War is hell, and the
American Revolution was no exception. Although textbooks laud the
orations about liberty and the equality of man, the revolution was as bloody as any other war. The fierce partisanship of Patriots and
Loyalists created a volatile situation where each side committed
violent acts against the other. Neighbors were caught on each side
and ended fighting each other, as in the Civil War. The British were
equally brutal in their treatment of the colonists.
This is an
eye-opening book if you’re unfamiliar with the darker side of the
Revolution. The author does an excellent job of choosing incidents to
illustrate how each side mistreated the other. The book is largely
stories featuring colonists, slaves, and the British. Each incident
illustrates how the opposing sides injured individuals.
The book in addition
to being scholarly is easy to read for a general audience. The use of
stories involving individuals makes the book feel more personal. The
narrative is easy to follow and the well drawn maps allow the reader
to follow the action and pinpoint the activity to areas in the US
today. I found that helpful.
I highly recommend
this book. Even if you’re not a historian, it’s good to discover
what the founding of the country was like. This book is a realistic
corrective to the rosy picture of pure colonists and violent Brits.
I received this book
from Net Galley for this review.
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