Ascent to Power
How Truman Emerged from Roosevelt's Shadow and Remade the World
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Narrated by:
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Mark Bramhall
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By:
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David L. Roll
About this listen
**One of Foreign Affairs's Best Books of 2024**
From Franklin Roosevelt’s final days through Harry Truman’s extraordinary transformation, this is the enthralling story behind the most consequential presidential transition in US history.
When Roosevelt, in failing health, decided to run for a fourth term, he gave in to the big city Democratic bosses and reluctantly picked Senator Truman as his vice president, a man he barely knew. Upon FDR’s death in April 1945, Truman, after only 82 days as VP, was thrust into the presidency. Utterly unprepared, he faced the collapse of Germany, a Europe in ruins, the organization of the UN, a summit with Stalin and Churchill, and the question of whether atomic bombs would be ready for use against Japan. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union was growing increasingly hostile towards US power. Truman inherited FDR’s hope that peace could be maintained through cooperation with the Soviets, but he would soon learn that imitating his predecessor would lead only to missteps and controversy.
Spanning the years of transition, 1944 to 1948, Ascent to Power illuminates Truman’s struggles to emerge as president in his own right. Yet, from a relatively unknown Missouri senator to the most powerful man on Earth, Truman’s legacy transcends. With his come-from-behind campaign in the fall of 1948, his courageous civil rights advocacy, and his role in liberating millions from militarist governments and brutal occupations, Truman’s decisions during these pivotal years changed the course of the world in ways so significant we live with them today.
©2024 David L. Roll (P)2024 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“With a complete mastery of the sources, David Roll takes us on the gripping journey from Harry Truman’s election as vice-president in 1944 through to his death, rightly concentrating on the crucial years that ended in his stunning re-election as president in 1948. Roll has a fine sense of all the key figures around Truman, but it is his insights into the man himself that are so valuable. Well-researched, well-written and intensely readable, this book confirms Truman as a giant of American—indeed global—history.”—Andrew Roberts, New York Times bestselling author of Churchill: Walking with Destiny
“The sudden death of Franklin Roosevelt shook the world; the recognition that power would pass to Harry Truman shook it even more. But the untested Truman turned out to be just what America and the world needed as World War II segued into the Cold War. No one has told this vital story more thoroughly or with greater verve and insight than David Roll does in this fine book.”—H. W. Brands, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of The General vs. the President
“After winning World War II, America rebuilt the world—including its enemies. How that happened is one of the great stories of any age. Equally remarkable is how Harry Truman, a modest man of the people, took over from the great FDR to achieve this miracle. The author of brilliant biographies of Harry Hopkins and George C. Marshall, lawyer-turned-historian David Roll brings a clear and sharp eye for evidence and a deep human understanding to telling this tale. As the global order Truman built teeters at the brink, Ascent to Power could not be more relevant.”—Evan Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Road to Surrender
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George Marshall
- Defender of the Republic
- By: David L. Roll
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 27 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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The extraordinary career of George Catlett Marshall - America’s most distinguished soldier - statesman since George Washington - whose selfless leadership and moral character influenced the course of two world wars and helped define the American century. Set against the backdrop of five major conflicts - two world wars, Palestine, Korea, and the Cold War - Marshall's education in military, diplomatic, and political power, replete with their nuances and ambiguities, runs parallel with America's emergence as a global superpower.
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There are better books about Marshall
- By JustinT on 09-24-19
By: David L. Roll
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The Hopkins Touch
- By: David Roll
- Narrated by: Fleet Cooper
- Length: 18 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Hopkins Touch offers the first portrait in over two decades of the most powerful man in Roosevelt's administration. David Roll shows how Harry Hopkins, an Iowa-born social worker who had been an integral part of the New Deal's implementation, became the linchpin in FDR's - and America's - relationships with Churchill and Stalin, and spoke with an authority second only to the president's.
