially ambivalent about returning to politics. Washington sensed that division among the States threatened national liberty caused him to join the Constitutional convention in 1787. I really enjoyed Larsons account by John Adams John Adams groused, all anybody was likely to remember about the Revolution was that Dr. Franklins electric rod smote the earth and out sprang George Washington.

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Title: Blessed

Subtitle: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel

Author: Kate Bowler

Narrator: Kate Bowler

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-15-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 39 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

How have millions of American Christians come to measure spiritual progress in terms of their financial status and physical well-being? How has the movement variously called Word of Faith, Health and Wealth, Name It and Claim It, or simply prosperity gospel come to dominate much of our contemporary religious landscape? Kate Bowler's Blessed is the first book to fully explore the origins, unifying themes, and major figures of a burgeoning movement that now claims millions of followers in America. Bowler traces the roots of the prosperity gospel: from the touring mesmerists, metaphysical sages, pentecostal healers, business oracles, and princely prophets of the early 20th century; through mid-century positive thinkers like Norman Vincent Peale and revivalists like Oral Roberts and Kenneth Hagin; to today's hugely successful prosperity preachers. Bowler focuses on such contemporary figures as Creflo Dollar, pastor of Atlanta's 30,000-member World Changers Church International; Joel Osteen, known as "the smiling preacher", with a weekly audience of seven million; T. D. Jakes, named by Time magazine one of America's most influential new religious leaders; Joyce Meyer, evangelist and women's empowerment guru; and many others. At almost any moment, day or night, the American public can tune in to these preachers - on TV, radio, podcasts, and in their megachurches - to hear the message that God desires to bless them with wealth and health. Bowler offers an interpretive framework for scholars and general listeners alike to understand the diverse expressions of Christian abundance as a cohesive movement bound by shared understandings and common goals.

Members Reviews:

Great research, fascinating information

Kate Bowler untangles the roots of the prosperity gospel in an entertaining and informative way. She handles the topic without bias. Well done indeed. If you want to learn more about the movement , its roots and current place in American Christianity today, this book is a must read.

A necessary history that helped me better understand a large part of the global church and influence of this popular theology.

Every time I'd tell people that I was reading a history of the American prosperity gospel they'd begin to ask questions and share stories. And they always asked something like "well, what does she say? Does she say it's bad?" To which I would have to respond "Well, SHE doesn't really say it's bad. She just lays out the history and the facts on the message, the different expressions of it and a bit of the stories the main characters and then let's you decide!" That's one of the things I appreciated about it - It wasn't judgemental or bitter, yet it did describe some of the more troubling events and expressions of the last 50 years.

I really enjoyed this book and felt like I was taking an extremely interesting history class that ended with me thinking about my own faith and religious history in a fresh way.

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Title: We Band of Angels

Subtitle: The Untold Story of the American Women Trapped on Bataan

Author: Elizabeth M. Norman

Narrator: Dina Pearlman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-04-14

Publisher: Audible Studios

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 63 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

We Band of Angels is the story of women searching for adventure, caught up in the drama and danger of war. On the same day the Japanese Imperial Navy launched its surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, it also struck American bases in the Far East, chief among them the Philippines. That raid led to the first major land battle for America in World War II and, in the end, to the largest defeat and surrender of American forces. Caught up in all of this were 99 Army and Navy nurses - the first unit of American women ever sent into the middle of a battle. The "Angels of Bataan and Corregidor" - as the newspapers called them - became the only group of American women captured and imprisoned by an enemy. And the story of their trials on a bloody battlefield, their desperate flight to avoid capture and their ultimate surrender, imprisonment, liberation and homecoming is a story of endurance, professionalism and raw pluck. Along the way, they helped build and staff hospitals in the middle of a malaria-infested jungle on the peninsula of Bataan. Then, short of supplies and medicine, they worked around the clock in the operating rooms and open-air wards, dealing with gaping wounds and gangrenous limbs, ministering to the wounded, the sick, the dying. A few fell in love, only to lose their men to the enemy. Finally, on the tiny island of Corregidor in Manila Bay, the Japanese took them prisoner. For three long years in an internment camp - years marked by loneliness and starvation - they kept to their mission and stuck together. In the end, it was this loyalty, this sense of purpose, womanhood and honor, that both challenged and saved them.

Through interviews with survivors and through unpublished letters, diaries, and journals, Elizabeth M. Norman vividly re-creates that time, telling the story in richly drawn portraits and in a dramatic narrative delivered in the voices of the women who were there.

Editorial Reviews:

"This is a gripping book. Elizabeth Norman presents a war story in which the main characters never kill one of the enemy, or even shoot at him, but are nevertheless heroes. . . . First on Bataan, then moved to Corregidor, they were under almost constant shell fire, were always hungry, close to starvation, had horrendous diseases to deal with despite a shortage or even a complete lack of proper medicines, getting little or no sleep, nothing in the way of recreation--yet they were a true band of angels, inspiring all the men whom they were there to help. In a squalid prison camp, they remained giants, despite their small size. . . . They were the bravest of the brave, who endured unspeakable pain and torture. Americans today should thank God we had such women." - Stephen E. Ambrose

Members Reviews:

A fascinating untold story

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

I have read this book several times and would recommend it for all Americans! It is a must read/listen. You don't have to be interested in World War II to savor this book.

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Title: A Delusion of Satan

Subtitle: The Full Story of the Salem Witch Trials

Author: Frances Hill

Narrator: Wanda McCaddon

Format: Unabridged

Length: 9 hrs and 59 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-09-14

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 79 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

During the bleak winter of 1692 in the rigid Puritan community of Salem Village, Massachusetts, a group of young girls began experiencing violent fits, allegedly tormented by Satan and the witches who worshipped him. From the girls' initial denouncing of an Indian slave, the accusations soon multiplied. In less than two years, 19 men and women were hanged, one was pressed to death, and over a100 others were imprisoned and impoverished.

