Wow! Just wow! I was blown away by this book! I sat reading through the different accounts, the people involved, and the many different areas that were covered. The mental imagery alone was amazing, but the art that is included in this book just blows you away.

I absolutely loved this read! The American Revolution is one of my favorite periods anyway, but seeing the art and the raw emotion in some of the paintings, drove it home that much more for me.

A must read for those who love military history! You will be hooked from the first page!

Don Troiani is a great artist with high attention to detail. I enjoy seeing his work in various places, but definitely liked seeing them along with explanations about his process and inspirations alongside historical information about each of the events. This is a great overview of how an artist can be inspired by history.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review. All opinions are my own.

What happens when you combine art and history? You get this beautifully informative story of the Revolutionary War. There are so many nuggets of information to digest: battles, locations, weapons, types of soldiers. I learned so many things and was compelled to keep turning pages because the images and colors were so captivating. I found myself just staring at some of the images, trying to take in all the details and imagining what each person was experiencing. This would be an excellent addition to any classroom, library, or home shelf. Don Troiani is a truly gifted artist.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own, freely given.

One of the biggest tragedies of the coronavirus pandemic was the closure of the nation’s museums. Museums are a rich source of supplemental education for students in all types of schools including public, private, and homeschool. They also drive travel and tourism and provide entertainment for families and adults. Many museums that were in states with more restrictive coronavirus policies had to get creative in order to continue reaching the public. Finally after approximately 18 months things are getting back to normal for an industry that survives largely by the number of visitors that come through the door and government and philanthropic support.

The Museum of the American Revolution is now open daily and on October 16, 2021 will launch a new exhibit entitled Liberty: Don Troiani’s Paintings of the Revolutionary War. It includes 40 of Troiani’s Revolutionary War paintings, his personal artifacts, and artifacts from the museum and other collectors. The paintings include major battles like the 1776 attack on Trenton and Battle of Yorktown and lesser known battles like the Battle of Kingsbridge. The exhibit also has a companion book of the same name that includes descriptions of the artifacts, scenes depicted in the paintings and Troiani’s research and painting process.

In addition to written narratives, art is one of the most important tools used by historians to bring history to life. According to his website, Troiani is a “traditional academic realist painter well known for his extremely accurate historical and military paintings mostly of the Civil War and American Revolution.” His paintings in Liberty range from solo pictures of Continental, British, and Native American soldiers to complex battle scenes that include remarkable detail. He uses a variety of methods to provide as realistic portrayals as possible like using models in traditional colonial military dress and visiting battlefields. The narratives that accompany each painting provide important context for readers.

Troiani’s work is visually stunning. One of the most captivating paintings, Victory or Death, Advance on Trenton, reflects the grueling trudge into Trenton after the Continental Army crossed the Delaware on Christmas Day in 1776. Troiani captures the harsh weather conditions, fatigue, and determination of the army all at once. You also get a sense of what an incredible logistical feat the crossing must have been with the mix of men, horses, and artillery that were necessary for the attack. The details in the solo paintings are equally brilliant as he clearly tries to provide an accurate depiction of the various uniforms and spirit of the subjects.

This review is based on an advance review copy. Liberty can be purchased October 1, 2021 on the Museum of the American Revolution website. It is available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble on October 14, 2021.

This is a well done book with the excellent paintings of the Revolutionary War depicting different battles and individual uniforms worn by both sides. The author took great care if finding artifacts to accurately show them in his paintings along with visiting the various sites at the same time of the year as when they took place and making sketches using the same light as when the event happened. The descriptions of the battles are an overview of the actual conflict, but the author describes the detail and care taken with each painting.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.

What an excellent companion to what I'm sure will be an amazing exhibit! It will be a wonderful take-home for those fortunate enough to visit, and a great taste of the exhibit for those who won't be able to make it.

The art is beautifully presented and so very detailed and vivid, but what's really neat is that there are pretty much 4 separate threads in this book and each one is as interesting as the last. Not only is it a display of Troiani's art, it's also a wonderfully-told Revolutionary War history, an exhibit of war artifacts, and a behind-the-scenes peek at the artist's process. The history lessons are imparted as compelling and personal stories rather than dry recitations of facts, so it's very easy to connect and learn from this book.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

As a history buff I was really looking forward to reading this book. I was amazed at the beautiful paintings and riveting story told about the Revolutionary War. Both for historical context and from a view point of a lover of art, this book fulfils all aspects. I would definitely recommend this book. I received an e-book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review. Thank you NetGalley!