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Liberty Tavern
Terrific novel set during the American Revolution and the trials and tribulations of the people who lived during the war on Independence.
543 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
8 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Fleming
128 books150 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Thomas James Fleming was an historian and historical novelist, with a special interest in the American Revolution. He was born in 1927 in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of a World War I hero who was a leader in Jersey City politics for three decades. Before her marriage, his mother, Katherine Dolan Fleming, was a teacher in the Jersey City Public School System.
After graduating from St. Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, Fleming spent a year in the United States Navy. He received a Bachelor's degree, with honors, from Fordham University in 1950. After brief stints as a newspaperman and magazine editor, he became a full-time writer in 1960. His first history book, Now We Are Enemies, an account of the Battle of Bunker Hill, was published that same year. It was a best-seller, reviewed in more than 75 newspapers and featured as a main selection of the Literary Guild.
Fleming published books about various events and figures of the Revolutionary era. He also wrote about other periods of American history and wrote over a dozen well-received novels set against various historical backgrounds. He said, "I never wanted to be an Irish American writer, my whole idea was to get across that bridge and be an American writer".
Fleming died at his home in New York City on July 23, 2017, at the age of 90.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Thomas James Fleming was an historian and historical novelist, with a special interest in the American Revolution. He was born in 1927 in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of a World War I hero who was a leader in Jersey City politics for three decades. Before her marriage, his mother, Katherine Dolan Fleming, was a teacher in the Jersey City Public School System.
After graduating from St. Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, Fleming spent a year in the United States Navy. He received a Bachelor's degree, with honors, from Fordham University in 1950. After brief stints as a newspaperman and magazine editor, he became a full-time writer in 1960. His first history book, Now We Are Enemies, an account of the Battle of Bunker Hill, was published that same year. It was a best-seller, reviewed in more than 75 newspapers and featured as a main selection of the Literary Guild.
Fleming published books about various events and figures of the Revolutionary era. He also wrote about other periods of American history and wrote over a dozen well-received novels set against various historical backgrounds. He said, "I never wanted to be an Irish American writer, my whole idea was to get across that bridge and be an American writer".
Fleming died at his home in New York City on July 23, 2017, at the age of 90.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 12, 2014
Now as an e-book under the title The Heart of Liberty.
March 7, 2022
Stopped reading after about 30 pages. So many characters introduced in the first few pages. Couldn’t keep track of who was who and I was bored. Not for me
March 16, 2024
I enjoyed this story about Liberty Tavern during the Revolutionary War. It is a popular watering hole for those who remain loyal to England and to those who want to break free. It talks about how families were divided by loyalties and the difficulty of living in a place fraught with war. It takes place over 5 or 6 years from the beginning of the war to the end. It showed how some people remained true while others were evil and determined to have their way no matter the cost even turning on people they loved. It showed the culture of the time including dueling for honor and also the treatment of women as property. A great story. I'm glad I read it.
July 26, 2020
This book could have been great, had there been a bit more passion in the prose. Regardless, this deep look into the Revolutionary War as it affected one family in New Jersey was still a great bit of storytelling. I could see this being made into a series as an historical soap opera of sorts, a bit like POLDARK, with this being the source of several seasons' worth of material. Also, the author made use of reflections that often compared the times to the contemporary (1976, in this case), but is perhaps more relevant today, with our growing divisions and animosity. 4 stars
February 13, 2020
This story reflects a lot of today, even though this took place over 240 years ago. Hopefully our country will continue to endure for many generations to come.
January 8, 2009
I did like it, although I thought it was speaking pretty highly of itself to be compared to "Gone With the Wind"!
First, from the back of the book: The American Revolution is love and hate. It is a beautiful woman, flogged for loving a Royalist. It is a young idealist who murders in the cause of liberty.
The War for Independence is a family affair if you are Jonathan Gifford -- and the woman is your stepdaughter and the idealist your stepson. And if, at the crossroads of the revolution where leaders meet, profiteers connive and rival armies pursue each other with burning and pillaging, stands the inn you own.
And now, my review:
This was a very interesting book, and I learned a lot. I thought it funny that people in New Jersey referred to "Yankees" (because of course today, NJ is north as north can be, and I'm sure Southerners would call them Yankees. Another fascinating thing was the "London Baby" -- dolls which showed the latest style of dress. What a clever idea!
It took me more than halfway through the book to really care about any of the characters besides Jonathan Gifford, and it was a little confusing that the narrator is a teenage boy in the story, but an old man in the telling. In addition, his voice isn't heard very often, and he is able to read people's minds. I guess I didn't like the perspective changing as it did, and at the end of the book, I had finally figured out which character was even telling the story (and by then I had re-read the beginning several times!).
I don't want it to sound like I hated this book -- I didn't. I didn't even dislike it. I just found it a little long and cumbersome, with some interesting and educational parts thrown in. It's certainly a period in time that I don't know much about -- a testament to our educational system :)
I really admired Jonathan Gifford's character, and what he stood for. He was definitely what redeemed the book for me.
First, from the back of the book: The American Revolution is love and hate. It is a beautiful woman, flogged for loving a Royalist. It is a young idealist who murders in the cause of liberty.
The War for Independence is a family affair if you are Jonathan Gifford -- and the woman is your stepdaughter and the idealist your stepson. And if, at the crossroads of the revolution where leaders meet, profiteers connive and rival armies pursue each other with burning and pillaging, stands the inn you own.
And now, my review:
This was a very interesting book, and I learned a lot. I thought it funny that people in New Jersey referred to "Yankees" (because of course today, NJ is north as north can be, and I'm sure Southerners would call them Yankees. Another fascinating thing was the "London Baby" -- dolls which showed the latest style of dress. What a clever idea!
It took me more than halfway through the book to really care about any of the characters besides Jonathan Gifford, and it was a little confusing that the narrator is a teenage boy in the story, but an old man in the telling. In addition, his voice isn't heard very often, and he is able to read people's minds. I guess I didn't like the perspective changing as it did, and at the end of the book, I had finally figured out which character was even telling the story (and by then I had re-read the beginning several times!).
I don't want it to sound like I hated this book -- I didn't. I didn't even dislike it. I just found it a little long and cumbersome, with some interesting and educational parts thrown in. It's certainly a period in time that I don't know much about -- a testament to our educational system :)
I really admired Jonathan Gifford's character, and what he stood for. He was definitely what redeemed the book for me.
July 27, 2009
This is a book that I read somewhere in my High School years. I don't remember details of the book, but it was good for someone like myself who didn't enjoy the memorization of names, dates, places of history, but the ideas and concepts that bring about events in history. This book made me look at my beliefs and values and think long and hard about whether I would have lined up with the Tories (I am at heart a very loyal person so would be likely to be loyal to the King) but also, the great ideals of the colonists: Freedom and Liberty from Tyranny would have rang in my head as well. This book brought these two differing perspectives to the fore in a narrative form, focusing on 'real' people who had to choose.
For a young girl beginning to entertain these lofty concepts, it was a very enlightening and challenging book to read. I still don't know what side I should likely have come down on. I like to think I would have been a patriot, but I really don't know that I would have had the courage necessary.
A good book to read and challenge yourself.
For a young girl beginning to entertain these lofty concepts, it was a very enlightening and challenging book to read. I still don't know what side I should likely have come down on. I like to think I would have been a patriot, but I really don't know that I would have had the courage necessary.
A good book to read and challenge yourself.
June 14, 2014
Fascinating "on the ground" view of the Revolution. Exciting story that lets you feel the reality of the war from one single place. Most books about it travel to all the major turning points, this one doesn't, but you feel the impact of the war just the same. Great story, that I couldn't stop reading... enough romance to keep it interesting, without halting the ongoing story of the various characters. A few stereotypical representatives from each side, but overall a very good book about the Revolution.
One of my favorite historical fiction titles for that era.
One of my favorite historical fiction titles for that era.
June 23, 2014
The story is great and addresses the subjects left out of history books that speak only to the virtuous and brave victors of the revolution. My issue is not with the author or story but with the terrible editing in the Kindle version. A very poor job indeed
July 18, 2013
Slow start but ended up being a real good book.
March 1, 2016
Liberty Tavern, Thomas Fleming, RDC-M #3-76, 1978.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews