On Hallowed Ground
The Story of Arlington National Cemetery
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Narrated by:
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Robert M. Poole
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By:
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Robert M. Poole
About this listen
More than just a fascinating account of how Arlington came into being at the end of the Civil War, On Hallowed Ground also tells the story of America as reflected in her greatest national cemetery. The history of the land on which the cemetery is built is as varied as our nation's, evolving from its earliest days as Robert E. Lee's ancestral home to a Union headquarters, a haven for freedmen, and finally a burial ground. Robert Poole also shows how the landscape of Arlington changed along with our democracy. Originally segregated by race and rank, the organization of the plots alone tells a complex story.
Poole conducted new interviews exclusively for this audio edition of On Hallowed Ground, featuring a range of key players in the cemetery's history and day-to-day operations. He spoke with Wayne Parks, great grandson of the slaves owned by Robert E. Lee's family and the first cemetery groundskeeper; Gunnery Sergeant William J. Dixon, a Marine and Iraq war veteran who oversees the quality control of Marine funerals at Arlington; and Linda Willey, chairperson of the Arlington Ladies Committee for the Air Force, who makes sure that there is a civilian present at every Air Force funeral. Our edition of On Hallowed Ground features highlights from these and other interviews, as well as more exclusive material, including a rendition of "Taps" played by the Army's principal bugler.
Download the accompanying reference guide.
;Listen to An interview with Robert M. Poole.
©2009 Robert M. Poole (P)2010 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Robert E. Lee had made up his mind. If Virginia secedes from the Union, “then I will still follow my native state with my sword, and if need be with my life”. Lee’s home was Arlington House, the 1,100-acre estate inherited by his wife, Mary Ann Custis Lee (great-granddaughter to Martha Washington and step-great-granddaughter to George Washington). Arlington has a commanding view above the nation’s capital, Washington, at its height rising to over 200 feet above the surrounding area. Topology guaranteed that the Union military would seize and hold this most vital strategic high ground. The Civil War came and quickly the graveyards of Washington began filling up. Soon the fallen Union warriors would be buried at Arlington. These were the first in a series of events that over time would transform the Lee Arlington estate into Arlington National Cemetery.
On Hallowed Ground: The Story of Arlington National Cemetery is a comprehensive history, written and narrated by a man with a passion for places of historical importance. For 21 years Robert M. Poole was a writer and editor of National Geographic and currently is a contributing editor at Smithsonian. Poole, in a Smithsonian interview states, “I am keen on the biography of places — in other words, how a particular piece of geography evolves over time, taking on its own distinctive character.” A native of North Carolina with attractive shades of a Southern accent, Poole narrates with the scholar’s scope of understanding and the patriot’s reverence for the subject. The audiobook producers have expanded the book’s print edition, adding additional material with six narrative voices. Very interesting voices they are; six people, each with close ties to Arlington National Cemetery and each with their own Arlington stories to tell. These narratives are mixed in with Poole’s, somewhat in the way side quotes are injected alongside magazine and newspaper articles. Though this process does put pauses in the main narrative, it most definitely enhances Poole’s story, the sideline details adding deeply moving and engaging details.
What will, and ought to remain with the listener is the profound poignancy of On Hallowed Ground. Lest we forget. —David Chasey
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World War I stands as one of history's most senseless spasms of carnage, defying rational explanation. In a riveting, suspenseful narrative with haunting echoes for our own time, Adam Hochschild brings it to life as never before. He focuses on the long-ignored moral drama of the war's critics, alongside its generals and heroes. Thrown in jail for their opposition to the war were Britain's leading investigative journalist, a future winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, and an editor who, behind bars, published a newspaper for his fellow inmates on toilet paper.
