A Nation Rising: Untold Tales of Flawed Founders, Fallen Heroes, and Forgotten Fighters from America's Hidden History

by Kenneth C. Davis Narrated by Robertson Dean

Overview

In the dramatic period from 1800 through 1850, the United States emerged from its inauspicious beginning as a tiny newborn nation, to a near-empire that spanned the continent. It was a time in which the “dream of our founders” spread in ways that few men of that Revolutionary Generation could possibly have imagined. And it was an era that led to the great, tragic conflagration that followed-the American Civil War.

The narratives that form A Nation Rising each exemplify the “hidden history” of America, exploring a vastly more complex path to nationhood than the national myth of a destiny made manifest by visionary political leaders and fearless pioneers. Davis explores:
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¿ Aaron Burr's 1807 trial, showcasing the political intrigue of the early Republic
¿ an 1813 Indian uprising and an ensuing massacre
¿ a mutiny aboard the slave ship Creole
¿ the “Dade Massacre” and the start of the second Seminole War
¿ the bloody “Bible Riots” in Philadelphia
¿ the story of Jessie Benton Frémont and Lt. John C. Frémont
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The audiobook is not only riveting storytelling in its own right, but a stirring reminder of the ways in which our history continues to shape our present.

Editorial Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

Don't Know Much About series creator Davis (America's Hidden History, 2008, etc.) examines six little-known episodes that influenced American history. By now the author's formula is familiar-seize a small or misunderstood incident from America's past, identify it as a precursor to or emblematic of a better-known event and use it to illustrate larger themes that have altered the nation's course. Focusing on the period between Jefferson's 1800 election and California's 1850 statehood, Davis looks at Aaron Burr's 1807 arrest for treason, the 1818 Creek attack on Fort Mims, the 1841 revolt aboard the slave ship Creole, the Seminole massacre of Major Francis Dade's relief column in 1835, the Nativist inspired Bible Riots in 1844 Philadelphia and the harrowing journey of Jesse Fremont across Panama's isthmus in 1849. In breezily entertaining fashion, the author does just fine when he confines himself to the details of each episode. Beyond that, these historical vignettes aren't exactly revelatory. Even casual students understand the gap between America's ideals and practice. For whom, any longer, is it news that America's presidents have frequently abused their power, that the nation has sometimes made war for ignoble purposes, that our history is marred by various eruptions of religious strife, that slavery, our intolerance of immigrants, and our shameful treatment of Native Americans continue to haunt our present? The narrative suffers, as well, when Davis attempts comparisons to contemporary events. Readers may be persuaded that Jefferson's pursuit of Burr is analogous to Nixon's efforts to destroy political enemies or to the Bush administration's so-called outing of Valerie Plame, but baldassertion makes neither proposition true. This is history-lite, misleading to those who know too little, harmless to those who know enough. Mostly engaging but rarely edifying. Author appearances in New York, Philadelphia, Vermont, Washington, D.C. Agent: David Black/David Black Literary Agency

Booklist

Davis is a fine writer who uses a fast-moving narrative to tell these stories well... This is an informative and enjoyable work.

Ron Powers

Praise for America’s Hidden History: “American history in the vibrant narrative tradition of David McCullough.

Ray Raphael

With his special gift for revealing the significance of neglected historical characters, Kenneth Davis creates a multi-layered, haunting narrative.

Library Journal

Davis (Don't Know Much About History) shifts gears slightly to identify obscure personalities and the darker side of American leaders, from Colonial America to the dawn of the 20th century. The strongest chapter begins with Aaron Burr's trial for treason and reflects on the rise of the nation. The flaws that Davis exposes include slave-owning Founding Fathers, Jackson's embracing Indian removal, and Lincoln's supporting the cause of returning slaves to Africa, then considered an enlightened solution. He also explores the wars of expansion, and, through Jessie Fremont, John Fremont's brave and capable wife, the notion of manifest destiny. Lastly, he looks at xenophobia through the Nativist riots of post-Civil War America. Davis likes comparisons: the Fort Mims massacre to 9/11, Iraq to manifest destiny. In a text that is very readable if not so tautly edited, Davis clearly enjoys his role as history teacher to nonhistorians. VERDICT Those who know their American history will find nothing new in this light and revisionist companion to standard history texts. Best for public and high school libraries.—Robert Moore, Lantheus Medical Imaging, North Billerica, MA

SEPTEMBER 2010 - AudioFile

Taking issue with the euphemism and understatement that tend to mask history, the author covers six lesser-known aspects of America's past. Robertson Dean's rich voice brings drama and emotion to the stories, which recount Aaron Burr's trial, incidents of anti-Catholic sentiment, the Amistad rebellion, and the Seminole wars in Florida. The stories are rich in detail: Aaron Burr's biography includes a march to Quebec with Benedict Arnold, while Andrew Jackson's childhood experience as a British prisoner works its way into the story of his meeting with a Native American warrior. Davis's account is best as an introduction to these historical events. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169121117
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	05/11/2010
Edition description:	Unabridged

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