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Hopkins - the glue of the tripartite coalition
- By Chrissie on 05-19-13
By: David Roll
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The Trials of Harry S. Truman
- The Extraordinary Presidency of an Ordinary Man, 1945-1953
- By: Jeffrey Frank
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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The nearly eight years of Harry Truman’s presidency—among the most turbulent in American history—were marked by victory in the wars against Germany and Japan; the first use of an atomic bomb and the development of far deadlier weapons; the start of the Cold War and the creation of the NATO alliance; the Marshall Plan to rebuild the wreckage of postwar Europe; the Red Scare; and the fateful decision to commit troops to fight a costly “limited war” in Korea.
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Excellent illuminating work
- By Peter Hildebrandt on 06-30-22
By: Jeffrey Frank
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The Accidental President
- Harry S. Truman and the Four Months That Changed the World
- By: A. J. Baime
- Narrated by: Tony Messano
- Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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The dramatic, pulse-pounding story of Harry Truman's first four months in office, when this unlikely president had to take on Germany, Japan, Stalin, and the atomic bomb, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.
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Exceptional
- By Jean on 11-14-17
By: A. J. Baime
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A Nasty Little War
- The Western Intervention into the Russian Civil War
- By: Anna Reid
- Narrated by: Anna Reid
- Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Overlapping with and overshadowed by the First World War, the Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War was one of the most ambitious military ventures of the twentieth century. Launched in the summer of 1918, it drew in 180,000 troops from fifteen different countries in theaters ranging from the Caspian Sea to the Arctic, and from Poland to the Pacific. Though little remembered today, its consequences stoked global political turmoil for decades to come. In A Nasty Little War, top Russia historian Anna Reid offers a sweeping and deeply researched account of the conflict.
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History was fascinating and very well told a an important phase of it.
- By Judy Canter on 01-03-25
By: Anna Reid
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America First
- Roosevelt vs. Lindbergh in the Shadow of War
- By: H. W. Brands
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 14 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Bestselling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist H. W. Brands narrates the fierce debate over America's role in the world in the runup to World War II through its two most important figures: President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who advocated intervention, and his isolationist nemesis, aviator and popular hero Charles Lindbergh.
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Another American History Pearl from H.W. Brands
- By Paul W. Brazis on 10-05-24
By: H. W. Brands
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George Marshall
- Defender of the Republic
- By: David L. Roll
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 27 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The extraordinary career of George Catlett Marshall - America’s most distinguished soldier - statesman since George Washington - whose selfless leadership and moral character influenced the course of two world wars and helped define the American century. Set against the backdrop of five major conflicts - two world wars, Palestine, Korea, and the Cold War - Marshall's education in military, diplomatic, and political power, replete with their nuances and ambiguities, runs parallel with America's emergence as a global superpower.
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There are better books about Marshall
- By JustinT on 09-24-19
By: David L. Roll
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The Hopkins Touch
- By: David Roll
- Narrated by: Fleet Cooper
- Length: 18 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Hopkins Touch offers the first portrait in over two decades of the most powerful man in Roosevelt's administration. David Roll shows how Harry Hopkins, an Iowa-born social worker who had been an integral part of the New Deal's implementation, became the linchpin in FDR's - and America's - relationships with Churchill and Stalin, and spoke with an authority second only to the president's.
-
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Hopkins - the glue of the tripartite coalition
- By Chrissie on 05-19-13
By: David Roll
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The Trials of Harry S. Truman
- The Extraordinary Presidency of an Ordinary Man, 1945-1953
- By: Jeffrey Frank
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 17 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The nearly eight years of Harry Truman’s presidency—among the most turbulent in American history—were marked by victory in the wars against Germany and Japan; the first use of an atomic bomb and the development of far deadlier weapons; the start of the Cold War and the creation of the NATO alliance; the Marshall Plan to rebuild the wreckage of postwar Europe; the Red Scare; and the fateful decision to commit troops to fight a costly “limited war” in Korea.
