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Valley Forge
MACKINLAY KANTOR
Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Andersonville
VALLEY FORGE
Poignant, tender, and powerful, VALLEY FORGE brings into sharp new focus one of the most tensely dramatic episodes of the American Revolution.
With warmth and wit, compassion and sensitivity, MacKinlay Kantor evokes the flavor, pulse and texture of the last quarter of the eighteenth century, transporting the reader into the houses and workshops, kitchens and stables, parlors and bedrooms of ordinary citizens. Here are not only the soldiers of Valley Forge, but the panorama of the Revolution itself. George Washington, lamenting the remoteness and lack of valor in the Congress, anticipating new battle; the sprightly, good-humored Martha, always loyal and loving to a fault; the Marquis de Lafayette, whose poise and dignity belied his youth; Baron von Steuben whose halting English made the soldiers laugh, but whose fierce devotion won their respect. And the multitude—young Mum, a sixteen-year-old deserter savagely trampled by Tarleton's Raiders; Malachi Lennan whose gift of a horse gained him entry into Mad Anthony Wayne's Drovers; Billy, the turncoat, wailing for his mother as he was dragged to the gallows. Sons of farmers and tradesmen, trappers and teachers—some too young to fight, and some too old—surge through these pages, giving life, breath, scope and humanity to the American Revolution and the winter at Valley Forge.
MacKINLAY KANTOR was born in Webster City, Iowa in 1904. He began to write seriously at sixteen, became a newspaper reporter at seventeen, and an author at twenty-three. Since his first-published novel in 1928, more than forty books have appeared in print, including verse, short stories, novellas, histories, and books for children. His best-selling, and Pulitzer Prize- winning Andersonville was published in 1955. MacKinlay Kantor's other than book accomplishments range from Hollywood screenwriting to police patrolling (N. Y. P. D.), to combat experience (RAF and U.SAF) in two wars.
VALLEY FORGE is grandly conceived, but the quality is equal
to the concept. The climate of the war, its taste and
smell and the harsh texture of its life, are evoked
with mystery. Neither souped-up nor toned-down under
fashionable pressures, this is an extraordinarily honest
and human book. I am greatly impressed.
—MARY RENAULT
Praise for Valley Forge
VALLEY FORGE is history come alive. Mr. Kantor has conceived a pattern of vivid mosaics—some lyrical, some dramatic—which, taken as a whole, create a novel quite unlike any other. Even the style itself is the vernacular of the period rendered poetic. An astonishing achievement for which readers as well as literary prize-givers should be grateful.—Joseph Hayes author of The Desperate Hours and The Long Dark Night
Mack Kantor has taken a familiar story and retold it in the language of the time. He has breathed new life into it, and preserved the spirit of the times exceedingly well. Even well-known characters like Washington, Lafayette, Franklin and von Steuben are presented in a new light. He is to be congratulated for making it all seem so real.—Philip Van Doren Stern, author of The Drums of Morning and An End to Valor
Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Andersonville
VALLEY FORGE
Poignant, tender, and powerful, VALLEY FORGE brings into sharp new focus one of the most tensely dramatic episodes of the American Revolution.
With warmth and wit, compassion and sensitivity, MacKinlay Kantor evokes the flavor, pulse and texture of the last quarter of the eighteenth century, transporting the reader into the houses and workshops, kitchens and stables, parlors and bedrooms of ordinary citizens. Here are not only the soldiers of Valley Forge, but the panorama of the Revolution itself. George Washington, lamenting the remoteness and lack of valor in the Congress, anticipating new battle; the sprightly, good-humored Martha, always loyal and loving to a fault; the Marquis de Lafayette, whose poise and dignity belied his youth; Baron von Steuben whose halting English made the soldiers laugh, but whose fierce devotion won their respect. And the multitude—young Mum, a sixteen-year-old deserter savagely trampled by Tarleton's Raiders; Malachi Lennan whose gift of a horse gained him entry into Mad Anthony Wayne's Drovers; Billy, the turncoat, wailing for his mother as he was dragged to the gallows. Sons of farmers and tradesmen, trappers and teachers—some too young to fight, and some too old—surge through these pages, giving life, breath, scope and humanity to the American Revolution and the winter at Valley Forge.
