When America Stopped Being Great cover art

When America Stopped Being Great

A History of the Present

 Preview

Try Premium Plus free
1 credit a month to buy any audiobook in our entire collection.
Access to thousands of additional audiobooks and Originals from the Plus Catalogue.
Member-only deals & discounts.
Auto-renews at $16.45/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

When America Stopped Being Great

By: Nick Bryant
Narrated by: Ben Chapple
Try Premium Plus free

$16.45 per month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $26.99

Buy Now for $26.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using voucher balance (if applicable) then card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions Of Use and Privacy Notice and authorise Audible to charge your designated credit card or another available credit card on file.
Cancel

About this listen

 The presidency of Donald Trump is commonly seen as an historical accident. In When America Stopped Being Great, Nick Bryant argues that it was almost historically inescapable.

In this highly personal account, drawing on decades of covering Washington for the BBC, Bryant shows how the billionaire capitalised on the mistakes of his five predecessors - Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama - and how also he became a beneficiary of a broken politics, an iniquitous economy, an ailing media, a facile culture, disruptive new technology and the creation of a modern-day presidency that elevated showmanship over statesmanship.

Not only are we seeing the emergence of a post-American world, Bryant fears we are witnessing the emergence of a post-American America. The aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, when Donald Trump refused to accept defeat and incited his supporters to storm the US Capitol, revealed the country's chronic state of disunion.

The history of Donald Trump's rise is also the history of America's fall.

'An elegant and insightful dissection of how a great nation lost its footing and the world's respect. The tragedy is made all the more stark by the genuine love of America in Nick Bryant's writing' - Leigh Sales

'Nick Bryant writes like a dream, and is one of those very rare things on TV - a man who makes you want to turn up the sound. His eye for description is sublime, and he has a way of showing you what you've been missing from the whole story, whilst never leaving you feeling stupid' - Emily Maitlis

'Bryant is a genuine rarity - a Brit who understands America' - The Washington Post©2020 Nick Bryant (P)2020 Penguin Random House Australia Americas Politics & Government United States World George W. Bush American History Franklin D Roosevelt

What listeners say about When America Stopped Being Great

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    55
  • 4 Stars
    18
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    42
  • 4 Stars
    11
  • 3 Stars
    8
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    4
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    47
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com.au reviews

Amazon Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Amazon Customer

how we got here.

great summation of how we got to USA 2020. well researched and a good interpretation of the facts.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User

Hugely insightful

Hugely insightful, unsettling, fascinating, wry, frank, erudite. Looking forward to the next ‘chapter’ because, surely, the only way forward for the US can be up.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Michael Patterson

Essential background to the current US crisis

This books adds a critical perspective and context to the Trump drama. It provides an historical overview and creates a relief from the wealth of intense commentary. It is one of the few books that help see Trump as an outcome of a Trend and not a wild card norm shatter. The norm has been decaying to the point it has crumbled under a determined assault.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Anonymous User

Interesting perspective, worth reading

As an Australian, it was good to get into a deeper discussion about the US and how they would ever end up with president like Trump. Some really insightful theories and good research makes this worth a listen. Narration (Australian) was really good. I would recommend this book but have an open mind, he swings mainly left but there are a lot of uncomfortable truths which are hard to argue with.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Kindle Customer

Excellent and insightful

The final chapters are a brilliant summary of the dysfunction that is modern America under Trump and what is now the so-called "Republican Party". However the real strength of this book is the non-partisan analysis of the recent modern history, politics and culture that led to the US becoming the Disunited States. As another author said (I can't remember who) Trump is not only the problem, but a symptom of the problem with modern America. Great journalism and well-written work by Nick Bryant.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Matthew J Tyne

Narrator detracted from the story

The Australian narrator with his noos and Noo York sounded rather forced. It also appeared at times as if he was unsure of the content he was reading.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Mark Moynihan

Great and non partisan

Good unvarnished look at the more recent American presidencies. I would say it's a fair recount and none of them are let of easily for their own, very consequential, failings at their job.

Let's see where they go from here.

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Natalie J Walker

Horrendous Reader - Completely ruins this great book

This should be reread by the author or someone else. Terrible pronunciation, voice and inflection. Give it a miss!

Report this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.