
American Gospel
God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation
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Narrated by:
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Grover Gardner
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By:
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Jon Meacham
About this listen
In American Gospel (literally meaning the "good news about America"), New York Times best-selling author Jon Meacham sets the record straight on the history of religion in American public life. As Meacham shows, faith, meaning a belief in a higher power, and the sense that we are God's chosen, has always been at the heart of our national experience, from Jamestown to the Constitutional Convention to the Civil Rights Movement to September 11th. And yet, first and foremost, America is a nation founded upon the principles of liberty and freedom.
Every American is free to exercise his own faith or no faith at all. And so a balance is struck, between public religion and private religion; and religious belief is distinct from morality. As Meacham explains, the well-known "wall" between church and state has always separated private religion from the business of the state, yet religious belief is part of the basic foundation of government. Brilliantly articulating an argument that links the Founding Fathers to an insightful contemporary point of view, American Gospel renews our understanding of history, and what public religion has meant in America, so that we can move beyond today's religious and political extremism toward a truer understanding of the place of faith in American society.
©2006 Jon Meacham (P)2006 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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With an original music score by composer Stefano Mainetti (Abba Pater), feature-film quality sound effects, and compelling narration by Michael York and the work of over 500 actors, the The Word of Promise Audio Bible will immerse listeners in the dramatic reality of the scriptures as never before. Each beloved book of the Bible comes to life with outstanding performances by Jim Caviezel as Jesus, Richard Dreyfuss as Moses, Gary Sinise as David, Jason Alexander as Joseph, Marisa Tomei as Mary Magdalene, Stacy Keach as Paul, Louis Gossett, Jr. as John...
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Critic reviews
“In his American Gospel, Jon Meacham provides a refreshingly clear, balanced, and wise historical portrait of religion and American politics at exactly the moment when such fairness and understanding are much needed. Anyone who doubts the relevance of history to our own time has only to read this exceptional book.” (David McCullough, author of 1776)
“Jon Meacham has given us an insightful and eloquent account of the spiritual foundation of the early days of the American republic. It is especially instructive reading at a time when the nation is at once engaged in and deeply divided on the question of religion and its place in public life.” (Tom Brokaw, author of The Greatest Generation)
“An absorbing narrative full of vivid characters and fresh thinking, American Gospel tells how the Founding Fathers - and their successors - struggled with their own religious and political convictions to work out the basic structure for freedom of religion. For me this book was nonstop reading.” (Elaine Pagels, professor of religion, Princeton University, author of Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas)
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Story
From “The Star-Spangled Banner” to “Born in the USA”, Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw take listeners on a moving and insightful journey through eras in American history and the songs and performers that inspired us. Meacham chronicles our history, exploring the stories behind the songs, and Tim McGraw reflects on them as an artist and performer. Their perspectives combine to create a unique view of the role music has played in uniting and shaping a nation.
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Great Book & Storytelling, Wish Songs Were Sung
- By Caitlin on 06-13-19
By: Jon Meacham, and others
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Destiny and Power
- The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush
- By: Jon Meacham
- Narrated by: Paul Michael
- Length: 25 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Drawing on President Bush’s personal diaries, on the diaries of his wife, Barbara, and on extraordinary access to the 41st president and his family, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jon Meacham paints an intimate and surprising portrait of an intensely private man who led the nation through tumultuous times.
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Fair and insightful
- By Jean on 12-02-15
By: Jon Meacham
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The Unraveling
- Reflections on Politics Without Ethics and Democracy in Crisis
- By: Bob Bauer, Jon Meacham - foreword
- Narrated by: Daniel Thomas May
- Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Part memoir, part rumination on the declining moral compass of the American political class, The Unraveling is the first book to place restoring political ethics at the center of the renewal of American democracy. Politics is a brutal game, but Bauer asks where does the line fall between the "hardball" of politics and attacks on the very foundation of democracy? Looking back on forty-six years in the political arena, Bauer tries to better grasp what has gone wrong and to understand what shaped his own decisions and actions.
By: Bob Bauer, and others
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Impeachment
- An American History
- By: Jon Meacham, Timothy Naftali, Peter Baker, and others
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Impeachment is a double-edged sword. Though it was designed to check tyrants, Thomas Jefferson also called impeachment “the most formidable weapon for the purpose of a dominant faction that was ever contrived”. On the one hand, it nullifies the will of voters, the basic foundation of all representative democracies. On the other, its absence from the Constitution would leave the country vulnerable to despotic leadership.
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May not scratch your personal itch, but read it anyway!
