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Charismatic Leaders Who Remade America
What is that mysterious thing we call charisma? Where does this magnetic quality come from? Why are we so drawn to it? Are people born charismatic - or do they become that way over time? Can charisma be just as much a force for evil as it is for good?
Answers to questions like these are just as important now, in the 21st century, as they were during the earliest years of the American republic. Much of the nation’s history is inextricably linked with charismatic leaders who’ve inspired mass movements, led democratic progress, fanned the flames of violence, and even taken advantage of the human desire for divine inspiration.
Think of Puritan heretic Anne Hutchinson or celebrity statesman, founding father Benjamin Franklin. Think of leadership guru Dale Carnegie or daytime television queen Oprah Winfrey. Think of presidents from Abraham Lincoln to Donald Trump. Each of them, in their own way, remade America through their gripping charisma - an allure that gave them the ability to move crowds and societies.
Delivered by Professor Molly Worthen of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, this Audible Original offers 10 captivating lessons on how these leaders inspired the public as they remade America. You’ll meet a wide range of characters, from politicians and philosophers to billionaires and cult leaders as you get at the heart of how they used their charisma to shape American history. You’ll also trace the evolution of the idea of charisma, from the ancient notion of God’s anointing power to the insights of both modern psychology and leadership studies.
Crack the code for charisma, and you’ve cracked the code for the American spirit.
Answers to questions like these are just as important now, in the 21st century, as they were during the earliest years of the American republic. Much of the nation’s history is inextricably linked with charismatic leaders who’ve inspired mass movements, led democratic progress, fanned the flames of violence, and even taken advantage of the human desire for divine inspiration.
Think of Puritan heretic Anne Hutchinson or celebrity statesman, founding father Benjamin Franklin. Think of leadership guru Dale Carnegie or daytime television queen Oprah Winfrey. Think of presidents from Abraham Lincoln to Donald Trump. Each of them, in their own way, remade America through their gripping charisma - an allure that gave them the ability to move crowds and societies.
Delivered by Professor Molly Worthen of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, this Audible Original offers 10 captivating lessons on how these leaders inspired the public as they remade America. You’ll meet a wide range of characters, from politicians and philosophers to billionaires and cult leaders as you get at the heart of how they used their charisma to shape American history. You’ll also trace the evolution of the idea of charisma, from the ancient notion of God’s anointing power to the insights of both modern psychology and leadership studies.
Crack the code for charisma, and you’ve cracked the code for the American spirit.
Audible Audio
Published May 19, 2020
About the author
Molly Worthen
11 books25 followersMolly Worthen is an associate professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a freelance journalist. She received her BA and PhD from Yale University. Her research focuses on North American religious and intellectual history.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 20, 2021
Molly Worthen...Dr Worthen... has an engaging, direct lecture style that is easy to follow, yet careful with her word choices.
The lectures deal with historic figures who have had an effect on people and history. While the religious overtones are clear, the attempt to maintain a secular point of view is largely accomplished. The main theme throughout the 10 lectures is the particular quality...charisma...that set certain people apart from us regular folk, and made them famous...or infamous. From the obscure Jemima Wilkerson to Donald Trump, we get a thumbnail sketch of their upbringing and a brief look at their effects on our history. I was particularly struck by the careful manner she handled our most recent, past president. I think she was charitable, to say the least (these lectures were released after the 2020 election).
Recommended as an interesting survey of some interesting people.
The lectures deal with historic figures who have had an effect on people and history. While the religious overtones are clear, the attempt to maintain a secular point of view is largely accomplished. The main theme throughout the 10 lectures is the particular quality...charisma...that set certain people apart from us regular folk, and made them famous...or infamous. From the obscure Jemima Wilkerson to Donald Trump, we get a thumbnail sketch of their upbringing and a brief look at their effects on our history. I was particularly struck by the careful manner she handled our most recent, past president. I think she was charitable, to say the least (these lectures were released after the 2020 election).
Recommended as an interesting survey of some interesting people.
November 26, 2022
The lecturer operates under the assumption that all religion is made up out of whole cloth and that all religious followers are illogical, deceived followers of fiction. I'm not sure I've ever encountered anyone more closed-minded.
July 2, 2021
Most of the Great courses offerings are longer and more detailed than this one. It is short, only a little over 5 hours presented in lectures of about 30 minutes each. Molly Worthen addresses the concept of charisma--what is is, who has shown it, is it a positive force or a destructive one? She discusses such individuals as the little-known Jemima Wilkerson to the infamous Donald Trump and includes Abraham Lincoln as well.
The lectures skim the surface and introduce this topic with an invitation to delve deeper into the concept of charisma and to learn about some of the important "influencers" in more detail. I felt Worthen's delivery was inviting and enjoyed her survey of the subject. I don't think she made the case that most of her subjects actually "remade America" but they certainly did sway opinions in their time and among a significant group of people in their orbit and beyond.
The lectures skim the surface and introduce this topic with an invitation to delve deeper into the concept of charisma and to learn about some of the important "influencers" in more detail. I felt Worthen's delivery was inviting and enjoyed her survey of the subject. I don't think she made the case that most of her subjects actually "remade America" but they certainly did sway opinions in their time and among a significant group of people in their orbit and beyond.
