This is a great introduction to the Revolutionary War. I would love to read more.

Pulitzer prizes are sexy!

This chronicles Washington's army from just after Bunker Hill to the dramatic crossing of the Delaware and his Christmas attack of the Hessians at Trenton. Well researched and superbly written, very entertaining.

McCullough paints a vivid portrait of legendary time.

Incredibly well-researched and engaging book covering the first year of the American independence war.

It starts with the Siege of Boston before the Declaration of Independence, continues with the defense and abandonment of New York City, and finishes with the Battle of Trenton.

McCullough uses the many diaries, letters, and contemporaneous accounts to vividly describe the precariousness, indecisiveness, and incompetence of much of the rebellion as well as the overconfidence of the British empire.

After reading this you will appreciate the miracle of the rebels ultimately holding off the largest British army raised in decades, especially considering the continued loyalty of many of their colonial subjects.

Only downside is that the (Kindle version of the) book unfortunately lacked any maps of the routes and battle formations.

Trust David McCullough to make a story you have heard many times still thrilling.

4.5 stars. David McCullough does it again. This is an excellent, entertaining and engaging description of one of the "pivotal" years in American History. Beginning with the early American victory at the "Siege of Boston," McCullough details the disastrous results for the Americans at a series of battles to follow (most notably the Battle of Long Island and the taking of Fort Washington and Fort Lee).

McCullough makes it clear that the American cause was on the point of collapse when, in December 1776, Washington makes his famous crossing of the Delaware and wins a decisive victory at the Battle Trenton, a victory that clearly re-invigorated the American cause.

The war would continue for another six years after 1776, but McCullough very powerfully gives the readers the impression that at the end of 1776, the American morale was as high as at any time in the past and that they truly believed that victory was now a question of "when" and no longer "if." HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

There are several reasons why I think this book is important, and it has a lot to do with the state of our schools. You've probably heard that public education in America is becoming more of a shambles each decade. I work at a college and often feel like I'm on the front lines of this battle. While we have a number of good students, we also have a fair number 18- and 19-year-olds who simply aren't prepared for higher education and who, if the economy weren't so degree-oriented, probably wouldn't choose to go to college at all. A number of factors have been blamed for the decline of American schools, but one of the biggest culprits in my opinion is the overemphasis on standardized testing, especially as codified by the dreadful No Child Left Behind Act.

Both students and teachers have complained that high schools place so much emphasis on memorizing facts for the annual tests that it leaves little room for critical thinking, or interesting stories of history and literature, or anything else that makes learning fun and inspiring. I think this is a travesty, and it's not just the students who are being cheated — it is all of society, because without an educated citizenry we are lost.

We. Are. Lost.

Every time I see the title of McCullough's book, 1776, it reminds me of this issue because of an incident in a colleague's classroom. An English professor was making a point about how people today rely so much on their smartphones and the Internet that no one bothers to remember anything anymore because they assume they can just Google it. The professor pointed out that this lack of internal knowledge can hinder understanding and complex thinking. As an example he asked his students when America was founded.

Dead silence.

There were about 30 students in the class, and none of them knew. The professor said, "Seriously? You don't know when our country was founded?" After a few more moments of silence a student meekly raised his hand and said, "If we didn't have to memorize it for the test, we probably don't know it."

Big sigh.

OK, boys and girls, America was founded on July 4, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress. This event happened in the midst of the American Revolutionary War, which is the focus of McCullough's book.

I wanted to read 1776 for several reasons. First, I had loved McCullough's biography on President Harry Truman and was eager to read more of his books. Second, it has been almost 20 years since I was in an American history class, and I wanted to revisit the details of how my country was founded. The stories, myths and legends about each nation are passed through the generations and become part of someone's culture and identity. I don't think these stories should be forgotten.

The book focuses on battles with the British between 1775 and 1777. It opens with a quote from a letter written by General George Washington in January 1776: "The reflection upon my situation and that of this army produces many an uneasy hour when all around me are wrapped in sleep. Few people know the predicament we are in."

Reading this book reminded me of how fragile America's independence was. Few of the "rebels" had military experience. Weapons and gun powder were in short supply. Because the colonial men had volunteered to fight, some resisted following military orders and didn't understand army discipline. Plus, the Brits controlled the sea. But for a few lucky turns of fate, the British might have won the war. McCullough concluded the book with this summation: "Especially for those who had been with Washington and who knew what a close call it was at the beginning — how often circumstance, storms, contrary winds, the oddities or strengths of individual character had made the difference — the outcome seemed little short of a miracle."

My favorite stories in the book were of the fortification of Dorchester Heights during the Siege of Boston, the Battle of Long Island and how the colonialists managed to retreat the entire Army in one night, and Washington's crossing of the Delaware. McCullough weaves a pleasant narrative and makes long-ago events seem very real. I liked his inclusion of quotes from letters, and the details of each military strategy, including how the weather was that day. And his description of Washington made me want to read a good biography about him.