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A story of personalities
- By Tad Davis on 06-09-11
By: Adam Hochschild
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Gettysburg Rebels
- Five Native Sons Who Came Home to Fight as Confederate Soldiers
- By: Tom McMillan
- Narrated by: Paul Michael Garcia
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Gettysburg Rebels is the gripping true story of five young men who grew up in Gettysburg, moved south to Virginia in the 1850s, joined the Confederate army - and returned "home" as foreign invaders for the great battle in July 1863. Drawing on rarely seen documents and family histories, as well as military service records and contemporary accounts, Tom McMillan delves into the backgrounds of Wesley Culp, Henry Wentz, and the three Hoffman brothers in a riveting tale of Civil War drama and intrigue.
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Interesting unbiased look at American history
- By Amazon Customer on 03-02-23
By: Tom McMillan
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When the Irish Invaded Canada
- The Incredible True Story of the Civil War Veterans Who Fought for Ireland's Freedom
- By: Christopher Klein
- Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner
- Length: 10 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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When the Irish Invaded Canada is the untold tale of a band of fiercely patriotic Irish Americans and their chapter in Ireland's centuries-long fight for independence. Inspiring, lively, and often undeniably comic, this is a story of fighting for what's right in the face of impossible odds.
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Great book!
- By Lori Brogan on 08-26-24
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April 1865
- The Month That Saved America
- By: Professor Jay Winik
- Narrated by: Professor Jay Winik
- Length: 16 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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April 1865 could have destroyed the nation. Instead it saved it. As April begins, the battered Confederate capital of Richmond falls to the Union Army. Robert E. Lee surrenders his forces to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox one week later. In good spirits and sensing the war's end, President Abraham Lincoln attends a comedic play - and is assassinated. Simultaneously, Secretary of State William Seward is brutally attacked but survives.
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REALLY!
- By Jonah on 04-22-17
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The Generals
- Patton, MacArthur, Marshall, and the Winning of World War II
- By: Winston Groom
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 16 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Celebrated historian Winston Groom tells the intertwined and uniquely American tales of George Patton, Douglas MacArthur, and George Marshall - from the World War I battle that shaped them to their greatest achievement: leading the allies to victory in World War II.
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Nothing new here
- By Mike From Mesa on 01-13-16
By: Winston Groom
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Bill O'Reilly's Legends and Lies: The Patriots
- By: Bill O'Reilly, David Fisher
- Narrated by: Holter Graham, Bill O'Reilly
- Length: 9 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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The must-have companion to Bill O'Reilly's historical docudrama Legends and Lies: The Patriots, an exciting and eye-opening look at the Revolutionary War through the lives of its leaders. The American Revolution was neither inevitable nor a unanimous cause. It pitted neighbors against each other as loyalists and colonial rebels faced off for their lives and futures. These were the times that tried men's souls: No one was on stable ground, and few could be trusted.
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Couldn't stop listening!
- By Erin on 08-05-16
By: Bill O'Reilly, and others
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The Long Way Home
- An American Journey from Ellis Island to the Great War
- By: David Laskin
- Narrated by: Erik Synnestvedt
- Length: 13 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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The United States has always been a nation of immigrants---never more so than in 1917 when the nation entered the First World War. Of the 2.5 million soldiers who fought with U.S. armed forces in the trenches of France and Belgium, some half a million---nearly one out of every five men---were immigrants. In The Long Way Home, David Laskin, author of the prizewinning history The Children's Blizzard, tells the stories of 12 of these immigrant heroes.
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Incredible story of immigration and war
- By Daryl on 01-06-14
By: David Laskin
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My Fellow Soldiers
- General John Pershing and the Americans Who Helped Win the Great War
- By: Andrew Carroll
- Narrated by: Andrew Carroll
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Andrew Carroll's intimate portrait of General Pershing, who led all of the American troops in Europe during World War I, is a revelation. Given a military force that on the eve of its entry into the war was downright primitive compared to the European combatants, the general surmounted enormous obstacles to build an army and ultimately command millions of US soldiers. But Pershing himself - often perceived as a harsh, humorless, and wooden leader - concealed inner agony from those around him.
