The American Revolution signalled a great change in the course of world history and progress. From this colonial revolt sprouted ideals of liberty and democracy, and all the aspirations and ambitions of a new people. In this work, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Gordon S. Wood discusses the character and consequences of the revolution, grounding the events and ideas that shaped the American consciousness.
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"Excellent no-frills distillation of the time period from the F & I War to the ratification of the Constitution. I read this for a class I took, but will recommend it for those who want to know the issues and events in a short read. Be warned - dry as dust." — Keith (4 out of 5 stars)
"Excellent no-frills distillation of the time period from the F & I War to the ratification of the Constitution. I read this for a class I took, but will recommend it for those who want to know the issues and events in a short read. Be warned - dry as dust."
“Wood is the preeminent historian of the Revolution…He manages to boil down to its essence this crucial period in the country’s history without in the process reducing in to History Lite…His account of the emergence and development of rank-and-file political opinion is especially provocative and informative, but then so is just about everything else in this remarkable, invaluable book.”
“An elegant, concise and lucid summary of the Revolution’s origins, the war itself, and the social and political changes wrought by the struggle for American independence.”
“This slim book tells a big story: one that invites the reader to contemplate the relationships between liberty, power, rights, and the unpredictable outcomes of human action.”
“Jack Garrett’s narration matches the book’s tone exactly. He approaches the text with an authoritative tone and uses expert pacing to guide us through the story. Garrett’s voice is clear and warm, and he makes us comfortable and eager to absorb Wood’s words. He varies his pitch and inflection just enough to keep us wondering what might happen next, even though the story will be familiar to most readers.”
“Wood recounts lucidly and compactly how the policies that struck the crown as sensible irritated colonists as despotic encroachments on traditional self-governing rights…A succinct, superbly written survey.”
" Well-paced, pleasant reading by person with a voice appropriate for the content. "
" Re-read this one as I'm looking to brush up on Revolutionary War history now that I live in an area where lots of the action went down. This book didn't have much on the military strategies and battles (which is kind of what i was after) but more on the political events and "intellectual" conflicts that shaped the time. One thing that struck me was some of the similarities between the rebels and the current tea party movement. There were plenty of differences as well, but I did find it a little unsettling. I think it would be a good dissertation topic. "
" Read for my AP US history class, and for the first time I didn't find a book on American history boring. Wood gives you the impression that not only was the American Revolution inevitable, but that it was more than a movement for political independence. "
" An excellent overview of the Revolution and Gordon Wood's interpretation of the revolution. "
" He makes it easy to read about the American Revolution. "
" It is not something that I would definitely choose to read in my free time, but it is great textbook and had a very useful information "
" As with all of his books, it's very detailed, but very good. Women and Slavery are underrepresented though. "
" This is a short, comprehensive book of the American Revolution. I love that it's short because it doesn't overwhelm you. It makes the revolution understandable in an easy-to-swallow dose! A great summary! "
" This is the best American Revolution review book there is. It does not go into depth on any one subject, but it explains everything very easily, and is very short (~200 pages). "
" I thought it was a well written comentary with a lot of extra factual material.I would recommend it. "
" A helpful and brief treatment of the the political and social issues of the revolution and the philosophical and physical implications. For More treatment of the actual war, look elsewhere. "
" Light, rapid history, a good refresher on the dates, the book carries Wood's major contention, the liberalness of the revolution itself. He also makes some good points on Washington's real strengths. "
" A dense, factual read with a short, interesting judgement at the end. "
" Learned a lot from this book. More than I ever learned in school. "
" overview of the political history of the american revolution. "
" Starts out a little dry and doesn't hesitate to be overly cynical about some of the events during the revolution. But as it goes on, Wood does a great job of explaining why the American Revolution was such a unique experience. "
" greatest book on the american revolution "
" I think this is the book I'm searching to find. The cover is wrong, though. The year published seems right. I gifted it to a couple of people. I'll try to find a copy to confirm whether or not it is the book I so enjoyed. "
" Great recap of the revolutionary struggle...not much detail due to the amount of material but very solid nonetheless! "
" Nice brief summary. Engaging and informative. "
" This book did a great job of presenting the history of the Revolution and packed alot into a shorter read. I found it to be more informational than moving however as it included more facts and less personal experience. "
" Well written, but not entirely about the Revolution. I was expecting a book about the Revolutionary War, but instead found that it was about the Revolution that brought about changes that changed the culture of America. "
Gordon S. Wood is the Alva O. Way University Professor and professor of history at Brown University. His 1969 book, The Creation of the American Republic 1776–1787, received the Bancroft and John H. Dunning prizes and was nominated for the National Book Award. His 1992 book, The Radicalism of the American Revolution, won the Pulitzer Prize and the Emerson Prize. Wood contributes regularly to the New Republic and the New York Review of Books.
Jack Garrett’s voice is immediately recognizable from his work in commercials and as a personality on radio stations in the West and Southwest. In addition to guest appearances on television, he has performed in dozens of theater productions on regional and New York stages, including Guys and Dolls, Hallelujah Breakdown, Prelude to a Kiss, Cast a Spell, and Bongo Fever.
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