Igniting the American Revolution

Non-Fiction that reads like Fiction. Derek Beck makes the Revolution burn.

I received a prepublication copy of this book (October 6, 2015) through NetGalley with the understanding that I would publish are review on my blog, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google + pages along with NetGalley, Amazon and Goodreads.

I requested this book because I am have an interest in the history of the United States. It is the first book by the author that I have read.

The title is a little misleading in that a very significant portion of the book takes place in 1775. That said, it is an interesting read and well documented. It holds your attention resulting in making it a quick read.

It covers the events leading up to the Battles of Lexington and Concord and then continues on covering the events surrounding the British occupation of Boston. This includes Paul Revere's ride helping to separate fact from fiction along with the events surrounding Lexington and Concord.

I recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in American History, especially the events leading up to the Revolutionary War.

Having grown up in Massachusetts, where we were taught the glorified version of the American Revolution, I was pleasantly surprised by the unbiased, detailed account Derek Beck gives us with this book. While the topic is complex, the ease and structure of the writing simplifies things. This isn't a light read, but it also isn't one requiring a dictionary, map, and Master's degree to sort through.

The author has clearly done extensive research. We start when the Revolution, then barely a resistance, began simmering, with events leading us to the Boston Tea Party. This isn't a dry read, loaded with nothing but facts. Instead, we meet the key players of the time on a personal level, with their stories told through snippets of journals and letters. These bits are woven into the timeline, bringing history to life on the pages.

I was surprised by how the Revolution came about almost by accident. Neither side truly understood the other, and this was complicated by distance and their inability to immediately communicate. Through the honest telling of this part of our history, the author offers compelling insight into the political and very human aspects of war.

My quibbles are minor. For one, this 480 page book is only 272 pages of actual text. The rest of the book, nearly half, is the appendix, notes, etc. Consequently, some interesting and pertinent information is buried where most readers will never venture. I read a lot of nonfiction, but I'm one of those guilty of being bored by endless pages of notes at the end. I prefer the content to flow within the timeline of the book.

My other minor complaint is that the ending felt abrupt. In fairness to the author, he does finish at the right spot for his purposes. We're left at the time when the militia join forces, taking things from a disorganized rebellion to a more organized war. I would have liked some sort of summation, in closing, of the war to come. Perhaps that will be a sequel to this book.

Overall, this is straightforward, enlightening read perfect for anyone interested in the truth of how and why American became independent.

Impressive!

If you read a lot of historical non-fiction, then you will understand what I mean when I say that often times, one book is just a slightly reworded repeat of another. That is not the case with this book.

Meticulous research, an unbiased standpoint from the author and good organisation, make this book one that you don't want to miss. I was particularly interested in the descriptions of the Boston Tea Party events that many other books seem to just gloss over. This was explained in detail in this book and in such a way that it seemed interesting and relevant today.

I love it when a historical non-fiction can bring events from the past to life and make you feel as though you were there to witness them, and Derek Beck does so with style.

If you are interested in the American Revolution, this is a book you will definitely want to add to your collection.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.