- By Marshall on 11-17-18
By: Jon Meacham, and others
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The Course of Human Events
- By: David McCullough
- Narrated by: David McCullough
- Length: 37 mins
- Unabridged
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On May 15, 2003, David McCullough presented "The Course of Human Events" as The 2003 Jefferson Lecture in the Humanities in Washington, DC. The Jefferson Lecture is a tribute to McCullough's lifetime investigation of history.
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A Pitch for History
- By Alan on 09-13-05
By: David McCullough
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His Truth Is Marching On
- John Lewis and the Power of Hope
- By: Jon Meacham, John Lewis - afterword
- Narrated by: JD Jackson, Jon Meacham
- Length: 10 hrs
- Unabridged
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An intimate and revealing portrait of civil rights icon and longtime US congressman John Lewis, linking his life to the painful quest for justice in America from the 1950s to the present - from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Soul of America.
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Absolutely remarkable!
- By Janie on 08-30-20
By: Jon Meacham, and others
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The Patriots
- Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and the Making of America
- By: Winston Groom
- Narrated by: George Guidall
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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In this masterful narrative, Winston Groom brings his signature storytelling panache to the tale of our nation's most fascinating founding fathers - Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams - painting a vivid picture of the improbable events, bold ideas, and extraordinary characters who created the United States of America.
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For newbies or history buffs
- By SBR72 on 06-06-21
By: Winston Groom
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The Call to Serve
- The Life of an American President, George Herbert Walker Bush
- By: Jon Meacham
- Narrated by: Jon Meacham
- Length: 2 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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In honor of the one hundredth anniversary of George H. W. Bush’s birth, this visually stunning chronicle features never-before-published photos and memories celebrating the forty-first president’s vision of leadership as service to country—curated by Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Jon Meacham.
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A overall good reflection
- By R. Mark Moore on 07-14-24
By: Jon Meacham
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In the Hands of the People
- Thomas Jefferson on Equality, Faith, Freedom, Compromise, and the Art of Citizenship
- By: Jon Meacham - editor, Annette Gordon-Reed - afterword
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders, Edoardo Ballerini, Full Cast
- Length: 2 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham offers a collection of inspiring words about how to be a good citizen, from Thomas Jefferson and others, and reminds us why our country’s founding principles are still so important today.
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Uncritical collection of quotes by & about Jefferson
- By DP on 12-27-20
By: Jon Meacham - editor, and others
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Thomas Jefferson: President and Philosopher
- By: Jon Meacham
- Narrated by: Edward Herrmann
- Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States. He was one of the authors of the Declaration of Independence. But he was also a lawyer and an ambassador, an inventor and a scientist. He had a wide range of interests and hobbies, but his consuming interest was the survival and success of the United States.
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Written for young readers, but appealing for all
- By David on 02-25-15
By: Jon Meacham
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American Emperor
- Aaron Burr's Challenge to Jefferson's America
- By: David O. Stewart
- Narrated by: Andrew Garman
- Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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A spellbinding storyteller, historian David O. Stewart traces the canny and charismatic Aaron Burr from the threshold of the presidency in 1800 to his duel with Alexander Hamilton. Stewart recounts Burr’s efforts to carve out an empire, taking listeners across the American West as the renegade vice president schemes with foreign ambassadors, the U.S. general-in-chief, and future presidents.
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Aaron Burr history
- By Gerald on 01-06-13
By: David O. Stewart
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American Lion
- Andrew Jackson in the White House
- By: Jon Meacham
- Narrated by: John H. Mayer
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Abridged
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Jon Meacham, in American Lion, has delivered the definitive human portrait of a pivotal president who forever changed the American presidency and America itself. Andrew Jackson, his intimate circle of friends, and his tumultuous times are at the heart of this remarkable book about the man who rose from nothing to create the modern presidency.
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disappointing
- By Morten on 01-07-09
By: Jon Meacham
What listeners say about American Gospel
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- FarmBoy
- 03-26-23
Thoughtful and superbly written, but too delicate for the foolish.
A clear, thoughtful, nuanced, well researched, and (as usual, for Mecham), superbly written account of the history of public religion in the United States. Well worth reading for any literate and moderately educated American. If, however - like many of the reviewers here – you bring to the fray a silly preconception based on your own dogmatic view of faith, don’t waste your money. The topic is too complex for you.
As usual, Grover Gardner’s narration is excellent.
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- Bàrb R.
- 11-07-20
Worth Hearing!
