Patrick Henry: Champion of Liberty

by Jon Kukla

This authoritative biography of Patrick Henry the underappreciated founding father best known for saying, Give me liberty, or give me death! restores him and his fellow Virginians to their seminal place in the story of American independence.
Born in 1736, Patrick Henry was an attorney and planter, and an outstanding orator in the movement for independence. A contemporary of Washington, Henry stood with John and Samuel Adams among the leaders of the colonial resistance to Great Britain that ultimately created the United States. The first governor of Virginia after independence, he was re-elected several times. After declining to attend the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Henry opposed the Constitution, arguing that it granted too much power to the central government. Although he denounced slavery as evil, like many other southern slave-owners he accepted its continuation. Henry pushed vigorously for the ten amendments to the new Constitution, and then supported Washington and national unity against the bitter party divisions of the 1790s. He was enormously influential in his time, but his accomplishments, other than his oratory, were subsequently all but forgotten. Kukla s biography restores Henry and his Virginia compatriots to the front rank of advocates for American independence.
Jon Kukla has thoroughly researched Henry s life, even living on one of Henry s estates. He brings both newly discovered documents and new insights to the story of the patriot who played a central role in the movement to independence, the Revolution, the Constitutional era, and the early Republic. This book is an important contribution to our understanding of the nation s founding."

Genres: Biography, History, American History, American Revolution, Nonfiction, Politics, Historical

592 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2017

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book could also be called A Truer History of Early American Government; with special attention to Patrick Henry's life and part in it.

One of the reasons for this is, unfortunately, most of the information we have about Patrick Henry has been burned or lost. Despite this, Kukla has a very thorough index and bibliography that makes this work an excellent resource. Kukla makes every effort to fill in all the gaps with other data that is available to provide context and continuity; as well as encourage the reader to really see the world with 18th century eyes, particularly a 18th century Virginian's eyes. Though, he seems to have targeted the 21st century urban/academic sensibility. In doing so, he is forced into repetitious "encouragements" on, so called, "politically incorrect" topics that gets old. Sans the P.C. topics, his use of repetition is useful and tasteful.

He starts with Patrick Henry's great grand parents and works forward to his death in the first ten or so pages; and then lays it all out again in 300 pages of detail. I commend Kukla on his nearly universal reliance on primary sources and otherwise found what assumptions he did have mostly all reasonable.

Things that will likely happen while reading this book:
- You will visit http://www.patrickhenrylibrary.org and browse his library.
- You will change your opinion about Thomas Jefferson.
- You will want to read more about George Washington.
- You will want to read more about Richard Henry Lee.
- You will want to read the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union.
- You will want to research all ratified and unratified amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
- You will lament the world's, and likely Heaven's, loss of a Christian tract written by Patrick Henry.
- You will contemplate joining Toast Masters (public speaking club).
- You will cry, twice.
- You will laugh, lots.
- You will yell HUZZAH!

Reviews of other modern works on Patrick Henry:
Patrick Henry: First Among Patriots - Still reading, but doesn't start off near as well.
Lion of Liberty: Patrick Henry and the Call to a New Nation - Horrible, one star. I agree with the King George III review on audible.

[Mandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Authoritative and comprehensive but unfortunately rather dull. I appreciate that it’s an important examination of a man who has been overshadowed by his more well-known peers, but this is probably a book more for the academic or serious historian than the general reader. I learnt a lot but the journey was slow-going and tedious at times.

[Russell Threet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography is nothing if not thorough. If you are looking for casual read with basic information about Patrick Henry this is not it. As a person who has lived in different parts of Virginia I was thrilled to read names of places, creeks, and communities that I was familiar with. You will not fly through this book because it is a very heavy read, but you will come out on the other side with a very in depth knowledge of Patrick Henry. This should probably not be your first book on Henry, but if you feel led to draw from the depths of his life and influence then this book is for you.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review at University Bookman is now online.

[Todd Stockslager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review title: Liberty or death: reclaiming the hero of the founding generation

Patrick Henry is best known for perhaps the most quotable slogan of the American Revolution, but is generally overlooked as a founding father, and sometimes is mentally lumped in with Common Sense's Thomas Paine as a minor character of the early days of the revolution. Kukla's powerful biography reclaims Henry's reputation and rightful place at the forefront of the founding generation; Patrick Henry comes alive as the hero amongst a generation of heroes.

One of the class of Virginia leadership that included Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and multiple Randolphs, Henry was born in 1736 and became a devout Christian who learned the law and Latin under the teaching of his Justice of the Peace father. In 1763 he took on his first major case, the "Parson's Cause", which involved the legitimacy of laws passed by the then-colonial Virginia Legislature in opposition to the rule of the British King and Parliament. He began to shape his revolutionary political doctrine: "A king who fails to protect his people, Henry concluded, 'forfeits all rights to his subjects' obedience.' " (p. 43), a statement that drew shocked murmurs of "Treason!" from courtroom observers. While he lost the case, his effort began to establish his heroic credentials, resulted in just nominal penalties, and so endeared him to his neighbors and local voters that they carried him from the court house on their shoulders and voted him in to the Virginia House of Burgesses.

Arriving in the colonial Virginia capital of Williamsburg, Henry was underestimated as a poorly dressed country parson (much like the later American hero Abraham Lincoln) until he spoke, when he quickly became recognized as a powerful orator and legal mind. When the hated Stamp Acts attempted to impose British taxation on the American colonies, his abilities brought him to the forefront of the Virginia leadership and the attention of the colonial leaders in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts as sentiment for national unity began to grow.

But Henry's revolutionary stance in defiance of the King remained in advance of the majority of political and popular sentiment, as most continued to advocate pleas for royal relief and not revolution against the crown. In 1775, a Virginia convention to elect delegates to the second Continental Congress gave Henry the platform to make his most famous statement. After outlining the argument that time for hopeful petitions was past and that the time to fight was now because the American arms would never be stronger and a declaration of revolution would bring foreign allies to our aid, he continued:

Slumping so vividly into the posture of a hopeless slave that onlookers perceived manacles 'almost visible' on his wrists, Henry asked, 'Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?' He paused again, lifted his eyes and hands toward heaven and prayed,

Forbid it, Almighty God!--I know not what course others may take, but as for me . . . give me liberty, or give me death!

Then, as his voice echoed through the church and his audience watched in stunned silence, Henry raised an ivory letter opener as if it were a dagger and plunged it toward his chest in imitation of the Roman patriot Cato. (p. 169-170)

This iconic scene contained elements that would echo through the of rest of Henry's heroic career:

Slavery--Henry was a slave holder, but was genuinely conflicted by the institution. As a legislator, governor, and founding father, he was approached by Virginia Quaker abolitionists and adopted their proposals to end the African slave trade and make it easier to free individual slaves through manumission. Interestingly, the colonial Virginia legislature passed multiple bills to outlaw the African slave trade under Henry's tenure in the years before the Revolution, all overruled by the British Parliament. Yet like his peers, Henry could not envision how to abolish slavery in any way that would be acceptable economicly, politically, and culturally.

Church--Henry was a devout Christian, and took it seriously, as evidenced by his moral abhorrence of slavery and refusal to justify it with Biblical arguments. He favored state-collected tithes, but supported Methodist and Baptist preachers as proportional recipients of the tithe, in addition to the established church. He would not compromise on his doctrine, and condemned the rising tide of deism both at home as represented by Jefferson and the Continent as represented by the French revolution.

War--Henry was not just an orator, but as governor of Virginia he provided strong leadership in raising funds and militiamen for the Revolutionary cause. He was aggressive in defending and supporting Washington as the American commander in chief. While he remained in Virginia as governor for multiple one-year terms and member of the legislature in between, he provided military support and communications with the revolutionary government in Philadelphia and state leaders in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

After his leading role in steeling the American mind for unity and revolution, Henry was a strong supporter for the first American government, but opposed the new Constitution because of its federalist leaning. The preamble "We the People" was his sticking point, as that phrase symbolized that the new government would be a government of individual citizens, not a republic representing the states. Henry feared the aggregation of powers from the states to the federal government into a new "foreign" tyranny (citizens still considered their states their "country") and the imposition of direct federal taxation on citizens as a replication of the "taxation without representation" that the late war had been fought to terminate. While time has proven the adopted Constitution to be a powerful and pliable instrument of government in the 200-plus years of its operation, Henry's warnings about the fragility and importance of liberty still have meaning in the age of terrorism when we are asked to trade liberty for security. And while he opposed its ratification, when once adopted he honored and followed the Constitution as he worked to change it. Henry was both heroic, honorable, and honored by his peers, friends, and political foes.

Finally, back in private life and serving as a lawyer in defense of American farmers and businesmen against lawsuits presented by British companies in 1790 seeking to receive compensation for property confiscated and destroyed during the revolution. It was a heroic capstone on a heroic career:

[British plaintiff] Jones's counsel had tried to assert that Virginia had not attained the status of a nation (and was therefore incapable of exercising the power of confiscation) until George III formally acknowledged American independence by the treaty of 1783. Henry retorted that America became a completely sovereign nation 'when her sons stepped forth to resist the unjust hand of oppression and declared themselves independent' in 1776. 'Yes, sir,' Henry reminded the court, 'we were a nation long before the monarch of that little island in the Atlantic Ocean gave his puny assent to it'--accompanying his words by 'rising on tiptoe, pointing as to a vast distance, and half-closing his eyelids as if endeavoring with extreme difficulty to [see an] . . . object almost too small for vision--and blowing out the words puny assent with lips curled with inutterable contempt.' (p. 372)

This is a hero among heroes, a generation of founding fathers who were wise, intelligent, educated, aware, politically astute, militarily active, honorable men. Were they always right? No, of course not. The stain of slavery will always mar the record of the Virginia member of that generation. Henry's opposition to the Constitution seems too tightly focused from today's perspective. But their decisions and positions were thoughtful, intelligent and well-reasoned, and their disagreements usually open, public, honorable, and well-reasoned.

Reading history and biographies of this era and comparing these leaders to the sadly reduced levels of those qualities today is sobering. Where are our leaders now? Where are the honorable politicians and statesmen who measure up to the standard of Patrick Henry? Read Kukla's biography of Patrick Henry to understand the measure of the true American hero.

[Stephen Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a deep dive into Patrick Henry history. While very interesting, if you’re looking for a general biography, just noting the highlights, this is isn’t for you. The highlights are absolutely there, but so is the inside baseball of Henry’s time before and after the Revolution. However, this a must read for those, like myself, that want to know more about what he thought and said, and what inspired Henry.

I really like the information on the men that inspired Henry; including his dad, and pastor, and general societal norms. It gives context to his passion for liberty and the claims of his oratory skills.
It’s pretty general for Henry’s youth, but becomes very in-depth around 1763, when he becomes a lawyer, which happens to be when he starts publicly speaking and writing.

This book is thorough, and focuses alot on Virginia politics rather than hitting all of the American Revolution timeline points. But a lot are there, as they set the context.

I was also happy to read some post-Revolution/anti-federalist/anti-constitution documentation that I wasn’t already familiar with.

⚠️ Parental Warning ⚠️

As a youth it’s mentioned that Henry was “Generally divested of” clothes when swimming.
It’s mentioned that Lord Dunmore needed to “Keep his fly buttoned,” and was considered a “whoremaster.”
Report of rapes during war are mentioned.
A case is mentioned concerning an accusation of incest.

[Gerry Connolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jon Kukla has written a respectable if somewhat uncritical biography: Patrick Henry, Champion of Liberty. Henry was a long time member of Virginia’s House of Burgess (later Delegates) and five term Governor. He dominated Virginia’s political environment from mid to late 18th c. Kukla paints Henry’s opposition to the Constitution as principled vs a parochial concern about Virginia losing power with its ratification. He minimizes his partisan attempts to derail Madison’s rise through gerrymandering and let’s him off the hook as a slaveholder who saw the evil of slavery but was boxed in by public opposition to its abolition. Much more to Patrick Henry than “give me Liberty or give me death”.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been enamored with Patrick Henry since I learned about him in third grade. I jumped at the chance to read more about him. A Revolutionary War hero who stood for liberty? Sign me up. Jon Kukla really lays out a very comprehensive & detailed look at Patrick Henry. While this book is long, it's definitely your go-to spot if you're looking to learn more about Patrick Henry.

Special thanks to Jon Kukla, Simon & Schuster & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written, well presented, highly detailed account of the life of Patrick Henry.

[Andy Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This comprehensive biography reminds us that there was much more to Patrick Henry than "Give me liberty or give me death," though the detailed description of the speech and its context is a highlight of the book.
The author, Jon Kukla, shows us that Patrick Henry is an example of a public leader's works being shaped by values formed at a young age. Henry's Christian faith began early but it was a faith that rejected the both the then prevailing Anglican church as too closely tied to the corrupt government and a Calvinist approach of predetermination. Instead, Henry's faith was based on Christian virtue which included working to improve yourself and society. Henry also inherited a sense of civic responsibility, that he had a responsibility to maintain the ideals of a republican society. Slavery of course tested these virtues. Henry opposed slavery, often took controversial steps to limit it such as supporting legislation allowing slaveowners to free their slaves, but never became an abolitionist as he thought it was impractical due to the political climate and never saw, in his eyes, a realistic alternative. Like many others, he deferred his personal opposition to slavery for later generations to solve
Kukla details Henry's legal career, Henry was known for being an outstanding orator but Kukla shows that Henry attributed his success to his preparation and his ability to relate to jurors as shown by this line :" He became a formidable trial lawyer because he studied men as well as books, knew that the law was what a jury believed it was, and knew that scoring legal points against opposing counsel meant little compared to winning the jury, the verdict, and the damages. In court Henry looked deep into the eyes of jurors, farmers and planters who felt that he was one of them, and they rewarded his empathy with subtle reactions from which he discerned what to say, what not to say, and how best to win his client's case.
Henry started his political career as a young turk, pushing for opposition to the English government in ways that was too radical, too soon for most. But inept British responses gave Henry and his allies credibility and momentum setting the stage for the "Give Me Liberty or Give me Death" speech.
Henry's early political and legal careers also cemented his belief in the separation of church and state. When Henry started his career the government subsidized the Anglican church and prosecuted preachers who were not licensed and did not preach the government line. Henry fought against that status quo in both the courtroom and legislative assembly.
Patrick Henry was the first Governor of Virginia after the Revolutionary War. During these years it was Henry who learned of the cabal against George Washington and informed the General about it, earning Washington's trust that allowed them to continue their friendship in later years when they had strong disagreements, especially during the debate about ratification of the Constitution. The other was the contrast with Henry's successor as Governor, Thomas Jefferson. Kukla carefully shows how events such as British military strategy and Virginia's legislative funding of its militia were beyond either's control, but that the resulting legislative inquiry into Jefferson's conduct created a permanent fissure between the two.
Henry had an interesting perspective on post Revolutionary War America. The book shows Henry's distrust of New England, his loyalty to Virginia and his skepticism of the need to change the Articles of Confederation. He was opposed to the ratification of the constitution and his debates with George Mason and against James Madison and others are fascinating. But just as telling is that after Henry lost and the constitution was ratified, Henry remained a loyal American, he wanted the new government to succeed albeit with a Bill of Rights that was adopted due to the efforts of Henry and others, though not as strong as Henry originally wanted
In a sentence, this is a well written, balanced, thoughtful biography about a complex and fascinating man. If I have any criticism it is that Kukla somewhat glossed over Henry's personal life, he had numerous children with two different wives, the first wife suffered from some type of mental illness before she died. I would have liked to have read more about that part of his life, but that does not take away from the fact that this is an excellent book and important to our history

[Linda Maxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to read this biography of Patrick Henry because I grew up in Henry County, VA (where Leatherwood is located) and have lived my adult life in Patrick County, VA (which originally combined with Henry County to be Patrick Henry County. Yet, I knew little about the man himself.

This biography proved to be more engrossing and enjoyable than I expected. I could appreciate the research that Jon Kukla did to bring the man to life. As he pointed out, many primary sources involving Patrick Henry have been destroyed or lost.

Henry, like all others, was a complex man. He was one of the primary movers of the war for independence against Great Britain. When we were taught about the founding fathers in school, they were uniformly presented as wise men of integrity. If you do only a little investigation, you find that while they were exceptionally brilliant men, they were still very much human. Henry was one who truly wanted to live an honest life of integrity and courage. He wasn't trying to build a name for himself, he was seeking freedom for his fellow citizens.

Yet, in spite of his opposition to slavery, Henry refused to move toward freeing Virginia's slaves. Kukla explores this dichotomy which, to the modern mind, seems unfathomable, and he does a good job of explaining the economic, social, and political factors that hindered Henry's efforts. In fact, he owned a number of slaves himself.

Henry has been somewhat forgotten by history because, with the exception of few years in the Confederate Congress, he refused almost all positions offered to him in the national government. Instead, he focused on the state of Virginia, serving five terms as governor.

I think the reason I enjoyed the book so much was that it opened a window into a period of our history that I know little about. It was disturbing to see that political factions, scheming, and backstabbing began early. Some things, it seems, never change.

[Mike Shoop · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, solidly researched, likely definitive biography of this fearless Virginia patriot. Kukla has sifted through all available material and composed a readable, though dense, narrative of Henry's life. He provides some background on Henry's childhood, marriages, his occupations, including teaching himself law and hanging out his shingle in Hanover County, Va. But the bulk of this work concerns Patrick's public life rather than the personal: His rise to prominence came with the famous "Parsons' Cause" case, and his career as a lawyer and orator took off from that time. Most famous for his "Give me liberty or give me death" speech at St. John's Church in Richmond in 1775, Henry also led the Patriot army in Virginia, served as Governor five times, and promoted independence from Britain every chance he had to do so. Kukla gives great information on Henry's opposition to ratifying the Constitution, his attitudes towards political parties and slavery, his property holdings, his relations with other prominent men like Washington, Madison, and Jefferson, his participation in the scandalous affair concerning the Randolphs at Bizarre, and his determination to retire from public life.
A very thorough treatment, although I would have appreciated more about his personal family life, but many family and personal papers were lost when Henry's home at Red Hill burned. This is a dense read, and more personal material would have balanced it more. Kudos to the author for bringing Patrick Henry back into view as the American patriot he truly was.

[Russel Henderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an account of Patrick Henry's life it was sufficient, detailed enough to be more or less comprehensive but readable enough for a non-scholar to thumb through. The book's real shortcoming is that it sought to vindicate Henry of every sin or misdeed leveled at him (and ignoring what he can't effectively rebut) rather than attempting to view his life objectively, warts and all. The main charge against Henry has long been that he was largely a demagogue, and Kukla takes that charge on. But even in his rebuttal it's difficult to escape the notion that Henry, who could quote Pufendorf to the Supreme Court but was perfectly content haranguing a jury in a capital case, was far more effective an orator than he was anything else. Kukla argues that Henry was an effective governor and in some instances that was true, but he struggled mightily with the demands of supplying the Continental troops. Kukla tries to turn Henry into an opponent of slavery, but it was clear he had come to accept its permanence long before the French Revolution or King Cotton had undercut the optimism of his Founding-generation peers. Henry was undoubtedly an impassioned opponent of ratification of the Constitution, but he never comes across as evidencing Jefferson's idealism or Madison's ability to apply political theory; rather he seems an ordinary politician of limited imagination and a silver tongue. Which, despite Kukla's efforts, is largely in keeping with his historical reputation.

[David Dunlap · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although most Americans are well-familiar with Patrick Henry's famous "Give me liberty...or give me death" speech -- and many may know about his opposition to the ratification of the new U.S. Constitution in the 1780s, not much else is known about him and his life. This book, then fills an important gap. We see how wildly popular Patrick Henry was in Virginia (second only to George Washington), how he used his eloquence to rise to the top of the legal profession, and, perhaps most important, his unswerving dedication to working within the guidelines set by his countrymen. (Not for him the stirring of an insurrection whenever he didn't get his own way, for example.) The reader is also provided insights into Patrick Henry's faith, which was deep and genuine. I enjoyed this book, but wish there had been a bit more about his personal life. His first wife had serious mental health issues. Henry fathered seventeen children in all. Yet we do not see his courtships, we get no real sense of what he was like as a father or a grandfather. This, to my way of thinking, is a drawback in a biography. I recommend it, to be sure -- it is well-researched and clearly written -- but not resoundingly...

[A.K. Frailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative book detailing the massive interplaying forces in the creation of this nation. Patrick Henry stands as a great man for many reasons though his stand on slavery never manifested itself in real, long-term solutions. Perhaps he realized that the time had not come, that the country had to be solid enough to withstand the rending that must occur before slavery could be abolished forever? In any case, he certainly lived according to his own moral integrity. The best quote of the whole book is near the end. (p.390) "...he advocated in the Virginia Declaration of Rights—justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue. "Vice and depravity must be suppressed and become unfashionable or they will undo us,"  Henry advised. "Let us ally ourselves to virtue, for without that auxiliary our appearance on the theater of nations will be fleeting." On the other hand, if all of America's "republican characters" stood united as virtuous citizens, their destiny could be "fixed as the firmament."

[Christopher Borum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Patrick Henry is my 5th great-grandfather, but I didn't know anything more about than the lore I learned in elementary school. Having finished this book, I now know everything I need to know about the man. There is a lot of detail here, but it works in service of providing a thorough portrait of one of the key founders. As the author notes in the final chapter, outside of two years' service in the Continental Congress, Henry never held national office. But behind the scenes he was a major driver forward in the push for independence, and worked tirelessly to ensure that the Constitution protected citizens more than give power to the central government. He knew and was respected by virtually every other founder, Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Madison. He led the Virginia militia and was Governor of Virginia for multiple terms through some of the most tumultuous years in the nation's history. Without Patrick Henry, the United States would perhaps be very different.

[Theresa Leone Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Patrick Henry were alive today, and running for office, he would be a candidate who would talk a lot about how he was in tune with and appreciative of the little people, the common man, and he would actually mean it (at least he would in terms of white people, but more about that later). It was his work helping ordinary citizens in their fight for equality before the American Revolutionary War that is most interesting about this book. Also absorbing is his early life and all of the struggles through which he persevered. Also, though Henry is for the most part treated here as a hero, his deep and terrible flaws are also discussed, such as the fact that he owned slaves, and even upon his death, he gave them away to others instead of freeing them. Kukla's book is long, with a lot of information, but most of it is fascinating, and his writing never gets tedious. HIGHLY recommend!

[patrick Lorelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book about Patrick Henry “Give me liberty or give death”, but he was also a lawyer, farmer and later a governor, he was in support of the revolution and as governor would help to raise funds to keep it supplied. Afterward, he would stay in politics not always agreeing with everyone. He was not in favor of the Constitution. He also had an issue with slavery. Felt it was wrong but own slaves. He supported Washington once the government was formed and would help him when possible. Found this to be an interesting read about a man who would get men, money and anything else needed to fight in the revolution and though he might not have agreed with everything when the new government was being formed he still supported Washington which was important also at the time. Overall a good book. Received this book from Netgalley.com Gave it 4 stars Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was very good. Most of the books I've read on the revolutionary and early republic periods are very northern in outlook (Boston, NY, Philadelphia), or else national (congress, the war, France). Others I've read tackle the various regions in turn. But this was the first one that I can remember that goes deep into Virginia political history. As a biography, this book is pretty boring. It doesn't really make Henry into a hero, it's pretty bland in style. I didn't get emotionally attached. But as a history of this period of the republic, viewed from Virginia, it's excellent. Lots on Virginia opposition to the Crown. On freedom of religion and abolitionism. On local politics and the impact nationally. On the experience of Virginia during the war.

[Crystal Toller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick Henry

This is a biography of Patrick Henry. As a native Virginian, I am ashamed to say that the only things I knew about Patrick Henry before reading this book were his Liberty or Death oratory and that he was a Governor of Virginia. This book details Henry's actions during the American Revolution, his becoming a lawyer and successful expertise in his chosen field and his political experiences. I also was interested to learn that his wife became mentally ill after the birth of her child. This was a very enjoyable book and it was enlightening to learn more about Patrick Henry. Highly recommend this book.

[Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Most folks only know Henry for “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death”. There’s a lot more. The book does a great job discussing Henry’s efforts in Virginia during the Revolution. It really delves into the internal politics of Virginia before the war, and how rebellion came about. The book also covers the issue of religious liberty, which continues to resonate today. The book also spends significant time on the issue of slavery, how society felt about it, and Henry’s own stances.

I got the book from a local library, and plan to purchase a copy.

[Hank Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

By no means appears to be a very inquisitive, robust biography into the life of Patrick Henry but when one recognizes the shockingly little surviving contemporary documentation of Henry’s life, Kukla’s book becomes far more impressive. Rather than being a biography on Henry I felt Kukla does a really good job filling in the gaps by explaining the political context of revolutionary Virginia and the Virginia General Assembly before, during, and after the War. A must read for Virginia history lovers.

[Robert Sparrenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars foe the content. There are some interesting tidbits about the founding of the country that Patrick Henry was involved in that I wasn’t aware of.
The writing itself is a three star number. It’s a bit dry but the author does move the book along at a good pace.

Worth a look if you like the revolution and the late 18th century America.

[Fritz Fashing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting biography of a Founding Father who gets little recognition other than "Give me liberty, or give me death!" A bit too apologetic for his slave holdings, to my thinking, but an all around interesting read.

[Cary Kostka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastically written view into the life of one of America's most known patriots, Patrick Henry. The author did a wonderful job in describing the events and thoughts of Henry with depth and precision in the face of missing or incomplete historical documents.

[Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never get enough of our founding fathers particularly those who don't get as much credit as others. Much bigger contribution to our founding than just his liberty or death speech.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treat for this product of Virginia elementary and high schools to finally get a good biography of Patrick Henry. Kukla's research in the key areas of Henry's life is impressive.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book received from NetGalley.

Review to Come.

[Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book! Easy to read.

[Scott Nickels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this book several years ago…and just reread again recently. Solid biography of one of the least famous, but hugely important, Founding Fathers. Thanks to NetGalley for this book.