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Angel in the Whirlwind: The Triumph of the American Revolution
An epic narrative documents the fight to create the United States of America, beginning with the deterioration in relations between England and her colonists and chronicling the events of the American Revolution until the last British flag was lowered during the siege of Yorktown. Reprint.
553 pages, Paperback
First published July 4, 1997
57 people are currently reading
1398 people want to read
About the author
Benson Bobrick
30 books30 followersBenson Bobrick earned his doctorate from Columbia University and is the author of several critically acclaimed works. In 2002, he received the Literature Award of the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. He and his wife, Hilary, live in Vermont.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
June 27, 2023
This was well written and well narrated. It does a good job as a one volume history (just over 500 pages) and offers a great deal of detail on subjects others pass over in a few pages or paragraphs. For instance:
1) I knew about Valley Forge, of course. What I did not know was that the following winter at Morristown was just as bad or worse. It almost sunk the army. Twenty-eight blizzards. Record snowfall. Men barely clothed. No supplies though Congress made a lot of unkept promises.
2) Atrocities inflicted on soldiers and civilians alike. No one burned down a church full of civilians like in Mel Gibson’s The Patriot but they might as well have for all the bloody murder that occurred.
3) The internecine warfare that took place between American loyalists and American patriots. I knew they clashed but I had no idea the fighting was so cruel and heartless, particularly in South Carolina. It was insane. Several of the Founding Fathers lamented there would be no one left alive.
4) Benedict Arnold. Of course I was aware of his treason. I wasn’t fully cognitive that he’d returned from England to lead British forces in bloody sallies against his own people.
5) I knew Washington struggled with discouragement early in the war - battle losses, lack of adequate supplies, desertions, an often enough lackadaisical Congress, all contributed. I was surprised to discover this dark cloud persisted right up to Yorktown. Which, without the French, would never have occurred. He bore an immense burden that I think few could have done with his perseverance and drive. So many times in his letters and journals he despaired along the lines: “the game is up, the Revolution is lost.”
A recommended read if you want to have a better overall picture of the American Revolution than is usually rendered in book or in film.
1) I knew about Valley Forge, of course. What I did not know was that the following winter at Morristown was just as bad or worse. It almost sunk the army. Twenty-eight blizzards. Record snowfall. Men barely clothed. No supplies though Congress made a lot of unkept promises.
2) Atrocities inflicted on soldiers and civilians alike. No one burned down a church full of civilians like in Mel Gibson’s The Patriot but they might as well have for all the bloody murder that occurred.
3) The internecine warfare that took place between American loyalists and American patriots. I knew they clashed but I had no idea the fighting was so cruel and heartless, particularly in South Carolina. It was insane. Several of the Founding Fathers lamented there would be no one left alive.
4) Benedict Arnold. Of course I was aware of his treason. I wasn’t fully cognitive that he’d returned from England to lead British forces in bloody sallies against his own people.
5) I knew Washington struggled with discouragement early in the war - battle losses, lack of adequate supplies, desertions, an often enough lackadaisical Congress, all contributed. I was surprised to discover this dark cloud persisted right up to Yorktown. Which, without the French, would never have occurred. He bore an immense burden that I think few could have done with his perseverance and drive. So many times in his letters and journals he despaired along the lines: “the game is up, the Revolution is lost.”
A recommended read if you want to have a better overall picture of the American Revolution than is usually rendered in book or in film.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2009
Full of details about the war from start to finish with an emphasis on George Washington as commander-in-chief. Many letters from founding fathers to another quoted, which made everything come alive. Perhaps too much detail about each battle--a little foreshadowing of which ones were important would have been nice.
November 15, 2009
This is my favorite book about the American Revolution in general. Jam-packed full of information, Bobrick also manages to slip in fascinating and often very funny anecdotes as well. Anyone interested in an overall look at the Revolution should pick up this book.
September 12, 2010
This is an excellent book about the American Revolution. That said, it took me a long time to read it and at times, it was just a little too much for me. David McCoullough seems to write history better (more readable). That said, I do think this is a must read for those who want to know really what it took to win the American revolution (I now view it as a civil war and less one between two countries) and have great respect for what it took to fight our rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We can't let those rights slip away.
June 7, 2018
I had read a lot of books on specific figures, specific battles, specific aspects of the Revolutionary War, and I was looking for just a solid one-volume more general history, and this is exactly that. Thoroughly researched, nicely organized, very well written, and as comprehensive as you can really want from a readable single-volume history. Just what I was hoping for.
