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Adams vs. Jefferson: The Tumultuous Election of 1800 Audiobook
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(3.02) - 691 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
It was a contest of titans: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two heroes of the Revolutionary era, once intimate friends, now icy antagonists locked in a fierce battle for the future of the United States. The election of 1800 was a thunderous clash of a campaign that climaxed in a deadlock in the Electoral College and led to a crisis in which the young republic teetered on the edge of collapse. Adams vs. Jefferson is a gripping account of a true turning point in American history, a dramatic struggle between two parties with profoundly different visions of how the nation should be governed.
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"The election of 1800 was the first ever Presidential election, and it paved the way for all future elections with dirty tricks and tactics. However, unlike many other Presidential elections, the two men running for office this time were both great man did great things together and eventually rekindled their friendship."
— Billy (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Ferling is especially adept at revealing the bare-knuckled partisanship that lay behind this vote, and the maneuvering between Burr and Federalists in the House of Representatives that might have made Burr president rather than Jefferson.”
— Washington Post -
“The tale of Adams and Jefferson is a painful and moving one. They were friends, then enemies, then friends again over a period of more than fifty years. Ferling does a good job of summing up the similarities that made their friendship possible as well as the differences destined to drive them apart.”
— Los Angeles Times -
“Ferling’s straightforward narrative makes complicated history accessible to the average reader. He writes with authority, and his storyteller’s touch makes many of these figures come alive.”
— Wilmington News-Journal -
“Veteran historian Ferling’s account of one of America’s most extraordinary political dramas lays bare the historically pugilist nature of American presidential politics…Ferling’s ultimate triumph is showing that, historically, when faced with dire circumstances at home and abroad, American democracy has pulled through.”
— Publishers Weekly
Adams vs. Jefferson Listener Reviews
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" Very good book. The author did a good job caturing the punch and counter punch campaigning style of Adams and Jefferson. If you think politics are dirty today, then give this book a chance! You will quickly see that it is nothing new. "
— Brad, 2/17/2014 -
" Good information, but fairly heavy on election analysis, especially on the election of 1800. I realize the importance of analysis of election results, but it could have been done in a more succinct way. Good otherwise, and a good view into the personal relationship between Adams and Jefferson, and the personality of each. "
— Aaron, 1/27/2014 -
" I listened to this as an audiobook, and I'm glad I did. The subject matter was fascinating. But I found the choice of words rather contrived and distracting - like text written for an SAT prep class, focusing on vocabulary building. There were frequent uses of "furthermore..." (at which point I could almost hear the audio book reader take a deep breath and sigh). Some examples of this vocabulary verbosity that I wrote down as soon as I pulled into the garage: "conditions in Europe were not propitious for the dispatch of envoys"..."He urged friendly scribes to write polemics on his behalf"... "He lived comfortably, secure from the fangs of a blood-thirsty foe." Really, isn't there a less pedantic way to write? "
— Barb, 12/27/2013 -
" Interesting book about two political giants who struggled with each other, being friends at times and enemies at other times and then both dying on July 4th. "
— Hans, 11/19/2013 -
" Ferling brings these two back to life. If they could just be combined they would be Superman incarnate. "
— Jason, 11/1/2013 -
" This was the first history book I read for fun, when I was a sophomore in college. I liked it a lot, although I admit it is probably something only history buffs would really be interested in. "
— Andrew, 10/16/2013 -
" The struggle to contain the power of the Presidency is not new. The election of 1800 has great lessons for the present time. "
— Phillip, 9/6/2013 -
" only about 1/4 of the book actually dealt with the election. everything else was background on the candidates. "
— Rick, 6/11/2013 -
" For anyone who thinks the sharp divide in our country over states' rights vs federal rights is at its highest pitch, read this. Two of our founding fathers went at each other in a way that would make the Tea Party blanche. Great read for anyone interested in American history and/or politics. "
— Angie, 3/23/2013 -
" This was not as much a discussion of this particular election as much as it was an exultation of Thomas Jefferson. "
— Jonathan, 10/23/2012 -
" Amazing book. It does a wonderful job explaining one of the most pivotal elections in America. "
— Kevin, 8/17/2012 -
" Very interesting history. The author really brings the times alive and gives the reader a complete understanding of the times. It is not a story about that time...it is history. "
— Bill, 7/4/2012 -
" They didn't teach this story to me in History class. Great read for anyone interested in American history. "
— Tim, 3/10/2012 -
" I learned a lot from this read. I always believed that politics got ugly recently. I was wrong! "
— Bill, 2/25/2012 -
" An interesting comparison. amazing we survived the first three presidencies. "
— Steve, 2/11/2012 -
" I liked this audio book, but at times the history lesson would stall and Mr. Ferling would linger on a particular sub-plot/topic. A good in-depth piece of work, but the pace was slow at times. "
— Chad, 12/31/2011 -
" Straightforward account of the politics of the early republic - the end of Washington's Administration and the subsequent partisan clashes between Adams' Federalists and Jefferson's Republicans. Well written and concise. "
— Bethany, 12/17/2011 -
" The most important election in our history. Great historical read for any history fan! "
— Dave, 2/24/2011 -
" An interesting comparison. amazing we survived the first three presidencies. "
— Steve, 2/10/2011 -
" They didn't teach this story to me in History class. Great read for anyone interested in American history. "
— Tim, 1/29/2011 -
" For anyone who thinks the sharp divide in our country over states' rights vs federal rights is at its highest pitch, read this. Two of our founding fathers went at each other in a way that would make the Tea Party blanche. Great read for anyone interested in American history and/or politics. "
— Angie, 7/9/2010 -
" Great book. An exellent look at the Adams- Jefferson relationship and the differences between them. Reminds you of how different things were back then when it had basically been a sin to campaign for yourself. "
— Pinar, 3/17/2010 -
" Straightforward account of the politics of the early republic - the end of Washington's Administration and the subsequent partisan clashes between Adams' Federalists and Jefferson's Republicans. Well written and concise. "
— Bethany, 10/3/2009 -
" Very interesting history. The author really brings the times alive and gives the reader a complete understanding of the times. It is not a story about that time...it is history. "
— Bill, 5/19/2009 -
" The most important election in our history. Great historical read for any history fan! "
— Dave, 2/25/2009 -
" only about 1/4 of the book actually dealt with the election. everything else was background on the candidates. "
— Rick, 2/24/2009
About John Ferling
John Ferling is professor emeritus of history at the State University of West Georgia. A leading authority on American Revolutionary history, he has appeared in many documentaries and has written numerous books, including The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon, Almost a Miracle: The American Victory in the War of Independence, Setting the World Ablaze: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and the American Revolution, and the award-winning A Leap in the Dark: The Struggle to Create the American Republic.
About Jack Garrett
Jack Garrett’s voice is immediately recognizable from his work in commercials and as a personality on radio stations in the West and Southwest. In addition to guest appearances on television, he has performed in dozens of theater productions on regional and New York stages, including Guys and Dolls, Hallelujah Breakdown, Prelude to a Kiss, Cast a Spell, and Bongo Fever.