Appleseed - American Revolution Books/Media List

[readysetgo]

Thought I might try a book list. Pool our knowledge base and get recommendations/reviews. After attending RWVA's Project Appleseed the last two months and April 19th fast approaching I've been on a bit of an American Revolution history kick. [waves flag]

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Give a title and author you've read, are interested in reading or have heard good things about.
Include any other info on the book you might have handy e.g. ISBN #, page count, year of publishing etc.

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Let's start 'er off with this:

Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer
Paperback: 464 pages, Publisher: Oxford University Press; Reprint edition (April 19, 1995), ISBN-10: 0195098315, ISBN-13: 978-0195098310

eta: Now (06/2017) available in audiobook format: @ Amazon (CD Format 9781541405097) (MP3 CD Format 9781541455092), @ Audible, @ Itunes, @ The Publisher, Tantor Media

readysetgo - The events/people in this book are featured heavily in the history program of Project Appleseed. Giving insight to the day the war began, April 19th 1775.
scoutcamper - +1 on Paul Revere's Ride, i enjoyed that one a lot.

[readysetgo]

1776 by David McCullough
Paperback: 386 pages, Publisher: HOLT MCDOUGAL; 1st ed. (June 27, 2006), ISBN-10: 0743226720, ISBN-13: 978-0743226721

readysetgo - Loved this book. Primarily about General Washington and the diffulcities he faced in '76 but captures the overall view very well too.
BB-Stacker - 1776. One of my all time favorites. Well worth the price and you feel satisfied for the time spent reading it.

1775: A Good Year for Revolution by Kevin Phillips
Hardcover: 656 pages, Publisher: Viking Adult; First Edition edition (November 27, 2012), ISBN-10: 0670025127, ISBN-13: 978-0670025121

amazon desc - In 1775, iconoclastic historian and bestselling author Kevin Phillips punctures the myth that 1776 was the watershed year of the American Revolution.
readysetgo - Just started reading this (actually listening audio book) and I can tell there is a wealth of knowledge in it. A little dry, author seems a little too fascinated with his hypothesis but the facts and details are great so far. I may have to come back to this in print and give it a more thorough look.

Lexington and Concord: The Beginning of the War of the American Revolution by Arthur Bernon Tourtellot
Paperback: 336 pages, Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (April 17, 2000) (Originally 1959), ISBN-10: 0393320561, ISBN-13: 978-0393320565

PurplePeople - Originally published in 1959, so lacks some of the later research cited in PPR, but another readable telling of the story.

The Minute Men by John R. Galvin
Paperback: 292 pages, Publisher: Potomac Books Inc.; Revised edition (November 15, 2006) (Orginal ??? 1960's), ISBN-10: 1597970700, ISBN-13: 978-1597970709

PurplePeople - Written by a military man. If you're interested in how the colonists were organized in advance and during the fight - in detail - this is the go-to source.

Washington's Crossing by David Hackett Fischer
Paperback: 576 pages, Publisher: Oxford University Press Reprint edition (February 1, 2006), ISBN-10: 019518159X, ISBN-13: 978-0195181593

PurplePeople - DHF's other Revolutionary history, written in the same engaging style as PRR. 1776 was not a piece of cake - this is the real story.

Battle Road (Dramatized) by Jerry Robbins, MP3 download on Audible and Itunes

readysetgo - A dramatization (like old time radio show) about the events of 04/19/1775 along battle road. It's a fun listen with different actors and sound effects. They could have made it easier to follow the story, sometimes I was thinking "Wait, where are we now? Who's speaking?" but done well overall.

Uniforms of the American Revolution by John Mollo, Malcolm McGregor
Hardcover: 228 pages, Publisher: Macmillan Pub Co; 1st American ed edition (May 1975), ISBN-10: 0025855808, ISBN-13: 978-0025855809

readysetgo - I don't know enough to say that it's the end all be all but it seems very thorough and has a ton of color plates and good info on equipment and uniforms.

The Life of General Daniel Morgan by James Graham (1856). It's available on line but still in print too.

as_rocketman - Amazing guy. Probably more than anyone else, he embodied the spirit of the Rifleman.
readysetgo - ...I kid you not, when I got to the battle of Cowpens my heart was racing hard. What a great story, IMO this is definitely a must read.

Hillsdale Dialogues, 10-17-14, Locke and Hillsdale Dialogues, 10-31-14, The Declaration Of Independence SOUNDCLOUD HERE or ITUNES HERE
Audio recordings, 30 min ea, Hugh Hewitt Radio Show and Hillsdale College

readysetgo - Really good discussions in these shows. It's deep but also digestible and compact (each is around a half hour long), I find myself driving home from work on Friday evenings and I arrive home and don't want to get out of the car while this show is running.

[BB-Stacker]

1776. One of my all time favorites. Well worth the price and you feel satisfied for the time spent reading it.

[PurplePeople]

I like:

Arthur Tourtellot, Lexington and Concord (earlier edition published as William Diamond's Drum) Originally published in 1959, so lacks some of the later research cited in PPR, but another readable telling of the story.

John R. Galvin, The Minute Men. Written by a military man. If you're interested in how the colonists were organized in advance and during the fight - in detail - this is the go-to source.

David Hackett Fischer, Washington's Crossing. DHF's other Revolutionary history, written in the same engaging style as PRR. 1776 was not a piece of cake - this is the real story.

[scoutcamper]

My Tablet is getting a few more books on it today

+1 on Paul Revere's Ride, i enjoyed that one a lot.

[readysetgo]

So, lot of knuckle draggers here aren't into reading huh? j/k

Just finished listening to Battle Road (Dramatized) by Jerry Robbins.

A dramatization (like old time radio show) about the events of 04/19/1775 along battle road. It's a fun listen with different actors and sound effects. They could have made it easier to follow the story, sometimes I was thinking "Wait, where are we now? Who's speaking?" but done well overall.

It's available for download on Audible and Itunes for three bucks.

[readysetgo]

Found this little gem in a used book store for $3!

Uniforms of the American Revolution by John Mollo, Malcolm McGregor
Hardcover: 228 pages, Publisher: Macmillan Pub Co; 1st American ed edition (May 1975), ISBN-10: 0025855808, ISBN-13: 978-0025855809

I don't know enough to say that it's the end all be all but it seems very thorough and has a ton of color plates and good info on equipment and uniforms.

[as_rocketman]

One I like is the 1856 "The Life of General Daniel Morgan," by James Graham. It's available on line but still in print too.

Amazing guy. Probably more than anyone else, he embodied the spirit of the Rifleman.

[readysetgo]

One I like is the 1856 "The Life of General Daniel Morgan," by James Graham. It's available on line but still in print too.

Amazing guy. Probably more than anyone else, he embodied the spirit of the Rifleman.

Thanks rocketman!

From the author in the preface of "The Life of General Daniel Morgan":

The American people hold in especial reverence the memory of those whose patriotism and valor were rendered conspicuous in the revolutionary war. The day is far distant, if, indeed, such a day will ever arrive, when they will cease to regard with interest everything in relation to that band of heroes and sages.

??? Has that far distant day arrived? I hope not, really hope not.

[readysetgo]

One I like is the 1856 "The Life of General Daniel Morgan," by James Graham. It's available on line but still in print too.

Amazing guy. Probably more than anyone else, he embodied the spirit of the Rifleman.

"Amazing guy" is right. I finished reading this one and I kid you not, when I got to the battle of Cowpens my heart was racing hard. What a great story, IMO this is definitely a must read.

Thanks again rocketman.
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I've got two more audio recommendations. Both are from a radio series called "Hillsdale Dialogues". This is an ongoing part of the Hugh Hewitt show featuring discussions on classic history with Professors from Hillsdale College.

The series is available in two places, SOUNDCLOUD HERE or ITUNES HERE.

These two episodes are dealing with revolutionary times:
Hillsdale Dialogues, 10-17-14, Locke

Dr. Arnn and Dr. West join Hugh Hewitt to discuss the influence of John Lock on the Founding of America

and
Hillsdale Dialogues, 10-31-14, The Declaration Of Independence

Dr. Arnn joins Hugh Hewitt to discuss the Declaration of Independence

Really good discussions in these shows. It's deep but also digestible and compact (each is around a half hour long), I find myself driving home from work on Friday evenings and I arrive home and don't want to get out of the car while this show is running.

[M1NM]

Sons of the Revolution Library & Museum in Glendale. Mostly geneology but lots of history too. Sons of the Revolution is not Sons of the American Revolution. SR membership requirements are narrower basically requiring military service.

http://www.srcalifornia.com/nav2.htm

[readysetgo]

A little abstract for the OP topic... but I haven't been doing much reading lately.

Anyhow, a recent interview with author David McCullough about his new book: The Wright Brothers

A comment that caught my attention and relates to the topic at hand, IMO, is when he say's (about the Wright brothers) But what saved them for me is that they were constantly in trouble. They were up against adversity of a kind that most of us would have said, "To hell with this, I'm not gonna go ahead!"

[readysetgo]

Hey, what're you all reading about American history this summer?!

Finished reading Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation by Cokie Roberts.

I'd give it 3 stars overall. The stories are great and I think the author hit on some good points here and there. Wanted to love the subject but the writing style can be too disjointed at times, for me.

[readysetgo]

Bump from the dead.

Been on an encyclopedia kick lately.

Colonial America, Vol. 1-10, D. Thorp, Grolier

ISBN: 978-0717291939

Out of print, well done grade school encyclopedia.

[readysetgo]

Two updates in three days!!!

North America in Colonial Times by Jacob Ernest Cooke (Editor), Milton M. Klein (Editor)