March 10, 2015
Having just finished East of the Sun: The Epic Conquest and Tragic History of Siberia, which was fantastic, I checked to see what else Benson Bobrick has written and realized he is the author of my all-time favorite book on the American Revolution. I've read this at least three times and bought my very own copy after the first read. A wonderful and very accessible account.
October 12, 2016
Exceedingly readable, well-written history. It's detailed enough to be interesting but not to the point that it drags (I recall with sadness a World War I book I read that got down to the level of regimental or battalion movements, whichever; it eventually became stultifying). I learned some things I didn't know before -- for example, the war was very unpopular in England; who knew? Plus, it sets the history solidly in its time by beginning the account with a description of the colonies as war crept closer. Anyway, it's good for a beginner or a more knowledgeable reader and I enjoyed reading it.
January 2, 2017
This is the way history should be written. Bobrick's book is a succinct account of the American Revolution, from its origins through the war and the writing of the US Constitution. He weaves the words of the participants throughout the narrative, making a very readable account that is difficult to put down. Well researched, thoroughly annotated, and great bibliography.
June 19, 2023
Two weeks after the Declaration of Independence was adopted, John Page, a Virginia statesman, wrote to Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of that profound foundational document, “God preserve the United States. We know the Race is not to the swift nor the Battle to the Strong. Do you not think an Angel rides in the Whirlwind and directs this Storm?” Page was far from alone in sensing the presence and guidance of Providence in the affairs of the United States during the American Revolution.
In a struggle against the mightiest empire in the world, the aid of Providence was surly needed. It was also well understood that enormous sacrifices would be required in order to forge a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that every human being is created equal. As Jefferson asserted in the closing words of the Declaration of Independence, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” Although everything could be lost should the Americans fail in their fight to secure independence from Great Britain, those truly committed to the cause accepted that the fate and future happiness of unborn millions depended upon their willingness to persevere in the struggle. As John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, “I am well aware of the toil, and blood, and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these states. Yet, through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means, and that prosperity will triumph in that day’s transaction. . . .”
Through the unwavering leadership of General George Washington and the fortitude of the common American soldier, after nearly eight trying years of repeated setbacks, constant starvation and disease, and an endless supply of other hardships, against all the odds, American independence was secured. In reflecting on the long, difficult road that ended in victory for the United States, General Washington did not believe that the triumph was due to him or his soldiers alone. Providence was America’s indispensable partner. As Washington professed in his farewell address to the army, “The singular interpositions of Providence in our feeble condition were such, as could scarcely escape the attention of the most unobserving, while the unparalleled perseverance of the Armies of the United States, through almost every possible suffering and discouragement, for the space of eight long years, was little short of a standing Miracle.”
These are just a few glimpses from the story of the American Revolution, a story that is told supremely well by Benson Bobrick in "Angel in the Whirlwind: The Triumph of the American Revolution." Bobrick’s depth of research, clear writing, organization, and his ability as a storyteller all make his account of the Revolution one of the best available. A mighty and valuable work by a very gifted author.
In a struggle against the mightiest empire in the world, the aid of Providence was surly needed. It was also well understood that enormous sacrifices would be required in order to forge a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that every human being is created equal. As Jefferson asserted in the closing words of the Declaration of Independence, “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” Although everything could be lost should the Americans fail in their fight to secure independence from Great Britain, those truly committed to the cause accepted that the fate and future happiness of unborn millions depended upon their willingness to persevere in the struggle. As John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, “I am well aware of the toil, and blood, and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these states. Yet, through all the gloom, I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is more than worth all the means, and that prosperity will triumph in that day’s transaction. . . .”
Through the unwavering leadership of General George Washington and the fortitude of the common American soldier, after nearly eight trying years of repeated setbacks, constant starvation and disease, and an endless supply of other hardships, against all the odds, American independence was secured. In reflecting on the long, difficult road that ended in victory for the United States, General Washington did not believe that the triumph was due to him or his soldiers alone. Providence was America’s indispensable partner. As Washington professed in his farewell address to the army, “The singular interpositions of Providence in our feeble condition were such, as could scarcely escape the attention of the most unobserving, while the unparalleled perseverance of the Armies of the United States, through almost every possible suffering and discouragement, for the space of eight long years, was little short of a standing Miracle.”
