Martin Van Buren

A Captivating Guide to the Man Who Served as the Eighth President of the United States

By: Captivating History

Narrated by: Duke Holm

Length: 2 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Explore the captivating life of Martin Van Buren

History chiefly remembers Martin Van Buren as the eighth president of the United States (1837– 1841). He was also, however, notable for achieving many firsts in American politics. He was the first American president to be born a citizen of the country, and not a British subject. He was the first Dutchman and the first man without Anglo-Saxon ancestry to serve as president. He was the first and only American president to have been raised in a language other than English. He was also the first New Yorker to ascend to the Oval Office in the White House, at a time when Manhattan was becoming the urban heart of a future America (as it is today). Historians have also recognized him as the first "professional politician" to occupy the presidential seat. His expressed capacity for political intrigue, strategic pragmatism, and politically expedient “non-committalism” has earned him his fair share of critics and detractors.

The darkness of his times (the first depression, the question of slavery, the forceful relocation of Native American tribes from their ancestral lands) easily come to mind, but America was also hurtling towards the future we live in during Van Buren’s reign. The seeds of the modernity we recognize so well - railway networks, democracy, the printing press - were sowed in his era.

Six small townships and cities - in Maine, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, and Arkansas - still bear his surname. To understand the history of American politics, one must understand Van Buren’s often overlooked legacy. This audiobook will give you an in-depth understanding of this man, born a tavern owner's son, who became one of the founders of the Democratic Party. Get this audiobook now to learn more about Martin Van Buren!

©2018 Captivating History (P)2018 Captivating History

What 5.00 gets you

Summary. A few interesting facts. Narrator seemed to mispronounce several words. Wish for better options.

Martin Van Buren was more….

President Van Buren was apparently more than a one term President. Americans often admire a President whom goes to and leads the Country in winning wars. But America often thinks little about Presidents whom keep the Country out of a War. Van Buren did so twice in just four years. This is a short read (listen). But it says a lot about the man and the history of our Nation during his time.

Luckily Found It

Not enough books on Martin Van Buren, especially in audio format. He is such a fascinating President!

I Was Ultimately Disappointed

At only two hours, it was the longest biography at the time I got it, so points for trying. But the author did not dig into any contexts as to why the world and times around this president were there way they were. He rarely used in-text citations of personal correspondence of either the protagonist or antagonists, nor did the author give any useful insight into the President's "lengthy autobiography." My greatest critique is the text reads much like a B paper written by a student, notwithstanding what the author personally injects as to what he believes the "Democratic Party embodies today."

Points to the narrator, whose voice was clear, even through earplugs under my motorcycle helmet. It is often a struggle for me to hear deeper voices when I'm on the highway, so I appreciated that.

Thankful for a Van Buren book

Thankful for a Van Buren book. Good read for all levels of knowledge. Highly encourage others to read.

disappointed

The reading was jerky with sentences broken up. Basically facts of Van Buren's life but very little detail. Some data were wrong such as the year of a party's convention. Sloppy.

Way to Brief. But no full audio biography found

this was way to short to cover a life and Presidency. Van Buren apparently kept us out of two wars by negotiating well. Many other things were just touched on barely. I would not buy this again or any of the other very short biographies. In addition at the end of the reading the authors stated this "Without Van Buren the ideas of free market, personal liberty, free trade and reduced government intervention would not be at the core of the Democratic Party today". I have a hard time seeing that any of the 4 of these ideas are even at the edges of the Democratic Party and certainly not at the core.

Short, but interesting

I didn't know much about Martin van Buren, and some interesting information is in this. Pronunciations of some of the words used was unique, to say the least, which is why I gave "performance" a 3 instead of 4.

A great deal of information

Amusing and sensitive detailing of a President I knew only from Seinfeld. If you are going to listen to a biography of Martin Van Buren, this should be the one.

You will learn a lot

Martin Van Buren, the 8th President, was the first President hailing from New York and the first President of non-English descent. This book briefly covers his life; early years, his rise to political fame, his Presidency and his retirement.