1776

Avid fan of McCullough having read all his other books except The Johnstown Flood. Every other book was a version published by Simon & Schuster. This book however is the Penguin version and, in order to make the book smaller, has a much much smaller typeface. My recommendation would be not to buy this version but to look around for a Simon & Schuster version. Content will no doubt be worthy of 5 stars, Presentation however only worth 1 star. Hence on balance 3 stars.

The books is written as a historical novel and is entirely focused on a series of events in 1776. No broader setting is given (a thorough introduction on the histories leading up to 1776 would be nice). The book in my view lacks true and comprehensive historical frame and is more an entertaining writing on the way the 'Americans' under the lead of George Washington went through hardships etc. Definitely biased. As for the physical quality of the book: not great, my version in the end fell apart.

I was hoping this book would be a revealing overview of the American War of Independence. In some ways, it is that, painting a detailed picture of Washington in particularly, as well as some of the other generals. However, it really focuses on a number of key battles and spends a lot of time discussing the tactics. Firstly at the battle of Boston but secodnly spending a long time on battle of Long Island and ultimately the capture of Manhatten. The book certainly doesn't cover Washington in glory. Unfortunately the Decleration of Independence and its signees get almost no coverage. This is primairly a book on military history, rather than a wider geolpoltilical or politial tale.

The world knows the year, 1776. Americans know and revere the founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. In this captivating book, MCCullough reminds readers of American history, that important as they were, the founding fathers were politicians first, leaders, second. Their decision to declare independence from Great Britain in 1776 was crucial, but that year was pivotal on the battlefield. McCullough emphasises the contribution on the battlefield, for without victory there, the declaration of independence would be just a mocked document down the path of history. Yet, the initial battles were not easy, and many of the men who fought for America were either too young or too old. America was also in dire shortage of guns and ammunition. Britain had a large professional army, complemented by the feared Hessian troops. In the second half of the year 1776, George Washington, Nathanael Green, and Henry Knox became the unlikely heroes of all time. They had their share of defeat and humiliation - one of Washington's generals (Lee) was captured and taken prisoner by the British. Losses at the Battle of Brooklyn and the surrender of Fort Washington were low points told with a dash of the thrill of war and the shame of men new to warfare, but McCullough produced stunning accounts of the reversal of fortunes at Trenton and Princeton that makes this book so interesting. McCullough produced the shock of stunning reversals of fortune that readers may feel the battle heat as if she had been right there at the frontline.

After reading six of Mr. McCullough's books, I've come to the conclusion that the author could write an engrossing informative work about even unclogging a toilet. In '1776' he explains how the pivotal year was make-or-break for our rebellious country. The book begins in the summer of 1775 Britain where King George III and Parliament are arguing about the situation in America. Mr. McCullough is exceedingly fair in assessing the people involved on every side of the dispute here and in the United Kingdom. The stakes were high for both sides. Understandably the person at the center of the author's book is General George Washington. '1776' shows why Washington came to epitomize our country's aspirations and really was the only logical choice to be the United States' first president. The book has a generous 32 pages of black-and-white as well as color illustrations. Mr. McCullough demonstrates how weather, lack of intelligence, chance, communication, supplies, recruitment efforts, and luck played important roles in the outcomes. I found it interesting and laughable how both sides kept declaring their victories or lucky breaks were God's will. George Washington is front and center in the book but the author also focuses on others who have been lost to history except to the most avid history buffs. On the American side, such important figures as Nathanael Greene, Henry Knox, and Joseph Reed are given credit for their efforts. On the British side, the central figure is General William Howe. '1776' avoids myth building by explaining in detail the condition of the troops, Loyalist who hoped Washington and his small ragtag army would be defeated, military successes and blunders, the states' reluctance to risk their troops on what many viewed as a lost cause, acts of courage as well as cowardice, and horrible acts done by both sides. Great history makes an effort of giving an accurate representation of what was and not what people wish it to be. The United States is no different than any other country in trying to whitewash uncomfortable aspects of our past. Politicians and demagogues are especially zealous at spreading the patriotic manure of our country’s complete moral purity. Mr. McCullough is a necessary corrective to their jingoistic bilge. He is one of those historians who not only tells a compelling story but shows our past's successes, failures, and mixed results. '1776' only covers one year but what a year it was. The reader will conclude the book truly understanding how close we were to remaining under British rule.