Back Roads and Better Angels
A Journey into the Heart of American Democracy
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Narrated by:
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Mike Chamberlain
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By:
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Francis S. Barry
About this listen
A year into his marriage and having never driven an RV, Frank and his wife Laurel set out from New York City in a Winnebago to drive the nation's first transcontinental route, the Lincoln Highway, which zigzags through small towns and big cities from Times Square to San Francisco.
Using the spirit of Abraham Lincoln to guide them across the land, they hope to see more clearly what holds the country together-and how we can keep it together, even amidst political divisions that have grown increasingly rancorous, bitter, and exhausting.
Along the way, Frank and Laurel meet Americans whose personal experiences help humanize the nation's divisions, and they encounter historical figures and events whose legacies are still shaping our sense of national identity and the struggles over it.
This unforgettable journey is full of what makes any great road trip memorable and enjoyable: music, conversation, and laughter. By the end, listeners will have a clearer picture of how we have arrived at a period that carries echoes of the Civil War era, and—using Lincoln as a guide—where the path forward lies.
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Where's the Next Shelter? is the true story of three travelers on the Appalachian Trail, a 2,000-mile hike that stretches from Georgia to Maine, told from the perspective of Gary Sizer, a seasoned backpacker and former marine who quickly finds himself humbled by the endeavor. If you long for the horizon or to sleep under the stars, then come along for the hike of a lifetime. All you have to do is take the first step.
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If You Liked AWOL, You'll Like This
- By Rebecca on 06-02-16
By: Gary Sizer
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Vagabonding
- An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel
- By: Rolf Potts
- Narrated by: Rolf Potts
- Length: 4 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Vagabonding is about taking time off from your normal life - from six weeks to four months to two years - to discover and experience the world on your own terms. Veteran shoestring traveler Rolf Potts shows how anyone armed with an independent spirit can achieve the dream of extended overseas travel.
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I wanted to love this book...
- By Scott Shepherd on 10-10-16
By: Rolf Potts
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Mother of God
- An Extraordinary Journey into the Uncharted Tributaries of the Western Amazon
- By: Paul Rosolie
- Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
- Length: 11 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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For fans of The Lost City of Z, Walking the Amazon, and Turn Right at Machu Picchu comes naturalist and explorer Paul Rosolie’s extraordinary adventure in the uncharted tributaries of the Western Amazon - a tale of discovery that vividly captures the awe, beauty, and isolation of this endangered land and presents an impassioned call to save it.
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This whole book is B.S.
- By bob fields on 09-30-18
By: Paul Rosolie
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The Longest Silence
- A Life in FIshing
- By: Thomas McGuane
- Narrated by: L.J. Ganser
- Length: 13 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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From the highly acclaimed author of Ninety-two in the Shade and Cloudbursts comes a collection of alternately playful and exquisite essays—including seven collected here for the first time—borne of a lifetime spent fishing.
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Narrator had to catch a train
- By Brandon Taff on 01-11-23
By: Thomas McGuane
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The Lost Continent
- Travels In Small Town America
- By: Bill Bryson
- Narrated by: William Roberts
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Hardly anyone ever leaves Des Moines, Iowa. But Bill Bryson did, and after 10 years in England he decided to go home, to a foreign country. In an ageing Chevrolet Chevette, he drove nearly 14,000 miles through 38 states to compile this hilarious and perceptive state-of-the-nation report on small-town America.
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Written by Bryson's evil twin
- By M. S. Cohen on 08-11-14
By: Bill Bryson
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How to Hike the Appalachian Trail
- A Comprehensive Guide to Plan and Prepare for a Successful Thru-Hike
- By: Chris Cage
- Narrated by: John E Broussard
- Length: 5 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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If you are planning on (or just thinking about) hiking the Appalachian Trail, this book is for you. Planning an Appalachian Trail thru-hike is overwhelming. I know. I spent months researching every question I could think of before starting the six-month journey. Even after all of that research, there were countless mistakes I made. This book is everything I wish I would have known before starting. Inside is a step-by-step guide to efficiently plan for a successful thru-hike. Complete with personal tips and experiences.
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Exactly what’s missing from all the personal hiking account stories
- By Tracy Anne Buro on 04-12-18
By: Chris Cage
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The Great Tours: England, Scotland, and Wales
- By: Patrick N. Allitt, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Patrick N. Allitt
- Length: 17 hrs and 56 mins
- Original Recording
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Taught by acclaimed Professor Patrick Allitt, a British-born scholar who teaches at Emory University, these 36 splendid lectures give you an insider’s take on traveling through Great Britain. Whether you are planning a week-long vacation, a month-long grand tour, or just want to experience England, Scotland, and Wales from afar, this immersive course takes you on a voyage through not only the most popular tourist sites but also a trove of “hidden gems” overlooked by the traditional guidebooks.
