The Men Who Lost America: British Leadership, the American Revolution and the Fate of the Empire
The Lewis Walpole Series in Eighteenth-Century Culture and History
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Narrated by:
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Gildart Jackson
About this listen
The loss of America was a stunning and unexpected defeat for the powerful British Empire. Common wisdom has held that incompetent military commanders and political leaders in Britain must have been to blame, but were they? This intriguing audiobook makes a different argument. Weaving together the personal stories of 10 prominent men who directed the British dimension of the war, historian Andrew O'Shaughnessy dispels the incompetence myth and uncovers the real reasons that rebellious colonials were able to achieve their surprising victory.
In interlinked biographical chapters, the author follows the course of the war from the perspectives of King George III, Prime Minister Lord North, military leaders including General Burgoyne, the Earl of Sandwich, and others who, for the most part, led ably and even brilliantly. Victories were frequent, and in fact the British conquered every American city at some stage of the Revolutionary War. Yet roiling political complexities at home, combined with the fervency of the fighting Americans, proved fatal to the British war effort. The audiobook concludes with a penetrating assessment of the years after Yorktown, when the British achieved victories against the French and Spanish, thereby keeping intact what remained of the British Empire.
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- By David Osborne Jr. on 04-13-17
By: John Rhodehamel
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Washington's Revolution
- The Making of America's First Leader
- By: Robert Middlekauff
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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George Washington was famously unknowable, but Robert Middlekauff penetrates the mystique to reveal the fears, values, and passions that drove him. Rich in psychological details regarding Washington's temperament, idiosyncrasies, and experiences, this audiobook shows us a self-conscious Washington who grew in confidence and experience as a young soldier, businessman, and Virginian gentleman; and was transformed into an American patriot by the revolutionary ferment of the 1760s and 70s.
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Fresh Look at Leader of American Revolution
- By Sean Lannan on 09-02-15
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The War of 1812
- A Forgotten Conflict, Bicentennial Edition
- By: Donald R Hickey
- Narrated by: Douglas R. Pratt
- Length: 14 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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This comprehensive and authoritative history of the War of 1812, thoroughly revised for the 200th anniversary of the historic conflict, is a myth-shattering study that will inform and entertain students, historians, and general listeners alike. Donald R. Hickey explores the military, diplomatic, and domestic history of our second war with Great Britain, bringing the study up to date with recent scholarship on all aspects of the war, from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada.
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The War of 1812 fascinating listening
- By Ira S. Saposnik on 05-28-17
By: Donald R Hickey
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Revolutionary Summer
- The Birth of American Independence
- By: Joseph J. Ellis
- Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki
- Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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The summer months of 1776 witnessed the most consequential events in the story of our country’s founding. While the thirteen colonies came together and agreed to secede from the British Empire, the British were dispatching the largest armada ever to cross the Atlantic to crush the rebellion in the cradle. The Continental Congress and the Continental Army were forced to make decisions on the run, improvising as history congealed around them. In a brilliant and seamless narrative, Ellis meticulously examines the most influential figures in this propitious moment, including George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Britain’s Admiral Lord Richard and General William Howe. He weaves together the political and military experiences as two sides of a single story, and shows how events on one front influenced outcomes on the other.
Revolutionary Summer tells an old story in a new way, with a freshness at once colorful and compelling.
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Excellent
- By Andrew on 12-18-18
By: Joseph J. Ellis
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Brothers at Arms
- American Independence and the Men of France and Spain Who Saved It
- By: Larrie D. Ferreiro
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 16 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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In this groundbreaking, revisionist history, Larrie D. Ferreiro shows that at the time the first shots were fired at Lexington and Concord the colonists had little chance, if any, of militarily defeating the British. The nascent American nation had no navy, little in the way of artillery, and a militia bereft even of gunpowder. In his detailed accounts, Ferreiro shows that without the extensive military and financial support of the French and Spanish, the American cause would never have succeeded.
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1777
- The Year of the Hangman
- By: John S. Pancake
- Narrated by: Robert Thaler
- Length: 13 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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A revisionist view of the Revolution's most crucial year...it explodes many of the myths surrounding Burgoyne's Canadian expedition and Howe's Pennsylvania campaign. There is a wealth of fascinating detail in this book, including information on arms and supplies, rations for women camp followers, and even the numbers of carts (30-odd) carrying Burgoyne's luggage.
