REVOLUTIONARY SUMMER

Let the summer reading commence.

Having read "His Excellency George Washington, "Founding Brothers" and American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson" I knew I was in for a historically accurate and straightforward look at the summer of 1776. I was not disappointed.

Joseph Ellis is a fine historian and a great writer.

What made this treatment different from, let's say, David McCollough's work (1776) was his approach. He "intertwined" two strands in the narrative; the political and the military. 

The politics of Independence we're led by John Adams, John Dickinson, Thomas Jefferson, and, of course, elder statesman Benjamin Franklin.

The military aspects of Independence were shaped by George Washington, Nathaniel Greene and the British brothers, Richard and William Howe.

COMPROMISE: Adams shows the uncanny ability to pursue this one thing. Consensus on the independent question. He is willing to defer other issues (slavery) to another time.

CHARACTER: Washington was driven by his sense of honor and duty. Interesting, there were times when his 18th century aristocrat sensibilities about cost the Continental Army the war.

Ellis humanized these political and military icons. I loved it. 

I gave revolutionary summer a 4.75 out of 5 stars. The only reason why I can't give it a 5 is that Ellis tended to become a little redundant in places. A good summer read for this, a novice popular historian such as I.