Helpful Score: 2
Once more breathing vigor and passion into the dusty annals of our nation's history, the author of the bestselling Civil War trilogy (Gods and Generals; The Last Full Measure; Gone for Soldiers) demonstrates an ever-growing level of literary competence in the first installment of his projected two-volume saga of the American Revolution. Spanning the crucible years beginning with the Boston Massacre in March 1770 and continuing through the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July, 4, 1776, the story is told from the perspective of a handful of characters well known from our history books. In Boston, the Sons of Liberty activist Samuel Adams and his younger, more intellectual and oratorical second cousin, John Adams, speak out against King George III. In London there's aging Philadelphian Benjamin Franklin, who has resided for a number of years abroad, an agent for home colony Pennsylvania (and others). In New York, Gen. Thomas Gage is the ranking British officer on American soil. And heroic colonial planter George Washington has risen to full colonel in the Virginia militia fighting for George III during the French and Indian War. This masterful dramatization of the fateful escalation of the rebellion following the Boston Massacre moves from the battles of 1775 at Lexington, Concord, Fort Ticonderoga, Bunker Hill and the siege of Boston, through the convening in 1776 of the Continental Congress and the reading of the Declaration of Independence. Richly embroidered with portraits of such heroes as Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, Paul Revere, John Hancock and Thomas Jefferson, the tapestry chronicles America's plunge toward liberty
Helpful Score: 1
In this novel, Jeff Shaara brings to life the American Revolution through the men who helped forge the destiny of a nation - from idealistic attorney John Adams to audacious inventor and philosopher Ben Franklin; from Thomas Gage, the British general given the task of crushing a colonial rebellion, to George Washington, the Virginian who took command of a colonial army.
This is an excellent book for anyone interested in historical fiction.
This is an excellent book for anyone interested in historical fiction.
Brings to life the events leading up to the Declaration of Independence.
Gripping narrative of true, factual and quite exciting historical events, but wooden dialogue, I thought.
Excellent. This historical novel about the American Revolution puts you in the action and gives a probable glimpse into the minds of our Founding Fathers.
Gripping Human Drama - Baltimore Sun
Book of the Month Club Selection and History Book Club
Book of the Month Club Selection and History Book Club
This was a pretty good book for someone who wasn't a writer and only got into the history writing gig because of his dad.
I love all the books written by Jeff Shaara and it all begins with my favorite .. Rise To Rebellion.
This is the paperback version, same isbn but the cover listed with the book and the one we have differs. This is the first mass market edition April 2002 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Email us for a picture. It's a dramatization, so if you love those tv dramatizations on the evening news, history/crime channels, etc., this is a book you will like. If you are looking for jsut the facts ma'm, this is not your book.
I didn't actually read this. I had to read Killer Angels (written by Jeff's Father) in graduate school, and while I enjoyed that, the thought of cracking this one open brought back too many bad memories of the worst of those days, days where it seemed I asked myself "why am I doing this? Am I too chicken to simply walk out in protest?" Anyway, it's probably a pretty fun read, but who cares. . .