These are just a few glimpses from the story of the American Revolution, a story that is told supremely well by Benson Bobrick in "Angel in the Whirlwind: The Triumph of the American Revolution." Bobrick’s depth of research, clear writing, organization, and his ability as a storyteller all make his account of the Revolution one of the best available. A mighty and valuable work by a very gifted author.
August 28, 2025
I read this years and years ago in high school, and with Massachusetts already raring to go on the 250th anniversary stuff, I figured it was about time I refreshed myself on Revolutionary War history. This was a pretty fun read and while I feel like I now see a few flaws I missed as a high schooler, that's mainly had the result of me wanting to read more history books, which I think is a good thing.
Angel in the Whirlwind is meant to be a one book recounting of the American Revolution and I think it does a fairly good job of meeting its goal. It's sort of an interesting mix of things because the book starts out by giving a pretty good overview of the culture of Colonial America and how people were fairly well read and invested in discussing issues and making their own decisions. The book does a good job of explaining why Britain was trying various acts and taxes and things while giving insight into why the Americans got pissed off. I enjoyed seeing the discussion of British ideals about inalienable rights and how much of the issue was down to Americans feeling that they should be entitled to the same things they would have if they lived in the home islands. And I feel like I have a much better understanding of why religious freedom is part of the first amendment after reading how the British were perfectly happy to enforce Catholicism as the religion in the territory they won from France in the Seven Years War, something calculated to make nobody in the American colonies happy.
But then once the famous Shot Heard Round The World goes off, the book shifts mostly into being military history. Which isn't really a bad thing in and of itself - after all, the Revolutionary War is, well, a war, and there's a lot of interesting stuff about different battles and the large number of lucky breaks America got. I'm not surprised that people started to feel God was on their side after things like the fog that helped Washington and the army escape New York. Though I do feel like the book would probably have benefitted from more maps than the two that start each section. Those are high level ones that show the sites of various battles, but I think I would've benefitted from some tactical level diagrams to help me better understand all of the action. Because I think the book is generally well written but sometimes the description of battles could be hard to follow, and as somebody who enjoys reading about battlefield tactics I would've liked it more if I could more easily follow things.
Though for all I do enjoy a good military history, I do kinda wish the book had also spent more time showing how culture and people changed, as a follow-up to the early chapter giving a broad overview of Colonial America. There is some stuff, especially about how Washington and his counterparts on the British side acted, but I feel like the politicians and especially the common man fade into the background a fair bit as the book goes on. After the chapter on the Declaration of Independence, Congress mostly appears in the context of whether they like Washington this week and their issues with promising men and supplies but not being able to follow it up.
To be clear, I don't necessarily think this is something the book is doing wrong. The goal is to give an overview of the Revolution in 500 pages and it's clear this is meant as a well executed basic history, giving a better written and more developed version of what you'd get from a school history textbook's chapters on the Revolutionary War. This is more just a sign that while I appreciate having the slightly zoomed in view to orient myself I clearly need to read some other stuff that delves more into some of the details and the things that aren't as much part of the big official story. Though even in that sense it's a little funny reading this now, given that it's from the 90s and you can tell that some of the most popular people have shifted. Alexander Hamilton gets only a handful of mentions which is funny in a post Hamilton the musical world.
So I do think was generally a good book, but whereas in high school it was largely my end point, I think now it's better to view it as a starting point. I've picked up a few books on a trip to my local bookstore, and of course this has a bibliography, which I'm sure is enough to get me started. But it'll be interesting to see where I end up and how my feelings about this book might change as I delve into history more.
Angel in the Whirlwind is meant to be a one book recounting of the American Revolution and I think it does a fairly good job of meeting its goal. It's sort of an interesting mix of things because the book starts out by giving a pretty good overview of the culture of Colonial America and how people were fairly well read and invested in discussing issues and making their own decisions. The book does a good job of explaining why Britain was trying various acts and taxes and things while giving insight into why the Americans got pissed off. I enjoyed seeing the discussion of British ideals about inalienable rights and how much of the issue was down to Americans feeling that they should be entitled to the same things they would have if they lived in the home islands. And I feel like I have a much better understanding of why religious freedom is part of the first amendment after reading how the British were perfectly happy to enforce Catholicism as the religion in the territory they won from France in the Seven Years War, something calculated to make nobody in the American colonies happy.
