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Title details for The Forgotten Founding Father by Joshua Kendall - Available

The Forgotten Founding Father

Noah Webster's Obsession and the Creation of an American Culture

by Joshua Kendall
Arthur Morey
Audiobook
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Noah Webster’s name is now synonymous with the dictionary he created, but although there is much more to his story than that singular achievement, his rightful place in American history has been forgotten over time. Webster hobnobbed with various Founding Fathers and was a young confidant of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, among others. He started New York City’s first daily newspaper, predating Alexander Hamilton’s New York Post. His “blue-backed speller” for schoolchildren, his first literary effort, sold millions of copies and influenced early copyright law. He helped found Amherst College and served as a state representative for both Connecticut and Massachusetts. But perhaps most important, Webster was an ardent supporter of a unified, definitively American culture, distinct from the British, at a time when the United States of America were anything but unified—and his dictionary of American English is a testament to that.
 
In The Forgotten Founding Father, Joshua Kendall, gives us a look into the life of Webster. The result is a treat for word lovers and history buffs alike.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 19, 2011

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780307912923
      • File size: 367375 KB
      • Duration: 12:45:21

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Once you get past the author's debatable point that Noah Webster should be considered among the Founding Fathers, Joshua Kendall offers a solid portrait of this complex man. Webster, best known for his Dictionary of the American Language, was far more than that. He was a significant force in the creation of a true American culture. Arthur Morey offers a solid reading, at times making up for somewhat dry material. His voice is pleasant and easy to listen to, keeping the listener engaged. He changes his tone to suit the material, giving it the sense of a well-delivered history lecture. Any weakness is in the material, not the delivery. R.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      February 7, 2011
      In 1828 Noah Webster published the groundbreaking American Dictionary of the English Language and secured his niche as an avatar of a distinct American culture. Kendall (The Man Who Made Lists) honors Webster's crucial contributions to early American nationalism, which extended far beyond his primary obsession, the written word. Kendall paints a complex portrait of Webster (1758–1843), a man he claims "housed a host of contradictory identities: revolutionary, reactionary, fighter, peacemaker, intellectual, commonsense philosopher, ladies' man, prig, slick networker and loner." In spite of his flaws, Webster, Kendall argues not wholly successfully, belongs among the ranks of America's notable founders, associating with George Washington and Ben Franklin, among others, to craft an early American identity rooted in national pride and a distinctly American lexicon. Citing frequent references to Webster's nervous afflictions, Kendall ventures the somewhat shaky diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder. The book includes the politics of the "forgotten" founder, for example, noting that Webster "detested Andrew Jackson as the second coming of Jefferson," and a wide range of his activities, including helping found Amherst College. Kendall provides an intriguing look at one of America's earliest men of letters that is sure to appeal to lovers of both words and history.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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