Again, Americans should be reminded of the beginning and the historical impact of that beginning. The Founders intention and the nation's process. Consideration and reflection.
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- J.B.
- 01-07-23
A Sing Song on Religion: An American Tune
American Gospel, by Jon Meacham, presents a balanced case displaying the place of religion in our personal lives and therein projects his discernment of religion’s persistence into our political affairs. He accomplishes the task by surveying situations where religion and political matters have come together in competition with and in support of goodness. He then adds to his storytelling by reiterating short commentaries of persons who were contemporaries of the coming-together occurrences.
At first, the reader may be discombobulated, but hang in there and experience the joy of learning the importance of truth in preserving the Constitutional political system. Our forefathers were well-read in the classics and knew how to apply their erudition. Meachum just tells their story in soft words and meaningful considerations.
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- Mikes383
- 11-22-23
A guide for us less devote
I have and continue to be troubled by the dogmas of our current times. I intellectually know that the main difference between the extremism of the past and now is the enormous efficiency of today’s communication.
This is a story about the struggle for balance. My admiration for the author could not reach higher than with this well researched walk through the battles of old to teach us for today.
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- Virginia
- 08-14-18
Powerful
American history pure yet not so simple. Look at what religious freedom meant to the founding fathers from their writings, and how that impacts our understanding of our most challenging freedo even to this day. Great listen!
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- Chidwick
- 07-23-19
In God We Trust
American Gospel is a wonderful book. Jon Meacham takes us through each era of American History and shows how our relationship with religion as a society has evolved over time. Most notably, he explains how the founding fathers foresaw their impact on our society, in respects to religion, and how the blueprint should be to ensure complete freedom for all regardless of personal belief.
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- Bruce L Emmert
- 05-27-23
A Must Read for People of Whatever Faith
Right upfront let me say that I am a fan of John Meacham. He has a dynamic writing style that draws me into whatever story he’s telling.
Also, I am a United Methodist Pastor— a mainline Christian denomination. Mainline churches like mine are populated by people on both sides of the theological and political spectrum. So, I have heard all my ministerial life the extremes of the left and the right when it comes to either attempting to force a Christian faith perspective on society, or do everything one can to exclude Christian influence on society.
Meacham‘s book gives a fantastic overview of the role religion – – particularly Christian faith – – has played in the American story. He also gives a fair and intriguing account of the role of American civil religion in shaping the American experiment.
I always appreciate it when an author addresses a topic in a fully researched, non-sectarian and non-partisan way. That’s what John Meacham has done in this book.
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- Randy
- 04-28-06
seems very biased
The author seems to write with an end in mind, rather than letting the stories tell how it really was. I am neither liberal nor conservative, but this book seems to come off very strong in the message of dividing church and state, and also ensuring tolerance. In order to make his point, he portrays a history where almost no one agreed with each other in their view of God nor religion. Therefore, everyone should keep religion private and tolerate everyone. I personally do believe that religion should not be mandated in schools, but I think there should be a healthy (and yes, optional) acknowledgement that reverence to God is part of our history.
The author seems to go almost too much overboard in portraying a one-sided view of how history was almost disastrous because of various historical figures and their public belief in God. I am no history buff, but I can tell a slanted story when I hear one...
Otherwise, the book was decent and interesting. However, the stories don't "flow" so well.
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- David I. Williams
- 04-26-13
Though Provoking
The issue of religion, both public and private, has had a place in the United States ever since our founding. Jon Meacham brings a historian's eye to this interesting and complex issue. The men who founded the United States came from diverse backgrounds, yet they had many things in common. Meacham shows that the ethics and morality of the Bible have informed and defined the history of the United States from the beginning.
Religion informs the way that we discuss issues and forms our public lives as well as our private lives. Jefferson used religious imagery when writing the Declaration of Independence. Abolitionists used the gospel to fight slavery. The issue was not couched in economic terms, but in the terms of a system that was evil in its nature. Franklin Roosevelt believed that the New Deal was a Christian imperative to help the poor. Martin Luther King, Jr. couched the Civil Rights movement not as a political movement, but as a spiritual movement.
This is an issue that still divides our nation today. This book will help to set the stage for understanding the complex ways that religion in general and the Christian religion in particular still defines how we talk about political and social issues. Both liberals and conservatives will take issue with different points of this book, but maybe that's a good thing. Whether or not you agree with every point you will find a lot to think about with this book.
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- BB
- 05-10-22
Well
done! Excellent... Relevant to our time! This is a must listen! Buy it! We, America, are worth the struggle...
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