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Disjointed as an Audible book
- By John Kitchen on 02-04-21
By: Patrick N. Allitt, and others
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A Wretched and Precarious Situation
- In Search of the Last Arctic Frontier
- By: David Welky
- Narrated by: Joel Richards
- Length: 15 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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A remarkable true story of adventure, betrayal, and survival set in one of the world's most inhospitable places. In 1906, from atop a snow-swept hill in the ice fields northwest of Greenland, hundreds of miles from another human being, Commander Robert E. Peary spotted a line of mysterious peaks looming in the distance. He called this unexplored realm "Crocker Land". Scientists and explorers agreed that the world-famous explorer had discovered a new continent rising from the frozen Arctic Ocean.
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it all comes together at the end
- By Kat on 01-30-18
By: David Welky
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Just Passin' Thru
- A Vintage Store, the Appalachian Trail, and a Cast of Unforgettable Characters
- By: Winton Porter
- Narrated by: Jones Allen
- Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Like a well-crafted stage play, Just Passin' Thru delivers one suspenseful scene after another. But in this historic setting a store on the Appalachian Trail called Mountain Crossings the characters who show up are no fictional creations. Like any good drama, there are the good guys (and gals) and the weirdos, too. Some show up once (and that’s enough), and some appear again and again. But all are united by two things: the author’s story-capturing talent, and whatever it is that lures them to attempt (or conquer) a 2,200-mile path that climbs and plummets from Georgia to Maine.
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Well Worth it!
- By Pamela M. on 11-13-14
By: Winton Porter
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Call the Nurse
- True Stories of a Country Nurse in Scotland's Western Isles
- By: Mary J. MacLeod
- Narrated by: Gwen Hughes
- Length: 10 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Tired of the pace and noise of life near London and longing for a better place to raise their young children, Mary J. MacLeod and her husband, George, encountered their dream while vacationing on a remote island in the Scottish Hebrides. Enthralled by its windswept beauty, they soon were the proud and startled owners of a near-derelict croft house - a farmer’s stone cottage - on “a small acre” of land. Mary assumed duties as the island’s district nurse.
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A 1970's Visiting Nurse on Rural Scottish Island
- By Sara on 09-10-14
By: Mary J. MacLeod
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What listeners say about Back Roads and Better Angels
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Marco M.
- 11-28-24
The importance of learning from our past to build a better future.
The connection between the present and the past of American history is excellent. I wish this book is read by Highschool’s students around the country to discuss the value of dialogue and civic engagement and some of the contributions of Lincoln to have a United States of America.
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- Jill Smith
- 10-26-24
True nature of America and Americans.
A wonderful tale of traveling the country and finding out the roots of who we are today and our common bonds as Americans.
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- Hank Greenberg
- 09-30-24
So many roads!
My only criticism of the book is that it has inspired me to buy a Winnebago, take a sabbatical and travel the backroads of the forgotten parts of our country. If it does not inspire you to do that, at the very least you’ll end the audiobook journey with a more optimistic ear. Of course, our country faces a lot of difficult, seemingly unsolvable issues at the moment. Nothing new really but Mr. Barry’s wisdom gives us a timely reminder that listening (really listening), tolerance, curiosity and the occasional H.W.B. prank can make all of our lives so much better. I look forward to Mr. Barry’s future endeavors and playlists!
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- C. Tremewan
- 12-05-24
Timely and Important Read
I listened to this book in the lead up to the 2024 election. The four years between the outset of the authors journey and current times served as the perfect lens to peer back in time to our shared (and imperfect) American history. We have learned a lot as a country, and yet we have repeated the mistakes of the past so consistently. So many great stories in this book and I was reminded of how important it is to look a little deeper for the truth instead of just 'reading the headline'. The book was dense with historical information but Barry always helped make the connections between then and now. Ultimately I found myself trying to be more open in my own views and conversations. The story of the actual cross-country trip was sweet and light-hearted. Highly recommend!
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- Katharine Brown
- 11-02-24
Great book abominably read
Barry laces his cross country tour on the Lincoln Highway with historical vignettes that shed light on current events. The narrator runs it all together with no distinction between stories or even chapters. Read the book, don’t listen.
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