But then once the famous Shot Heard Round The World goes off, the book shifts mostly into being military history. Which isn't really a bad thing in and of itself - after all, the Revolutionary War is, well, a war, and there's a lot of interesting stuff about different battles and the large number of lucky breaks America got. I'm not surprised that people started to feel God was on their side after things like the fog that helped Washington and the army escape New York. Though I do feel like the book would probably have benefitted from more maps than the two that start each section. Those are high level ones that show the sites of various battles, but I think I would've benefitted from some tactical level diagrams to help me better understand all of the action. Because I think the book is generally well written but sometimes the description of battles could be hard to follow, and as somebody who enjoys reading about battlefield tactics I would've liked it more if I could more easily follow things.
Though for all I do enjoy a good military history, I do kinda wish the book had also spent more time showing how culture and people changed, as a follow-up to the early chapter giving a broad overview of Colonial America. There is some stuff, especially about how Washington and his counterparts on the British side acted, but I feel like the politicians and especially the common man fade into the background a fair bit as the book goes on. After the chapter on the Declaration of Independence, Congress mostly appears in the context of whether they like Washington this week and their issues with promising men and supplies but not being able to follow it up.
To be clear, I don't necessarily think this is something the book is doing wrong. The goal is to give an overview of the Revolution in 500 pages and it's clear this is meant as a well executed basic history, giving a better written and more developed version of what you'd get from a school history textbook's chapters on the Revolutionary War. This is more just a sign that while I appreciate having the slightly zoomed in view to orient myself I clearly need to read some other stuff that delves more into some of the details and the things that aren't as much part of the big official story. Though even in that sense it's a little funny reading this now, given that it's from the 90s and you can tell that some of the most popular people have shifted. Alexander Hamilton gets only a handful of mentions which is funny in a post Hamilton the musical world.
So I do think was generally a good book, but whereas in high school it was largely my end point, I think now it's better to view it as a starting point. I've picked up a few books on a trip to my local bookstore, and of course this has a bibliography, which I'm sure is enough to get me started. But it'll be interesting to see where I end up and how my feelings about this book might change as I delve into history more.
December 12, 2022
I was looking for a comprehensive book on the revolutionary war that started at the beginning. So many books on the subject are geared toward an American audience and they take for granted that the reader knows about John Adams, Thomas Pain or other prominent figures. I am not an American, but came to this topic from a romance book, of all things, that was set during the revolutionary war. I found the civil war aspect of it - the mob brutality, the violence of neighbor against neighbor - fascinating. I wanted to read more but I was looking for a concise matter-of-fact book with little romanization and a factual account of this interesting time. It was quite hard to find a book that met these requirements. This book, Angel in the Whirlwind, met my standards and exceeded them.
I think its main strengths lie in its beginning, i.e. the account of the time before the war, and its final chapter. It was extremally interesting to read about how Americans were influenced by Roman history and values. How literate ordinary people were and interested in politics of the day. How important the law was in their eyes. How important was personal property for their civil rights and therefore how much the taxation laws of England infringed upon their rights. It was also very interesting how the English history of the Glorious Revolution affected their political views. To this day, remnants of these values influence American politics, especially their fear of "tyranny of the State" and their aversion to excessive taxation (in their eyes) even with the healthcare crisis etc.
This book laid the foundation of the war very well. Explaining both the American and the English positions. It also described the state of the colonies at the time being very much their own independent entities and the wariness they had for each other. The beginning of the war was also extremely interesting with the battles of Lexington and Concord and the unorganized phase of it all.
However, later chapters about the war were a little tiresome and it all felt a little repetitive after a time. The military maneuvers, the greed of the Generals for power and personal gain, the bloodshed... I mean, it all happened, but it was difficult to follow after a while. I did resort to listening to the audiobook so I could finish the book.
All in all I think the beginning especially of this book merits a five star rating. I believe that anyone who picks up this book will come out with a richer understanding of these formative times in history.
I think its main strengths lie in its beginning, i.e. the account of the time before the war, and its final chapter. It was extremally interesting to read about how Americans were influenced by Roman history and values. How literate ordinary people were and interested in politics of the day. How important the law was in their eyes. How important was personal property for their civil rights and therefore how much the taxation laws of England infringed upon their rights. It was also very interesting how the English history of the Glorious Revolution affected their political views. To this day, remnants of these values influence American politics, especially their fear of "tyranny of the State" and their aversion to excessive taxation (in their eyes) even with the healthcare crisis etc.
