David McCullough is known as a sterling storyteller of American history with two Pulitzer Prizes for Biography ("John Adams" 2001 and "Truman" 1992) and a National Book Award ("Mornings on Horseback" 1981). What many readers may not realize is that he is a researcher par excellence as evidence by the ten years he spent reading original documents, interviewing and traveling to relevant sites for "Truman." Now he utilizes some of his previous background research for "John Adams" to tell the tale of the crucial year of the American Revolution. "1776."

Most Americans are familiar with the Christmas Eve crossing of the Delaware River to win the Battle of Trenton and to close out 1776. Mr. McCullough describes the more unfamiliar stories of the American siege of Boston in driving out the British army and the British victory in driving the Revolutionary army from New York City.

His real strength is as an editor, in choosing which historical stories to include and to exclude, for his 284 page narrative (with 100 additional pages of supporting documentation) could easily have been thrice its current length. In fact, David Hackett Fischer's "Washington Crossing" (2004) and William Dwyer's "The Day Is Ours" (1983) are both over 400+ pages in reciting only the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. The reader should be aware that "1776" is merely an introduction to that year, for the actions of the other Founding Fathers (and Mothers) are barely mentioned.

"1776" is fun to read as the 229th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence approaches. Mr. McCullough makes clear how close the American Revolution came to failing that year. British overconfidence and Washington's determination (for his battlefield experience as a military commander was nil) were the difference. The reader is directed to "Patriots" (1988) by A.J. Langguth for the best overall view of the American Revolution (1761-1783). -- C. Hutton

I read this book after having read two other books on the Battle of Gettysburg. I found that I wanted to know more about the circumstances surrounding that battle, the situation of the two armies, the generals, the politicians, and the state of the economies of the two sides engaged. But I was daunted by the plethora of information on the American Civil War. I had no desire to immerse myself in some three or four volume 2000-page work because, aside from believing myself unable to keep everything in perspective and not to get bogged down in minutiae, I reasoned that plain laziness and attention span problems would keep me from ever finishing anything like that. Plus I had to admit that it was the battles that interested me the most, and I despaired of having to read a separate book or two on each of the dozens of battles that are considered "major" during those four years.

Then I found this book: a single volume that encompasses the entire conflict from its military and political antecedents to the economic and sociological ingredients that forced the Union to enter into a war that would change forever the face of democracy. And this book did not give short shrift to the battles. To the contrary, the battles remain central and are accompanied by helpful maps.

I took a chance on this book and now that I have finished it I have to say that it is all that I could have hoped for.
Battle Cry of Freedom does what would appear to be the impossible: it includes virtually everything of consequence about the war and continues to hold the reader's interest. There are periods, especially when delving into some of the voting and politicking, the changes of party affiliations, voting data, etc., that get somewhat tedious. But if the reader is willing to work his way through these chapters he finds that he will come out the wiser, and that the next chapter, perhaps one on the next military campaign, will be better understood in itself because the larger context has been appreciated.

How James McPherson (no relation to the Union general of that name) was able to do this is nothing short of astonishing, a kind of scholarly and artistic legerdemain that allows so much to be packed into so short a space. If you want to know as much as your head can comfortably hold, and you do not want to read an entire shelf of your local library to do it, then this book is a must. My wife and I read large portions of this book out loud to one another (heartily recommended) and had our own discussions about it. We also read, concurrently, a shorter book, " Decisive Battles of the Civil War" as a companion piece to get another concise overview of the military engagements themselves.

McPherson has a definite Northern bias, but he is always fair about giving the other side its time in court. It is, after all, the North that won, and our country is what it is today because of that. The South's many disadvantages were built into its culture and ideology. Nonetheless, we intend to read Shelby Foote's three volumes to get a Southern perspective. I would not have had the gumption to go further if McPerson had not made the whole terrible period more understandable in the first place.
Do not be afraid to take the plunge.

This is a wonderful book. The book starts with Washington's involvement in the French and Indian War, continues on through the American Revolution, into his Presidency and even after his "retirement." As the book title states, this book is about Washington's military life, and the book sticks to that subject.

For those who have little knowledge of Washington's military life, this book would be an excellent book to read. Many people know of Yorktown, and Valley Forge, and the Battle of Trenton (the crossing of the Delaware), but may have never heard of Washington's exploits before the American Revolution in the French and Indian War when he fought for the British. This book covers that portion of his life and well as his military career after the American Revolution.
There are, of course, entire books written on any single event covered in this book. For instance, one could find many full length books on just the subject of Yorktown, or Valley Forge or the Crossing of the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton or George's involvement in the French and Indian War or the Whisky Rebellion. The strength of this book is while it doesn't cover any one event in as much detail, it does covers them all.

