
The War Before Independence
1775-1776
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Narrated by:
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David Colacci
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By:
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Derek W. Beck
About this listen
The United States was creeping ever closer to independence. The shot heard round the world still echoed in the ears of Parliament as impassioned revolutionaries took up arms for and against king and country. In this captivating blend of careful research and rich narrative, Derek W. Beck continues his exploration into the period preceding the Declaration of Independence, just days into the new Revolutionary War.
The War Before Independence transports listeners into the violent years of 1775 and 1776, with the infamous Battle of Bunker Hill - a turning point in the Revolution - and the snowy, wind-swept march to the frozen ground at the Battle of Quebec, ending with the exciting conclusion of the Boston Campaign. Meticulous research and new material drawn from letters, diaries, and investigative research throws open the doors not only to familiar figures and faces but also to little-known triumphs and tribulations of America's greatest military leaders, including George Washington.
©2016 Derek W. Beck (P)2016 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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Story
In this vivid and compelling narrative, the Seven Years' War - long seen as a mere backdrop to the American Revolution - takes on a whole new significance. Relating the history of the war as it developed, Anderson shows how the complex array of forces brought into conflict helped both to create Britain's empire and to sow the seeds of its eventual dissolution. Beginning with a skirmish in the Pennsylvania backcountry involving an inexperienced George Washington, the Iroquois chief Tanaghrisson, and the ill-fated French emissary Jumonville, Anderson reveals a chain of events that would lead to world conflagration.
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A Detailed History
- By Daniel on 07-15-18
By: Fred Anderson
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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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The Comanche Empire
- By: Pekka Hamalainen
- Narrated by: Carla Mercer-Meyer
- Length: 19 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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In the 18th and early 19th centuries, a Native American empire rose to dominate the fiercely contested lands of the American Southwest, the southern Great Plains, and northern Mexico. This powerful empire, built by the Comanche Indians, eclipsed its various European rivals in military prowess, political prestige, economic power, commercial reach, and cultural influence. Yet, until now, the Comanche empire has gone unrecognized in American history. This compelling and original book uncovers the lost story of the Comanches.
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A comprehensive evaluation
- By A on 02-28-18
By: Pekka Hamalainen
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Occupied America
- British Military Rule and the Experience of Revolution
- By: Donald F. Johnson
- Narrated by: Rick Adamson
- Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Donald F. Johnson chronicles the everyday experience of ordinary people living under military occupation during the American Revolution. Focusing on day-to-day life in port cities held by the British Army, Johnson recounts how men and women from a variety of backgrounds navigated harsh conditions, mitigated threats to their families and livelihoods, took advantage of new opportunities, and balanced precariously between revolutionary and royal attempts to secure their allegiance.
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very solid given the lack of sources
- By wylie smith on 02-13-24
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Independence Lost
- Lives on the Edge of the American Revolution
- By: Kathleen DuVal
- Narrated by: Susan Boyce
- Length: 14 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Independence Lost reveals that individual motives counted as much as the ideals of liberty and freedom the Founders espoused: Independence had a personal as well as national meaning, and the choices made by people living outside the colonies were of critical importance to the war's outcome.
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Reader who doesn't understand content
- By Heidi Rabel on 10-11-15
By: Kathleen DuVal
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Lexington and Concord
- The Battle Heard Round the World
- By: George C. Daughan
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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George C. Daughan's magnificently detailed account of the battle of Lexington and Concord will challenge the prevailing narrative of the American War of Independence. It was, Daughan argues, based as much on economics as on politics.
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The long lead-up to the American Revolution
- By Matthew on 12-19-18
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King Philip's War
- The History and Legacy of America's Forgotten Conflict
- By: Eric B. Schultz, Michael J. Tougias, Nathaniel Philbrick - foreword
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 11 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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At once an in-depth history of this pivotal war and a guide to the historical sites where the ambushes, raids, and battles took place, King Philip's War expands our understanding of American history and provides insight into the nature of colonial and ethnic wars in general. Through a careful reconstruction of events, including first-person accounts, and by providing information on the exact locations of more than 50 battles, King Philip's War is useful as well as informative.
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Indian Good; White Man Bad
- By Gary M. Hale on 06-04-21
By: Eric B. Schultz, and others
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The Radicalism of the American Revolution
- By: Gordon S. Wood
- Narrated by: Paul Boehmer
- Length: 19 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Grand in scope, rigorous in its arguments, and elegantly synthesizing 30 years of scholarship, Gordon S. Wood's Pulitzer Prize–winning book analyzes the social, political, and economic consequences of 1776. In The Radicalism of the American Revolution, Wood depicts not just a break with England, but the rejection of an entire way of life: of a society with feudal dependencies, a politics of patronage, and a world view in which people were divided between the nobility and "the Herd."
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Changed the Way I Think
- By Cynthia on 01-04-14
By: Gordon S. Wood
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American Republics
- A Continental History of the United States 1783-1850
- By: Alan Taylor
- Narrated by: Graham Winton
- Length: 14 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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In this beautifully written history of America’s formative period, a preeminent historian upends the traditional story of a young nation confidently marching to its continent-spanning destiny.
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Helps the dots of history to today.
- By Tascha F. on 06-26-21
By: Alan Taylor
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Rebels at Sea
- Privateering in the American Revolution
- By: Eric Jay Dolin
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 8 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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The heroic story of the founding of the US Navy during the Revolution has been told many times, yet largely missing from maritime histories of America's first war is the ragtag fleet of private vessels that truly revealed the new nation's character. In Rebels at Sea, Eric Jay Dolin corrects that significant omission, and contends that privateers, as they were called, were in fact critical to the American victory. Privateers were privately owned vessels that were granted permission by the new government to seize British merchantmen and men of war.
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If you can get over the narrator...
- By Toby Everett on 09-20-22
By: Eric Jay Dolin
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The Patriots
- Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and the Making of America
- By: Winston Groom
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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In this masterful narrative, Winston Groom brings his signature storytelling panache to the tale of our nation's most fascinating founding fathers - Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams - painting a vivid picture of the improbable events, bold ideas, and extraordinary characters who created the United States of America.
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For newbies or history buffs
- By SBR72 on 06-06-21
By: Winston Groom
What listeners say about The War Before Independence
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Tyler Stout
- 11-18-24
Lots of stuff I didn’t know.
In my reading of this book on the American Revolution, I found the author’s skillful integration of historical facts with engaging narrative particularly commendable. The meticulous research presented numerous insights previously unknown to me, enhancing my understanding of the era. Notably, I was surprised to learn the extent of Revolutionary War battles that occurred prior to 1776.  Overall, this work offers a compelling and informative exploration of the American Revolution.
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- Chibiyoshi
- 08-07-21
True, Quality History, Well Told.
First off, the narration for this title is superb. The narrator has a great voice with rich tones and great depths. He speaks as if he actually cared about the material, and pronounces the words correctly.
Secondly, the story itself is well told. The author has gone through great trouble to tell the history accurately, from both sides, treating neither as 'the good guys' or 'the bad guys.'
It is written so that it is actually interesting, and not dry, making you desire to hear more. I thoroughly enjoyed this title and learned much from it. I can't wait to listen to its sequel!
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- K. Lilja-King
- 02-17-22
Narrating error
A glaring factual error, as stated in last 20 seconds of last chapter: "thus the Boston seige lasted from April 19, 1777 to March 1776." Dates are wrong. Battle of Lexington/Concord was on April 19, 1775.
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- HeavyD
- 09-01-21
Next?
I am eagerly awaiting book 3. Is it in the works? When shall it be?
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- Buckalec
- 12-09-19
David McCullough 2.0
A great style making for an enjoyable and intriguing read/listen, complemented with a great narration.
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