American Legends: The Life of Betsy Ross
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
American Legends: The Life of Betsy Ross
Buy for $3.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
David Zarbock
About this listen
Betsy Ross is one of the few women in American history whose name is known to every American, but that is not the only reason she's such a unique figure. Indeed, Betsy Ross is a true rarity in that she has been turned into a mythological heroine. Every country has legends, and tales that grow out of its founding, but given that the United States is a relatively young country, there is ample historical information on the lives and exploits of its Founders. Though there are apocryphal myths attached to men like George Washington, who did not chop down the cherry tree, American legends are usually famous for what they actually did.
This is not the case with Betsy Ross, who remains best known for creating the first American flag at Washington's behest. But that story is based entirely on legend and rumor, and as such, her life is interesting more as a symbol than as an individual life. Historian Marla Miller, author of the definitive biography of Ross, explains this dilemma: "From start to finish, Betsy Ross remained elusive to me as an individual. What I could see far more clearly was the several generations of a Pennsylvania family whose fortunes fluctuated over time and space, for whom the Revolution was arguably more bane than boon, their patriotic family storytelling notwithstanding."
Given that nothing else about her life is remembered like the legend of the first flag, Betsy Ross remains an elusive historical figure, even though she lived a long life that saw the conception, birth and childhood of her country. Had she lived in Georgia or Vermont, no one would have ever heard of her, but she lived in Philadelphia, the center of the action in the late 18th century. Ross was a witness to many of the events that have since become legendary themselves.
American Legends: The Life of Betsy Ross looks at the life of Betsy Ross and analyzes how her legend and legacy were created over the centuries.
©2012 Charles River Editors (P)2015 Charles River EditorsListeners also enjoyed...
-
Who Was Andy Warhol?
- Who Was...?
- By: Kirsten Anderson
- Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith
- Length: 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 8
Best known for his screen prints of soup cans and movie stars, this shy young boy from Pittsburgh shot to fame with his radical ideas of what "art" could be. Working in the aptly named Factory, Warhol's paintings, movies, and eccentric lifestyle blurred the lines between pop culture and art, ushering in the Pop Art movement and with it a national obsession. Who Was Andy Warhol? tells the story of an enigmatic man who grew into a cultural icon.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great intro to Andy for kids
- By Amy Geier on 01-03-17
By: Kirsten Anderson
-
The Sons of Liberty: The Lives and Legacies of John Adams, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere and John Hancock
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Chris Brinkley
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 87
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 85
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 84
For over 200 years, Americans have been fascinated by the Revolutionary period and the patriots who led the growing resistance movement against British authority. In particular, the clandestine activities of Boston's Sons of Liberty in the decade before the war continue to be a source of both intrigue and mystery. The Sons of Liberty chronicles the amazing lives and careers of the four most famous members of the Sons of Liberty, examines their relationships before and during the Revolution, and analyzes their lasting legacies. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Samuel Adams, John Adams, Paul Revere and John Hancock like you never have before.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
it should be required reading in our high schools.
- By Amazon Customer on 04-05-17
-
John Adams: Independence Forever
- Heroes of History
- By: Janet Benge, Geoff Benge
- Narrated by: Tim Gregory
- Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 25
John's heart sank. A British man-of-war was plowing through the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean in hot pursuit of his ship. If the British caught up with the Boston, John would be hanged. He had proudly signed the Declaration of Independence and was carrying the colonies' secret papers. He couldn't be captured now! Growing up in Massachusetts, longing to be a farmer like his father, John Adams never imagined the vital role he would one day play in the transformation of the colonies into an independent American nation.
