1776

The next book I read was a historical novel which detailed the early generalship of George Washington and the beginning of his struggle against the British. 1776 was written by David McCullough, who won the Pulitzer Prize for his Truman biography in 1993 and again for John Adams in 2002.

This is one of the better histories I've read. The writing style and action reads more like a novel than a deeply researched historical piece. Yet the book is heavily annotated with documents drawn from the period, including the memoirs and letters of the principals involved. He deftly touches on both sides of the war, with the feelings of the British Parliament given some weight as well as those of the founding fathers. He then turns to some very detailed military action, running through Washington's notes as well as those of his adversaries. What you come away with is how badly beaten back the newly formed Continental Army was, and how close to a military catastrophe it so often came. If I had one complaint about the book it is that, at under 300 pages, it is too brief, only really covering the year of its title. I found myself wanting to read more when it ended. Perhaps he'll cover subsequent years in future books. In the meantime, it makes a terrific read for anyone interested in that period or military history in general.