And for those who have read much on Washington's military career, this is still a good book. It puts in order all the different battles and dramas of Washington's military life to show how each affected the others. Besides, the book is simply an enjoyable book to read--it is well written and entertaining. Along the way, the author offers logical opinions of Washington's strengths and weaknesses, and while I didn't agree with all of these opinions, it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book in any way.

While I have read many excellent books on subjects and events covered in this one, this book was a good read to me just because it put everything in Washington's career back into chronological order--a thing than can be disrupted when reading many separate books on various parts of Washington's life.
So whether one is a newcomer to the subject of Washington or well read on the subject, I don't think anyone will be disappointed to use his or her time reading this book. For a book that attempts to cover the entirety of Washington's military life, this is one of the best I have read.  -- Terry Crock

Paul Johnson's "A History of the American People" is very readable history whose objectivity is manifest. While necessarily abbreviated in many respects, the book offers a sweeping panorama of the American political, cultural, and religious landscape. It captures and defines the spirit that made this country the greatest and the most powerful in the history of mankind. Unlike most writers of the modern textbooks of history Paul Johnson understands that it is individual freedom of thought and action and the extension of that freedom to the economic, political, and religious spheres that enabled this country to dominate the rest of the world.

Johnson brings to light the moral dilemma that arose when the American ideals of equality and liberty came in conflict with the economic and social pragmatism of slavery. A moral dilemma that has influenced American ideological, political, social and intellectual history since the country was founded and continues to this day, from the Civil War to the Civil Rights movement up to the present banal multiculturalism.

He also rightly points out that attempts to restrict man's freedom through higher tax rates reduce productivity and progress. The increasing government involvement in the economy during FDR's administration probably weakened the economy and extended the Depression. The economy was recovering on its own at the time FDR took office. Johnson points out that the debilitating effects of FDR's interference with the economy remained with us until Reagan reinvigorated not only the economy but also the Ameritech spirit, which unfortunately again is under siege with Clinton's administration.

Unlike most modern writers of history textbooks, Johnson gives credit where credit is due to Ronald Reagan for ending the cold war and for demonstrating to the world the inherent bankruptcy of communism and socialism and their handmaiden egalitarianism. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in American history without the current politically correct revisionism that permeates most modern treatments of this subject. -- Nicholas C Georgalis

I don't agree with everything Pollack puts forward in this book. However, I think he has the experience that warrants people giving him a fair shot. I consider myself a moderate and that's how Pollack comes across in this book. I also think that just because he was wrong about one thing (and his company in this group is quite vast), doesn't mean this book is not helpful.

This history covers the period 1780-83 and not only the Battle of Yorktown. Ketchum's writing is lively and includes many personal vignettes. Perhaps the outstanding feature of the book is that he includes the writings, decisions, and actions of the British and French figures, which are often ignored in the American perspective on the Revolution. He also does well to convey the war weariness of America at this point and how nearly the Revolution did not succeed. Finally, he continues the narrative to 1783 and does not end it at Yorktown, so you get an appreciation of the uncertainty after that battle and the two-year wait for the war actually to end.

One criticism is that the book contains a paucity of maps, so it is hard to follow the battles of the southern campaign (which the first half of the book covers). Also, the guerilla warfare in the south is given short shrift, being covered from the perspective of Greene and Morgan, with only a paragraph devoted to Swamp Fox Marion. Lastly, little is mentioned about the peace negotiations or the treaty and its implications.

Overall a very good read and informative. -- Steve Fast

In another century another age we forget how far American aviation history and the American military has progressed since the World War I era. Waller creates a vivid picture of the Billy Mitchell trial during the period that gripped the nation. The book provides interesting background on the man who challenged the Washington establishment and gives a view of military policy and capability just before and after World War I. Given the amount and length of the trial material Waller does a good job of presenting the both sides evenly. Mitchell was a compelling but flawed man who argued for an aviation future while living values more akin to his time. -- Daniel Kucera

 Revered by many Americans as a martyr for his cause, Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell has been one of the least understood figures of modern military history. His position as the dominant figure in American aviation from 1919 until his court-martial in 1925 has made him the frequent subject of biography, film, and television, but usually these portrayals have overemphasized the sensational elements of his story. For Mitchell, sensationalism was only a means of drawing attention to his farsighted ideas on aviation. In Billy Mitchell, he emerges as a man with a mission and a true pioneer of modern aviation, a man whose ideas about leadership in aerial operations inspire and instruct today’s airmen and women. Anyone interested in aviation will delight in this compelling biography.

