Friday, July 3, 2026

Happy 4th of July!

 

In honor of America's 250th birthday, I thought I would list my 10 favorite books about the American Revolution, and the imperfect yet resolute men and women who fought and sacrificed so much for our liberty and freedom. I think it's important to remember them, especially this year. And these books are great; I loved and would recommend them all. 

Plain, Honest Men: The Making of the American Constitution by Richard Beeman

John Hancock:  Merchant King and American Patriot by Harlow Giles Unger

American Spring by Walter R. Borneman
(About Lexington and Concord, Bunker Hill and the spring of 1775 where it all began.)

Band of Giants by Jack Kelly
(About the amateur soldiers like Henry Knox, Nathanael Greene, Daniel Morgan, and others who helped gain American's independence.)

1776 by David McCullough

The Swamp Fox by John Oller
(About Marion Francis and the Revolutionary battles fought in South Carolina)

Valley Forge by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin
(Where the Continental Army was forged in fire.)

Those Turbulent Sons of Freedom by Christopher S. Wren
(About Ethan Allen, Seth Warner and the Greene Mountain Boys.)

Rebels at Sea by Eric Jay Dolin
(About the role privateers played in securing American's independence.)

In the Hurricane's Eye by Nathaniel Philbrick
(About the genius of George Washington and the Siege at Yorktown.)

Happy Reading...
And Happy 250th, America!
(Land that I love so much.)



31 comments:

  1. Happy 4th. July, Lark. Hope you have a wonderful day!

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  2. Happy 250th 4th of July! And thanks for the excellent reading list. I would love to read some/all of these.

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    1. I loved them all! Especially Plain Honest Men and the John Hancock bio. But reading them all really gave me a better view and understanding of the American Revolution. :D

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  3. Happy 4th! Hope you're celebrating in Bryce Canyon. Thanks for the list of books.

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    1. Back from Bryce Canyon in time to host my family's annual 4th of July breakfast. Both were very fun. :D

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  4. Hi Lark, Hope you had a very Happy Fourth and thanks for the list. I read Nathaniel Philbrick's Mayflower a few years ago. I thought it was excellent.

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    1. I read Mayflower, too, and it was excellent. I want to read his book Travels With George next month.

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  5. Hope you had a wonderful 4th of July, Lark! :)

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  6. I hope you had a great Independence day!

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    1. It was good. My whole family got together for our annual breakfast and croquet tournament. :D

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    2. Lark, that sounds so fun! I have not played croquet since I was a child, but I remember enjoying it.

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  7. Happy 4th of July a few days late to you, Lark! Nice list of books to read. Check out Mayflower Lives by Martyn Whittock and Common Sense by Thomas Paine. Both were reads I found interesting.

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    1. I've read Common Sense! And I'll have to look for Mayflower lives. Thanks for the rec. :D

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  8. Great list. I'd especially like to read the McCullough book 1776. I got into the Ken Burns doc on the Revolution (a few months back) and need to follow it up with some history reads. thanks. Happy 250.

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    1. 1776 is a good one! I hope you get a chance to check it out. :D

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  9. May your country live independent and democratic for the next 250 years.

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  10. I hope you had a great 4th of July, Lark! :D

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  11. I hope you feel inspired to check one or two of them out. ;D

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  12. Amazing topic and I'm making notes as I've read none of these. Hope you had a great 4th!

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  13. Great list, Lark! I hope you and yours had a wonderful holiday weekend!

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