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Excellent illuminating work
- By Peter Hildebrandt on 06-30-22
By: Jeffrey Frank
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The Accidental President
- Harry S. Truman and the Four Months That Changed the World
- By: A. J. Baime
- Narrated by: Tony Messano
- Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The dramatic, pulse-pounding story of Harry Truman's first four months in office, when this unlikely president had to take on Germany, Japan, Stalin, and the atomic bomb, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.
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Exceptional
- By Jean on 11-14-17
By: A. J. Baime
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A Nasty Little War
- The Western Intervention into the Russian Civil War
- By: Anna Reid
- Narrated by: Anna Reid
- Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Overlapping with and overshadowed by the First World War, the Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War was one of the most ambitious military ventures of the twentieth century. Launched in the summer of 1918, it drew in 180,000 troops from fifteen different countries in theaters ranging from the Caspian Sea to the Arctic, and from Poland to the Pacific. Though little remembered today, its consequences stoked global political turmoil for decades to come. In A Nasty Little War, top Russia historian Anna Reid offers a sweeping and deeply researched account of the conflict.
-
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History was fascinating and very well told a an important phase of it.
- By Judy Canter on 01-03-25
By: Anna Reid
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America First
- Roosevelt vs. Lindbergh in the Shadow of War
- By: H. W. Brands
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 14 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bestselling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist H. W. Brands narrates the fierce debate over America's role in the world in the runup to World War II through its two most important figures: President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who advocated intervention, and his isolationist nemesis, aviator and popular hero Charles Lindbergh.
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Another American History Pearl from H.W. Brands
- By Paul W. Brazis on 10-05-24
By: H. W. Brands
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American Civil Wars
- A Continental History, 1850-1873
- By: Alan Taylor
- Narrated by: Graham Winton
- Length: 17 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The American Civil War stands at the center of the story, its military history and the drama of emancipation the highlights. Taylor relies on vivid characters to carry the story, from Joseph Hooker, whose timidity in crisis was exploited by Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson in the Union defeat at Chancellorsville, to Martin Delany and Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Black abolitionists whose critical work in Canada and the United States advanced emancipation and the enrollment of Black soldiers in Union armies.
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fascinating!
- By Brandon Marken on 07-12-24
By: Alan Taylor
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The Light of Battle
- Eisenhower, D-Day, and the Birth of the American Superpower
- By: Michel Paradis
- Narrated by: Jacques Roy
- Length: 16 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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On June 6, 1944, General Dwight Eisenhower addressed the thousands of American troops preparing to invade Normandy, exhorting them to embrace the “Great Crusade” they faced. Then, in a fleeting moment alone, he drafted a resignation letter in case the invasion failed. In The Light of Battle, Michel Paradis, acclaimed author of Last Mission to Tokyo, paints a vivid portrait of Dwight Eisenhower as he learns to navigate the crosscurrents of diplomacy, politics, strategy, family, and fame with the fate of the free world hanging in the balance.
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Eisenhower Unveiled: Strategy & Leadership lessons
- By Michael on 07-12-24
By: Michel Paradis
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John Quincy Adams
- A Man for the Whole People
- By: Randall Woods
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 38 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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In this masterful biography, historian Randall B. Woods peels back the many layers of John Quincy’s long life, exposing a rich and complicated family saga and a political legacy that transformed the American Republic. This deeply researched, brilliantly written volume delves into John Quincy’s intellectual pursuits and political thought; his loving, yet at times strained, marriage to Louisa Catherine Johnson, whom he met in London; his troubling relationships with his three sons; and his fiery post-presidency rebirth in Congress as he became the chamber’s most vocal opponent of slavery.