March 26, 2026
Charismatic Leaders Who Remade America by Molly Worthen earns a solid 4/5 from me—an engaging, sharp listen that feels like sitting in on a professor’s best lecture, minus the uncomfortable desk and existential midterm dread. Worthen has a direct, conversational style that never talks down to the listener, yet you can feel the precision in every word choice. It’s accessible without being simplistic, which is a harder trick to pull off than the book itself might let on.
The real hook here is the central question: what is charisma, and why does it have such a gravitational pull on American life? Worthen doesn’t pretend there’s a single neat answer. Instead, she builds a compelling mosaic through figures like Anne Hutchinson, Benjamin Franklin, Dale Carnegie, Oprah Winfrey, Abraham Lincoln, and Donald Trump—a lineup that proves charisma isn’t confined to one ideology, profession, or moral alignment. Some of these figures uplift, others manipulate, and a few manage to do both depending on the day. That tension is where the audiobook really shines.
What I appreciated most is how the lectures trace charisma from its almost mystical roots—divine favor, prophetic authority—into something modern psychology tries (and sometimes fails) to quantify. It reinforces the idea that charisma isn’t just a personality trait; it’s a relationship between leader and audience, fueled by cultural context, timing, and a willingness to believe.
If there’s a drawback, it’s that the format occasionally feels a bit too structured—like you can hear the lecture outline clicking into place in the background. A little more narrative looseness or deeper dives into a few select figures might have elevated it further. Still, the breadth is impressive, and the pacing keeps it consistently engaging.
Overall, Worthen delivers a thoughtful, highly listenable exploration of one of the most slippery forces in history. By the end, you may not have “cracked the code” of charisma—but you’ll definitely be more suspicious of anyone who claims they have.
The real hook here is the central question: what is charisma, and why does it have such a gravitational pull on American life? Worthen doesn’t pretend there’s a single neat answer. Instead, she builds a compelling mosaic through figures like Anne Hutchinson, Benjamin Franklin, Dale Carnegie, Oprah Winfrey, Abraham Lincoln, and Donald Trump—a lineup that proves charisma isn’t confined to one ideology, profession, or moral alignment. Some of these figures uplift, others manipulate, and a few manage to do both depending on the day. That tension is where the audiobook really shines.
What I appreciated most is how the lectures trace charisma from its almost mystical roots—divine favor, prophetic authority—into something modern psychology tries (and sometimes fails) to quantify. It reinforces the idea that charisma isn’t just a personality trait; it’s a relationship between leader and audience, fueled by cultural context, timing, and a willingness to believe.
If there’s a drawback, it’s that the format occasionally feels a bit too structured—like you can hear the lecture outline clicking into place in the background. A little more narrative looseness or deeper dives into a few select figures might have elevated it further. Still, the breadth is impressive, and the pacing keeps it consistently engaging.
Overall, Worthen delivers a thoughtful, highly listenable exploration of one of the most slippery forces in history. By the end, you may not have “cracked the code” of charisma—but you’ll definitely be more suspicious of anyone who claims they have.
February 4, 2022
If you are a big Trump supporter then skip this audiobook. The professor was not very balanced. Even if you are a Reagan supporter, you will likely find fault. The only people who will like this audiobook are people who think the New York Times coverage is actually quite balanced and sensible. If you think that, then you might rate this audiobook much higher.
I'm trying to help you decide whether to take the time to listen to this audiobook. I thought it was only somewhat a waste of my time, mostly toward the end. Your mileage may vary.
I disagreed with her analysis of Jim Jones although she did present most of the relevant facts. Any sensible person would have enough information to come to their own conclusion. Her analysis of Hitler was quite superficial, but she was mostly focusing on Jim Jones so I'll give her a break.
I thought her treatment of Ronald Reagan was unbalanced but not horrible. Her treatment of Angela Davis was also unbalanced. And her treatment of Donald Trump was biased against him. (FYI, I am not a Trump supporter, but her treatment just seemed too biased to me.)
I will probably not listen to this audiobook again... but I've done stranger things.
I'm trying to help you decide whether to take the time to listen to this audiobook. I thought it was only somewhat a waste of my time, mostly toward the end. Your mileage may vary.
I disagreed with her analysis of Jim Jones although she did present most of the relevant facts. Any sensible person would have enough information to come to their own conclusion. Her analysis of Hitler was quite superficial, but she was mostly focusing on Jim Jones so I'll give her a break.
I thought her treatment of Ronald Reagan was unbalanced but not horrible. Her treatment of Angela Davis was also unbalanced. And her treatment of Donald Trump was biased against him. (FYI, I am not a Trump supporter, but her treatment just seemed too biased to me.)
I will probably not listen to this audiobook again... but I've done stranger things.
December 14, 2021
Interesting approach. The author takes charismatic historical figures in pairs, sometimes even two people who lived at the same time in the same city. She then compares and contrasts their approach to people and what made them powerful and inspiring leaders.
I don't know that I learned actionable information about how to be charismatic - but it was an interesting bit of history to learn about a wide variety of important figures.
I don't know that I learned actionable information about how to be charismatic - but it was an interesting bit of history to learn about a wide variety of important figures.
June 9, 2021
Once again someone’s negative personal opinion about Trump instead of sticking to the topic of the book. UGH!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews