The most spellbinding account of history I've read so far!
I could not put this book down!
When I realize all that American soldiers endured during the Revolution, the situations that favored us merely by chance, and the miraculous deeds that eventually won the war for us, I am in awe of America!
George Washington was not perfect, nor were his men. And maybe it's that imperfection which elevates them to true hero status, because they overcame countless defeats and obstacles, but also their own vices and insufficiencies in order to win the war for American independence.
This is not your average historical dry recitation of facts.
It is a story like your Grandpa might have told, except it's real, and it is our history.

I decided to read this book because it is on the best seller list and there are about 350 people who have reserved the book on line at the library. I am STILL baffled as to how many people have read and want to read this book. The book is about the Revolutionary war in the year 1776. It is well written. I feel like I missed a lot of school. I don’t remember anything about the Revolutionary war. I didn’t realize how much was fought in New York City and Long Island. I didn’t realize how long it lasted. I remember some of the names but vaguely and I didn’t know their importance. One of the main issues in this book is disease and how it really devastated a lot of the American troops. Mostly because they were filthy and didn’t clean themselves. The British troops were healthly. They were a well disciplined well established army and navy. They knew how to care for themselves and avoid disease. One of the interesting aspects of the book is the strategy of the leaders. William Howe and George Washington. Their successes and failures. My interpretation is the British were winners. The Americans had small successes here and there. I think the author gave to much credit for the battle at the end in New Jersey. Howe had left and went to NY. The Americans did win the battle but only a portion of the British were there. I did learn a lot reading this book, but I struggled to get through it. It didn’t really excite me or peak my interest.

“It may be doubted whether so small a number of men ever employed so short a space time with greater and more lasting effects upon the history of the world.”

This review could just be the reader, not the content. The audiobook was very boring and I felt myself getting easily distracted and stop paying attention. The book version may work better, if you're thinking of giving this one a try.