The Founding Fathers

By: Joyce Appleby, James McGregor Burns, Susan Dunn, John Patrick Diggins, Gary Wills, Arthur M. Schlesinger - editor

Narrated by: Richard Rohan

The Founding Fathers series includes:

George Washington by James MacGregor Burns and Susan Dunn. In this thoughtful and incisive biography, Burns and Dunn dissect the strengths and weaknesses of Washington's presidential leadership, from his lasting foreign and economic policies to his polarizing denunciation of political parties and his public silence about slavery.

John Adams by John Patrick Diggins. Perhaps no U.S. president was less suited for the practice of politics than John Adams. A gifted philosopher who helped lead the movement for American independence from its inception, Adams was unprepared for the realities of party politics that had already begun to dominate the new country before Washington left office. But in this program, historian John Patrick Diggins reveals a John Adams whose reputation for snobbery and failure are wholly undeserved, and whose prescient modernism still holds valuable lessons for us.

Thomas Jefferson by Joyce Appleby. Few presidents embody the American spirit as fully as Thomas Jefferson. His vision and unrivaled political imagination account for the almost utopian zeal of his two administrations. However, contradictions in his populism make Jefferson the most controversial of presidents. Jefferson described his election to the presidency as a second American Revolution. For the first time, historian Joyce Appleby rigorously explores this claim.

James Madison by Gary Wills. The eternal conundrum about James Madison - a key framer of the U.S. Constitution, a formidable political figure, and a man of tremendous intellect and foresight - is why, when he became chief executive, did he steer the ship of state with such an unsteady hand? Why was this man so lackluster and ineffectual in his tenure as president? Renowned historian Garry Wills outlines the confluence of unfortunate circumstance, misplaced temperament, and outright poor judgment that bogged down Madison's presidency.

©2008 Arthur Schlesinger (P)2008 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"A publishing milestone...Schlesinger, a master craftsman, is imposing his high standards on these books. Hail to the chief. It's a wonderful series." ( Chicago Sun Times)
"This excellent series of biographies, each written by an eminent historian, is a rich and rewarding listening experience." ( AudioFile)

Very Interesting

It's amazing how simular our political differences are today as they were at the founding of our nation.

Excellent Overview of our first four Presidents,

Very good discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of Washington, Adams, Jefferson and Madison. The founders were exceptional men with faults.

A little too long

Very educational! Amazed to learn the back stories of our first four presidents.


One two three four

A good listen

I really liked this listen and it was good but I have to admit much of the subject matter was on material that I've heard before.

A well presented short series

What did you love best about The Founding Fathers?

If you liked Founding Brothers by Ellis, or maybe 1776 by McCullough, this provides more background into the cast of characters without being a 200-hour commitment. There's enough humanity to keep things interesting to anyone who wants to know more while remaining, under Schlesinger's name, Real History. At not quite twenty-three hours, it moves along at a fairly good clip.

As a work of Real History, it works to steer clear of the modern inclination towards the "WWGWD" (what would George Washington do?) political commentaries disguised as histories, largely by having a different biographer for of each of these men (and having none of them Glenn Beck clones). While none of the biographies are going to be called "the definitive work" on their respective topics, they provide a nice history aimed at the many of us in between high-interest stuff like Founding Brothers and the hardcover biographies most often given as gifts and used only as bookshelf decorations.

What other book might you compare The Founding Fathers to and why?

Isaacson's biography of Benjamin Franklin comes to mind, though the unabridged version is actually longer than these four biographies combined.....as the biographies are relatively short, you shouldn't expect the kind of in-depth detail found in a stand-alone single biography.

What about the narrator???s performance did you like?

While not dry and dusty, appropriately professorial for the subject matter.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Uhh....it's not really that kind of book.

Founding Fathers epic struggles with Hypocrisy

Very Detailed in depth analysis. If you want detail this is your book. In some sports.. Tedious... But I finished it. I feel like I understand the War of 1812 much better now. It is a key to the Civil War. The author I am sure did not intend it but the books sincere automatic support of slave owners & Pavlovian support of white settlers over native Americans is an unintended Testament to America's white Supremist foundation. Thomas Jefferson (All men are created equal) and James Madison (author of the First Amendment) were Allegedly treating their enslaved people humanely. When they separately sold slaves because of financial problems, the author shrugs....... Unfortunate occurrence (a massive tragedy for slave families torn apart)
Unfortunate but quite understandable since these great men needed the money. As a great grandson of enslaved people in Virginia, I have a different view.

Not That Good

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

You might enjoy it if you're a historian, and want to be bored to death.

Would you ever listen to anything by the authors again?

No!

What didn’t you like about the narrator’s performance?

Narrator was fine, the words he read weren't.

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

Disappointment.

Any additional comments?

The author assumes that the reader wants someone to recite facts from historical papers, with little insight into the person, makes for boring listen.