Our score
Outstanding
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1776 Audiobook by David McCullough— narrated by David McCullough
David McCullough narrows the sprawling story of the American Revolution to a single, near-catastrophic year, following Washington's ragged army from the siege of Boston to the icy retreat across the Delaware.
Why the audiobook wins
David McCullough reads 1776 himself, in a voice a lot of American history already sounds like: it is the one that narrated Ken Burns's The Civil War. The register is calm and unhurried, which is what keeps a year this close to catastrophe from tipping into melodrama.
That restraint is the book's argument. Washington's army spends 1776 losing. Out of Boston, out of New York, across the Delaware in the ice. McCullough is more interested in the ordinary soldiers writing home than in the generals, and hearing him read their letters aloud is the closest this history comes to their actual voices.
Eleven and a half hours, one year, one army that had no business surviving it. If you are starting Revolutionary War history somewhere, start here. One Audible credit covers the recording.
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Audiobook questions
- Who narrates the 1776 audiobook?
- David McCullough narrates the audiobook edition of 1776.
- How long is the 1776 audiobook?
- The audiobook runs 11 hr 33 min.
- Is the 1776 audiobook worth listening to?
- We scored 1776 4.7 out of 5. David McCullough reads 1776 himself, in a voice a lot of American history already sounds like: it is the one that narrated Ken Burns's The Civil War. The register is calm and unhurried, which is what keeps a year this close to catastrophe from tipping into melodrama.
- Can I listen to 1776 free with an Audible trial?
- Eligible new Audible members can use a free-trial credit to listen in the Audible app. Eligibility and current offer terms are set by Audible.Listen to 1776 free with an Audible trial
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- Is 1776 on Kindle Unlimited?
- No. 1776 was not included with Kindle Unlimited when we last checked on July 20, 2026.