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Very Good
- By William on 08-22-16
By: John S. Pancake
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George Washington’s Military Genius
- By: Dave R. Palmer
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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George Washington’s military strategy has been called bumbling at worst and brilliant at best. So which is it? Was George Washington a strategic genius or just lucky? So asks Dave R. Palmer in George Washington’s Military Genius. An updated edition of Palmer’s earlier work, The Way of the Fox, George Washington’s Military Genius breaks down the American Revolution into four phases and analyzes Washington’s strategy during each.
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Genius
- By John on 08-08-22
By: Dave R. Palmer
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The War That Made America
- A Short History of the French and Indian War
- By: Fred Anderson
- Narrated by: Simon Vance
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Apart from The Last of the Mohicans, most Americans know little of the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years' War, and yet it remains one of the most fascinating periods in our history. In January 2006, PBS will air The War That Made America, a four-part documentary about this epic conflict. Fred Anderson, the award-winning and critically acclaimed historian, has written the official tie-in to this exciting television event.
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A thorough and absorbing history
- By Michael on 03-15-10
By: Fred Anderson
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Embattled Rebel
- Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Civil War
- By: James M. McPherson
- Narrated by: Robert Fass
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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History has not been kind to Jefferson Davis. Many Americans of his own time and in later generations considered him an incompetent leader, not to mention a traitor. Not so, argues James M. McPherson. In Embattled Rebel, McPherson shows us that Davis might have been on the wrong side of history, but that it is too easy to diminish him because of his cause’s failure. Gravely ill throughout much of the Civil War, Davis nevertheless shaped and articulated the principal policy of the Confederacy—the quest for independent nationhood—with clarity and force.
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Interesting
- By Jean on 10-18-14
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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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Modest history primer, wished for more substance
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Ellis is a known liar
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Crucible of War
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A Detailed History
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Provides Context for Todays Mess
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A reasonable summary of the revolutionary War of the Northern Army
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George Washington claimed that anyone who attempted to provide an accurate account of the war for independence would be accused of writing fiction. At the time, no one called it the “American Revolution”: Former colonists still regarded themselves as Virginians or Pennsylvanians, not Americans, while John Adams insisted that the British were the real revolutionaries, for attempting to impose radical change without their colonists’ consent. With The Cause, Ellis takes a fresh look at the events between 1773 and 1783.
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Modest history primer, wished for more substance
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King Philip's War
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Few Americans know that the Revolutionary War did not begin with the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, but over a year earlier, in April 1775. Now historian Derek Beck draws on previously unpublished documents to tell the full story of the war before American independence - from both sides. Spanning the years 1773 to 1776, this audiobook sweeps listeners from the Boston Tea Party to the halls of Parliament - where Ben Franklin was almost run out of England for pleading on behalf of the colonies.
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Learned so much!
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Amid a great collection of scholarship and narrative history on the Revolutionary War and the American struggle for independence, there is a gaping hole; one that John Ferling’s latest book, Whirlwind, will fill. Books chronicling the Revolution have largely ranged from multivolume tomes that appeal to scholars and the most serious general listeners to microhistories that necessarily gloss over swaths of Independence-era history with only cursory treatment.
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A whirlwind of a journey through the American Revolution
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American Colonies: The Settling of North America
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Excellent ..
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The Creation of the American Republic, 1776-1787
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This classic work explains the evolution of American political thought from the Declaration of Independence to the ratification of the Constitution. In so doing, it greatly illuminates the origins of the present American political system.
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This Audible book is NOT for a popular audience!
- By BigWally on 11-22-18
By: Gordon S. Wood
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America's Revolutionary Mind
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- Unabridged
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The purpose of this book is twofold: first, to elucidate the logic, principles, and significance of the Declaration of Independence as the embodiment of the American mind; and, second, to shed light on what John Adams once called the "real American Revolution"; that is, the moral revolution that occurred in the minds of the people in the 15 years before 1776.
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Excellent study of Revolutionary Thinking
- By Amazon Customer on 03-24-21
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The Tragedy of Benedict Arnold
- An American Life
- By: Joyce Lee Malcolm
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 14 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Proud and talented, history now remembers this conflicted man solely through the lens of his last desperate act of treason. Yet the fall of Benedict Arnold remains one of the Revolutionary period's great puzzles. Why did a brilliant military commander, who repeatedly risked his life fighting the British, who was grievously injured in the line of duty, and fell into debt personally funding his own troops, ultimately became a traitor to the patriot cause?
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good story....questionable performance
- By Amazon Customer on 07-12-19
What listeners say about The Men Who Lost America: British Leadership, the American Revolution and the Fate of the Empire
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Andrew Darlow
- 07-13-23
What a fascinating look at American and British History!