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Don’t pass this up
- By PineappleSmoothy on 03-29-18
By: Andrew Carroll
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Light-Horse Harry Lee
- The Rise and Fall of a Revolutionary Hero
- By: Ryan Cole
- Narrated by: John McLain
- Length: 11 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Henry Lee III - whose nickname, "Light-Horse," came from his legendary exploits with mounted troops and skill in the saddle - was a dashing cavalry commander and hero of America's War for Independence. By now most Americans have forgotten about Light-Horse Harry Lee, the father of Confederate general Robert E. Lee, but this new biography reveals he may be one of the most fascinating figures in our nation's history. A daring military commander, Lee was also an early American statesman whose passionate argument in favor of national unity helped ratify the Constitution.
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Outstanding biography
- By MH on 12-24-20
By: Ryan Cole
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Bunker Hill
- A City, a Siege, a Revolution
- By: Nathaniel Philbrick
- Narrated by: Chris Sorensen
- Length: 12 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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In the opening volume of his acclaimed American Revolution series, Nathaniel Philbrick turns his keen eye to pre-Revolutionary Boston and the spark that ignited the American Revolution. In the aftermath of the Boston Tea Party and the violence at Lexington and Concord, the conflict escalated and skirmishes gave way to outright war in the Battle of Bunker Hill. It was the bloodiest conflict of the revolutionary war, and the point of no return for the rebellious colonists.
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Another Fantastic Story by Philbrick
- By Rick on 09-30-13
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1864
- Lincoln at the Gates of History
- By: Charles Bracelen Flood
- Narrated by: Mel Foster
- Length: 19 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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At the beginning of 1864, the Civil War was far from won; terrible and bloody Union setbacks and casualties lay ahead. Abraham Lincoln was facing a re-election battle as some northern Democrats were ready to start peace talks that could leave the Confederacy a separate slaveholding American nation and as his secretary of the treasury, Salmon P. Chase, challenged him for the Republican nomination. But by the end of the year, the war's end was in sight, and slavery was on the verge of extinction.
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A masterful and necessary book!
- By 9S on 12-03-09
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366 Days in Abraham Lincoln's Presidency
- The Private, Political, and Military Decisions of America's Greatest President
- By: Stephen Wynalda
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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For the first time ever, the intimate thoughts and political decisions of Abraham Lincoln’s entire presidency - day by day. In a startlingly innovative format, journalist Stephen A. Wynalda has constructed a painstakingly detailed day-by-day breakdown of president Abraham Lincoln’s decisions in office - including his signing of the Homestead Act on May 20, 1862; his signing of the legislation enacting the first federal income tax on August 5, 1861; and more personal incidents like the day his 11-year-old son, Willie, died.
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Great for listening!
- By J. R. Davis on 02-12-18
By: Stephen Wynalda
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Custer's Trials
- A Life on the Frontier of a New America
- By: T.J. Stiles
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 23 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Winner of the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for History. In this magisterial biography, T. J. Stiles paints a portrait of Custer both deeply personal and sweeping in scope, proving how much of Custer’s legacy has been ignored. He demolishes Custer’s historical caricature, revealing a volatile, contradictory, intense person - capable yet insecure, intelligent yet bigoted, passionate yet self-destructive, a romantic individualist at odds with the institution of the military (he was court-martialed twice in six years).
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Custer and his times
- By Mike From Mesa on 11-17-15
By: T.J. Stiles
What listeners say about On Hallowed Ground
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Diane
- 07-22-10
Incredible!
I don't usually go for history type books but this one caught my eye and I enjoyed it so much. It was very history informative and the added commentary from others that lived it was very moving. Arlington National Cemetery is a very important part of how this country honors and shows respect for its fallen soldiers, it was very interesting to learn of its origin to present day.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Frank
- 07-10-17
great book
the 2nd half of the book was a little less organized than the 1st. but overall it's filled with some great history and stories that bring a greater appreciation to the men and women barried in Arlington and how it came to be.
