How do you bring seat-of-the-pants excitement to events that took place 229 years ago? And when the ending is known to all? Master historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough answers these questions emphatically by putting a human face to the events of 1776, when a valiant rag-tag bunch of American farmers, plumbers, and blacksmiths fought the British to secure independence for America. McCullough combed through mountains of historic documents on both sides of the Atlantic to write the narrative of this most important period in American history. His efforts pay off in spades because the reader is caught up with the people and the events, which are portrayed in such fine detail that the excitement is palpable until the very end, even though the outcome is known.
Colonial leaders in America were determined to free themselves of British rule. They charged George Washington to lead an army to force the British off American land. For Washington, the task was easier said than done. His army, if an untrained, underfunded group of people of varying age groups and physical ability can be called one, was up against arguably the greatest army in the world. The British had professional soldiers - well trained, well clothed and well fed - and a crack team of leaders who had fought many wars and were keen military strategists. Perhaps this is the genesis of America’s enduring love and support of the underdog, for the American army was definitely the underdog and few gave any chances for their success. King George III, the English ruler, considered the Americans’ fight for freedom a minor uprising by ingrates and did not see the necessity for a large army to fight them. What Washington’s troops did and did successfully is told in riveting detail by McCullough, who makes every attempt to be fair to both sides.
Heroes abound in McCullough’s telling. There is Henry Knox, a bookseller by trade, who braved the elements to trek three hundred miles in harsh winter to bring much needed ammunition from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston. There is Nathanael Greene, a Rhode Island Quaker, who was made a general at the young age of thirty-three and had to pit his brains against astute British strategists.
And above all, there is George Washington. McCullough does not deify this icon of the American revolution. Instead, he portrays him warts and all, and Washington emerges as a fallible human, full of self-doubts when his strategies fail quite miserably in thwarting the British and the morale of the Americans plummet. Yet in the end, we see Washington as a true hero, as he does not give up on the American cause and forces; by sheer will of his personality, his troops soldier on, eking out small victories that cumulatively break the British spirit.
The book is history at its very best. It is a compelling read as we are ushered into ground zero of this pivotal moment in American history.
8 comments:
I am enjoying this book. McCullough does a good job putting a human face on all the characters. The details of ones foggy eye from small pox to anothers love of dogs these men become more human then history. I just finished reading George Washingtons letter about how discouraged he is, when soldiers leaving the tour of duty take the guns with them, and the harsh winter. But I love how he says if he had known how bad it would have been and if he could have justified it to his children and future generations he would have never taken the command. This makes him so much more of a hero in my book, because he recognizes the importance of how future generations will see and judge our decisions, how they affect more than just the here and now. I also loved in his letter when he says if they do succeed, he will know without a doubt the hand of providence was involved. You betcha ya, he had it right. Happy 4th of July to all and happy reading. jm
I have about an hour left in the audiobook and it has been great. Huzzah for America!! Is anyone else reading/listening to it this month?
"These are the times that try men's souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman."
-Thomas Paine after the back to back losses of Fort Washington and Fort Lee
This book is amazing. McCullough points out these men's weaknesses along with their strengths. Now, I am not a fan of hero bashing - tearing down the positive image of men and women who did great things - but this is not hero bashing. Like Jenny said, I appreciate Washington so much more after reading about his poor decisions. I just read about his 4th lost battle in a row. His own confidant and best friend just lost complete faith in him and said as much in a letter to another general. But it is what Washington does at this time that is so inspiring. I am on the edge of my seat, just waiting to listen to the next part.
My only complaint about this book is that it only covers 1776; I wish it went on and covered the rest of the war.
I just started listening to this book, but I am excited! I do enjoy history. I am playing catch up a bit. I just finished the Goose Girl. I know I am late, but better late than never... right? I posted some comments under that entry.
I thought that this book would deal with more of the politics than it did. It only touched on politics as it applied to the war. I liked it, I really did. I liked it, like I like the war chapters in the Book of Mormon. It's interesting and inspiring. As if there is any doubt as to whether the hand of God was with these men.
The killer irony to this 10 disc audiobook or many hundred page selection is that neither Brady or Melissa pretend to be reading it or have any intentions of getting to it this month or had a clue how big it was. Hint to the next people who don't plan on reading their selection...make it short!
(I hope you can read a great deal of tongue in cheek in this comment- I'm not upset it was a great read.)
Well I did it. I finished my first Book Club selection in some months. And what a book to get back on track with. That was seriously amazing. I got a little teary-eyed at parts while reading about what trials were faced and overcome in our nation's first year.
What's the next book? I am still on Geriatrics so I might get to read it too!
Wow. I loved it. Like Johnny I've also skipped over a few months of books, because like Johnny I've been taking final exams of med school, moving, and beginning rotations in hospitals. Or, . . . well any other excuse will just sound pathetic from here. I have read a few though.
I love George Washington. I love how one of his great strengths was dealing with and trying to improve the army he had, not wishing it were different. I also loved that he trusted in men like Nathaneal Green who didn't have much experience, but had sharp minds and a lot of heart, and he forgave him after an extremely bad decision. One more. I loved how when he opened that letter from Lee back to Reed who were both backbiting him, he wrote a letter of explanation that he thought it included war information. He didn't accuse or ridicule them, just explained.
I'm so bad on my history that for a lot of it, I had no idea what was coming next. I kept thinking it was hopeless and America had no chance to win. If I didn't have the advantage of my place in time, I'd think we didn't have a chance. It brought more insight into the scripture "the power of God was with them [America} . . . And . . . [they] were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations." (1 Nephi 13:18-19). If God didn't want us to win, well then, our history would be a lot different.
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