1776 (edition 2005)

reads like a thriller. Fantastic. ( )

i would recommend this book to all armchair historians - it's written in a clear, accessible style yet thoroughly backed up with citations for those who wish to explore a certain area further. full disclosure: i have a little crush on david mccollough. he's a handsome man. ( )

Excellent book about the year the War finally turned in the U.S.'s favor. ( )

McCullough's book sets for itself a narrow scope, presumably with the intent of focusing a magnifying glass on a time, place, and persons of critical importance to the revolution. He clearly succeeds, but leaves me wanting more.

In 1776, we cover the movements, battles, and decisions of the year, more or less ending with the triumphs of Trenton and Princeton. In the process, we see our first president suffer setbacks and the consequences of poor decisions. The author does a brilliant job of creating literary narrative of historic events and provides us with the details in a colorful way. It is deserving of the awards and praise, but I cannot leave the subject with the smallest of complaint: I wanted more. But perhaps I'm alone in enjoying the massive, thorny texts I do. All readers should enjoy this book greatly! ( )

History buffs rejoice! This nonfiction account of the first major year of the American Revolution will certainly hit the spot for you. After the United States declared its independence from British rule all hell broke loose. McCullough chronicles the ebb and flow of British power in the states as the battle was fought.

I didn't realize that the American army was completely voluntary. The majority of the men were trying to run their farms at the same time. They left their wives and children alone with all the duties on the farm and many of them had to leave the battle front for awhile to return home during harvest time to help their families. Meanwhile the British army they were fighting was made up of trained soldiers with no opportunity to return home.

I loved learning about the Americans taking the hill above Boston in the middle of the night. The British woke up and realized they were completely screwed. So much in war depends on chance, to pull that off they had to have the perfect weather and luckily they did! I also learned so much more about George Washington. He was a great leader who had a wonderful ability to instill confidence in soldiers, but he made mistakes just like anyone else.

There were so many moments when it looked like America would lose it all. We were the underdogs. The British had well-trained forces and plenty of supplies. We had exhausted farmers with mismatched jackets and a severe lack of food. Somehow a victory with those circumstances is even sweeter.

My only complaint is that when it comes to history tomes it’s easier for me to stay connected when the focus falls on one person. One could argue George Washington in the lynch pin in this book, but it’s really about the war as a whole. I always feel like the facts stay with me longer if I see them in the context of one person’s life. I still really enjoyed it, but not quite as much as a straight biography.

BOTTOM LINE: If you love history, especially regarding America, then this is for you. It’s well-written, covers fascinating territory and gives a complete picture of just how important that year was in the creation of a brand new nation. ( )