Killing England: The Brutal Struggle for American Independence (Bill O'Reilly's Killing Series)

by Bill O'Reilly

Hardcover, 2017

Status

Available

Call number

973.3

Publication

Henry Holt and Co. (2017), Edition: 1st Printing, 352 pages

Description

Told through the eyes of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Great Britain's King George III, Killing England chronicles the path to independence in gripping detail, taking the reader from the battlefields of America to the royal courts of Europe. What started as protest and unrest in the colonies soon escalated to a world war with devastating casualties. O'Reilly and Dugard recreate the war's landmark battles, including Bunker Hill, Long Island, Saratoga, and Yorktown, revealing the savagery of hand-to-hand combat and the often brutal conditions under which these brave American soldiers lived and fought. Also here is the reckless treachery of Benedict Arnold and the daring guerrilla tactics of the "Swamp Fox" Francis Marion.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member starkravingmad

One of his best - historical details, fast paced

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LibraryThing member Zumbanista

Killing England, is the latest in Bill O'Reilly's Killing series. I've read them all and this one gives a well written account of the American War of Independence. We follow George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and others on the battlefield and off. Special

commentary is made about the actions of Benedict Arnold, King George III and the Marquis de Lafayette.

There was so much I didn't know and enjoyed learning about the extended length of the War, the continuing change of superiority between the British and Continental forces and the role of the French in securing victory for the Americans.

O'Reilly and his cowriter, Dugard, have now settled into a very simple and clear style of writing that makes reading easy and enjoyable.

I enjoyed Killing England and look forward to upcoming titles in this series from these authors.

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LibraryThing member Jarratt

"Killing England" is as good a general book about the American Revolution as any I've read so far. All the main characters are mentioned of course as are all the main dates, locations, and battles. There isn't a lot in the way of politics or the development of the Constitution, which is befitting a

book focused primarily about winning our independence.

If you're looking for an easy-to-read (or listen to) book about the AR, "Killing England" will serve nicely.

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LibraryThing member JenniferRobb

I learned a lot about this war, even though I'd studied it in school, I found there was a lot I didn't know. I didn't think it was as compelling as the first book in the series though.

LibraryThing member Tatoosh

“Killing England” was not nearly as interesting nor informative as “Killing the Rising Sun,” O’Reilly and Dugard’s treatment of WW II in the Pacific. The book provides a basic overview of the period from George Washington’s experience in 1755 in the French and Indian War to the end of

the Revolutionary War in 1783. The events are covered in a workman-like but not particularly noteworthy manner. I was hoping for more.

Two bothersome features of the large print edition I read detracted from my reading experience and the usefulness of the information. One was the overly frequent use of footnotes. I am critical whenever authors fail to cite their sources, but there are much more effective ways to do so than peppering every other page with footnotes. In some instances, the footnotes took up more of the page than the text. With a little careful thought many of the footnotes could have been integrated into the text.

In addition, the maps that appeared throughout the volume were poorly rendered. The use of a gray background with a slightly contracting gray font made the maps difficult if not impossible to read. That combination is a poor choice that challenges all readers. However, even a little thought would have led to the conclusion that readers who choose a large print edition will require a greater contrast between the font and background.

Printing the maps across two pages further reduced their usefulness. The material in the fold was almost impossible to see and when text appeared in the fold it might as well have been omitted.

In summary, “Killing England” is a pedestrian work at best that is weakened further by the proliferation of footnotes and the thoughtless rendering of maps.

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LibraryThing member walterhistory

This edition is the latest contribution to the event called the American Revolution. The author offers his thoughts on the subject with overviews of three main characters: Franklin, Jefferson, & Washington. He paints a complex & fluid situation each man had faced & their response to those ever

changing events. Although we have hindsight, they didn't have the benefit of hindsight. The three main characters responded to those events with the best of their abilities. Sometimes their decision making produced unintended results while in others, they caught their opponents off guard. Confusing as this may be, their willingness to do what was necessary under pressure either produced good or produced increasing chaos to an already difficult situation. What they accomplished against an enemy perfectly willing to use brutal tactics to achieve their goals is truly amazing. The reader will learn much from this intriguing book

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LibraryThing member fdholt

Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard have written another history in their Killing series, this time on the American Revolution. In a book that reads more like a novel than a history, the story begins with George Washington in the French and Indian War and ends with Washington taking the oath as the

first president of the United States with a postscript of what happened to various persons after the war. In between are all the battles and personalities of the revolution on both sides.

First, I must note that this is not a scholarly book in any way. The footnotes provided are just explanations of the text. Quotes are not acknowledged. There is a list of sources but precious few books are listed and there is no indication where that material is used. The index is excellent as well as the many maps detailing battles and skirmishes but the legend for eachthe maps in on a separate page in the front of the book, making it more difficult to use.

This is a good introduction to the American Revolution but it cannot substitute for a good scholarly account of the event.

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LibraryThing member buffalogr

Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard have written a 'popular" book outlining the American Revolution. We follow George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and others on the battlefield and off. Special commentary is made about the actions of Benedict Arnold, King George

III and the Marquis de Lafayette. If you're looking for an easy-to-read (or listen to) book about theAmerican Revolution, "Killing England" will serve nicely

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