Reading on the 4th of July

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Happy 4th of July, my fellow Americans!

For those moments when we’re not watching fireworks and picnicking and doing all the things we do, here are some Revolutionary books that fit the spirit of the day.

1776 by David McCullough
The book that contains the unforgettable scene in which George Washington goes out into the middle of a frozen river and jumps up and down to test the strength of the ice, before sending horses across. Takes my breath away every time I think of it.

George Washington: A Life by Willard Sterne Randall
Yes, this is the time I alluded to the Brady Bunch when talking about our first President.

Thomas Jefferson by R. B. Bernstein
A remarkable portrait of a wildly complex Founder. 
(Super thrilling flashback to 2010: the author commented on my blog!)

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
Everyone’s talking about the musical, and this book is the source material. It’s amazing! (…says the woman who accidentally listened to the abridged audiobook version and may never let herself live it down) 

All you history readers out there… What are your favorite Revolutionary books? 

6 thoughts on “Reading on the 4th of July”

  1. Lark

    I read a great one on Samuel Adams: Pioneer of Propaganda that I still think about, and the bio. Harlow Giles Unger wrote on Patrick Henry is really good, too. I think it's called Lion of Liberty. I really want to read 1776 and the Alexander Hamilton book. They're on my list. 🙂

  5. Brian Joseph

    Thanks so much for stopping by my blog Unruly and thanks for the good word.

    Thanks for the introduction citizen

    This is such an interesting subject.

    I have not read Randall's Washington Biography but I am in the middle of his Benedict Arnold book. So far it is excellent.

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