Eric's Reviews > 1776

Halfway through the book, I mentally put it in my personal Top 10.

I may have a strong affinity for the book's settings – I live in the Boston area, and spent a few years in Brooklyn & Manhattan – but the way McCullough tells the tale is so dramatic and practically unbelievable, it’s hard not to think of this history book as a fiction thriller. There were multiple points, especially in the second half, where I seriously started questioning whether America actually won the war. My only gripe is that, because it’s so focused on the (roughly) one year period, 1777 & beyond only gets about 2 pages; I felt McCullough could have continued to elaborate on the aftermath in his particular style for another 10-20 pages to better close things.

Back when everyone was reading John Adams, I tried it out and didn’t get very far. 1776 is (in my opinion) so much more grand and captivating, I just can’t recommend it enough.