This book is massive, but just keeps providing interesting information from both sides of the Atlantic and other parts of the world.
I learned so much about how the war was won by the rebels and some interesting facts, like who the Charlotte is in Charlottesville.
The narration is superb and I highly recommend this book!
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- Matt
- 04-28-15
It didn't lose me
What did you love best about The Men Who Lost America: British Leadership, the American Revolution and the Fate of the Empire?
Excellent story that was well researched, performed, and organized.
What did you like best about this story?
Always interesting or entertaining.
Which character – as performed by Gildart Jackson – was your favorite?
Most of them come off as sympathetic, though Lord North was especially so. When taunted by an opposition member with North's habit of sleeping in the House, “Even now, in the midst of these perils, the noble lord is asleep,” North replied, “I wish to God I were,”.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Moved to know as a longtime American History buff there is still plenty to learn.
Any additional comments?
Probably one of the best audiobooks I have ever read.
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12 people found this helpful
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- Mike in NC
- 02-05-22
If you like ALL the details this is your book
This book goes into extraordinary detail of the lives of the men from the British side after the revolutionary war until their death.
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- Charles
- 08-27-22
Washington versus Lincoln
This book has a great summary of Washington’s talents. I think he is the best of all presidents. Lincoln ranks as number two. This is an astonishing Birdseye view of all the moving parts for the American revolutionary war. A great achievement by this author.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Nancy
- 05-05-15
Pay Attention or You're a Goner
I first became aware of, and interested in, this book after hearing a podcast of Mr O'Shaughnessy speak to the Virginia Historical Society, which was quite good. I hurried to purchase the book which, at 21 hours in length AND featuring George Washington in a starring role, was right down my alley.
I admit that I was riveted, or should I say, could have been riveted, by the story, had it been in a different format. The author chose to write it in acts, for lack of a better description. So we were always back and forth with 4 and and 2 and..., which was very distracting. We were talking about North and then Germaine and then suddenly, we were back at North. I was constantly saying, "wait... what?" I got lost very quickly and unless you pay close attention, so will you.
That nik-pickery aside, who knew? Fascinating. The loss of America was completely unexpected and as an American, I am again amazed at the incredible victory which laid the bounty of America at our feet.
Excellent.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Joel Brenner
- 10-12-18
Through the other end of the telescope
A fluid, thorough, and engaging story of the war for independence from the English viewpoint, political and economic as well as military. It presents the war as a challenge of defeating a continental insurgency and thus anticipates many later examples of the same. It deals in an even-handed way with the talented and intelligent English generals and politicians who failed. Wonderfully well done.
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- YodaMaster
- 03-19-22
A different look at how the British lost the Revolution
This is truly about the British officers and politicians who had the greatest impact on the Revolution. It is not a chronological narrative but rather organized by individual, which makes it less like a good story and more like a textbook. But it was certainly not boring for me. This view of the Revolution helped fill in some gaps in my understanding, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about the Revolution.
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- Bruce M. Anderson
- 07-07-16
A Full Perspective
Played at 1.25. I have read many books about the revolution. This well written book provides a fuller perspective of the period and the war. An excellent rounding out for any student of the American Revolution
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4 people found this helpful
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- Larry J. Seltzer
- 08-21-16
Well-written, well-read and I learned a great deal
If you could sum up The Men Who Lost America: British Leadership, the American Revolution and the Fate of the Empire in three words, what would they be?
For all you know about the American revolution, you probably don't know much about it from the British point of view. Barbara Tuchman addressed it in The March of Folly, but not in this level of detail. It's a long time since I read a book from which I learned so much about a subject I thought I knew well.
What about Gildart Jackson’s performance did you like?
Excellent performance. Dignified tone of voice. And it's silly, but he gets credibility points for having a British accent.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
"The most powerful empire in the world just wasn't up to the task"
or "England's Vietnam"
Any additional comments?
I think the conclusion lets George III off a bit easy. The impression I get from the book overall is that, at the onset, the notion that suppressing the rebellion would be easy was widespread. Before too long, many realized the significant problems with the war. Only few refused to face the truth, but one of them was King George. If he had seen sense earlier it would have been much better for the empire. I don't recall the author singling out George in the conclusion.
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- DM
- 06-29-21
excellent background a must read
The most complete look at the major players of the American Revolution on the English side. Even handed look at each one of the and the trials and difficulties they faced. praising them them for their good qualities and pointing out the shortcomings of their rolls in the war.
best look at it from across the pond I've read.
a must read for anyone learnings, reading. studying the American Revolution
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