By: Janet Benge, and others
-
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
- By: Walter Isaacson
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 24 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,850
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,766
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,732
Benjamin Franklin is the founding father who winks at us - an ambitious urban entrepreneur who rose up the social ladder, from leather-aproned shopkeeper to dining with kings. In best-selling author Walter Isaacson's vivid and witty full-scale biography, we discover why Franklin turns to us from history's stage with eyes that twinkle from behind his new-fangled spectacles. In Benjamin Franklin, Isaacson shows how Franklin defines both his own time and ours. The most interesting thing that Franklin invented, and continually reinvented, was himself.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good book, not crazy about the narrator
- By Cathi on 07-20-13
By: Walter Isaacson
-
Unfamiliar Fishes
- By: Sarah Vowell
- Narrated by: Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, John Hodgman, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 2,321
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1,803
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,796
In Unfamiliar Fishes, Sarah Vowell argues that 1898 might be a year just as crucial to our nation's identity, a year when, in an orgy of imperialism, the United States annexed Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam, and invaded Cuba and then the Philippines, becoming a meddling, self-serving, militaristic international superpower practically overnight. Of all the countries the United States invaded or colonized in 1898, Vowell considers the story of the Americanization of Hawaii to be the most intriguing.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Sarah Vowell does it again!
- By Kat on 03-23-11
By: Sarah Vowell
-
Aaron Burr: A Captivating Guide to the Life of Aaron Burr and the Most Famous Duel in American History
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 2 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 24
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 24
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 24
Based on his early achievements, Aaron Burr, Jr., should have become an obscure but respected figure in American history. An officer in the Continental Army, a high-flying lawyer, and an influential politician, his career peak was becoming the third vice president in US history. But after all these achievements, Burr's name is now associated with corruption and cruelty. He killed a man in an illegal duel while in office, and interest in that man, Alexander Hamilton, has revived Burr's reputation as one of history's villains. Who was Aaron Burr?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
accurate historical facts
- By Lor on 04-06-18
-
Who Was Andy Warhol?
- Who Was...?
- By: Kirsten Anderson
- Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith
- Length: 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 14
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 9
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 8
Best known for his screen prints of soup cans and movie stars, this shy young boy from Pittsburgh shot to fame with his radical ideas of what "art" could be. Working in the aptly named Factory, Warhol's paintings, movies, and eccentric lifestyle blurred the lines between pop culture and art, ushering in the Pop Art movement and with it a national obsession. Who Was Andy Warhol? tells the story of an enigmatic man who grew into a cultural icon.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great intro to Andy for kids
- By Amy Geier on 01-03-17
By: Kirsten Anderson
-
The Sons of Liberty: The Lives and Legacies of John Adams, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere and John Hancock
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Chris Brinkley
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 87
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 85
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 84
For over 200 years, Americans have been fascinated by the Revolutionary period and the patriots who led the growing resistance movement against British authority. In particular, the clandestine activities of Boston's Sons of Liberty in the decade before the war continue to be a source of both intrigue and mystery. The Sons of Liberty chronicles the amazing lives and careers of the four most famous members of the Sons of Liberty, examines their relationships before and during the Revolution, and analyzes their lasting legacies. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Samuel Adams, John Adams, Paul Revere and John Hancock like you never have before.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
it should be required reading in our high schools.
- By Amazon Customer on 04-05-17
-
John Adams: Independence Forever
- Heroes of History
- By: Janet Benge, Geoff Benge
- Narrated by: Tim Gregory
- Length: 5 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 26
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 25
John's heart sank. A British man-of-war was plowing through the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean in hot pursuit of his ship. If the British caught up with the Boston, John would be hanged. He had proudly signed the Declaration of Independence and was carrying the colonies' secret papers. He couldn't be captured now! Growing up in Massachusetts, longing to be a farmer like his father, John Adams never imagined the vital role he would one day play in the transformation of the colonies into an independent American nation.
By: Janet Benge, and others
-
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
- By: Walter Isaacson
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 24 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,850
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,766
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,732
Benjamin Franklin is the founding father who winks at us - an ambitious urban entrepreneur who rose up the social ladder, from leather-aproned shopkeeper to dining with kings. In best-selling author Walter Isaacson's vivid and witty full-scale biography, we discover why Franklin turns to us from history's stage with eyes that twinkle from behind his new-fangled spectacles. In Benjamin Franklin, Isaacson shows how Franklin defines both his own time and ours. The most interesting thing that Franklin invented, and continually reinvented, was himself.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Good book, not crazy about the narrator
- By Cathi on 07-20-13
By: Walter Isaacson
-
Unfamiliar Fishes
- By: Sarah Vowell
- Narrated by: Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, John Hodgman, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 2,321
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1,803
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,796
In Unfamiliar Fishes, Sarah Vowell argues that 1898 might be a year just as crucial to our nation's identity, a year when, in an orgy of imperialism, the United States annexed Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Guam, and invaded Cuba and then the Philippines, becoming a meddling, self-serving, militaristic international superpower practically overnight. Of all the countries the United States invaded or colonized in 1898, Vowell considers the story of the Americanization of Hawaii to be the most intriguing.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Sarah Vowell does it again!
- By Kat on 03-23-11
By: Sarah Vowell
-
Aaron Burr: A Captivating Guide to the Life of Aaron Burr and the Most Famous Duel in American History
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 2 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 24
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 24
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 24
Based on his early achievements, Aaron Burr, Jr., should have become an obscure but respected figure in American history. An officer in the Continental Army, a high-flying lawyer, and an influential politician, his career peak was becoming the third vice president in US history. But after all these achievements, Burr's name is now associated with corruption and cruelty. He killed a man in an illegal duel while in office, and interest in that man, Alexander Hamilton, has revived Burr's reputation as one of history's villains. Who was Aaron Burr?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
accurate historical facts
- By Lor on 04-06-18
-
P.T. Barnum: A Captivating Guide to the American Showman Who Founded What Became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 1 hr and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 15
He wasn’t always the Great Showman. In fact, Phineas Taylor Barnum grew up in relative poverty with only his wits to help him along. When his father died, the 15-year-old boy entered the working world as a shopkeeper’s assistant. In leaps and bounds, he worked his way from assistant to shop owner, lottery office owner, and, eventually, entertainment promoter. The bulk of his career was focused on his beloved American Museum, where thousands of ticket holders flocked every day to look at the human oddities, stuffed animals, live whale, and American memorabilia.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
greatest. show
- By Amazon Customer nutbutter on 09-23-18
-
The 56
- Liberty Lessons from Those Who Risked All to Sign the Declaration of Independence
- By: Douglas MacKinnon
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 69
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 63
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 63
The urgent need to honor the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence came to Douglas MacKinnon, fittingly enough, on the Fourth of July. While doing research for a column meant to remind the American people of that date’s critical importance, he came across example after example of those from the left and the far left—be they in the mainstream media, activists, or anarchists—calling for not only the “canceling” of the Fourth of July, but the continued smearing, censorship, and canceling of our Founding Fathers.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Must read for every U.S. citizen!
- By DK Holmes on 05-24-22
-
Elizabeth I
- A Captivating Guide to the Queen of England Who was the Last of the Five Monarchs of the House of Tudor
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Desmond Manny
- Length: 1 hr and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 18
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 15
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 16
Elizabeth Tudor, daughter of the ill-fated Queen Anne Boleyn and temperamental King Henry VIII, was never meant to rule the country. Yet, when her time came, she didn’t stumble under the weight of the English crown. Elizabeth was perhaps the most intelligent, forward-thinking monarch who ever sat on the throne before or since. Her reign is responsible for the strength of the Royal Navy, the cultivation of fine arts, the long-term stability and safety of her nation from foreign attacks, and the first steps toward international colonization.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Quite a History!
- By Brianna Denise Krooberg on 03-03-19
-
Founding Mothers
- The Women Who Raised Our Nation
- By: Cokie Roberts
- Narrated by: Cokie Roberts
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 421
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 275
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 277
Cokie returns with Founding Mothers, an intimate look at the passionate women whose tireless pursuits on behalf of their families and country proved just as crucial to the forging of a new nation as the rebellion that established it.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Founding Mothers
- By Carol Roath on 05-31-04
By: Cokie Roberts
-
An Imperfect God
- George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America
- By: Henry Wiencek
- Narrated by: Rick Adamson
- Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 71
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 43
Washington was born and raised among Blacks and mixed-race people; he and his wife had blood ties to the slave community. Yet as a young man he bought and sold slaves without scruple, even raffled off children to collect debts (an incident ignored by earlier biographers). Then, on the Revolutionary battlefields where he commanded both Black and White troops, Washington's attitudes began to change.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent handling of one part of Wahington's life
- By buffaloboy on 05-20-04
By: Henry Wiencek
-
Jefferson's Daughters
- Three Sisters, White and Black, in a Young America
- By: Catherine Kerrison
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 174
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 152
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 152
Thomas Jefferson had three daughters: Martha and Maria by his wife, Martha Wayles Jefferson, and Harriet by his slave Sally Hemings. Although the three women shared a father, the similarities end there. Martha and Maria received a fine convent school education while they lived with their father during his diplomatic posting in Paris. Once they returned home, however, the sisters found their options limited by the laws and customs of early America. Harriet Hemings followed a different path. She escaped slavery — apparently with the assistance of Jefferson himself.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Don't waste money on this book.
- By Amazon Customer on 02-17-18
-
In the Shadow of Liberty
- The Hidden History of Slavery, Four Presidents, and Five Black Lives
- By: Kenneth C. Davis
- Narrated by: Kenneth C. Davis, Frankie Faison, Keith David, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 222
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 189
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 192
Did you know that many of America's Founding Fathers - who fought for liberty and justice for all - were slave owners? Through the powerful stories of five enslaved people who were "owned" by four of our greatest presidents, this book helps set the record straight about the role slavery played in the founding of America. From Billy Lee, valet to George Washington, to Alfred Jackson, faithful servant of Andrew Jackson, these dramatic narratives explore our country's great tragedy - that a nation "conceived in liberty" was also born in shackles.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Powerful
- By Virgil P Gaiter on 11-03-16
By: Kenneth C. Davis
-
Signing Their Lives Away
- The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence
- By: Denise Kiernan, Joseph D'Agnese
- Narrated by: Susan Larkin
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 56
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 50
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 50
In the summer of 1776, fifty-six men risked their lives and livelihood to defy King George III and sign the Declaration of Independence - yet how many of them do we actually remember? Signing Their Lives Away introduces listeners to the eclectic group of statesmen, soldiers, slaveholders, and scoundrels who signed this historic document - and the many strange fates that awaited them. Some prospered and rose to the highest levels of United States government, while others had their homes and farms seized by British soldiers.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Mediocre and a bit snarky.
- By Marte Risher on 07-23-15
By: Denise Kiernan, and others
-
The Invisibles
- The Untold Story of African American Slaves in the White House
- By: Jesse Holland
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 100
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 90
Jesse J. Holland's The Invisibles is the first book to tell the story of the executive mansion's most unexpected residents: the African American slaves who lived with the US presidents who owned them. Interest in African Americans and the White House are at an all-time high due to the historic presidency of Barack Obama and the soon-to-be-opened Smithsonian National Museum of African American Culture and History.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Riveting Book
- By Jean on 02-13-16
By: Jesse Holland
-
Abigail Adams
- By: Woody Holton
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 19 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 349
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 274
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 278
