1776

Riveting, detailed account of the first year of the American Revolutionary War. After a lively opening account of the British Parliamentary debates about how to handle the colonies, in which McCullough deftly sketches the opinions and eccentric characters on both sides of the issue, the narrative focuses on military matters: George Washington’s initial indecisiveness and poor strategies (thoroughly redeemed in the sequel of course, but how close America came to failure in that first year!); his aristocratic Virginian disdain for the wretched Yankee soldiers; the squalor and viciousness of 18th century warfare; and the daring, dedicated, enterprising self-made men who officered his campaigns. McCullough quotes heavily from diaries and letters, and describes the characters and actions of British and Colonials vividly.