by Tony Mareino,
LBPH Reader Advisor
“We have it in our power to begin the world over again.”
– Thomas Paine, Common Sense (DB 19603)
On July 4th, we as Americans celebrate our continued independence as a free nation. We celebrate, as we should, firstly with a well deserved day off from work and then by grilling foods, spending time with loved ones, shooting fireworks into the night sky, and perhaps to top it all off watching a baseball game and drinking some beer. This personally-skewed version of how one may spend their Independence Day is exactly (well, maybe not exactly) how founding father John Adams intended, to celebrate what we’ve accomplished. I learned this in a book, another thing I plan on spending my day off with. If you are inclined to do the same, might I suggest a good read on how the United States came to be, and how we came to celebrate our revolution so freely:
1776
by David McCullough
DB 60330/ CL 12470
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian chronicles the struggles of the Continental Army during the disastrous year of 1776. Highlights George Washington’s failed New York campaign and the retreat across New Jersey. Assesses the political, economic, and social problems the young nation encountered during the turbulent months from August to December. Bestseller. 2005.Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution
by Nathaniel Philbrick
DB 76816
Award-winning historian explores the grievances of the New England colonists who began the Revolutionary War in June, 1775, when they took a stand against the British in Boston. Describes the events that led to the battle of Bunker Hill and profiles the individuals who were involved. Violence. Bestseller. 2013.
The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution 1763-1789
by Robert Middlekauff
DB 32725
Narrative history of the important people and events of the Revolutionary War. The author charts the growing political and personal conflicts between England and the United States as wellas the seperatist movement that led to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the election of George Washington as the new republic’s first president. 1982.Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation
by Joseph J Ellis
DB 51469/ CL 7028
Author of “American Sphinx” (DB 44729) explains the importance of a few prominent leaders in the development of democracy after the American Revolution. Describes significant contributions to the new nation made by John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington. Bestseller. 2000.
