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What sport became more popular after the Civil War?
Were the Little Rock Nine a rock-and-roll band?
As bestselling author Kenneth C. Davis knows, history can be fun, fascinating, and memorable. In his trademark question-and-answer style — peppered with surprising facts, historic reproductions, Davis introduces our ancestors who settled the East and expanded the West, as well as those who had been living here all along. His sure touch brings the drama and excitement of the American story vividly to life.
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Creators
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Series
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Publisher
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Release date
October 30, 2007 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780739361344
- File size: 209198 KB
- Duration: 07:15:49
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Languages
- English
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Levels
- ATOS Level: 8.8
- Interest Level: 4-8(MG)
- Text Difficulty: 3-6
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Reviews
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This is a book that makes a rough transition to audio, and listeners who truly don't know much about American history will have a difficult time keeping up. The book is primarily in question-and-answer format with various narrators voicing the questions and Oliver Wyman reading answers that are filled with dates, times, places, and lists. Wyman reads expressively and enthusiastically but also too quickly. The pace, combined with the lack of musical interludes or even a bit of dead air between segments, makes it difficult for listeners to absorb the information. While the production will have fans, it's not first-rate. A.F. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine -
April 1, 2003
Using his highly successful q&a formula and proceeding chronologically, Kenneth C. Davis adds to his series for young people with Don't Know Much About American History, illus. by Matt Faulkner. Readers may be surprised to learn, for example, that the ratification of the constitution was not "a sure thing," requiring nine of the 13 states' approval (Virginia and New York were two of the holdouts) or that 17 African-American men were elected to Congress between 1869 and 1876. Sidebars, brief bios, copious quotes and Faulkner's pen-and-inks keep the design lively. -
November 26, 2012
Davis’s latest historical reference explores the presidency as an institution and the individual lives of the men who have served as America’s commander in chief. The book’s shifts between narrative and encyclopedic elements would likely have presented a solo reader with a serious challenge in maintaining fluid narration. Luckily, the collaboration between Arthur Morey, Kirby Heyborne, and Mark Bramhall does just that. In performing the book’s main narrative, Morey adopts the tone of a kindly professor, balancing the seriousness of the subject with the need to engage with his audience. When pronouncing the historical judgments of Davis, Morey lets his voice rise and fall to convey the heights of successes and the depths of failures. Heyborne and Bramhall also turn in solid performances—among the highlights are the “Fast Facts” and “Presidential Voices” segments. A Hyperion hardcover.
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