American Emperor
Aaron Burr's Challenge to Jefferson's America
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Narrated by:
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Andrew Garman
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By:
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David O. Stewart
About this listen
A spellbinding storyteller, historian David O. Stewart traces the canny and charismatic Aaron Burr from the threshold of the presidency in 1800 to his duel with Alexander Hamilton. Stewart recounts Burr’s efforts to carve out an empire, taking listeners across the American West as the renegade vice president schemes with foreign ambassadors, the U.S. general-in-chief, and future presidents.
©2011 David O. Stewart (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLCListeners also enjoyed...
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Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine and James Monroe were in the vanguard of revolutionary ideas in the 18th century. As founding fathers, they risked their lives for American independence, but they also wanted more. Each wished for profound changes in the political and social fabric of pre-1776 America and hoped that the American Revolution would spark republican and egalitarian revolutions throughout Europe, sweeping away the old aristocratic order. Ultimately, each rejoiced at the opportunity to be a part of the French Revolution, a cause that became increasingly untenable as idealism gave way to the bloody terror.
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A bit of a challenging listen but well worth it
- By J. Parks on 09-20-21
By: John Ferling
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Patrick Henry
- Champion of Liberty
- By: Jon Kukla
- Narrated by: Paul Woodson
- Length: 17 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Born in 1736, Patrick Henry was an attorney and a planter and an outstanding orator in the movement for independence. A contemporary of Washington, Henry stood with John and Samuel Adams among the leaders of the colonial resistance to Great Britain that ultimately created the United States. The first governor of Virginia after independence, he was reelected several times. After declining to attend the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Henry opposed the Constitution, arguing that it granted too much power to the central government.
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Long awaited biography of Patrick Henry
- By GallowsJudge on 11-18-17
By: Jon Kukla
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For Liberty and Glory
- Washington, Lafayette, and Their Revolutions
- By: James R. Gaines
- Narrated by: Norman Dietz
- Length: 21 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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On April 18, 1775, a riot over the price of flour broke out in the French city of Dijon. That night, across the Atlantic, Paul Revere mounted the fastest horse he could find and kicked it into a gallop. So began what have been called the "sister revolutions" of France and America. In a single, thrilling narrative, this audiobook tells the story of those revolutions and shows just how deeply intertwined they actually were.
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Excellent presentation
- By Hal on 08-20-12
By: James R. Gaines
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After Lincoln
- How the North Won the Civil War and Lost the Peace
- By: A. J. Langguth
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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With Abraham Lincoln's assassination, his "team of rivals" was left adrift. President Andrew Johnson, a former slave owner from Tennessee, was challenged by Northern Congressmen, Radical Republicans led by Thaddeus Stephens and Charles Sumner, who wanted to punish the defeated South. When Johnson's policies placated the rebels at the expense of the freed black men, radicals in the House impeached him for trying to fire Secretary of War Edwin Stanton.
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Mediocre
- By Rodney on 10-14-14
By: A. J. Langguth
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Unlikely Allies
- How a Merchant, a Playwright, and a Spy Saved the American Revolution
- By: Joel Richard Paul
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 10 hrs and 57 mins
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Unlikely Allies is the story of three remarkable historical figures. Silas Deane was a Connecticut merchant and delegate to the Continental Congress as the American colonies struggled to break with England. Caron de Beaumarchais was a successful playwright who wrote The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro.
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Love it
- By jenney on 05-17-11
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John Jay
- Founding Father
- By: Walter Stahr
- Narrated by: Andrew Garman
- Length: 19 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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John Jay was a central figure in the early history of the American Republic. A New York lawyer, born in 1745, Jay served his country with the greatest distinction, and was one of the most influential of its Founding Fathers. In this first full-length biography of John Jay in almost 70 years, Walter Stahr brings Jay vividly to life, setting his astonishing career against the background of the American Revolution. Drawing on substantial new material, Walter Stahr has written a full and highly enjoyable portrait of both the public and private man.
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balanced
- By Bob on 04-06-24
By: Walter Stahr
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Jefferson and Hamilton
- The Rivalry That Forged a Nation
- By: John Ferling
- Narrated by: Bo Foxworth
- Length: 18 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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The decade of the 1790s has been called the "age of passion". Fervor ran high as rival factions battled over the course of the new republic - each side convinced that the other's goals would betray the legacy of the Revolution so recently fought and so dearly won. All understood as well that what was at stake was not a moment's political advantage, but the future course of the American experiment in democracy. In this epochal debate, no two figures loomed larger than Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton.
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Biased and low quality
- By Yolanda Yzquierdo on 12-04-22
By: John Ferling
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Madison's Gift
- Five Partnerships That Built America
- By: David Stewart
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Short, plain, balding, neither soldier nor orator, low on charisma and high on intelligence, Madison cared more about achieving results than taking the credit. To reach his lifelong goal of a self-governing constitutional republic, he blended his talents with those of key partners. It was Madison who led the drive for the Constitutional Convention and pressed for an effective new government as his patron George Washington lent the effort legitimacy.