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1 person found this helpful
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- M. Stevens
- 09-16-10
Hauntingly Captivating...
I started this book to prepare myself for an upcoming memorial service for a World War II sailor at Arlington. I found myself listening to it whenever I had a few moments, even sitting for a few minutes in my car after my commute to and from work. It gave me an understanding of the history and politics of this national treasure. Surprisingly, I found myself listening with such concentration, that at moments, I found myself tearing with emotion as if I was standing there with the families of our fallen soldiers. I found the voice of BlackJack the horse's handler describing JFK's funeral procession bringing me right back to that fateful week when I was a little boy watching everything on TV.
The author really did his homework, which is evident all throughout this well organized book. He takes us from the very beginnings of the estate through the most recent events. It also served as a history of the United States from the Civil War to the present, with the author showing how Arlington was tied into many national events of the time. This detail really came through when I actually visited the cemetery and found myself having a much deeper understanding of the ceremony, the locations and people buried there.
The author's narration was performed in a pleasant tone that would be proper for the subject at hand. The audio production was well done and did not notice the typical voice drop-ins that usually come with a book filled with many difficult pronunciations.
Simply put, it gave me a very clear understanding of the sacrifice of our Armed Forces and why they are so proud of the men and women who rest there.
I enjoyed it thoroughly.
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall
- James
- 07-31-11
Exceptional
As one interested in the Civil War and nineteenth century America, I found this book to be an excellent listen. Initially I thought it might be a military spin job, but was pleased at the writer's objectivity and honesty regarding this nation's warring ways.
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3 people found this helpful
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- David L. Petry
- 02-16-22
3rd time
I listened to this a third time, a few years between each. This is the kind of history I love. A unique institution as an interface to the wider culture. It lands on so many fascinating pivot points in our history. And Poole’s approach, his choices, his handling of the information is perfect. Then we could talk about his reading of the book. Excellent!
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- C. Sneed
- 05-28-11
On the money
I work at Arlington National Cemetery and this book is an excellent source for anyone wanting to know more than 'who is buried where.' The author approaches from a historical perspective that fleshes out the depth and soul of the cemetery, and the reason for its existence. I worried in the beginning that he was spending too much time on the Civil War portion, but later realized this serves as a foundation of all that happens later. Anyone working at or planning on visiting Arlington should read this book.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Columbia Pete
- 10-29-11
Excellent story of Honoring the Dead
What did you love best about On Hallowed Ground?
This presentation did more than tell the story of Arlington Cemetery but gave the background of how the United States has honored the dead through its history. I found it to be very interesting and enlightening to hear of the personalities who shaped this history. For anyone who has interest in Arlington or any of our National Cemeteries, this is a great read.
What does Robert M. Poole bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
The author tells the story he wrote with feeling and passion. Also his inclusion of other voices to tell their particular story made the audio very interesting.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Although a book of history, it is a story that kept me wanting to listen to see how things developed in the various stages of the history of Arlington and in the changing policies that affected the return of the military dead from our overseas conflicts.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Michelle
- 04-27-12
A Rich Documentary without images
Truly, the only downside to this book is the lack of images. I found myself sitting in front of Google Images as I listened, just to make sure I understood what the author was talking about.
This is a book that listens like a documentary on television. Brilliantly narrated, with some parts voiced by others, giving you a "History Channel" type of experience. I felt moved in so many places and was amazed at the rich history of this cemetery.
Americans should be proud of this place and Robert Poole has honoured veterans and their families with his beautiful work. I know I will be making a visit to the cemetery, just because of the passion of this book.
If you know a solider, you owe it to them to listen to this story.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Jimmy
- 11-24-11
Outstanding
I bought this book as a random buy and all i can say is that it is great. The author did a wonderful job with the book and the information. I would recommend this book to any one
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2 people found this helpful
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- Mary Vander Velden
- 04-15-17
Loving book
This book made me cry and VERY proud to be from the USA. Thank You
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2 people found this helpful