The Glorious Cause

Think you know the Revolutionary War? So did I, but I find the more I read, the more I didn't know. This book picks up with Brooklyn and goes through to the final siege of Yorktown.

Nobody writes war stories like Shaara. He does such a great job of describing the key figures, of telling the story behind the conflict, and of explaining where things are happening. I have a hard time picturing things out without a map. I'm not really a visual reader. So if a writer gets to specific about where things are going on, I can't piece it together unless there's a map.

But for me, the people were really what made the story come alive. I loved reading about them. Ben Franklin, General Cornwallis, Lafayette, Washington - all of them were there, show more including my cousin, Nathanael Greene. (Yeah, it's distant, but still, he's my cuz!) He even takes the time to tell one scene from the perspective of a captive on the prison ships held in New York, as Cornwallis sails back to England.

Absolutely 5 stars. show less

Volume 2 of his 2 volume series on the American Revolution, The Glorious Cause begins in August of 1776 and continues to the end of the war in 1783. Part history, part historical fiction, Jeff Shaara masterfully writes a story that delves into the minds of the participants like few authors have succeeded in doing before. And he does so with solid historical research. As he states in his introduction: “Through research that includes memoirs, written accounts, diaries, and collections of letters and documents, I have attempted to reach into the minds of each character, to show you their world as they saw it.” (p. vii). The primary characters that he does this through are George Washington, Nathanael Greene, Ben Franklin, Charles show more Cornwallis, William Howe, as well as the Marquis de Lafayette, Nathan Hale, Benedict Arnold, “Mad Anthony” Wayne, John Paul Jones, “Light-Horse” Harry Lee, and several others, on both sides of the issue.
The British employed German mercenaries called Hessians whom the Americans generally hated, both because of their reputation for brutality and for the fact that this wasn’t their war. And Jeff Shaara starts the book off by giving the reader a reason to hate them as well.
Jeff Shaara’s ability to delve into the minds of characters is superb, and he has an accurate perception of the historical significance of certain events. For example, in 1781, as Nathaneal Greene’s American forces retreated from British General Cornwallis completely out of the Carolinas into Virginia, Shaara made the following commentary: “It was called a victory for the British and would cause celebration in London, would garner congratulations from Clinton and Germain. For the first time since the start of the war, not one continental soldier stood on Carolina soil. But Cornwallis did not celebrate. For now he truly understood Greene’s plan. Cornwallis’ army was barely two thousand strong, the men brutally punished by the extraordinary march. Their grand parade uniforms were as ragged as the clothes of the rebels, their newly soled shoes worn away again, their horses emaciated and sick. And, worse, the soldiers were starving. Greene has surrendered the Carolinas, and in the process had nearly destroyed Cornwallis’ army.” (pp 539-540.)
Insightful. Perceptive. Intriguing. Jeff Shaara. show less

Turns out that wasn't the book I intended to read. That's okay, because this is an entertaining historical novel about the American War for Independence. Or is it a novelistic history? Because it really reads like a history book. But a history book with an unusual knowledge of the thoughts and private conversations of its protagonists. Because there's a lot here that would never be known from the historical record and is at best educated supposition. Nevertheless it provides an interesting perspective where people are the heart of the narrative rather than a string of battles and military strategies.

The four point-of-view characters in this book are George Washington, Nathaniel Green, Lord Cornwallis, and Benjamin Franklin. Each of show more these men is presented as brilliant and noble in their own way. Their rivals are depicted much less well. For Washington and Greene that includes Charles Lee, Horatio Gates, and members of Congress, while Cornwallis has to deal with Generals Howe, Clinton, and Burgoyne. Meanwhile, Franklin faces off against the intrigues of the French court.

As I said, it's entertaining as a novel and historically sound, and worth a read for a different take on the Revolution. show less

This is the second book in Jeff Shaara's duology on the American Revolution.

The story begins shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence and ends with the surrender of Britain at Yorktown. In true Shaara form, the story is told through the eyes of those who lived it. Fictionalized History, most definitely, but done with in-depth research.

I knew about these men: George Washington, Charles Cornwallis, Ben Franklin, from years of American History in school. I really enjoyed the parts on Franklin, learning so many things about him that I never knew.

Shaara also brings in those men who were only "add-ons" in the classroom. Nathanael Greene, Washington's right hand man and brilliant strategist. Daniel Morgan, who commanded show more one of the best rifle companies in the Continental Army, The Marquis de Lafayette, who believed in the American Cause and traveled from France to help.

I have become a huge Shaara "fan-girl" , if you love history and historical fiction his books are a "not to be missed" show less

Now it is true that I enjoy American History so I am not completely objective...
I really liked this novel. I think it may be Jeff Shaara's best that I have read so far. I have read 2 other books about Washington and they gave a slightly different view of the person but I really liked Shaara's characterization. There is something to be said for a leader who knows he will be killed if he loses and keeps going even though the conditions are horrible. Well written...better than Gods and Genenrals or the Last Full Measure.

This is one historical novel that's as much history as it is novel. It reads very much like some popular histories I've read, with the only significant difference being the absence of footnotes/endnotes. Although the novel is long (nearly 700 pages in the mass market paperback edition), it necessarily hits only the highlights of the Revolutionary War, with some conflicts such as the Battle of Saratoga receiving only a brief mention. Shaara's selection of the skirmishes and major battles for his tale serves to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the officers on each side of the conflict, the opportunities that were either taken advantage of or wasted, and the fragility of the American cause on many occcasions.

I was probably in high show more school the last time I read a general overview of the Revolutionary War. Most of the reading I've done since then has focused on specific battles, geographic regions, or individual participants. The book provided me with a useful overview of the war as well as an entertaining read.

Shaara's novel allows the reader to experience the war from the perspective of several key figures, providing insight into what they might have thought and felt about the war. It will not substitute for any of the standard histories of the American Revolution, but I highly recommend it as supplmentary reading. show less

I enjoyed The Glorious Cause almost as much as Rise to Rebellion. Both bring the "characters" to life much better than your standard biography. And don't let the "novel" part of this deter you—it is very well researched and aligns as well with other nonfiction books on the subject I've read. Excellent!