
The War That Forged a Nation
Why the Civil War Still Matters
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Narrated by:
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Grover Gardner
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By:
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James McPherson
About this listen
More than 140 years ago, Mark Twain observed that the Civil War had "uprooted institutions that were centuries old, changed the politics of a people, transformed the social life of half the country, and wrought so profoundly upon the entire national character that the influence cannot be measured short of two or three generations". In fact five generations have passed, and Americans are still trying to measure the influence of the immense fratricidal conflict that nearly tore the nation apart.
In The War that Forged a Nation, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian James M. McPherson considers why the Civil War remains so deeply embedded in our national psyche and identity. The drama and tragedy of the war, from its scope and size - an estimated death toll of 750,000, far more than the rest of the country's wars combined - to the nearly mythical individuals involved - Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson - help explain why the Civil War remains a topic of interest. But the legacy of the war extends far beyond historical interest or scholarly attention.
McPherson ultimately proves the impossibility of understanding the issues of our own time unless we first understand their roots in the era of the Civil War. From racial inequality and conflict between the North and South to questions of state sovereignty or the role of government in social change - these issues, McPherson shows, are as salient and controversial today as they were in the 1860s.
Thoughtful, provocative, and authoritative, The War That Forged a Nation looks anew at the reasons America's Civil War has remained a subject of intense interest for the past century and a half and affirms the enduring relevance of the conflict for America today.
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Fantastic Read
- By Chris Morin on 03-21-17
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The American Civil War
- By: Gary W. Gallagher, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Gary W. Gallagher
- Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins
- Original Recording
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Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.
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Excellent Series
- By Rodney on 07-09-13
By: Gary W. Gallagher, and others
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Hallowed Ground
- A Walk at Gettysburg
- By: James McPherson
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 2 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Pulitzer Prize-winning Civil War historian James McPherson provides a historic tour through Gettysburg, one of our nation's most visited cities, and the site of the bloodiest and perhaps most consequential battle ever fought by Americans. Listeners will be transported by McPherson's meaningful reflection, historical description, and his intimate stories from his own experiences at Gettysburg.
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Nice for what it is.
- By William on 01-05-04
By: James McPherson
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War of 1812
- A History from Beginning to End
- By: Henry Freeman
- Narrated by: Mike Norgaard
- Length: 1 hr and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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The War of 1812 is often forgotten when we think about the history of the United States. Yet, the effects of what seems a minor and insignificant conflict are far-reaching, even today. The world settled into the roles it would play out for decades, and the boundaries of the United States and Canada would be set for the next two hundred years. Unlikely heroes would rise, leading to eventual power, while Native Americans play out their own struggle on a backdrop of bloodshed and intrigue.
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ugh
- By Sèitheach MacCallum on 04-08-24
By: Henry Freeman
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The Civil War
- By: Bruce Catton
- Narrated by: Barrett Whitener
- Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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For a person seeking a single volume to serve as a captivating introduction and a dependable guide through all the maze of battles and issues of the Civil War, this is an audiobook without parallel. Bruce Catton understood the Civil War - its participants and battles - and he unfolds it with skill and simplicity.
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good book, fair sound
- By Paul on 12-16-02
By: Bruce Catton
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American Revolutions
- A Continental History, 1750-1804
- By: Alan Taylor
- Narrated by: Mark Bramhall
- Length: 18 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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The American Revolution is often portrayed as a high-minded, orderly event whose capstone, the Constitution, provided the ideal framework for a democratic, prosperous nation. Alan Taylor, two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize, gives us a different creation story in this magisterial history of the nation's founding. Rising out of the continental rivalries of European empires and their native allies, Taylor's Revolution builds like a ground fire overspreading Britain's mainland colonies, fueled by local conditions, destructive, hard to quell.
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Best book on the American Revolution that I have read
- By Peter Stephens on 11-16-16
By: Alan Taylor
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Patriotic Fire
- Andrew Jackson and Jean Laffite at the Battle of New Orleans
- By: Winston Groom
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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This audio program has all the ingredients of a high-flying adventure story. Unbeknownst to the combatants, the War of 1812 has ended. But Andrew Jackson, a brave, charismatic American general, sick with dysentery and commanding a beleaguered garrison, leads a desperate struggle to hold on to New Orleans and to thwart the army that defeated Napoleon.
