This book reflects the strengths and weaknesses of Langguth's background in journalism.  It is an eminently readable, one-volume account of the Revolution.  But it is less a narrative, like Shelby Foote's Civil War, and more a series of set pieces that focus on one event and several characters per event.  Moreover, he is not looking to plow any new theoretical ground here.  It's just straightforward storytelling.

That said, I liked the book very much.

(Reviewed:)

Grade: (B) Orrin C. Judd

Tweet

AJ Langguth Links:

    -ESSAY: Vietnam's Lesson: Seeing Is Believing (A. J. Langguth, 2/16/03, LA Times)

Book-related and General Links:
    -REVIEW: THE VILLAINS WORE RED COATS (John A. Garraty, NY Times)
    -Jesus Christs (Synopsis) by AJ Langguth Synopsis by Maureen Nelly, Galaxy Magazine)
    -REVIEW: Saki: A Life of Hector Hugh Munro by A.J. Langguth, A Genius for Revenge (RHODA KOENIG, NY review of Books)
    -REVIEW : of  OUR VIETNAM : The War 1954-1975 By A.J. Langguth (GEORGE C. HERRING, LA Times)

GENERAL:
    -INSTITUTE FOR AMERICAN LIBERTY
    -Religion and the Founding of the American Republic (Library of Congress)
    -RevWar: Revolutionary War links
    -REVIEW: of A STRUGGLE FOR POWER The American Revolution. By Theodore Draper (John Patrick Diggins, NY Times Book Review)
    -REVIEW: The Myth of American Individualism: The Protestant Origins of American Political Thought by Barry Alan Shain (Eugene D. Genovese, First Things)
    -REVIEW: of HOLY MADNESS: Romantics, Patriots and Revolutionaries, 1776-1871  By Adam Zamoyski  The bloody gods of revolution: With Christ safely out of the way, revolutionaries from Lafayette to Bakunin waged their own holy wars in the name of liberty and democracy, says John Lukacs ( John Lukacs, London Times)
    -REVIEW: of  Becoming America: The Revolution Before 1776  by Jon Butler Give Me Diversity or Give Me Death (GORDON S. WOOD, New Republic)
    -REVIEW : of A People's History of the American Revolution by Ray Raphael (Ellen Clegg, Boston Globe )
    -REVIEW : of  French Lightning, American Light by Susan Dunn (Paul Gray, TIME)
    -REVIEW : of A Few Bloody Noses: the American War of Independence by Robert Harvey (Michael Carlson, Financial Times)
    -REVIEW : of A Few Bloody Noses: the American War of Independence by Robert Harvey ( Raymond Seitz, booksonline)
    -REVIEW : of A Few Bloody Noses: The American War of Independence: By Robert Harvey (Brian Maye, Irish Times)
    -REVIEW : of The American Revolution: A People's History by Ray Raphael (Gregor Milne, Richmond Review)
    -REVIEW : of The American Revolution John Rhodehamel, editor (The Library of America), A People's History of the American Revolution by Ray Raphael (JOHN GAMINO, The Dallas Morning News)
    -REVIEW: of Affairs of Honour by Joanne B. Freeman (James Bowman, Times Literary Supplement)