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Excellent read - over 38 hours but well worth it
- By Kelly F. on 10-19-24
By: Randall Woods
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To Run the World
- The Kremlin's Cold War Bid for Global Power
- By: Sergey Radchenko
- Narrated by: Daniel Henning
- Length: 30 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Story
In this new history of the conflict that defined the postwar era, Sergey Radchenko provides a deep dive into the psychology of the Kremlin's decision-making. He reveals how the Soviet struggle with the United States and China reflected its irreconcilable ambitions as a self-proclaimed superpower and the leader of global revolution. This tension drove Soviet policies from Stalin's postwar scramble for territory to Khrushchev's reckless overseas adventurism and nuclear brinksmanship, Brezhnev's jockeying for influence in the third world, and Gorbachev's failed attempts to reinvent Moscow.
By: Sergey Radchenko
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Unlikely Heroes
- Franklin Roosevelt, His Four Lieutenants, and the World They Made
- By: Derek Leebaert
- Narrated by: L. J. Ganser
- Length: 19 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
Only four people served at the top echelon of President Franklin Roosevelt’s Administration from the frightening early months of spring 1933 until he died in April 1945, on the cusp of wartime victory. These lieutenants composed the tough, constrictive, long-term core of government. They built the great institutions being raised against the Depression, implemented the New Deal, and they were pivotal to winning World War II. Yet, in their different ways, each was as wounded as the polio-stricken titan.
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Long but worth every minute
- By Anthony Pierulla on 03-09-23
By: Derek Leebaert
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George Marshall: A Biography
- By: Debi Unger, Irwin Unger
- Narrated by: Johnny Heller
- Length: 15 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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A major historical biography of George C. Marshall - the general who ran the U.S. campaign during the Second World War, the Secretary of State who oversaw the successful rebuilding of post-war Europe, and the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize - and the first to offer a complete picture of his life.
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Disappointing
- By Jean on 11-12-14
By: Debi Unger, and others
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Accidental Presidents
- Eight Men Who Changed America
- By: Jared Cohen
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 16 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
The strength and prestige of the American presidency has waxed and waned since George Washington. Accidental Presidents looks at eight men who came to the office without being elected to it. It demonstrates how the character of the man in that powerful seat affects the nation and world.
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LOVE LOVE LOVE this book
- By Samuel Stephen Ross on 05-03-19
By: Jared Cohen
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The Man Who Ran Washington
- The Life and Times of James A. Baker III
- By: Peter Baker, Susan Glasser
- Narrated by: Michael Quinlan
- Length: 26 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Story
For a quarter-century, from the end of Watergate to the aftermath of the Cold War, no Republican won the presidency without his help or ran the White House without his advice. James Addison Baker III was the indispensable man for four presidents because he understood better than anyone how to make Washington work at a time when America was shaping events around the world. The Man Who Ran Washington is a pause-resisting portrait of a power broker who influenced America's destiny for generations.
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We Need Baker Now More Than Ever
- By @Gazi2a on 01-08-21
By: Peter Baker, and others
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The Watchdog
- How the Truman Committee Battled Corruption and Helped Win World War Two
- By: Steve Drummond
- Narrated by: Steve Drummond
- Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Performance
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Story
Months before Pearl Harbor, Franklin D. Roosevelt knew that the United States was on the verge of entering another world war for which it was dangerously ill prepared. The urgent times demanded a transformation of the economy, with the government bankrolling the unfathomably expensive task of enlisting millions of citizens while also producing the equipment necessary to successfully fight—all of which opened up opportunities for graft, fraud and corruption.
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When Harry First Gave-Em Hell
- By Donald on 05-13-23
By: Steve Drummond
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Truman
- By: David McCullough
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 54 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Story
Hailed by critics as an American masterpiece, David McCullough's sweeping biography of Harry S. Truman captured the heart of the nation. The life and times of the 33rd president of the United States, Truman provides a deeply moving look at an extraordinary, singular American.
