As today marks the 234th anniversary of Patrick Henry's speech to Virginia's Revolutionary Convention in which he famously said "Give me liberty or give me death!" it is appropriate to review the book, Patriots (1989) by A. J. Langguth, the best book that I have ever read--period. A history that reads like a novel, Patriots relates the improbable story of the birth of the United States. Subtitled The Men Who Started the American Revolution, this work tracks the myriad figures who contributed to our nation's founding, some of whom, such as George Washington, are internationally famous, while others, such as James Otis, have faded into obscurity.
The book begins in 1761 with Otis challenging British authority and ends with Washington's resignation as commander-in-chief in 1783. In between lies a host of fascinating details about these men and the events that they set in motion: John Hancock, at age 13, practicing his penmanship for an hour a day; Sam Adams tracking public opinion with an instinct more accurate than modern polling; a nervous George Washington whose hands shook and whose voice broke during his brief speech to Congress when he resigned his commission.
Langguth also provides fascinating details about the minor figures in this story. One such example is that of Baron von Steuben, a Prussian soldier who taught a manual of arms to Washington's untrained troops at Valley Forge, but who spoke no English. Exasperated at one point at his American charges, he exclaimed to a translator, "These fellows won't do what I tell them! Come swear for me!"
Langguth's greatest skill is perhaps his ability to use exactly the right detail without overwhelming the reader with too much detail. The chapters dealing with the various battles are essentially summaries of the engagements, but are so skillfully told that it will pique your desire to read more detailed works if you are unfamiliar with the subject. With relatively little in the way of military details, Langguth's description of the fight at Lexington will leave you listening for echoes of musket fire, even 234 years after the fact. The first 223 of 564 pages, however, examine the battles that were fought in courtrooms, in legislatures, and in the streets by men such as Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry as they worked to mold the American mindset that at first desired only redress for British wrongs into a full-blown drive for independence.
A journalist and professor at the University of Southern California, Langguth has provided perhaps the best summary of his work when he wrote in the "Acknowledgments" to Patriots that "there seemed to be a place for a book that approached the Revolution as a story, focusing on the principal actors," adding that he intended the book "for readers who knew that Washington had crossed the Delaware, but didn't know why; that Benedict Arnold had betrayed his country, but didn't know how." Professor Langguth has succeeded brilliantly in executing his intentions, and I highly recommend Patriots: The Men Who Started the American Revolution to lovers of good books, lovers of history, and lovers of America.
NOTE: Professor Langguth was kind enough to comment on this blog when I posted an essay on George Washington back on February 22, and he informed me that Simon & Schuster has just completed its 27th printing of Patriots. Obviously, I'm not alone in my admiration for this book!
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