This book follows the far reach of the Bloods, a family who were present in America from the Colonial Period. Members of their family met some of the first Transcendentalists, were forerunners in the industrial revolution, and part of bloody civil wars in Kansas. The first almost 15% of the book discusses the Blood family in Europe.

The author’s writing is engaging, and I do like how the text is set up. I also enjoyed that he followed some important points of American history by using a single family line, which is an interesting concept. But I was hoping for more exploration of the actual people.

This work got heavily into the philosophical context of the early members of the Blood family with details surrounding the writings of Locke, Thoreau, and Emerson included. The same thing happened with the later Bloods, but the focus was on Marxism and trade theory. I can see how this was somewhat relevant for context, but I wanted more of a focus on the people and their family/spouses, especially considering how short the book was. I was much more interested in why the two Blood sisters in the 19th century were unmarried and living with their brother – were they widowed, choosing to remain unmarried, shunned? For the most part, the early women of this family were lost in this history. Even the men were only really explored in their relevance to their contemporary themes in America’s history.

If you’re interested in American history, then this would be worth reading especially as it’s a unique way to explore the history. The narrator did an excellent job with this one, and the audiobook is certainly worth checking out. My thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Think you know all the major players in American history? Think again!

In this book, you are going to get to know an American family you might have never heard about. Journey through the American wilderness, become involved in politics, warfare, and so much more. This is one book that you are going to have a hard time putting down.

As with some historical works, there are some sections of the book that seemed too far down the rabbit hole, but as you read further, it all ties together, like interconnecting dots that have to come down to the last few chapters to fully pull together.

This was a very well-researched book, and one that I really enjoyed. It was hard to put down, yet there were real life needs going on. I might have suffered through a few longer nights of reading, trying to get through it all, after a very long day. Well worth the few hours each night that I missed with sleep. Now, I am going to need a paperback version of this book. I want to tear it apart, and mark it up, so that I can dive into some different research areas. There were way to many to note, so I gave up actually trying to keep notes, and decided another read would be just as enjoyable.

Happy reading my history loving friends!

I found the history of the Blood family very interesting and intriguing. At times, however, the writing became entrenched in philosophy, which made it less interesting to me. The narrator, Leon Dixon, has such a pleasant, smooth voice that I didn't mind so much.

Thank you NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for allowing me early access to the ARC audiobook edition of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

After a close encounter with a wolf [on a dark, foggy night], and seeing a large rock/cave on/near his property, the author, completely freaked out, cannot sleep and decides to unpack boxes, which leads to fully inspecting this new home he and his family has just moved into [an old farmhouse outside of Boston]; what he finds during that inspection takes him down a humongous rabbit-hole that then leads to this informative, engaging [and also, at times, a little bit mind-blowing] book about a historical family that I [for one], and never even heard of.

Filled with SO. MUCH. HISTORY [and unfortunately slogs a little in parts because there is just so much here] that just gobsmacked me at times [and weirdly, referenced a time in history {the fight for Kansas} that I actually have an upcoming book to read - it was cool when I worked that out but was also a little disconcerting], and left me wanting a little bit more.

Very well-written and researched, this is a deep-dive [that will thrill and engage all history and nonfiction readers] into mostly unknown history that will engage you right from page one until the very end.

I was granted an audiobook ARC and it was narrated by one of my favorite nonfiction narrators [Leon Nixon] and he just made this already amazing book even better, with his smooth, articulate delivery, and his engaging style. I highly recommend listening to this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, John Kaag, Leon Nixon - Narrator, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and Brilliance Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

The tagline of Kaag’s book, the untamed dynasty that shaped a nation, is what initially interested me in this book. According to the book's blurb, the Bloods were one of America’s first pioneer families, involved in the major moments that shaped the country: the Revolution, the Civil War, and westward expansion. So how had I never heard of them? So I was ready for the standard history of a family, introducing me to the Bloods when they arrived in America and how generations of the clan contributed to the various events from the 1600s on. And though Kaag definitely gives the reader a history of the family, it is not what I would call traditional history. Instead he looks at a few select Bloods and shows how they reacted to those major events.

The sections dealing with the American Revolution and the Industrial age are well done and Kaag uses them to show the overall history of the times. But where the book really shines was an instance where the Bloods feel more adjacent to the story than the leading characters. In Kaag’s discussion of Perez Blood, a descendant that lived on part of the original Blood homestead in Concord in the 1800s, he highlights Perez’s solitary life with his single sisters and telescope he created. But he also describes how this hermit was of great interest to Emerson and Thoreau, two of Concord’s leading Transcendentalists. Kaag spends a great deal of time discussing Emerson and Thoreau and the movement they started. Both are fascinating characters and examination and analysis of Transcendentalism is excellent, especially his discussions of Thoreau and his work, but it felt a little removed from the story of this family.

Still, I would highly recommend this book. I listened to the audiobook and it was excellent. It felt very on point to be listening as I drove up Interstate 95 North and Route 3 North, passing the towns that the Bloods played such an important role in: Concord, Carlisle, Billerica, and Manchester. It has certainly inspired me to make a visit to the Old Manse and Esterbrook Woods this summer.

This audiobook was made available for me to listen to and review by John Kaag, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley.

This is a nonfiction historical unlike any I've read before. This cleverly traces American history from before the US Revolutionary war into modern times using a single well placed family. This starts off in England with the patriarch of the family, his crimes and his start in what will become the United States. This family grows to become wealthy,  successful, powerful and well connected. This  narrative is used to tell a unique history of these United States. Too much of Emerson & Thoreau for my tastes. This skips blithely over the violence inherent in colonialism and praises too many troubling dead racists for me to enjoy.
Still a fascinating and interesting history I'm very glad to know about.

The narrator of this nonfiction history text is Leon Nixon. Nixon possesses a deep, rich voice which added gravitas to the narrative. This is beautifully narrated.

Thank you to John Kaag, Brilliance Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

This is a family saga that spans from the original patriarch in England that attempted to steal the Crown Jewels to his subsequent generations in the US colonies. The family is marked by cunning, intelligence and independence. The book gets very philosophical, particularly when discussing the families intersection with Emerson and Thoreau. Too philosophical, for my taste. This is a very successful family and their successes are well documented. I am sure there will be other beaters that will be more invested.

The narration is strong, and his voice is very pleasant.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance audio for the advanced copy.

A truly interesting and honest look into a family through the ages.

With meticulous research and engaging storytelling, the author delves into power, ambition, and legacy that defines the dynasty's impact on American society.

A compelling read for all interested in early American history and some of the dynamics of its founding.

10\10 for the audio narrator

4.5 ⭐️

“American Bloods” is a gripping history of a centuries-old family that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to. John Kaag is a great storyteller and his book is worthy of winning the Pulitzer Prize. I look forward to reading more of his work.

I received a free Advanced Reading Copy via NetGalley in exchange for a complete and honest review.

One of the best books I've read in a long while!!!!