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That Mousy Little Man From Missouri Revisited
- By Sara on 07-23-15
By: David McCullough
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Roosevelt Sweeps Nation
- FDR’s 1936 Landslide and the Triumph of the Liberal Ideal
- By: David Pietrusza
- Narrated by: Jack de Golia
- Length: 17 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
Award-winning historian David Pietrusza boldly steers clear of the past narrative regarding Franklin Roosevelt’s unprecedented 1936 re-election landslide, weaving an enormously more intricate, ever more surprising tale of a polarized nation; of America’s most complex, calculating, and politically successful president, Franklin D. Roosevelt, at the very top of his Machiavellian game; and the unlocking of the puzzle of how our society, our politics, and our parties fitfully reinvented themselves.
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Excellent read.
- By Keith D. Allan on 04-03-23
By: David Pietrusza
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Nimitz
- By: E. B. Potter
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 25 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Called a great book worthy of a great man, this definitive biography of the Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet in World War II is considered the best book ever written about Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. Highly respected by both the civilian and naval communities, Nimitz was sometimes overshadowed by more colorful warriors in the Pacific such as MacArthur and Halsey. Potter's lively and authoritative style fleshes out Admiral Nimitz's personality to help listeners appreciate the contributions he made as the principle architect of Japan's defeat.
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Spectacular Book
- By Darrell E. Fisher on 07-13-18
By: E. B. Potter
What listeners say about Ascent to Power
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Charles
- 07-21-24
Truman in historical context
This author presents Truman in a way that captures such an interesting time in history. he explains better than anyone else the order to integrate the army and the weaknesses of that order. Truman’s outrage at the brutal blinding of a World War II black soldier by racists is often forgotten among the many episodes occurring during this time. Truman recognized the country of Israel is counterpoint with his private almost traditional antisemitism.
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- L. Shapiro
- 06-14-24
OK, history about Truman
The book is good, but his anti-Semitic bias is quite heavy at the end and a lot of his facts at the end are just not the same thing as truth
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- Les
- 05-16-24
The integrity and honesty of a humble man
A well researched book that clearly exemplified that Truman was undoubtedly a highly successful president
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- Gregory
- 06-08-24
Interesting Story
Interesting story about Truman’s ascent to the Presidency, and the challenges of filling the shoes of a strong leader while creating one’s own legacy.
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- Andy Toma
- 06-30-24
Truman’s courage is clear
This book is an excellent story of the transition. It’s clear from reading of Truman’s even though he wasn’t prepared for the Presidency.
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- Edwin
- 07-19-24
When Character Mattered
An engrossing study of a presidential transition during the most stressful circumstances imaginable. The world was lucky that FDR was president during WW2 and even luckier that Harry Truman was capable of measuring up to an impossible task with humility and integrity. Mark Bramhall’s narration really informs the text with gravitas.
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- happybooker
- 08-28-24
Excellent new look at the time of the FDR - HST Presidential transition.
No dislikes. Good narration. This book targets the transition from the administration of FDR to that of HST and does it very well.
I have read many biographies of FDR but only one of HST. Because of its focus, this book has provided me with information I did not have.
Well done!
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- Anonymous User
- 10-18-24
Very good
Well done . Different insight into Truman about how he became one of our greatest presidents.
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- D.
- 10-08-24
Repeat of George Marshall
This book repeated many sections of George Marshall verbatim, so I bought much of the same book twice. The premise is that this book concerns the transition from FDR to Truman, but much of the book is generic to WWII and its aftermath and becomes a more general discussion just taken in large sections from the George Marshall book. The other book, which I recommend, covers Truman in some detail since Marshall was Truman’s Secret of State. Very disappointed in the lack of original content.
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- CaliFunYa
- 08-20-24
“What stood out the most ?“ …couldn’t HEAR it!
Regardless of the story, I can’t give this book a high rating because the audio volume was so low that it was difficult to hear it, even if there was relatively low background noise in my home. In addition, the narrator did not enunciate clearly.
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