Abigail Adams offers a fresh perspective on the famous events of Adams's life, and along the way, Woody Holton, a renowned historian of the American Revolution, takes on numerous myths about the men and women of the founding era. But the book also demonstrates that domestic dramas---from unplanned pregnancies to untimely deaths---could be just as heartbreaking, significant, and inspiring as the actions of statesmen and soldiers.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Remarkable Woman
- By Michael on 01-14-10
By: Woody Holton
-
The Hemingses of Monticello
- An American Family
- By: Annette Gordon-Reed
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 30 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 840
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 626
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 621
This epic work tells the story of the Hemingses, whose close blood ties to our third president had been systematically expunged from American history until very recently. Now, historian and legal scholar Annette Gordon-Reed traces the Hemings family from its origins in Virginia in the 1700s to the family's dispersal after Jefferson's death in 1826. It brings to life not only Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson but also their children and Hemings's siblings, who shared a father with Jefferson's wife, Martha.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Worried at first
- By Phillip Goodson on 12-13-08
-
Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge
- By: Erica Armstrong Dunbar, Kathleen Van Cleve
- Narrated by: Robin Eller
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 50
In this incredible narrative, Erica Armstrong Dunbar reveals a fascinating and heartbreaking behind-the-scenes look at the Washingtons when they were the First Family and an in-depth look at their slave, Ona Judge, who dared to escape from one of the nation’s Founding Fathers. Born into a life of slavery, Ona Judge eventually grew up to be George and Martha Washington’s “favored” dower slave. When she was told she was going to be given as a wedding gift to Martha Washington’s granddaughter, Ona made the bold and brave decision to flee to the North, where she'd be a fugitive.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Meh
- By Kindle Customer on 03-22-21
By: Erica Armstrong Dunbar, and others
Related to this topic
-
Founding Mothers
- The Women Who Raised Our Nation
- By: Cokie Roberts
- Narrated by: Cokie Roberts
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 421
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 275
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 277
Cokie returns with Founding Mothers, an intimate look at the passionate women whose tireless pursuits on behalf of their families and country proved just as crucial to the forging of a new nation as the rebellion that established it.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Founding Mothers
- By Carol Roath on 05-31-04
By: Cokie Roberts
-
An Imperfect God
- George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America
- By: Henry Wiencek
- Narrated by: Rick Adamson
- Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 71
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 43
Washington was born and raised among Blacks and mixed-race people; he and his wife had blood ties to the slave community. Yet as a young man he bought and sold slaves without scruple, even raffled off children to collect debts (an incident ignored by earlier biographers). Then, on the Revolutionary battlefields where he commanded both Black and White troops, Washington's attitudes began to change.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent handling of one part of Wahington's life
- By buffaloboy on 05-20-04
By: Henry Wiencek
-
Jefferson's Daughters
- Three Sisters, White and Black, in a Young America
- By: Catherine Kerrison
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 174
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 152
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 152
Thomas Jefferson had three daughters: Martha and Maria by his wife, Martha Wayles Jefferson, and Harriet by his slave Sally Hemings. Although the three women shared a father, the similarities end there. Martha and Maria received a fine convent school education while they lived with their father during his diplomatic posting in Paris. Once they returned home, however, the sisters found their options limited by the laws and customs of early America. Harriet Hemings followed a different path. She escaped slavery — apparently with the assistance of Jefferson himself.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Don't waste money on this book.
- By Amazon Customer on 02-17-18
-
Signing Their Lives Away
- The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence
- By: Denise Kiernan, Joseph D'Agnese
- Narrated by: Susan Larkin
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 56
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 50
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 50
In the summer of 1776, fifty-six men risked their lives and livelihood to defy King George III and sign the Declaration of Independence - yet how many of them do we actually remember? Signing Their Lives Away introduces listeners to the eclectic group of statesmen, soldiers, slaveholders, and scoundrels who signed this historic document - and the many strange fates that awaited them. Some prospered and rose to the highest levels of United States government, while others had their homes and farms seized by British soldiers.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Mediocre and a bit snarky.
