Status
Available
Call number
Collections
Publication
Simon & Schuster (2007), Hardcover, 256 pages
Description
A history of the American Revolution that draws on personal correspondence and period diaries also features thirty-five removable facsimiles of historical documents, including Washington's commissions as commander-in-chief.
User reviews
LibraryThing member JaneAustenNut
This is an excellent coffee table book. The illustrations are fabulous and the removable replicas of source documents are remarkable. Well done David McCullough and Simon & Schuster! P.S., The slipcase is equally beautiful as the book itself!
LibraryThing member nmhale
With his fluid prose and massive research, McCullough details the events in North America during the historic year 1776, when colonists from England become rebels on their way to becoming independent. Tensions had been percolating much longer, but this momentous year saw the official start of war
It is amazing how McCullough seamlessly weaves all of this source information (check out the source notes at the back of the book for an idea of the amount of research that went into every single page) into a narrative. This was one of the easiest historical accounts I have read. The facts are solid, but presented with a personal touch, and the descriptions of battles and retreats are both accurate and thrilling. Even though I know how events turned out, I was in suspense many times while reading. Also, as McCullough notes towards the end of the book, many of us have forgotten how difficult the revolution was, and what sacrifices it required. In fact, I had no idea that the war took roughly seven years. Also, we celebrate on the fourth of July every year without considering that in this year, the colonists came close to defeat multiple times. In fact, Washington's victories that set our army on its feet and put the colonists in a more hopeful position, only occurred at the very end of the year. Before that, Washington and his men suffered a long string of defeats and retreats.
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between Great Britain and the Sons of Liberty (one of the positive appellations given to colonists ready to fight), as well as the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a moment so important to our history. The book proceeds in chronological order, but shifts from viewpoint to viewpoint, offering the reader insight into a turbulent time on many levels. McCullough not only presents the opinions from both parties in the war, he also gives the opinions of persons both high and low that were involved. He utilizes diary entries from noble officers and enlisted men in the British ranks, and from country boys who became soldiers in the militias from the colonies. He pulls excerpts from General Washington's correspondence, letters from congress members, and the personal correspondences between several spouses. It is amazing how McCullough seamlessly weaves all of this source information (check out the source notes at the back of the book for an idea of the amount of research that went into every single page) into a narrative. This was one of the easiest historical accounts I have read. The facts are solid, but presented with a personal touch, and the descriptions of battles and retreats are both accurate and thrilling. Even though I know how events turned out, I was in suspense many times while reading. Also, as McCullough notes towards the end of the book, many of us have forgotten how difficult the revolution was, and what sacrifices it required. In fact, I had no idea that the war took roughly seven years. Also, we celebrate on the fourth of July every year without considering that in this year, the colonists came close to defeat multiple times. In fact, Washington's victories that set our army on its feet and put the colonists in a more hopeful position, only occurred at the very end of the year. Before that, Washington and his men suffered a long string of defeats and retreats.
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LibraryThing member buffalogr
A close account of the year 1776 and it's impact on US history. You get the idea that at any time, with a shift of the wind, we could still be paying taxes to the brits. I especially liked the discussions of the battles of Boston and New York. While the battle for Trenton was interesting, it was a
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critical part of the war, too. I learned about Nathanael Greene, who was reportedly recommended by Washington to take over the Army if he (Washington) was disabled or captured. There were also vignettes about individual soldiers. It's not hard to see why this was a bestseller. Show Less
LibraryThing member Brightman
Great educational displays to give depth and breadth to copy
ISBN
1416542108 / 9781416542100