The Revolutionary War

by John M. Thompson

This wonderfully readable and magnificently illustrated book tells the stirring tale of America's origins, from rumblings of rebellion in the 1760s to the selection of eorge Washington as President in 1789. The Revlutionary War is a vivid history of battles lost and won, as well as a chronicle of ideas and idealists, men and women from all walks of colonial life in a violent struggle for freedom that would create a nation unlike any the world had ever seen. In eight concise and comprehensive chapters, author John Thompson explains why the 13 colonies rebelled, then traces the seven years of military moves and countermoves that led to an independent United States. He shows how Britain's Stamp Act provoked the Boston Massacre and the legendary Tea Party, then relates how event in Lexington and concord sparked genuine war. Here are all the theaters of battle, from Bunker HIll to trenton, Saratoga to Yorktown; all the exciting scenes from the ill-fated American attack on Quebec to vicious sieges, both British and American, on the key port cities of Charleston and Savannah. Here, too,a re biographical sidebars on famous (and infamous) fgures-George III, Benedict Arnold, Nathanael Greene, Gentleman Johnny Burgoynem Francis Marion, James Armistead Lafayette-along with illustrated mini-essays on ideas and accomplishments significant during the Revolutinary era, such as the influence of Enlghtenment philosophy, the power of the press, and earthworkds engineering. enhanced by period illustratins, evocative paintings, and archival maps, as well as by the contemporary cartography and photography that readers count on from National Geographic.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

192 pages, Leather Bound

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Juniper Shore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing is vivid and the illustrations are fantastic. This is National Geographic at its best, with full-color reproductions of period paintings and photographs of modern reenactors, plus simple and easy-to-understand maps.

The narrative is shamelessly pro-American. The story reads like a 1950s-era retelling of the Revolution, in which all the British are venal and all the Americans are heroic underdogs (except, of course, for Benedict Arnold). Thompson glosses over a lot of detail in his description of events. Nevertheless, this is a good book for kids about age 10 or so; it has all the major events, with sidebars about the larger context, including the industrial revolution and the design of uniforms, and short biographies of some key individuals.

Not a book for serious historians, but a lot of fun to read.

[Amy C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vibrant and vivid book about America's greatest war.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good general history.

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very slow in the beginning, but it picked up in the middle as the author found his narrative. Not a bad coffee table book.