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A Great Book About A Fascinating Battle
- By David I. Williams on 05-12-13
By: Winston Groom
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Civil War of 1812
- American Citizens, British Subjects, Irish Rebels, & Indian Allies
- By: Alan Taylor
- Narrated by: Andrew Garman
- Length: 20 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Alan Taylor tells the riveting story of a war that redefined North America. In a world of double identities, slippery allegiances, and porous borders, the leaders of the American Republic and the British Empire struggled to control their own diverse peoples. Taylor’s vivid narrative of an often brutal—sometimes farcical—war reveals much about the tangled origins of the United States and Canada.
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A proper history of an obscure epoch
- By margot on 04-22-12
By: Alan Taylor
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The Coming Fury
- The Centennial History of the Civil War, Volume 1
- By: Bruce Catton
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 20 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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> The New York Times hailed this trilogy as “one of the greatest historical accomplishments of our time”. With stunning detail and insights, America’s foremost Civil War historian recreates the war from its opening months to its final, bloody end. Each volume delivers a complete listening experience. The Coming Fury (Volume 1) covers the split Democratic Convention in the spring of 1860 to the first battle of Bull Run.
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History As It Should Be
- By Bryan on 07-19-11
By: Bruce Catton
What listeners say about The War That Forged a Nation
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- Craig Bell
- 09-11-15
As good as it gets!
Narration excellent. Much information new to me about the war itself. All new to me about reconstruction and the impact that does still have its effect today. The new round of "voting restriction laws " is a replay of reconstruction times.
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4 people found this helpful
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- arron thompson
- 03-10-17
worth reading but title is somewhat misleading
good book with interesting facts. definetly glad i read it but it doesnt toich on why the civil war is still relevant as much as i thought it should. but as a civil war history is very good
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- Joshua
- 07-28-15
Excellence in book form
I loved this book! I feel as though my knowledge of the civil war has grown significantly!
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8 people found this helpful
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- Stephen
- 03-21-16
The War that Forged a Nation - Another View on ACW
Story: The book delivers on the supporting title - Why the Civil War Still Matters. The author explores and expounds on the trends before and during the American Civil War that still echoes up today. It is worth the read or listening.
Reader: Good and an interesting voice.
Production: Good.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Gretchen Hunter
- 01-10-16
Great Overview
What made the experience of listening to The War That Forged a Nation the most enjoyable?
The narrator. Grover Gardner is one of the best narrators.
Any additional comments?
While I expected more from the foremost Civil War historian, this is still a good book. It is more of an overview of the war. I would have liked more in depth discussion but was not disappointed.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Gregory
- 09-23-15
McPherson is comprehensive and insightful as always. His portrait of Lincoln is both fresh and objective.
McPherson is comprehensive and insightful as always. His portrait of Lincoln is fresh and objective.
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3 people found this helpful
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- Paul
- 07-23-16
It took 6 books to find a good narrator
Narration made all the difference, I thought I just didn't have my attention span anymore until this book. Excellent.
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- James T. Smith
- 07-19-16
Essential History
Should be required reading in high school. Everyone should learn what happened in the Civil War.
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- Rick
- 06-09-16
Surprisingly Well Done!
As an amateur historian and Civil War buff, I'v read enough books on the subject that material can become repetitive. That is to say, we're only talking about 4 years here so there is always a fear of regurgitation to some extent. There has to be. Under this title, i didn't have that sense. Though I have heard a few of the anecdotes, I was pleasantly surprised with how it was presented and how each chapter, though not building on previous chapters, melds together nicely, and makes for an excellent read!
James McPherson is no stranger to the subject which makes me wonder how many quotes I've read in other books came from these works? We all know how the war ends, who the villains are, who the poor generalship originates from and how the Great Emancipator succumbs to a radical. But the way the information is provided is refreshing in comparison to several other works I've read.
And Grover Gardner does and excellent job too! His voiced inflection is perfect and his delivery is effortless which has me gravitating towards most of his narrations. This is a pretty darn good book and well worth your time. You will not be bored in the least.
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12 people found this helpful
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- Novagolfer
- 12-12-20
Great insight
J. M. McPherson provides the historical perspective and scholarship with respect to the Civil War that is second to none. This collection of essays/articles is a must read for those interested in the historical foundation of the events of the 19th century in America.
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