Washington's Farewell
The Founding Father's Warning to Future Generations
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Narrated by:
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John Avlon
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By:
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John Avlon
About this listen
George Washington's Farewell Address was a prophetic letter from a "parting friend" to his fellow citizens about the forces he feared could destroy our democracy: hyper-partisanship, excessive debt, and foreign wars.
Once celebrated as civic scripture, more widely reprinted than the Declaration of Independence, the Farewell Address is now almost forgotten. Its message remains starkly relevant. In Washington's Farewell, John Avlon offers a stunning portrait of our first president and his battle to save America from self-destruction.
At the end of his second term, Washington surprised Americans by publishing his Farewell message in a newspaper. The President called for unity among "citizens by birth or choice", advocated moderation, defended religious pluralism, proposed a foreign policy of independence (not isolation), and proposed that education is essential to democracy. He established the precedent for the peaceful transfer of power.
Washington's urgent message was adopted by Jefferson after years of opposition and quoted by Lincoln in defense of the Union. Woodrow Wilson invoked it for nation-building; Eisenhower for Cold War; Reagan for religion. Now the Farewell Address may inspire a new generation to re-center our politics and reunite our nation through the lessons rooted in Washington's experience.
As John Avlon describes the perilous state of the new nation that Washington was preparing to leave as its leader, with enduring wisdom, he reveals him to be the indispensable Founding Father.
Download the accompanying reference guide.©2017 John Avlon. All rights reserved. (P)2017 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...
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Biography
- By Emily on 06-14-18
By: Stephen F. Knott, and others
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The Birth of Modern Politics
- Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and the Election of 1828
- By: Lynn Hudson Parson
- Narrated by: Milton Bagby
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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The 1828 presidential election, which pitted Major General Andrew Jackson against incumbent John Quincy Adams, has long been hailed as a watershed moment in American political history. It was the contest in which an unlettered, hot-tempered southwestern frontiersman, trumpeted by his supporters as a genuine man of the people, soundly defeated a New England "aristocrat" whose education and political resume were as impressive as any ever seen in American public life.
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a very good popular history book
- By D. Littman on 01-29-10
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James Madison
- By: Richard Brookhiser
- Narrated by: Norman Dietz
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Eminent historian Richard Brookhiser presents a vivid portrait of James Madison, the “Father of the Constitution” and one of America's greatest statesmen.
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OK book but not a biography
- By Joel Mayer on 08-05-12
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John Quincy Adams
- American Visionary
- By: Fred Kaplan
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 27 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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In this fresh and lively biography rich in literary analysis and new historical detail, Fred Kaplan brings into focus the dramatic life of John Quincy Adams - the little known and much misunderstood sixth president of the United States and the first son of John and Abigail Adams - and persuasively demonstrates how Adams's inspiring, progressive vision guided his life and helped shape the course of America.
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Destined by birth, mentored by greats...
- By Jonathan Love on 03-04-16
By: Fred Kaplan
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Agony and Eloquence
- John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and a World of Revolution
- By: Daniel L. Mallock
- Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
- Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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The drama of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson is the foundational story of America - courage, loyalty, hope, fanaticism, greatness, failure, forgiveness, love. Agony and Eloquence is the story of the greatest friendship in American history and the revolutionary times in which it was made, ruined, and finally renewed. In the wake of Washington's retirement, longtime friends Thomas Jefferson and John Adams came to represent the opposing political forces struggling to shape America's future.
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Great Listen
- By Kyle B. on 03-12-21
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Alexander Hamilton
- By: Ron Chernow
- Narrated by: Scott Brick
- Length: 35 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Historians have long told the story of America’s birth as the triumph of Jefferson’s democratic ideals over the aristocratic intentions of Hamilton. Chernow presents an entirely different man, whose legendary ambitions were motivated not merely by self-interest but by passionate patriotism and a stubborn will to build the foundations of American prosperity and power.
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An Outstanding & Riveting Book!
- By Kevin on 03-04-05
By: Ron Chernow
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Adams vs. Jefferson
- The Tumultuous Election of 1800
- By: John Ferling
- Narrated by: Jack Garrett
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Award-winning author John Ferling is a leading authority on the American Revolution. His entertaining and enlightening histories have greatly improved our understanding of early America and the Founding Fathers. Now Ferling opens a window to the past and explores the contentious presidential election of 1800.
