Founding Brothers

The Revolutionary Generation (Pulitzer Prize Winner)

By: Joseph J. Ellis

Narrated by: Bob Walter

An illuminating study of the intertwined lives of the founders of the American republic - John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington.

During the 1790s, which Ellis calls the most decisive decade in our nation's history, the greatest statesmen of their generation - and perhaps any - came together to define the new republic and direct its course for the coming centuries. Ellis focuses on six discrete moments that exemplify the most crucial issues facing the fragile new nation: Burr and Hamilton's deadly duel and what may have really happened; Hamilton, Jefferson, and Madison's secret dinner, during which the seat of the permanent capital was determined in exchange for passage of Hamilton's financial plan; Franklin's petition to end the "peculiar institution" of slavery - his last public act - and Madison's efforts to quash it; Washington's precedent-setting Farewell Address, announcing his retirement from public office and offering his country some final advice; Adams' difficult term as Washington's successor and his alleged scheme to pass the presidency on to his son; and finally Adams and Jefferson's renewed correspondence at the ends of their lives, in which they compared their different views of the Revolution and its legacy.

In a lively and engaging narrative, Ellis recounts the sometimes collaborative, sometimes archly antagonistic interactions between these men and shows us the private characters behind the public personas: Adams, the ever-combative iconoclast whose closest political collaborator was his wife, Abigail; Burr - crafty, smooth, and one of the most despised public figures of his time; Hamilton, whose audacious manner and deep economic savvy masked his humble origins; Jefferson, renowned for his eloquence but so reclusive and taciturn that he rarely spoke more than a few sentences in public; Madison - small, sickly, and paralyzingly shy yet one of the most effective debaters of his generation; and the stiffly formal Washington, the ultimate realist, larger than life, and America's only truly indispensable figure.

Ellis argues that the checks and balances that permitted the infant American republic to endure were not primarily legal, constitutional, or institutional but intensely personal, rooted in the dynamic interaction of leaders with quite different visions and values. Revisiting the old-fashioned idea that character matters, Founding Brothers informs our understanding of American politics - then and now - and gives us a new perspective on the unpredictable forces that shape history.

©2003 Joseph J. Ellis (P)2016 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Founding Brothers is a wonderful book, one of the best ... on the Founders ever written.... Ellis has established himself as the Founders’ historian for our time.” —Gordon S. Wood, The New York Review of Books

“Vivid and unforgettable ... [an] enduring achievement.” —The Boston Globe

“A splendid book—humane, learned, written with flair and radiant with a calm intelligence and wit.” —The New York Times Book Review

Really insightful!

Good read. Goes by quick as you get see how all the founding fathers worked together during that time frame.

The quality of the writing style and fine attention to detail.

The unconventional structure of the book beginning with the Hamilton-Burr duel, concluding with the Adam’s-Jefferson friendship, and the conflicts in between that challenged our nascent nation was intriguing and fascinating.

The beautiful and eloquent writing style of Ellis made for entertaining and captivating read.

Fabulous Deep Dive!

This is a marvelous book! I learned so much. The author provides analysis of specific events in our history and even better, he does a deep dive into the backstory and psyche of the participants. Thoroughly entertaining and fascinating, beautifully written.

Best version of Adams and Jefferson Critique

Exhaustively researched, and professionally performed the masterful evaluation of characters, events and legacies each man left.

Required reading but enjoyed

Overall enjoyed the story but this unabridged version really includes some irrelevant words and information that add to the overall sound but not important content.

Band of Brothers indeed [sic]

Excellent. This is a current state of art book of history and history has become way more than chronological tell of some event. All standard troupes of scholarly writing are gone. Literature at its finest. I was extremely moved by this book what it says and how. The narrator and narration are perfectly matched. I’m

Exceptionally Well Done

Where does Founding Brothers rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

At the top. It's informative, revealing, interesting and easy listening.

Who was your favorite character and why?

James Madison was intelligent, thoughtful, careful and a genius at planning strategy.

Which character – as performed by Bob Walter – was your favorite?

Alexander Hamilton

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I stopped many times to ponder what I had just learned and to let it sink in. There's a lot of history here. Sometimes I needed to stop and think about what I had just heard.

Any additional comments?

The book jumps around a lot. In that respect, I found it difficult to follow chronologically. I had to keep asking, "what year is this occurring"?

Incredibly detailed account of the founding fathers.

A friend recommended this book to me after I mentioned that I really enjoyed the biographical style of author Ron Chernow . He was right. If you like books like his biographies of Washington and Hamilton, this one will be right up your alley.

We’ve Been Here Before

This well written history demonstrates the conflict between the elites and the common citizen as a foundational issue that has been present from the foundation of our country. Political agitation, violence and angry rhetoric were as bitter during our foundational years.

This narrator is terrible

The content of the book is excellent. This is an incredible storyline. Unfortunately, the narration is terrible. The narrator is monotone and and slow. He should have had more coffee before he went to work. He lacks energy and passion.