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Excellent history of our nation's founding
- By JJay on 02-23-15
By: David Stewart
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Of the crucial men close to President Lincoln, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton was the most powerful and controversial. Stanton raised, armed, and supervised the army of a million men who won the Civil War. He organized the war effort. He directed military movements from his telegraph office, where Lincoln literally hung out with him. He arrested and imprisoned thousands for "war crimes" such as resisting the draft or calling for an armistice. Stanton was so controversial that some accused him at that time of complicity in Lincoln's assassination.
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A bad narrator can ruin a good book
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What listeners say about American Emperor
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Jaelle
- 09-07-23
Well done history and biography
Having read Gore Vidal’s Burr, I wanted to learn the true story of these men. The author presents a fair and even handed evaluation of Burr, Jefferson, Wilkinson and the other main participants in the historical events that comprise this book. It’s a fascinating tale of early America and the development of the United States . Burr was a bright and ambitious man who should have continued to enjoy a fruitful political career, but who was brought down by the duel with Hamilton and the hatred of Jefferson. Highly recommended.
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- Lynda Rands
- 01-18-12
Very good, given lack of source material.
The problem with Aaron Burr is that he left nothing behind. As the author notes, Burr refused to conduct business in writing. So we are left with other people's accounts of Burr's life, all of which are tainted by the reporter's perspective. Stewart does a good job of giving space to all the varied views of Burr but as a consequence I came away more than a bit confused. With that said, this book is very much worth the time, especially in the passages which describe Burr's various trials. The insight given into how the legal system operated at the time, and the degree to which it was driven by personal animosity, is great.
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4 people found this helpful
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- John Marino
- 08-02-20
American Emperor or not?
Great description of the struggles of Aaron Burr life but of the early years of democracy. Especially recommend to those who believe our government has run rather smoothly till now.
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1 person found this helpful
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- RBS
- 01-16-20
Good companion for Hamilton fans
Enjoyed it, but would have liked more detail about the denouement of his life. His post-trial to death period was kind of glossed over. Enjoyed the bulk of it, though. Burr was an intrepid character and, quite possibly, innocent of true treason.
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- Amazon Customer
- 08-03-14
He Tried to Shatter America for Personal Gain
Surprisingly contemporary in his blind, selfish political pursuits, Aaron Burr sought to strip America of its western territory and set up his own country or something similar. Who knew!?! You sure don't learn this in high school. Historically accurate and full of detail and dates for the interested lay person like me. I'd read about this plot in other books but David Stewart has fleshed out the rich details. Secondary characters are well described and the puzzle pieces neatly put together in a fascinating story. The narrator does a great job keeping the action moving. Makes the book pleasant to hear.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 04-25-24
Burr's Story
Most of what people know about Aaron Burr is how he shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in that famous duel. However, this book tells Burr's story over the majority of his life. This book demonstrates his political/personal ambitions, deep love for his family, and discontent with the disrespect he received in his time. This book is a great depiction of a Founding Father that is often dismissed by history.
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- steve finkelstein
- 11-18-24
History repeats
Nobody held Burr accountable then. Nobody is going to hold 45 accountable now. And with that, democracy ends.
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- Gerald
- 01-06-13
Aaron Burr history
Very good book, well read and intriguing story. I read Chernow's Hamilton and wanted to get more on the other side of the story. I couldn't imagine how Burr could be interesting and was worried about what a book on him could be like. What I found was a completely different dimension to the history surrounding Jefferson, Hamilton and early American history. Stewart does an excellent job of tying in surrounding events, the mood of the people, western expansion and how we can't really judge the events through the eyes of the 21st century. I will say that similar to Chernow, Jefferson does not come out looking like an ethical, upstanding president, but it shows how he was willing to break the constitutional law to further his political power. Burr ended up sad and pathetic as history moved past him, but except for Wilkerson's betrayal, might have reshaped the map of North America.
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7 people found this helpful
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- Gingoldj
- 01-07-13
America's Apocalypse Now
Would you listen to American Emperor again? Why?
Maybe. It was very engaging, although it would take a lot for me to listen to any book more than once --- there are too many other books out there to listen to.
Who was your favorite character and why?
Burr is clearly the most riveting character, although "favorite" is probably not the best term for him under all the circumstances disclosed.
Which character – as performed by Andrew Garman – was your favorite?
Same as above.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
The descriptions of Burr's trials including the background on other key players such as John Marshall were very enlightening. The background on what led to the duel with Hamilton and why Hamilton approached it the way he did was also very interesting.
Any additional comments?
Terrific book, wild story, should be a major motion picture! Everyone knows that Burr shot Hamilton, but the details about the 1800 election, the treason and related trials, the time in Europe, all of this was very compelling and not the stuff I recall getting in school.
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5 people found this helpful
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- J Miller
- 09-26-21
Careful selection of facts
I could not finish this book. I read from across the political and historical spectrum, and finish books that I disagree with frequently. I feel that I am giving the author a fair chance to convince. However, this book makes too many points to support the theme of Colonel Burr being evil, while discarding or omitting facts that may dispute that theme.
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3 people found this helpful