MacKINLAY KANTOR was born in Webster City, Iowa in 1904. He began to write seriously at sixteen, became a newspaper reporter at seventeen, and an author at twenty-three. Since his first-published novel in 1928, more than forty books have appeared in print, including verse, short stories, novellas, histories, and books for children. His best-selling, and Pulitzer Prize- winning Andersonville was published in 1955. MacKinlay Kantor's other than book accomplishments range from Hollywood screenwriting to police patrolling (N. Y. P. D.), to combat experience (RAF and U.SAF) in two wars.
VALLEY FORGE is grandly conceived, but the quality is equal
to the concept. The climate of the war, its taste and
smell and the harsh texture of its life, are evoked
with mystery. Neither souped-up nor toned-down under
fashionable pressures, this is an extraordinarily honest
and human book. I am greatly impressed.
—MARY RENAULT
Praise for Valley Forge
VALLEY FORGE is history come alive. Mr. Kantor has conceived a pattern of vivid mosaics—some lyrical, some dramatic—which, taken as a whole, create a novel quite unlike any other. Even the style itself is the vernacular of the period rendered poetic. An astonishing achievement for which readers as well as literary prize-givers should be grateful.—Joseph Hayes author of The Desperate Hours and The Long Dark Night
Mack Kantor has taken a familiar story and retold it in the language of the time. He has breathed new life into it, and preserved the spirit of the times exceedingly well. Even well-known characters like Washington, Lafayette, Franklin and von Steuben are presented in a new light. He is to be congratulated for making it all seem so real.—Philip Van Doren Stern, author of The Drums of Morning and An End to Valor
305 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1975
13 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
MacKinlay Kantor
228 books65 followersBenjamin McKinlay Kantor, was an American journalist, novelist and screenwriter. He wrote more than 30 novels, several set during the American Civil War, and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1956 for his 1955 novel
Andersonville
Kantor was born in Webster City, Iowa, in 1904. His mother, a journalist, encouraged Kantor to develop his writing style. Kantor started writing seriously as a teen-ager when he worked as a reporter with his mother at the local newspaper in Webster City.
Kantor's first novel was published when he was 24.
During World War II, Kantor reported from London as a war correspondent for a Los Angeles newspaper. After flying on several bombing missions, he asked for and received training to operate the bomber's turret machine guns (this was illegal, as he was not in service).
Nevertheless he was decorated with the Medal of Freedom by Gen. Carl Spaatz, then the U.S. Army Air Corp commander. He also saw combat during the Korean War as a correspondent.
In addition to journalism and novels, Kantor wrote the screenplay for Gun Crazy (aka Deadly Is the Female) (1950), a noted film noir. It was based on his short story by the same name, published February 3, 1940 in a "slick" magazine, The Saturday Evening Post. In 1992, it was revealed that he had allowed his name to be used on a screenplay written by Dalton Trumbo, one of the Hollywood Ten, who had been blacklisted as a result of his refusal to testify before the House Un-American Committee (HUAC) hearings. Kantor passed his payment on to Trumbo to help him survive.
Several of his novels were adapted for films. He established his own publishing house, and published several of his works in the 1930s and 1940s.
Kantor died of a heart attack in 1977, at the age of 73, at his home in Sarasota, Florida.
Kantor was born in Webster City, Iowa, in 1904. His mother, a journalist, encouraged Kantor to develop his writing style. Kantor started writing seriously as a teen-ager when he worked as a reporter with his mother at the local newspaper in Webster City.
Kantor's first novel was published when he was 24.
During World War II, Kantor reported from London as a war correspondent for a Los Angeles newspaper. After flying on several bombing missions, he asked for and received training to operate the bomber's turret machine guns (this was illegal, as he was not in service).
Nevertheless he was decorated with the Medal of Freedom by Gen. Carl Spaatz, then the U.S. Army Air Corp commander. He also saw combat during the Korean War as a correspondent.
In addition to journalism and novels, Kantor wrote the screenplay for Gun Crazy (aka Deadly Is the Female) (1950), a noted film noir. It was based on his short story by the same name, published February 3, 1940 in a "slick" magazine, The Saturday Evening Post. In 1992, it was revealed that he had allowed his name to be used on a screenplay written by Dalton Trumbo, one of the Hollywood Ten, who had been blacklisted as a result of his refusal to testify before the House Un-American Committee (HUAC) hearings. Kantor passed his payment on to Trumbo to help him survive.
Several of his novels were adapted for films. He established his own publishing house, and published several of his works in the 1930s and 1940s.
Kantor died of a heart attack in 1977, at the age of 73, at his home in Sarasota, Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 3, 2014
I read this because of going to Valley Forge and meeting General Washington at the winter encampment. He wouldn't shake my hand, insisting a lady should curtsy and a gentleman bow. We did and I was enthralled. It was dark and we walked out to the huts on a path lit by candles. The huts were open with fires going in each one. Yes, it was re-enactors, but I loved the whole experience. This book gives snippets from various lives of characters living through the winter of Valley Forge. Some of it was bizarre but I ended really like the unique method of telling the tale.
August 8, 2018
I have previously read Andersonville by MacKinlay Kantor and really enjoyed it. I was not aware that he had written a novel on the coldest and darkest days of the Revolutionary War. While I enjoyed the detail in describing events and the prose used to paint a picture of the time period, it was at times difficult to follow the storyline. Especially, when the author writes in different dialects for individuals. I know others might find this as an addition to the story, I found it distracting. From a historical aspect I did find it a fascinating and an accurate account of Valley Forge.
July 27, 2024
He wrote one of my favorites…Andersonville.
This stinks…did not finish
This stinks…did not finish
May 8, 2010
Interesting depiction by Kantor who won a Pulitzer 20 years earlier for ANDERSONVILLE which I have also read. Reread Andersonville for a short magazine feature and this one will serve for the same column come winter.
A sort of crazy quilt of disconnected although related vignettes of all sorts of characters, both historical and invented. Zexellency (Washington) is seen through several lenses. The Markee (de Lafayette) is also portrayed as are some Brits. Although 2000 out of 11000 soldiers died of privation and disease, yet there is not a sense of discouragement. The "spirit of liberty" noted by a foreign military person is strong throughout.
A sort of crazy quilt of disconnected although related vignettes of all sorts of characters, both historical and invented. Zexellency (Washington) is seen through several lenses. The Markee (de Lafayette) is also portrayed as are some Brits. Although 2000 out of 11000 soldiers died of privation and disease, yet there is not a sense of discouragement. The "spirit of liberty" noted by a foreign military person is strong throughout.
January 13, 2015
Oh, Mr. Kantor ..... Of course you knew that this oeuvre was not a novel. I only hope that you knew that the beauty of your prose [often it could be mistaken for poetry] astonishes as it always has. Let's not neglect the discovery and fun of the dialects.
is it"Andersonville," no; not as brilliantly structured as "Spirit Lake" but...... worth a read? Ubetcha!
is it"Andersonville," no; not as brilliantly structured as "Spirit Lake" but...... worth a read? Ubetcha!
June 30, 2014
A good read about the darkest days of the revolution for the fledgling Continental Army under Washington. The Courage and fortitude displayed in this work should remind us that there is something worth suffering and dying for. Freedom.
April 1, 2009
Great book.
August 21, 2014
The first Kantor book that Iread (several years ago) was "Andersonville" and it was excellent! I read this book a couple of years ago, and it was disappointing.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews