Read the Revolution

A curated collection of thought-provoking books about the American Revolution.

Featured Books

The Overflowing of Friendship

Read an excerpt from Richard Godbeer's book, The Overflowing of Friendship: Love Between Men and the Creation of the American Republic.

Prisoners of Congress

Read an excerpt from Norman E. Donoghue II's book, Prisoners of Congress: Philadelphia’s Quakers in Exile, 1777-1778.

Freedom's Prophet

Read an excerpt from Richard S. Newman's book, Freedom’s Prophet: Bishop Richard Allen, the AME Church, and the Black Founding Fathers.

Give Me a Fast Ship

Read an excerpt from Tim McGrath's book, Give Me a Fast Ship: The Continental Navy and America's Revolution at Sea.

The Cutting-Off Way

Read an excerpt from Wayne E. Lee's new book, The Cutting-Off Way: Indigenous Warfare in Eastern North America, 1500–1800.

Image 100223 Rtr251 Overflowing Of Friendship Godbeer Cover

Cover for Norman Donoghue's book Prisoner's of Congress which features a blue illustration of the top of Independence Hall atop the book title in blue over a beige background.

Book cover for Freedom's Prophet by Richard Newman featuring a large scale portrait of Bishop Richard Allen.

Book cover for Tim McGrath's book Give Me a Fast Ship featuring the title in black text over a goldish brown background with stars and a painting of naval ships.

Book cover for Wayne Lee's The Cutting-Off Way.

About

Curated by Museum staff since 2013, Read the Revolution features excerpts from thought-provoking books about the American Revolution. Read the Revolution was created with thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Democracy demands wisdom. Subscribe to get the biweekly Read the Revolution featured excerpts emailed right to your inbox for free.

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Speaker Series

Inspired by the Read the Revolution featured excerpts, the Read the Revolution Speaker Series brings celebrated authors and historians to the Museum for lively, facilitated discussions of their work. Each Read the Revolution Speaker Series program, hosted by Museum President & CEO Dr. R. Scott Stephenson, includes a special talk and audience Q&A.

About the Series

All Books

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History

These Truths

Posted: June 28, 2023

Read an excerpt from Jill Lepore's book, These Truths: A History of the United States.

History

A Fragile Freedom

Posted: June 14, 2023

Read an excerpt from Erica Armstrong Dunbar's book, A Fragile Freedom: African American Women and Emancipation in the Antebellum City.

History

Liberty's Daughters

Posted: May 10, 2023

Read an excerpt from Mary Beth Norton's groundbreaking book, Liberty's Daughters: The Revolutionary Experience of American Women, 1750-1800.

History

Black Jacks

Posted: April 19, 2023

Read an excerpt from W. Jeffrey Bolster's book, Black Jacks: African American Seamen in the Age of Sail.

History

African Founders

Posted: February 08, 2023

Read an excerpt from Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Hackett Fischer's book, African Founders: How Enslaved People Expanded American Ideals.

History

Feeding Washington's Army

Posted: January 11, 2023

Read an excerpt from Ricardo A. Herrera's book, Feeding Washington's Army: Surviving the Valley Forge Winter of 1778.

History

Indigenous Continent

Posted: November 02, 2022

Read an excerpt from Pekka Hämäläinen's book, Indigenous Continent: The Epic Contest for North America.

History

Founding Finance

Posted: October 12, 2022

Read an excerpt from William Hogeland's book, Founding Finance: How Debt, Speculation, Foreclosures, Protests, and Crackdowns Made Us a Nation.

History

Unveiling Memories

Posted: October 05, 2022

Read an excerpt from Iberdrola's book Unveiling Memories: Spain and the Hispanic Contribution to American Independence edited by José Manuel Guerrero Acosta.

History

The Compleat Victory

Posted: September 14, 2022

Read an excerpt from Kevin J. Weddle's The Compleat Victory: Saratoga and the American Revolution.

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