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Excellent read
“Exceptional book about the pivotal year of 1776. McCullough's prose entertains, educates and enraptures the reader as he provides a detailed account of Washington, the army and how the `rabble with pitchforks' defeated the most powerful empire in the world. While most Revolutionary War books concentrate on major battles such as Yorktown, Saratoga or Bunker Hill, the author highlights a vital yet lesser known part of the war. This piece should be read in conjunction with Washington's Crossing by David Hackett Fischer, Jeremy Black's War for America and books by Joseph Ellis.”
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-11-06. -
GREAT STORY, WRITTEN UNREADABLY
“Shame ! A great story written so poorly as to be almost unreadable. The author writes full of himself as if he were adoringly listening to himself narrate some pretentious Ken Burns docudrama. Unfortunately a written work must stand on its own and justify itself. It can not be just a few scrambled words that would connect the "thousand words of a photograph". Read "Washington's Crossing"”
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-10-27. -
Interesting Historical Read
“The title is perfect because the author really stays focused on the events in the colonies and England in 1776. It is a good way to catch up if your early American history has slipped a little. I roughly new the story of the hardship of Washington and the other founders of America, but it was brought out so much more clearly by the author in this book. There were times when I was reading it wondering, "hey, didn't the Americans win?" Well that was how this book portrays Americas rocky start. It also highlights the important role that George Washington had in the founding of America.”
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-10-12. -
excellent-leaves you wanting a 1777, 1778, 1779
“Content-Excellent
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-09-11.
Presentation-Excellent
A lot of military history, which I usually don't get in to, but which worked for me this time.
I enjoyed the biographical information on the key players, Washington, of course, but commanders for the British and even the Hessians as well.
I could listen to McCullough read for hours on end, great voice.” -
A "Rabble in Arms" and the hand of "Divine Providence"
“As Americans we remember the year 1776 for the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But as students of history will know, independence was still just a dream and the war was far from over. In fact, as David McCullough makes very plain in this excellent history, the situation rarely looked more bleak than at this time. This was when Thomas Paine wrote "these are the times that try men's souls..."
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-08-31.
In spite of some successes in New England earlier in the year, things had not gone well for General Washington and the Continental Army. A string of bitter losses and defeats when defending New York left the army demoralized and in constant retreat. Washington had made some strategic blunders which not only cost ground and men, but caused some of his closest advisors to doubt his abilities, and gave added ammunition to the Loyalists and his enemies. The army was poorly trained and equipped and was plagued by desertions and defections, and most of the enlistments would end with the year. But a couple of small and daring victories after Christmas gave the nation and it's leaders cause for hope, and gave Washington and his generals the confidence to continue in the cause for liberty.
Maybe I've just become a fan of McCullough but I love this book. I love that he not only tells the account of what happened during 1776 but that he fills it out with deeper information on all the important players. He tells you about King George, influential members of the Parliament, and the British generals. He also highlights those on the American side, such as Nathaniel Greene, Henry Knox, Charles Lee, etc. He even supplements it liberally with quotes from the soldiers on both sides. Suddenly they become more than just names to cheer or sneer at - they become real people - and you better understand their motivations and better appreciate the sacrifices. This isn't a history of the signing of the Declaration of Independence or what was happening in Philadelphia - you'll barely find those names mentioned here - but it's a history of the battles that were fought and the men who waged them. I borrowed this book from a friend but halfway through bought my own copy because this is a book I'd like to read again in a few years. Highly recommended!”
