John H. Rhodehamel

Rhodenhamel retells the familiar story of Abraham Lincoln's assassination, but with a twist or at least another view about the motives of it. John Wilkes Booth motives for assassinating Lincoln have never been fully understood or explained . This novel shows how the more Lincoln fought for civil rights, the more Booth's anger towards Lincoln grew. The point of view from this story is that Lincoln's assassination was a result of emancipation and racism. Other motivations are explored, but show more debunked. This is the first book to name white supremacy as a motive for Lincoln's assassination and the author just may have a case about it. Well written, well researched, well done! Highly recommend! show less

When I finished this book I had a new understanding of the Revolutionary War. The book contains writings from all perspectives about all aspects of our fight to be born as a nation. At the end I felt a real sense of surprise in my new understanding of what this struggle meant to the participants as it was occurring.
The Library of America makes an excellent book with first class binding and paper. They also get the highest marks for scholarship. The editors of this volume used all show more contemporary sources and documented them carefully. At the same time they produced an entertaining book on a subject that has been covered in thousands of volumes.
As I read the accounts from privates and generals and everyone in between I was surprised by the high level of literacy of all parties. They all expressed different points of view with a level of articulateness that is missing in most of the writing of today. I learned a new appreciation for the letter as a means of communication. An amusing surprise was the spelling of that era, which was not was not nearly as uniform as today.
Reading this book gives an insight into the experience of the revolutionary war that is unique. I have read many volumes on the political and military history of that era without gaining the understanding of the events I gathered from this book. If you are interested in the subject at all reading this volume is an investment of time well worth the effort. show less

Book received from NetGalley.

This was a very interesting book, the autobiography of our first elected president made sure to separate fact from the many myths that have grown up around George Washington. I had known for awhile that this book was being written, having heard the author mention it on a documentary on George Washington. I was thrilled to get a chance to read an eARC of it from NetGalley. I really enjoyed reading an up to date biography of the former general turned President of show more our country. I will definitely be buying a copy for my history/biography book collection. show less

"The American Revolution: Writings from the War of Independence", brings the American Revolution to life. The daily life of many of the participants is told. An excellent collection of journals, proclamations, speeches, letters and correspondence of the famous characters and the not so famous, involved in this conflict. The daily life of soldiers, officers, citizens and prisoners of war, on both sides is detailed. The horrors of this war were not less than those of modern warfare. The show more weapons were as deadly as 20th and 21st century weapons, but perhaps less efficient. The suffering just as real. A long book, but an easy read as the writings make "chapters" that lend themselves to good break points to stop and return to the book. A fascinating compilation of writings on the struggle to make America. show less