I listened to this on audio CD, and McCullough is an excellent narrator. I highly recommend it to fans of history. Hooray for lifelong learning!

McCullough's celebrated 1776 covers a crucial turning point in the American war of independence from the British empire. However, I felt that this book was not as fascinating as Washington's Crossing by Fischer. In Fischer's book, we get a much more detailed account of the defeat in New York, the retreat across New Jersey and the crossing and re-crossing of the Delaware which I found more gripping than the more superficial coverage by McCullough. I guess the positive point of McCullough is the broader historical perspective starting in the loss of Boston and giving a brief panorama to the end of the war just at the end. His focus is clearly on Washington and his evolution as a leader from a hesitant commander making mistakes in New York to his more determined aggressive move towards Newark. However, if this topic truly interests you, I would recommend Fischer over this one.
I think that I will return to this period in a few months, probably with Ron Chernow's Washington: A Life, but it might be a while.

As the title suggests, this book covers only the year 1776, the first full year of the Revolutionary War. McCullough, with his impeccable research, used diaries, letters, and papers from officials on both sides as he narrowed his focus, giving us an up close and personal accounting of this year.

The history books have romanticized the war to some extent, but this is a fresh look at history that doesn’t gloss over the failures and difficulties that faced Washington and his army. Washington isn’t presented as a mythological figure, but one who faced heavy criticism, challenges, and failures. Privately, Washington expressed doubts and discouragement, yet, he never wavered in his leadership, perseverance and determination to the troops.

There were many sacrifices and hardships. The ragtag army was untrained and undisciplined and the officers lacked experience. Despicable acts were perpetrated by both sides. Lack of sanitation and illness was rampant. Desertions were frequent. There were regional conflicts. The states were reluctant to send more troops and Congress often didn’t meet Washington’s requests for funds and supplies. Weather could either help or hinder the troops and the lack of military intelligence was a challenge. Yet, the soldiers who stayed, accustomed to hard work and adversity, demonstrated incredible bravery against seemingly insurmountable odds.

King George III and the British commander, General Howe, underestimated the Americans at their peril. It’s fair to say we would never have won the war without Washington’s leadership. Was he without faults? No. It’s unfair to judge him by the standards of today. He was highly respected by the soldiers and certainly was the man for the job.

At a time with so much turmoil and social unrest this book is an excellent reminder that our nation has endured much and emerged stronger and better than before, and we will again.

1776 is a year we Americans celebrate as the year we gained independence. We must never forget it was a year of unimaginable suffering, failures, and discouragement, but also a year of courage, determination, victories and bravery. Our success was nothing short of a miracle and a testament to the human spirit’s desire for independence.

This is narrative non-fiction at its finest by one of the best historians of our time. McCullough delivers a riveting tale, making history come alive.
A fun, lighter (but accurate) look at Washington’s life is You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington, a book I read recently and very much enjoyed: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

* This was a buddy read with my friend Marialyce, one we both enjoyed immensely and highly recommend. For our duo review please visit https://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpres...

In 1776 David McCullough captures the importance of that year's quintessential struggle for our country.

By focusing on this single year, as opposed to the entire war, McCullough is able to dissect more minutely the individual battles, turning points, specific leaders, and the result is one of the most humanistic depictions of George Washington I've ever read. Here he becomes more than mythic god of the American past, but rather a living, breathing, flawed man.

Telescoping in on actions like The Battle of Long Island, oft overlooked in American Revolution text with a broader view, gives the reader a chance to appreciate the ebb and flow of the war, as the retreating Patriots fled the rushing sweep of the oncoming British force and turned what might have been their ultimate defeat into an amazing escape during the almost magical midnight evacuation of New York. Conjuring up such exciting scenes is McCullough's bread and butter.

While the American Revolution was not fought entirely on moralistic principles about freedom (many a "founding father" had a financial stake in this idea of independence), in view of the trials and deprivations suffered by those who fought in 1776, who's valor helped coin the phrase "The Spirit of '76", who can deny their pure motives? Even if you can't stomach such patriotism, you can at least admire the courage it must of taken to face such odds.

I've read McCullough before. His The Johnstown Flood swept me away. Thus far he has impressed and entertained, so much so that by the end of 1776 I was yearning for 1777.

I thought I respected George Washington before reading this book but I now venerate the man! An absolutely fantastic history. McCullough does not just list the events of the American Revolution, he brings the time to life. I highly recommend this history!

3.5 stars....interesting but not as engaging as some of the other books I’ve read around this time period. This one felt long.

I'm at a loss for words. This book was so good, so inspiring, and so touching. This book truly ignited curiosity. For the first time, I took a step away from the now and studied our founding, our trials as a little nation, and the brave men and women who led us through. All for freedom. It struck a chord inside me as I read of our failings and our victories. God's hand was truly there in it all.

A resounding stir of freedom's spirit.