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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.

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Prisoners of Congress

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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    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

    Showing 41–50 of 195 items
    This image depicts the book cover of Household Gods: The Religious Lives of the Adams Family by Sara Georgini. The cover is a colored photograph inside a church facing the front with wooden pews to the left and right. At the top of the cover are six individual black and white portraits of the Adams family, starting with President John Adams on the left-hand side.
    History

    Household Gods

    Posted: March 24, 2021
    Read an excerpt from Sara Georgini's book, Household Gods: The Religious Lives of the Adams Family.
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    This image shows the book cover of Founding Friendships: Friendships between Men and Women in the Early American Republic by Cassandra Good. Cassandra’s name is written on the bottom in front of a gold background. The title of the book is written in white text against a blue background. And the top of the cover shows two golden framed portraits: on the left is a man and the right is a woman. The frame for the man’s portrait is square while the woman’s frame is circular.
    History

    Founding Friendships

    Posted: March 05, 2021
    Read an excerpt from Cassandra Good's Founding Friendships to explore how, by forming friendships, women and men challenged social expectations but embraced founding ideals of freedom, choice, and equality in the early United States.
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    If These Stones Could Talk by Elaine Buck and Beverly Mills
    History

    If These Stones Could Talk

    Posted: February 24, 2021
    Read an excerpt from Elaine Buck and Beverly Mills's recent book, If These Stones Could Talk: African American Presence in the Hopewell Valley, Sourland Mountain and Surrounding Regions of New Jersey.
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    The Dawn of Detroit by Tiya Miles
    History

    The Dawn of Detroit

    Posted: February 10, 2021
    Read an excerpt from Tiya Miles' recent book, The Dawn of Detroit: A Chronicle of Slavery and Freedom in the City of the Straits.
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    Finding Charity's Folk by Jessica Millward
    History

    Finding Charity's Folk

    Posted: January 27, 2021
    Read two excerpts from Jessica Millward's book, Finding Charity's Folk: Enslaved and Free Black Women in Maryland.
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    Image 010721 Rtr186 1774 Long Year Revolution Norton Cover
    History

    1774: The Long Year of Revolution

    Posted: January 13, 2021
    Read an excerpt from Mary Beth Norton's book, 1774: The Long Year of Revolution.
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    Occupied America by Donald Johnson
    History

    Occupied America

    Posted: December 23, 2020
    Read an excerpt from Donald F. Johnson's book, Occupied America: British Military Rule and the Experience of Revolution.
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    A Sweet Taste of History by Walter Staib
    History

    A Sweet Taste of History

    Posted: November 25, 2020
    Read an excerpt from Chef Walter Staib's cookbook, A Sweet Taste of History: More than 100 Elegant Dessert Recipes from America's Earliest Days.
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    Image 110920 Rtr182 Contest Liberty Sculley Cover
    History

    Contest for Liberty

    Posted: November 11, 2020
    Read an excerpt from Seanegan P. Sculley's book, Contest for Liberty: Military Leadership in the Continental Army, 1775-1783.
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    Image 102620 Rtr181 Right To Vote Keyssar
    History

    The Right to Vote

    Posted: October 28, 2020
    Read an excerpt from Alexander Keyssar's book, The Right to Vote: The Contested History of Democracy in the United States.
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