This book laid the foundation of the war very well. Explaining both the American and the English positions. It also described the state of the colonies at the time being very much their own independent entities and the wariness they had for each other. The beginning of the war was also extremely interesting with the battles of Lexington and Concord and the unorganized phase of it all.
However, later chapters about the war were a little tiresome and it all felt a little repetitive after a time. The military maneuvers, the greed of the Generals for power and personal gain, the bloodshed... I mean, it all happened, but it was difficult to follow after a while. I did resort to listening to the audiobook so I could finish the book.
All in all I think the beginning especially of this book merits a five star rating. I believe that anyone who picks up this book will come out with a richer understanding of these formative times in history.
August 6, 2018
Being slightly obsessed with the American Revolution, I knew I had to read this book at some point. You won’t find a book worth its salt about this war written in the past 20 years that doesn’t cite this book at some point. I thought the book was well-paced, I especially appreciated the first several chapters that explained the lead-up to the war; many books brush over this, but this one gives those events their due. However, as with many books that cover the whole of the Revolution, this one very much glosses over the events of the Southern campaign, including Yorktown. It’s almost as if the author just ran out of steam near the end. The author also seemed very defensive about anything that could even possibly shed anything but a positive light on George Washington. This is a pet peeve of mine, as I believe author opinion has no place in a nonfiction book about historical figures. Overall, this was a great read and I would recommend it.
June 24, 2019
As an avid student of the American Revolution, I wonder, whenever I pick up a new book on the subject, what I'm getting. Is it a military history, a discussion of social / economic / political forces, or a broad overview. This book falls into the last of those categories but it shines because of the plentiful anecdotes and other nuggets of microhistory often absent from other Revolution histories. The discussion about Arnold's descent into becoming a traitor and the events surrounding his discovery and escape were wonderful. Although a little light on the battle histories themselves, I though it was a great effort and one I'll come back to over time.
December 4, 2019
I don't think that it possible to adequately cover the Revolution in a single volume. When the author includes a discussion of the causes, it adds too much content than can be covered in 500 pages. Deficiencies in this book include a complete omission of maps, scanty coverage of battles (less than a single page discusses Princeton), and an outright ignorance of geography. The author devotes most of his efforts to politics and economics. If you must read a single volume, I recommend A Glorious Cause. My next readings will be two-volume works, starting with the original, authored by David Ramsay and published in 1789.
August 22, 2017
This was a fantastic book to read that describes, in great detail, the American Revolution and those who participated. The author makes tremendous use of letters and other historical documents to provide actual quotes from those who fought on both sides of the conflict. It gives a new sense of respect to the strategy behind the American war effort, and in particular the 1777 Saratoga campaign, and the later campaign in the south that ended with the British surrender at Yorktown. This is by far the best nonfiction book I have read thus far, on the American Revolution.
July 16, 2023
Another great book on the American Revolution, although I'm a little late to the party. I believe the book was originally written in 1997.
As most books on the Revolution it gives a very good historical description of the events pre, during, and post-revolution. But I believe this book gives a better description of the politics of the times than several of the others I have read. If you're like me and like to study the Revolution (or America's first Civil War, as many believe) then add this book to your library.
As most books on the Revolution it gives a very good historical description of the events pre, during, and post-revolution. But I believe this book gives a better description of the politics of the times than several of the others I have read. If you're like me and like to study the Revolution (or America's first Civil War, as many believe) then add this book to your library.
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July 27, 2024Welp. Had to stop after I got to this sentence: "Although once recent biographer has endeavored to rescue Jefferson from his long-standing reputation as a passionless man by claiming illegitimate children for him by a slave, reserve itself, of course, has nothing to do with a lack of passion but often expresses powerful emotion in restraint."
Anyone have another recommendation for a book about the American Revolution?
Anyone have another recommendation for a book about the American Revolution?
December 3, 2018
Great book. Filled with first hand accounts from letters, journals, etc. that put you in the moment of the American Revolution. Bobrick tells a compelling story starting with the French & Indian War and the beginning days of the colonies through the end of the Revolutionary War. Very informative and very well written.
December 15, 2018
More of a 3.5. It seems a good portrayal of the war and its context, but the deification of Washington (even if mostly deserved) and frequent short digressions to focus on "human interest stories" prevent me from giving it a higher rating in the end.
This is also my first follow-up after the near-perfect Battle Cry of Freedom so it barely stood a chance.