- By Marte Risher on 07-23-15
By: Denise Kiernan, and others
-
The Invisibles
- The Untold Story of African American Slaves in the White House
- By: Jesse Holland
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 100
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 90
Jesse J. Holland's The Invisibles is the first book to tell the story of the executive mansion's most unexpected residents: the African American slaves who lived with the US presidents who owned them. Interest in African Americans and the White House are at an all-time high due to the historic presidency of Barack Obama and the soon-to-be-opened Smithsonian National Museum of African American Culture and History.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Riveting Book
- By Jean on 02-13-16
By: Jesse Holland
-
The Hemingses of Monticello
- An American Family
- By: Annette Gordon-Reed
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 30 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 840
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 626
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 621
This epic work tells the story of the Hemingses, whose close blood ties to our third president had been systematically expunged from American history until very recently. Now, historian and legal scholar Annette Gordon-Reed traces the Hemings family from its origins in Virginia in the 1700s to the family's dispersal after Jefferson's death in 1826. It brings to life not only Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson but also their children and Hemings's siblings, who shared a father with Jefferson's wife, Martha.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Worried at first
- By Phillip Goodson on 12-13-08
-
Founding Mothers
- The Women Who Raised Our Nation
- By: Cokie Roberts
- Narrated by: Cokie Roberts
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 421
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 275
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 277
Cokie returns with Founding Mothers, an intimate look at the passionate women whose tireless pursuits on behalf of their families and country proved just as crucial to the forging of a new nation as the rebellion that established it.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Founding Mothers
- By Carol Roath on 05-31-04
By: Cokie Roberts
-
An Imperfect God
- George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America
- By: Henry Wiencek
- Narrated by: Rick Adamson
- Length: 7 hrs and 30 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 71
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 43
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 43
Washington was born and raised among Blacks and mixed-race people; he and his wife had blood ties to the slave community. Yet as a young man he bought and sold slaves without scruple, even raffled off children to collect debts (an incident ignored by earlier biographers). Then, on the Revolutionary battlefields where he commanded both Black and White troops, Washington's attitudes began to change.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent handling of one part of Wahington's life
- By buffaloboy on 05-20-04
By: Henry Wiencek
-
Jefferson's Daughters
- Three Sisters, White and Black, in a Young America
- By: Catherine Kerrison
- Narrated by: Tavia Gilbert
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 174
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 152
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 152
Thomas Jefferson had three daughters: Martha and Maria by his wife, Martha Wayles Jefferson, and Harriet by his slave Sally Hemings. Although the three women shared a father, the similarities end there. Martha and Maria received a fine convent school education while they lived with their father during his diplomatic posting in Paris. Once they returned home, however, the sisters found their options limited by the laws and customs of early America. Harriet Hemings followed a different path. She escaped slavery — apparently with the assistance of Jefferson himself.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Don't waste money on this book.
- By Amazon Customer on 02-17-18
-
Signing Their Lives Away
- The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence
- By: Denise Kiernan, Joseph D'Agnese
- Narrated by: Susan Larkin
- Length: 7 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 56
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 50
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 50
In the summer of 1776, fifty-six men risked their lives and livelihood to defy King George III and sign the Declaration of Independence - yet how many of them do we actually remember? Signing Their Lives Away introduces listeners to the eclectic group of statesmen, soldiers, slaveholders, and scoundrels who signed this historic document - and the many strange fates that awaited them. Some prospered and rose to the highest levels of United States government, while others had their homes and farms seized by British soldiers.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Mediocre and a bit snarky.
- By Marte Risher on 07-23-15
By: Denise Kiernan, and others
-
The Invisibles
- The Untold Story of African American Slaves in the White House
- By: Jesse Holland
- Narrated by: JD Jackson
- Length: 8 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 100
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 91
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 90
Jesse J. Holland's The Invisibles is the first book to tell the story of the executive mansion's most unexpected residents: the African American slaves who lived with the US presidents who owned them. Interest in African Americans and the White House are at an all-time high due to the historic presidency of Barack Obama and the soon-to-be-opened Smithsonian National Museum of African American Culture and History.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Riveting Book
- By Jean on 02-13-16
By: Jesse Holland
-
The Hemingses of Monticello
- An American Family
- By: Annette Gordon-Reed
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 30 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 840
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 626
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 621
This epic work tells the story of the Hemingses, whose close blood ties to our third president had been systematically expunged from American history until very recently. Now, historian and legal scholar Annette Gordon-Reed traces the Hemings family from its origins in Virginia in the 1700s to the family's dispersal after Jefferson's death in 1826. It brings to life not only Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson but also their children and Hemings's siblings, who shared a father with Jefferson's wife, Martha.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Worried at first
- By Phillip Goodson on 12-13-08
-
Harriet Tubman
- The Road to Freedom
- By: Catherine Clinton
- Narrated by: Shayna Small
- Length: 8 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 566
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 486
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 484
Celebrated for her courageous exploits as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman has entered history as one of 19th-century America's most enduring and important figures. But just who was this remarkable woman?
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Returning this book
- By KMS on 07-11-18
-
The Sons of Liberty: The Lives and Legacies of John Adams, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere and John Hancock
- By: Charles River Editors
- Narrated by: Chris Brinkley
- Length: 4 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 87
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 85
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 84
For over 200 years, Americans have been fascinated by the Revolutionary period and the patriots who led the growing resistance movement against British authority. In particular, the clandestine activities of Boston's Sons of Liberty in the decade before the war continue to be a source of both intrigue and mystery. The Sons of Liberty chronicles the amazing lives and careers of the four most famous members of the Sons of Liberty, examines their relationships before and during the Revolution, and analyzes their lasting legacies. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Samuel Adams, John Adams, Paul Revere and John Hancock like you never have before.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
it should be required reading in our high schools.
- By Amazon Customer on 04-05-17
-
Never Caught
- By: Erica Armstrong Dunbar
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,009
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 888
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 889
When George Washington was elected president, he reluctantly left behind his beloved Mount Vernon to serve in Philadelphia, the temporary seat of the nation's capital. In setting up his household, he took Tobias Lear, his celebrated secretary, and eight slaves, including Ona Judge, about which little has been written. As he grew accustomed to Northern ways, there was one change he couldn't get his arms around: Pennsylvania law required enslaved people be set free after six months of residency in the state. Washington decided to circumvent the law.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wonderful audiobook
- By Brad Turner on 03-07-17
-
Women of the Blue & Gray
- By: Marianne Monson
- Narrated by: Caroline Shaffer
- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 139
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 127
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 126
Hidden among the photographs, uniforms, revolvers, and war medals of the Civil War are the remarkable stories of some of the most unlikely heroes: women. This audiobook brings to light the incredible stories of women from the Civil War that remain relevant to our nation today. Each woman's experience helps us see a truer, fuller, richer version of what really happened in this country during this time period.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Thank Robert E. Lee
- By Richard on 10-11-22
By: Marianne Monson
-
Captive of the Labyrinth
- Sarah L. Winchester, Heiress to the Rifle Fortune
- By: Mary Jo Ignoffo
- Narrated by: Nan McNamara
- Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 89
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 81
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 80
The first full-length biography of Sarah Winchester, the subject of the movie Winchester starring Helen Mirren, now available for the first time in audio. Since her death in 1922, Sarah Winchester has been perceived as a mysterious, haunted figure. After inheriting a vast fortune upon the death of her husband in 1881, Sarah purchased a simple farmhouse in San José, California. She began building additions to the house and continued construction on it for the next twenty years. A hostile press cast Sarah as the conscience of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company—a widow shouldering responsibility for the many deaths caused by the rifle that brought her riches. She was accused of being a ghost-obsessed spiritualist, and to this day it is largely believed that the extensive construction she executed on her San José house was done to appease the ghouls around her. But was she really as guilt-ridden and superstitious as history remembers her? When Winchester’s home was purchased after her death, it was transformed into a tourist attraction. The bizarre, sprawling mansion and the enigmatic nature of Winchester’s life were exaggerated by the new owners to generate publicity for their business. But as the mansion has become more widely known, the person of Winchester has receded from reality, and she is only remembered for squandering her riches to ward off disturbed spirits.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Facts to Silence the Myths
- By Carmen Gibson on 03-07-24
By: Mary Jo Ignoffo
-
The Mayflower
- The Families, the Voyage, and the Founding of America
- By: Rebecca Fraser
- Narrated by: Kate Reading
- Length: 15 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 113
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 102
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 101
The voyage of the Mayflower and the founding of Plymouth Colony is one of the seminal events in world history. But the poorly equipped group of English Puritans who ventured across the Atlantic in the early autumn of 1620 had no sense they would pass into legend. They had 80 casks of butter and two dogs but no cattle for milk, meat, or ploughing. They were ill prepared for the brutal journey and the new land that few of them could comprehend.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
I kept saying "Oh My Goodness!"
- By Midwestern on 11-29-19
By: Rebecca Fraser
-
Book of Ages
- The Life and Opinions of Jane Franklin
- By: Jill Lepore
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 11 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 178
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 156
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 156
From one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians, a revelatory portrait of Benjamin Franklin' s youngest sister and a history of history itself. Like her brother, Jane Franklin was a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and an astonishingly shrewd political commentator.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Back story of Ben Franklin
- By Candi Collier on 05-30-14
By: Jill Lepore
-
Frontier Grit
- The Unlikely True Stories of Daring Pioneer Women
- By: Marianne Monson
- Narrated by: Caroline Shaffer
- Length: 5 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 610
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 558
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 554
Discover the stories of 12 women who heard the call to settle the West and who came from all points of the globe to begin their journeys. As a slave Clara watched helplessly as her husband and children were sold, only to be reunited with her youngest daughter as a free woman six decades later. As a young girl, Charlotte hid her gender to escape a life of poverty and became the greatest stagecoach driver who ever lived. As a Native American, Gertrude fought to give her people a voice and to educate leaders about the ways and importance of America's native people.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
only ok
- By Jane Orr on 06-14-21
By: Marianne Monson
-
Benjamin Franklin: A Captivating Guide to an American Polymath and a Founding Father of the United States of America
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Desmond Manny
- Length: 3 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 32
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 32
Benjamin Franklin was a Founding Father of America and had an enormous impact on America as it is today. In addition to that, there are many little-known facts about the man who is Benjamin Franklin. Unlike many of the other Founding Fathers, he started out in humble circumstances. From a young age, Benjamin Franklin fought for the rights of America at home and abroad. Yet, he bore the burdens of leadership and never shirked nor faltered in his mission. His greatest asset was his charm and friendliness, but he had his detractors as well and felt the emotional impact of that.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent Audiobook
- By Jaxon Jordon on 02-10-19
-
Twilight at Monticello
- The Final Years of Thomas Jefferson
- By: Alan Pell Crawford
- Narrated by: James Boles
- Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 100
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 54
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 55
Much has been written about Thomas Jefferson, with good reason: His life was a great American drama, one of the greatest, played out in compelling acts. He was the architect of our democracy, a visionary chief executive who expanded this nation's physical boundaries to unimagined lengths.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
After Leaving Office
- By Roy on 09-23-10
-
Young Benjamin Franklin
- The Birth of Ingenuity
- By: Nick Bunker
- Narrated by: Dan Woren
- Length: 17 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 28
From his early career as a printer and journalist to his scientific work and his role as a founder of a new republic, Benjamin Franklin has always seemed the inevitable embodiment of American ingenuity. But in his youth, he had to make his way through a harsh colonial world, where he fought many battles with his rivals, but also with his wayward emotions. Taking Franklin to the age of 41, when he made his first electrical discoveries, Bunker goes behind the legend to reveal the sources of his passion for knowledge.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Good Book but LOTS of Names
- By Tim on 10-31-19
By: Nick Bunker
-
Captive Paradise
- A History of Hawaii
- By: James L. Haley
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 13 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 366
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 326
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 324
The most recent state to join the union, Hawaii is the only one to have once been a royal kingdom. After its discovery by Captain Cook in the late 18th century, Hawaii was fought over by European powers determined to take advantage of its position as the crossroads of the Pacific. The arrival of the first missionaries marked the beginning of the struggle between a native culture with its ancient gods, sexual libertinism, and rites of human sacrifice and the rigid values of the Calvinists.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Good, but not enough history of the Island.
- By Jonathan on 07-09-15
By: James L. Haley