American History brought to life
593593
I wish there were more series like this about the lives of the founders of our country and how difficult it was to break away from and go to war with the British Empire; at the time the most powerful nation on earth.  This series shows how conflicted Adams, Jefferson, and others were about leaving their loyalty to the Brits and building a new country based on the God given rights of the individual.  We would do well to remember the sacrifices they and ordinary people made so that we can enjoy the freedom we have today.
1720410
An excellent narrative of an important time in the nation's history.
1161284
A story of our American past that was told in a masterful way. A history lesson and message of hope.
1307042
If this is the way history were written, I would not have become bored with it in high school.  As it was, it took  me many years to come to appreciate history, and this book is among the best.

Mr Larson has written a compelling page-turner, providing enough in each chapter or snippet to learn more, and enough to whet your appetite for what comes next.  You can almost see and smell chicago at the turn of the last century.  It describes the city- as well as others in the U.S. - in terms that seem impossible today.  Mr Larson adeptly weaves the late 1890s "who's who" of the story with references that resonate today.  How funny that Walt Disney's father became enthralled with huge, grand structures, and the construction of impossible/ fantastic cities into which whole families could escape for a few days away from their everyday humdrum.  A place that would captivate the entire country, even during times of economic hardship and change.  Walt's ears must have perked up at those stories, and of course we know what he did with those dreams.  This is but one QUICK reference of a hundred in this book that paint a remarkable quilt of American life, hardships, and possibilities of the time.

for those who are interested, I would also plug another book:  A Clearing in the Distance is a very readable biography of Frederick Law Olmstead, the father of landscape architecture.  Olmstead plays a major part in getting this exposition going, and as I saw reference to him, I felt like I was revisiting an old friend.

Enjoy this one, my friends, but be warned of one thing:  If you take this book on vacation with you to the beach, take another one.  You'll be through with this one in no time!
3937835
This is the kind of book that makes history come alive: through the medium of their letters historical characters are truly grasped and history itself is far better understood than from a dry recitation of facts. I appreciated the American revolution and the early days of independence far better after reading this. The book is well structured - if overlong and sometimes more detailed than necessary about minor figures, although even these can be fascinating - and beautifully written. I did wonder about the author's interpretation of the tone of some of the letters, which she firmly labeled as cajoling, or satirical, or critical, and so on, whereas in fact a number of different interpretations seemed equally valid to me. It can be very difficult to understand the tone and intent of any written document, let alone across the divide of several centuries, and it seemed occasionally that Diane Jacobs was selecting, and massaging, the historical  letters and her own narrative to fit her storylines of three devoted sisters and a passionate marriage, not always successfully. It's instructive to read other biographers of Abigail and John Adams for different takes.
2239027
Great piece of history.  A book that all interested in American history should read.  A factual presentation that keeks the reader involved.
4218770
I love history, and American history is of course first pick. Piecing together what I seem to remember from school days with the story told here
truly is entertainment to me.
1641800
very interesting and well worth reading if you are interested in American history
2468892
I have read the entire Civil War series by this author and his father, and each time they make history come alive. In "Rise To Rebellion" the events leading up to the American revolution are presented in a fashion that humanizes history rather than as usually found in a dry textbook. The people portrayed are seen as real persons with all their virtues and shortcomings. This is history as it should be written, suitable for all ages from high school through adulthood. It was a pleasure to read, and I could not put it down.
2066290
Alternating stories between main chararacters are well done by the author.  It captivated and intrigued me.  It is an amazing period of American history; I had no idea the trains filled with children from the east coast traveled to the midwest for so many years.
4369339
Even if you have an argument with the observation that history is biography, certainly history comes alive through personalities engagingly presented.  Seldom has this been more deftly done than by Cokie Roberts in her book "Founding Mothers."  Seeing the sweep of the Revolutionary War generation through the eyes of the women who were mothers, wives and daughters of the famous and not so famous men who are more often the subject of the historian's pen makes this book a genuinely compelling read.

Here we find Martha Washington and Abigail Adams, of course, along with lesser known luminaries who offer the reader an insider's view of those tumultuous times.  One enjoys reading about Peggy Shippen (Mrs. Benedict Arnold) and her role in her husband's treachery, just as much as the heroic sacrifices of some of the others profiled in this work.

In books of this kind - histories presented through the eyes of one or a group of persons - it is often the case that the personalities become subsumed in dates and facts.  Or, conversely, the dates and facts get sloughed aside, causalities of the storyteller's art.  Not so here.  Striking a balance, Miss Roberts gives us both.  She presents the facts but not "just the facts" she also presents the feelings of these women of renown.
4424387
There are books that just bring so many important facts to life, they can not be ignored. I found the narrative to be engaging and the factual research to be exemplary. I love history and have a need to know the political and social motivation that drove the colonization of America. This was a rich resource, and a book which I was glad to add to my library.
764863
One of the best American history books I've read. This book will give you a better understanding & appreciation of the political differences that divide us today. Our contemporary differences seem intractable; however, the sharp divides were present then as they are now.  Reading about the background of the 13 states in the 18th century is fascinating: Fishers & sailors - the North; farmers in the Central; and planters South).  The cultural differences were great. States showed themselves to be jealous, preferring to fight each other over boundaries as yet unsettled and to pass tariff laws against each other. All the while, Spain and England looked on the disorganized infant republic with a hungry eye, calculating their own interests in LA, FL, OH, and the long, vital trade route of the Mississippi River. The Great Debate regarding proportional vs. equal state representation will make you view what happens in our current elections with a wiser perspective. After reading this book, you will agree, it was a miracle the Constitution was written and passed.
4641599
Through the life of the Reverend Benjamin La Barre and his family, Richard Fitchen takes his readers on a journey through the 19th Century into the early 20th. I am especially fond of 19th Century American history and for anyone with a similar fondness, this book is a treat.  It makes the events of that era come alive through the main characters. Richard Fitchen's thorough grasp of 19th Century history and his understanding of the political structures of the day are evident on every page. We see how the beliefs and philosophies of the time affected ordinary people as well as how the ideological views of the intelligentsia played out. One of the major principles underlying many of the themes concerns the role of the foundational documents (referred to as the Covenant in this book) of the American republic, e.g. federalism vs. states' rights or sectionalism. These ideas are very much alive today and are influencing much of our current national debate about the role of government. For readers who enjoy historical novels, this book is a delight. Starting with antebellum laws and policies and the Civil War and going through Reconstruction and the westward expansion of this country accompanied by the unbridled capitalism that went with it, the author enables us to see how people thought and lived through those events. We see the effects of policies, sometimes good and sometimes tragic, on the major social groups in the U.S.
In conclusion, this book is fascinating and well worth the read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
4159976
This is a welcome look into history that is not very often talked about. I think it would be a great read for anyone interested in American History a great book.
113197
I love to see history brought alive! To see and understand that these wonderful men and women had both strength as well as weakness, yet they toiled on for the future of this country! Well done.
33592
first off, the author does a great job of bringing both lincoln and john wilkes booth to vivid life as well-rounded human beings. there is nothing flat or caricature seeming about either personality here; these are complex portraits filled with breath and vision. that said, it is the sheer drive of the narrative that makes this such a wonderful read. once started, there was not a moment that i wanted to put this book down. few historians write history with this kind of liveliness. if you haven't read this yet, i envy you. you are in for a treat. page-turning history at its best.