This evenhanded and now-classic history illuminates the horrifying episode with visceral clarity, from the opportunistic Putnam clan, who fanned the crisis to satisfy personal vendettas and greed, to four-year-old "witch" Dorcas Good, who was chained to a dank prison wall in darkness till she went mad. By placing the distant period of the Salem witch trials in the larger context of more contemporary eruptions of mass hysteria and intolerance, the author has created a work as thought-provoking as it is emotionally powerful.

Critic Reviews:

"Hill reminds us that 'witch-hunts are still with us'." (

Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Interesting listen

Listened to this after watching The Witch. Recommended if you're interested in Salem witch trials.

A new take on the Witch Trials

Would you listen to A Delusion of Satan again? Why?

Absolutely. In fact, I have had to listen to parts more closely a second time since I was driving while listening and needed to pay more attention.

What did you like best about this story?

I really enjoyed the different lens that Ms. Hill looks through to see the Witch Trials. Instead of looking at the more salacious details or the religious aspect, Ms Hill looks at the Witch Trials through the political and sociological values and events at the time. Ms. Hill is an historian, and her attention to detail comes through. I was fascinated throughout.

Which scene was your favorite?

I particularly enjoyed the wry descriptions of the girl's behavior during the trials.

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

Don't blame the Devil, Blame the Putnams

Any additional comments?

The narrator was wonderful, articulating clearly and at a good pace.

very well done

having been a student by virtue of my family history of this period of time this was a wonderful and unbiased account of the witch hysteria of Massachusetts. I loved our and well recommend our top anyone who wants to know the real story of Salem of 1692.

An Okay Read

This book was written well. The only thing that was hard to follow was all the names within the story. If you do have an interest in the Salem Trials, I would recommend this book.

Certainly not a scholarly review

Would you try another book from Frances Hill and/or Wanda McCaddon?

Ms McCaddon is wonderful at reading the material. I would very much enjoy listening to her again..

Would you be willing to try another book from Frances Hill? Why or why not?

I don't think I would be interested in reading something else by Francis Hill. Despite being described as a scholarly work, the material does not live up to that standard. The perhaps greatest weakness is the attempt to wrap everything up in a pop psychology framework. Hill relies upon outdated psychoanalytic concepts to explain various events. Other than to name a few sources, such as Freud, she fails to provide evidence in the narrative to support her claims.

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Title: The Dead and Those About to Die

Subtitle: D-Day: The Big Red One at Omaha Beach

Author: John C. McManus

Narrator: Don Hagen

Format: Unabridged

Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins

Language: English

Release date: 05-08-14

Publisher: Gildan Media, LLC

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 578 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

A white-knuckle account of the First Infantry Divisions harrowing D-Day assault on the eastern sector of Omaha Beach - acclaimed historian John C. McManus has written a gripping history that will stand as the last word on this titanic battle. Nicknamed the Big Red One, First Division had fought from North Africa to Sicily, earning a reputation as stalwart warriors on the front lines and rabble-rousers in the rear. Yet on D-Day, these jaded combat veterans melded with fresh-faced replacements to accomplish one of the most challenging and deadly missions ever. As the men hit the beach, their equipment destroyed or washed away, soldiers cut down by the dozens, courageous heroes emerged: men such as Sergeant Raymond Strojny, who grabbed a bazooka and engaged in a death duel with a fortified German antitank gun; T/5 Joe Pinder, a former minor-league pitcher who braved enemy fire to save a vital radio; Lieutenant John Spalding, a former sportswriter, and Sergeant Phil Streczyk, a truck driver, who together demolished a German strong point overlooking Easy Red, where hundreds of Americans had landed.

Along the way, McManus explores the Gap Assault Team engineers who dealt with the extensive mines and obstacles, suffering nearly a 50 percent casualty rate; highlights officers such as Brigadier General Willard Wyman and Colonel George Taylor, who led the way to victory; and punctures scores of myths surrounding this long-misunderstood battle.

The Dead and Those about to Die draws on a rich array of new or recently unearthed sources, including interviews with veterans. The result is history at its finest, the unforgettable story of the Big Red Ones 19 hours of hell - and their ultimate triumph - on June 6, 1944.

Critic Reviews:

Magnificent! I could not put this book down. John McManus has expanded our knowledge of D-Day history by a considerable factor. It is a great read and will appeal to both devoted students of World War II as well as those with a more casual interest. Don't miss it! (Joseph Balkoski, author of Omaha Beach and Utah Beach)

Members Reviews:

Detailed Account of D-Day

John C. McManus gives the reader an in depth account of what occurred on D-Day on the eastern sector of Omaha Beach. This was where the First Infantry Division had been commanded to attack. The men who had engaged in many battles for the past year felt that they should have been allowed to go home. However, the brass had a different idea. Their division was known to get the job done, Therefore, they sent the First.

The invasion was harrowing, to say the very least. Men were shot dead in the water, which continued to get deeper. The packs the men carried made it almost impossible to tread through the deep water, let alone trudge up the sandy beach.

The beach was inundated with bombs that continued to explode, taking the soldiers with them. Those that made it to the beach had to find cover so as not to be killed or wounded. However, there was hardly any cover to be found. Trenches were dug, cliffs were found but nothing would keep the German's from firing.

The First Infantry Division were not cowards and the medals that some won and the death of too many proved that this was so.

The book was researched in depth. The author used names of the men that were too many to remember. He bared wide open the description of how the men struggled.