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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
“1776” by David McCullough ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“1776” is a military history of the first full year of the American Revolution.
My relationship with American History isn’t a good one. I don’t care for most of it because it pisses me off and gives me the ick. However, I’ve promised myself, and some friends, to give it another try so here I am trying and with not a bad place to start.
I really liked McCullough’s writing and I completely understand why he’s one of the foremost historians on the American Revolution and the Early Republic. I definitely would like to read more of his work. Since “1776” is a military history, we follow a lot of the big players like Washington, Greene and Knox as well as the Redcoats like Howe and Clinton. And I cannot overstate how distracted I became as the book went on by “Hamilton” because they do hit a few of the same beats.
I think my issue with this book is that, while it’s not a bad place to start, I don’t think it’s where I should have started. McCullough does a great job at setting the scene for the outbreak of war but it wasn’t enough. I am, unfortunately, horny for politics and as much as McCullough scratches that itch, this is first a foremost a book about the war campaign and not the intimate details of the goings on in Philadelphia at the same time.
Overall, I’m glad I read it. It does put into perspective just how much was going on in 1776 and I’m actually quite excited to choose my next AR adventure.
This is the abridged version—reading this for a book club I belong to and have run out of time to read the full book. Well researched and one of McCullough’s more accessible histories that especially highlights how remarkable it was for the Continental Army to, in the end, beat the British.
With the knowledge I have now based on the books I've read, I could've won the Revolutionary War. I would simply use advanced tactics and military expertise to stop the advance of the British Army. Guess I'm just built different like that.
I think about the amount of research that goes into a book like this and the ability to synthesize information from letters written 200 years ago into a compelling and flowing narrative and the sheer mountain of work that it requires. Stunning.
I think about the amount of research that goes into a book like this and the ability to synthesize information from letters written 200 years ago into a compelling and flowing narrative and the sheer mountain of work that it requires. Stunning.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
A straightforward book to get you into the beginning of the American Revolution, it reads very much like a novel. McCullough did a fabulous job reading his work, and as much as I adore his voice, it occasionally makes you want to fall asleep, soothing in a good way. Although I am familiar with the American Revolution's history, I interpret the Declaration's writing daily, so this background will help me learn how to present the rest of 1776 to the public in an easily digestible way. This will be incredibly helpful for the 250th next year.
If you need a book to introduce you to this incredible, tumultuous yet inspiring time in U.S. history, this is a fabulous starting point!
If you need a book to introduce you to this incredible, tumultuous yet inspiring time in U.S. history, this is a fabulous starting point!
challenging
informative
tense
slow-paced
Amazing book; reads like you're watching a movie. Hope HBO does for 1776 what they did for John Adams. Now, when does 1777 come out? Maybe I should write it, after hitting the battlefields and forts of the Hudson Valley over past 4 days.
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
The best thing about this impressive and (very) detailed book is how much I learned about a time I already knew a lot about. Despite the utter wealth if information the book moved at a good pace, never feeling bogged down by dates and names. Awesome read.
informative
medium-paced