This is also my first follow-up after the near-perfect Battle Cry of Freedom so it barely stood a chance.
June 21, 2024
It is a very difficult task to try and get the entirety of the American Revolution into one volume, but Benson Bobrick did a solid job of it. There are certainly aspects of his work that gloss over important details and events, but this is to be expected. It is a good overview of the Revolution.
August 21, 2025
This is a good one volume read for a broad introduction to the Revolutionary War. The writing isn’t especially gripping but it is a solid overview. Some more accompanying maps could have helped me grasp the flow of the battles better.
March 6, 2018
fast paced reading covering the American Revolution.
January 14, 2022
A wonderful read ..........the right man at the right time !
December 15, 2022
Perhaps the best book on the Revolutionary War that I have read. I will be reading more books by Benson Bobrick. Highly recommend.
October 2, 2023
If you're in the mood to read just ONE BOOK on the American Revolution, make it this one. Bobrick really knocked it out of the park with this one! Great job Benson.
February 19, 2024
Lengthy an dense. First time through was great! Couldn't do it again.
September 30, 2024
Biased, traditionalist, dry. Comparing it to later books on similar topics it doesn't deserve three stars
February 22, 2017
Overall, great information. I have pages worth of notes I typed up of things that I should figure out how to work into teaching the Revolution to my 7th graders.
But...perhaps because this was the second straight history book I read, both on the Revolution, with no novels to break it up in between, this felt like it went on forever. My perception is definitely skewed because I often only get 20 minutes to read a day, during lunch, but as fascinating I find the American Revolution to be, I felt like the narrative often dragged. As much as I love primary sources, and use them in the classroom as much as I can, I felt as if they may have been overused in this book. I was reading on my kindle, and sometimes the excerpts from a letter went on for two screens or more and I felt as if the point was being lost.
But...perhaps because this was the second straight history book I read, both on the Revolution, with no novels to break it up in between, this felt like it went on forever. My perception is definitely skewed because I often only get 20 minutes to read a day, during lunch, but as fascinating I find the American Revolution to be, I felt like the narrative often dragged. As much as I love primary sources, and use them in the classroom as much as I can, I felt as if they may have been overused in this book. I was reading on my kindle, and sometimes the excerpts from a letter went on for two screens or more and I felt as if the point was being lost.
October 26, 2017
Devoured this 500-page monster in a little over 24 hours while touring Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown. I wanted a good overview/refresher of the War for Independence (having forgotten almost everything since high school) and to that extent, this book satisfies.
Two mild complaints: 1) The writing is competent but not terribly gripping, partly because Bobrick doesn't judge enough. How should I interpret what I'm reading? Was George Washington's decision about X good or bad? Should the army have done this or that? Bobrick summarizes the action and includes various players' reactions, but doesn't provide much commentary. Even if I disagreed with his conclusions, more analysis would help me keep track of all the moving parts.
2) Bobrick should have included more analysis on how Christianity influenced the colonies' fight for independence. Religious conviction played a huge role in their love for freedom (indeed, it could be called the foundation for such love) and deserves more attention.
That said, it's a great book for getting up to speed on the key players and major action sequences of the war.
Two mild complaints: 1) The writing is competent but not terribly gripping, partly because Bobrick doesn't judge enough. How should I interpret what I'm reading? Was George Washington's decision about X good or bad? Should the army have done this or that? Bobrick summarizes the action and includes various players' reactions, but doesn't provide much commentary. Even if I disagreed with his conclusions, more analysis would help me keep track of all the moving parts.
2) Bobrick should have included more analysis on how Christianity influenced the colonies' fight for independence. Religious conviction played a huge role in their love for freedom (indeed, it could be called the foundation for such love) and deserves more attention.
That said, it's a great book for getting up to speed on the key players and major action sequences of the war.
July 1, 2017
This book is a good resource to give you a fairly thorough yet easily readable description of the American Revolution. I found out about this book from a colleague at the NEH workshop I attended this summer at Fort Ticonderoga. She mentioned that she uses it with her 5th graders. Since I teach the same grade I had to read it for myself. As I read I had a pad of Post-It notes handy so I could "flag" things that I want to refer back to in my teaching. I limited myself a little bit (didn't want to get too out of hand) to those things that I felt would be most interesting to 11 year olds. I wound up with 37 notes in a 495 page book. Plenty of material to really tell them the stories. Time well spent.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews