Posted by : Chris Corley

This dramatic book tells the story of those who marched with George Washington in 1776, the year that the Declaration of Independence was written. The whole of America’s future lay in the hands of General George Washington and his “rabble” army – composed of soldiers of all ages, most with no military experience whatsoever.

It is an inspiring story, witten in a fluidly narrative style that includes excerpts of field notes of officers, soldiers, and other people of the time whose journals have survived the ages. It tells of a loosely assembled army of American rebels that fought against a highly organized British army that outfunded, outmanned and outgunned the Americans at nearly every confrontation. The dramatic battles in Boston and New York are particularly compelling, as well as the build up to General George Washington’s heroic crossing of the Delaware and the ensuing battles in Trenton and Princeton, New Jersey.

“It may be doubted whether so small a number of men ever employed so short a space of time with greater and more lasting effects upon the history of the world.” – Sir George Otto Trevelyan, in his classic study of the American Revolution.

The aformentioned quote from Sir George Otto sums up the feeling you have while reading this book. Namely, how could such a small ill-equipped and inexperienced group of men accomplish so much under such difficult conditions and in the face of such a powerful foe ?

The perseverance of George Washington and his ability to keep his troops composed had much to do with it. These brave men fought and died for the freedoms which we enjoy to this day. We owe them much.

David McCullough has received the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award twice each. His biography “John Adams” was recently aired as a 7 part original mini-series on HBO, which was excellent. Mr. McCullough has also been honored with the National Book Foundation Distinguished Contribution to American Letters Award and the National Humanities Medal.

Posted by : Chris Corley

My wife, Julianna, and I recently finished watching the 7 part series “John Adams”, an original HBO film. The movie was based on the Pulitzer-prize winning biography written by David McCullough. It was a fascinating and seemingly authentic portrayal of one of the great leaders of The American Revolution.

What really struck me throughout the film was how the men leading the birth of our country were portrayed as real human beings. These guys were fighting for the independence of an entire country, and almost every step they took was uncharted territory. I found the relationship between John Adams and his wife, Abigail, incredibly fascinating. She was a major source of inspiration for him, both intellectually and emotionally.

The relationship between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson was only slightly less compelling. The dialogues and debates between the two were fascinating to see on screen, and there is something a little eerie to the fact that they both died on the same day – July 4, 1826 – exactly 50 years after the signing of The Declaration of Independence.

David McCullough has also written a more recent book “1776″ which both my dad, Jay, and my brother, Stephen, have read and highly recommended. It’s on my bookshelf, and I’m going to tackle it as soon as I finish my current book.

Did anyone else see the film “John Adams” ?