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Outstanding work of interpretive history
- By D. Littman on 11-01-04
By: John Ferling
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Madison's Gift
- Five Partnerships That Built America
- By: David Stewart
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 14 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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Short, plain, balding, neither soldier nor orator, low on charisma and high on intelligence, Madison cared more about achieving results than taking the credit. To reach his lifelong goal of a self-governing constitutional republic, he blended his talents with those of key partners. It was Madison who led the drive for the Constitutional Convention and pressed for an effective new government as his patron George Washington lent the effort legitimacy.
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Excellent history of our nation's founding
- By JJay on 02-23-15
By: David Stewart
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The American Political Tradition
- And the Men Who Made it
- By: Richard Hofstadter, Christopher Lasch - foreword
- Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith
- Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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The American Political Tradition is one of the most influential and widely read historical volumes of our time. First published in 1948, its elegance, passion, and iconoclastic erudition laid the groundwork for a totally new understanding of the American past. By writing a "kind of intellectual history of the assumptions behind American politics", Richard Hofstadter changed the way Americans understand the relationship between power and ideas in their national experience. Hofstadter was able to articulate, in a single work, a historical vision that inspired and shaped an entire generation.
By: Richard Hofstadter, and others
What listeners say about Washington's Farewell
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Adele
- 11-28-17
Please young Americans, READ/LISTEN to this book. It’s important to your future.
As a senior fellow American, I was deeply impressed with the wisdom of our first president of the United States. Washington’s farewell address is incredibly important to understand, but because it was published in 1796, I mistakenly thought it would be difficult. He speaks to us as if he knows what is happening at this very moment, and he has very important information we need to hear. John Avlon has done a fantastic job of researching and presenting it to us. In the final chapter, he includes the actual address, so please everyone, READ and LISTEN to it. What you know now can make an incredible difference in what becomes of our country. This book is particularly important for you, our youth.
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- RF
- 08-03-20
Great analysis, story and humanity
Exceptional research, analysis and reading. The author's care, interpretation and respect to men living and dead enables this work to be enthralling. I did not dissect each interpretation of origin made by the author but from what I could glean, I am confident there was a great justice done.
Besides the work in analysis of the writing, the story itself and the ties to the framers was a boon to my understanding of these United States.
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- KR
- 03-28-19
Fascinating treatment of something we all should know but don’t anymore
Great book! Interesting topic and a very “user friendly” treatment of it. I’m sad we don’t all spend more time studying this important address these days. Maybe if people did we’d be in a different place as a nation. I will look forward to listening to this one again!
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3 people found this helpful
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- S. Keating
- 11-30-17
Great overall, like the man who is its subject!
A wonderful retelling of the formation of Washington's Farewell Address and then its impact upon subsequent American history, performed by the author, so he knows the material and has a good steady voice. A pleasure to listen to to the last word.
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- Michael Reading
- 03-02-17
Very well written and performed
This is a well written and well read review of Washington's farewell address. As the author points out Washington's farewell address has had an enduring impact on Presidents to this day. The contents of the address are as relevant to the United States today as they were to Washington's contemporaries.
The author provides a thorough and very interesting review of the substance of the address including Washington's intended meaning as well as application through time. He provides just enough facts surrounding the drafting of the address and of the state of the country at that time to ensure that the reader understands the context of the address, without getting lost on tangents. I believe he achieved just the right mix.
Finally, often authors cannot do justice to their own work and would be better served by a professional. This is not one of those cases. The author does an excellent performance; as good as any professional reader.
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5 people found this helpful
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- David
- 03-06-20
This book is the love child of passionate research.
Nothing but platitudes to John Avlon for producing a scholarly and thoroughly enjoyable book detailing the effort and results of Washington’s farewell address. The dots are all connected here and when finished the reader will appreciate the knowledge provided and the wonderful return on the investment of time. Highly recommended.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Chris Beebe
- 04-29-19
Deep insights into our first President
I have a degree in PoliSci and learned so much about the founding principles and struggles of our country, as well as the evolution that got us to where we are. This book should be required reading for and political candidate.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Silvia
- 05-24-18
Timely talk
John Avlon skillfully interweaves Washington's Farewell Speech into the complicated and tangled history of the Great American Experience of democracy. He allows readers to draw their own conclusions about the current state of our messy political system, remaining a neutral observer. The conclusion alone is worth the time.
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- JP
- 11-04-17
Simply Excellent
Avlon crafted an enjoyable and informative work - getting to look behind the curtain of the motivations and composition of the famous document was a treat.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Wesley R. Smith
- 12-14-17
Incredible read
A timely guide for Americans of any Party or persuasion. Avlon does a fantastic job of bringing Washington's time into the present.
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