W. David Lewis has written a majestic biography of one of America's great personages of the twentieth century. Eddie Rickenbacker was a race car driver, fighter pilot, businessman and airline industry giant. He was also a survivor and a true fighter- often taking unpopular positions- particularly his controversial comments upon the passing of FDR- essentially saying that FDR got what he deserved. Lewis also finds Rickenbacker in the beginning of the early modern conservative movement during the beginnings of Barry Goldwaters rocket to prominence. Rickenbacker was xenophobic and found the welfare state to be a deeply anathema to the human spirit of self improvement and hard work.

This work is so in-depth no brief Amazon review can give it justice. Whether you're interested in riveting war stories, early automobile racing, politics or the growth of the American airline industry this is a book that I highly recommend. The story of how an poor kid from immigrant family can rise to the pinnacle of American society is truly an interesting story. For author Lewis this book isn't mere hero worship it is an attempt to give Rickenbacker his due as events from the early twentieth century fader further and further out of our historical memory. -- Jeffrey Demers

Most people used to recall the Doolittle raid of 1942 from Capt. Ted Lawson's book Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo that was made into a movie. Now, more people recall it for the historically inaccurate rendition it was given in the movie Pearl Harbor. For the real story with more to offer than Doolittle's own biography and Lawson's earlier work, we have The First Heroes.

This book solidly provides the historical background of two important factors. One, the career of air pioneer Jimmy Doolittle, who commanded the raid, and two, the war's progress to that point and the reason the raid was needed.

A thorough (but not dull) description of the challenges facing the unit formed for the raid is provided, as are the issues that developed as training was winding down in preapration for the raid. The relationship that grew between Doolittle and his men is notable, and also touching is the way that the sailors on the carrier Hornet grew from disdain to admiration when the bomber crews came aboard for their mission.

A blow by blow account of each of the 16 planes launched is given, as are the struggles each crew faced in getting back to safety. Information is given on how each crew fared, and the end of the book does a great job at providing an epilogue that tells the reader what happened to each Raider in the years that followed the mission.

No matter how you look at it, the mission was challenging and mind-boggling then, and 60-plus years later, should still inspire us with respect for the sacrifices made on our behalf so long ago. -- David Traill

Distinguished author Ben Lambeth details the initial U.S. military response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, namely, the destruction of al Qaeda's terrorist infrastructure and the removal of the ruling Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Lambeth emphasizes several distinctive achievements in this war, including the use of precision air-delivered weapons, the first combat use of Predator unmanned aerial vehicles armed with Hellfire missiles, and the integrated employment of high-altitude drones and other air- and space-based sensors.

I'm always a little wary of long history books written by journalists, who sometimes present history as a tedious interview of various "sources." Stephen Budiansky, a correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly, is a happy exception to the rule. His prose is clear and crisp, and he tells an engaging story in a way that kept drawing me back to his rather hefty "Air Power."
Budiansky begins his book by explaining why the accomplishments of the Wright Brothers were so remarkable. He then renders a detailed history of the military uses, both real and imagined, of aircraft. The result is a story of a rapidly emerging technology told against the background of the military theories of the 20th and early 21st century.

Throughout his book, Budiansky takes issue with the views of theorists and generals who claimed that air power could be a "war-winning" weapon, either because it could be used to terrorize civilian populations into surrender or because it could cause rapid economic collapse by striking at the chokepoints in an enemy's supply system. The author argues that, with very few exceptions (such as the interdiction of German oil supplies in the last year of World War II), air power has not performed very well as a strategic tool and has always been far more effective when used as a tactical weapon in support of forces on the ground. In this sense, the Second Gulf War in Iraq can be viewed as the apotheosis of the effective use of air power: with the advent of readily available precision weapons, even "strategic" aircraft such as the B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers have been used to great advantage in the role of close support of ground troops.

In the aftermath of the opening phases of the Second Gulf War, air power is for the moment ascendant on the battle field. But if there is anything to be learned from Budiansky's meticulous history, it is that military innovation is a very Darwinian business. Plenty of bright people are studying the successful American and British invasion of Iraq, trying to make sure that the air power strategy used in that conflict will work just as well in the next war--or, for those worried about being on the receiving end, trying to prevent that strategy from working at all. -- semloh2287