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James Madison Audiobook
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(3.00) - 321 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
James Madison led one of the most influential and prolific lives in American history, and his story—although all too often overshadowed by his more celebrated contemporaries—is integral to that of the nation. Madison helped to shape our country as perhaps no other Founder: collaborating on the Federalist Papers and the Bill of Rights, resisting government overreach by assembling one of the nation's first political parties (the Republicans, who became today's Democrats), and taking to the battlefield during the War of 1812, becoming the last president to lead troops in combat. In this penetrating biography, eminent historian Richard Brookhiser presents a vivid portrait of the "Father of the Constitution," an accomplished yet humble statesman who nourished Americans' fledgling liberty and vigorously defended the laws that have preserved it to this day.
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"Concise, contemporary and critical summary of the lengthy career of one the key founders of our federal republic. I found it comforting to recognise that much of the contentiousness that bothers me in current political discourse was present from the beginning (and often far more acrimoniously) yet our nation survived and prospered."
— Mark (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Brookhiser’s keen interest in his subject is always present. Dietz’s engagement keeps listeners’ interest…It’s a fascinating take on Madison’s career, showing the genesis of modern politics and media.”
— AudioFile -
“A useful introduction to a man who is often outshone by his presidential predecessors but who nevertheless was instrumental in creating our modern political system.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
A useful introduction to a man who is often outshone by his presidential predecessors but who nevertheless was instrumental in creating our modern political system.
— Kirkus
James Madison Listener Reviews
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" Brookhiser has started something of a cottage industry in biographies of the Founding Fathers. This volume on James Madison isn't bad if you're someone who has little or no idea about Madison's importance to the United States. Brookhiser hits all the high points of Madison's career, although he rarely dwells too long in any one area. "
— Bob, 1/30/2014 -
" Well written. Madison was a man of the political trenches and sometimes, but not often, the text gets bogged down there. Favorite quote which shows how little things change: ""Perhaps it is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home" occurs under the threat of "danger, real or pretended, from abroad."" "
— G., 1/16/2014 -
" Absolute must read if you want to understand the roots of today's US political party system. "
— Tales0397, 1/6/2014 -
" Eh. This wasn't much of a biography. It was more of a very basic survey of the time period in which James Madison lived, labored, and died. I was very disappointed. "
— Grace, 12/23/2013 -
" Not my favorite presidential biography. Don't know if it was the man or the author but it was a bit slow going for me. "
— Nancy, 12/11/2013 -
" This is a condensed biography of our nation's 4th President written by an author who specializes in history of the time period. Well-written and insightful. "
— Rob, 11/19/2013 -
" I previously gave full credit to Jefferson. In this version, the important documents and ideas were a collaboration between the two men. This certainly seems to be the case based on their correspondence. I'll give higher marks to Madison from now on. "
— Scott, 11/15/2013 -
" As I am a political junkie I really enjoyed this look at James Madison. It was well written as only Brookhiser can. Great book. "
— Bobbie57, 10/28/2013 -
" Can't tell whether Madison is boring or Brookhiser makes him so. If McCullough makes you feel as if you've met and roomed with John Adams, Brookhiser makes you feel as if you've met a librarian who's met a bunch of people who've read encyclopedia entries about Madison. "
— Bret, 6/10/2013 -
" oNE OF THE founders of the Democratic party. didn't know a lot about him. Interesting. "
— Patricrk, 3/28/2013 -
" I only read about 200 pages. Can't get in to it... "
— Brendan, 12/3/2012 -
" I close this book feeling I still know very little about James Madison (the chapter on his presidency is not even 20 pages long!) and with a nagging feeling too that the author's viewpoints created a barrier to writing a good piece of history. "
— Janis, 11/20/2012 -
" This isn't a bad biography of an important Founding Father, but there are some factual errors throughout. "
— Tiffin-Seneca, 9/7/2012 -
" Continuing my obsession with the Presidents, loved the book, the history and the story. 250 pages "
— Kidough711, 7/16/2012 -
" This book reads like a poorly written high school research paper. The author interjects what he suspects that Madison, Jefferson, and others are thinking without any real purpose or proof. I did not enjoy this book. "
— Tara, 4/7/2012
About Richard Brookhiser
Richard Brookhiser is the author of What Would the Founders Do?; Founding Father; Alexander Hamilton, American; and America’s First Dynasty: The Adamses, 1735–1918. The writer and host of the critically acclaimed PBS documentary Rediscovering George Washington, he is a columnist for Time magazine and a senior editor of National Review. He has also written for the New Yorker and the New York Times. Brookhiser lives in New York City.
About Norman Dietz
Norman Dietz is a writer, voice-over artist, and audiobook narrator. He has won numerous Earphones Awards and was named one of the fifty “Best Voices of the Century” by AudioFile magazine. He and his late wife, Sandra, transformed an abandoned ice-cream parlor into a playhouse, which served “the world’s best hot fudge sundaes” before and after performances. The founder of Theatre in the Works, he lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.