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Summary
Summary
A vibrant look at the American Revolution's first months, from the author of the bestseller The Admirals .
When we reflect on our nation's history, the American Revolution can feel almost like a foregone conclusion. In reality, the first weeks and months of 1775 were very tenuous, and a fractured and ragtag group of colonial militias had to coalesce rapidly to have even the slimmest chance of toppling the mighty British Army.
American Spring follows a fledgling nation from Paul Revere's little-known ride of December 1774 and the first shots fired on Lexington Green through the catastrophic Battle of Bunker Hill, culminating with a Virginian named George Washington taking command of colonial forces on July 3, 1775.
Focusing on the colorful heroes John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Benjamin Franklin, and Patrick Henry, and the ordinary Americans caught up in the revolution, Walter R. Borneman uses newly available sources and research to tell the story of how a decade of discontent erupted into an armed rebellion that forged our nation.
Author Notes
Walter Borneman is the author of eight works of nonfiction, including The Admirals , 1812 , The French and Indian War , and Polk . He holds both a master's degree in history and a law degree. He lives in Colorado.
Reviews (2)
Booklist Review
Popular military historian Borneman (1812, 2004; The Admirals, 2012) presents the outbreak of the American War of Independence in 1775. As the arc of his narrative touches the familiar landmarks, from the Battle of Lexington to the Battle of Bunker Hill, an avid American history buff will look for what distinguishes Borneman's account and find it in two respects, debate with prior historians on disputed points (e.g., responsibility for the first shot fired at Lexington) and thematic emphasis of the pressure on individuals to choose sides, with the rebels or the loyalists, as political polarization galloped apace in early 1775. With Benjamin Franklin's family as one of several examples of divided sentiments, Borneman constructs a general narrative that depicts British operations around Boston to seize the patriots' military supplies, one of which, of course, ignited the explosion at Lexington and Concord. Including supporting scenes, such as debate in the Continental Congress, Borneman's saga proves to be capably constructed and accessible to an audience looking for an introduction to these epic events in American history.--Taylor, Gilbert Copyright 2014 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Best-selling historian Borneman (Rival Rails) offers an exceptionally detailed account of the first six months of 1775, a decisive period in American history during which a decade's worth of colonial frustration with Parliament's taxation policies finally boiled over into violent rebellion. The author focuses primarily on confrontations in Lexington, Concord, Fort Ticonderoga, and Bunker Hill, the first four major clashes between the disorderly and untrained, but increasingly bold, colonial militia and the larger, better organized, and more experienced British Army. He details military and political strategies on both sides of the colonies' struggle for independence, making this contribution to the spate of popular histories on the early days of the American revolutionary period (1765-83) somewhat different from other books on the subject. American firebrands Sam Adams, John Hancock, and Ethan Allen play key roles in Borneman's balanced and thorough narrative but so do British leaders Thomas Gage, Henry Clinton, and William Howe. -VERDICT This extensive but accessible popular history is similar in style and scope to Kevin Phillip's 1775 and Nathaniel Philbrick's Bunker Hill but has a greater emphasis on the British side of the Revolutionary War (1775-83) narrative. It is recommended to academic and general audiences alike. [See Prepub Alert, 11/3/13.]-Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.