James P's Reviews > 1776

On July 4, 2016, I was in Ghana and no one had a clue it was the United States' Independence Day except for me. I could not shoot off fireworks or drape Old Glory over my shoulders. Instead, I finished reading this book, and my pride in my country rose to new heights.

I love this book. David McCullough is a master at recounting history. I love how much primary source quotations and research he brought into the book.

The book follows the American and British troops from Boston to Brooklyn to Trenton, primarily focusing on George Washington and his two best commanders: Nathaniel Greene and Henry Knox.

I never understood how incredible a feat it was that the inexperienced yet charismatic Knox took men with him to retrieve cannons from Fort Ticonderoga and dragged them over land and water to Boston. Amazing!

At Brooklyn it must have been quite the sight with scores of British warships in New York Bay and some 30,000 British and Hessian troops landing at Staten Island and then Long Island.

Who can forget Washington's brave advance on Trenton? Some day I wish to own a copy of the famous 1851 Emanuel Leutze painting Washington Crossing the Delaware.

My heart soars when I think of these historic events.

I am struck that the battles ended with relatively few casualties. With such huge armies, I would have expected more than the 1,000 or less total deaths. Also, it was inspiring to read about the Maryland contingent and how their few numbers held off the British advance during the Battle of Brooklyn so that everyone else could safely retreat.

This is simply a remarkable book, and one that should be read in families across the United States.