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Read the Revolution

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

Featured Books

Female Genius

Read an excerpt from Mary Sarah Bilder's book, Female Genius: Eliza Harriot and George Washington at the Dawn of the Constitution.

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King Hancock

Read an excerpt from Brooke Barbier's book, King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father.

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Witness to Revolution Exhibit Reading List

See five books recommended by the Museum that explore key people connected to George Washington’s tent and were critical to researching and constructing the exhibition.

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The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley

Read an excerpt from David Waldstreicher's book, The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley: A Poet’s Journeys Through American Slavery and Independence.

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Brothers in Liberty

Read an excerpt from Phillip Thomas Tucker's book, Brothers in Liberty: The Forgotten Story of the Free Black Haitians Who Fought for American Independence.

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    Book cover for Female Genius written in a wavy font across the bottom third features Columbia holding the American flag.
    Book cover for King Hancock book featuring a large portrait of John Hancock's face with the title King Hancock in gold and Hancock written in his famous signature.
    Introductory wall panel in the Witness to Revolution special exhibit with white text on a red background.
    Cover for David Waldstreicher's book The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley with the book title and author name in bold black font against an orange background with a colorized version of Phillis Wheatley's portrait in the center.
    Book cover for Brothers in Liberty features the book title in yellow on a red background in the middle of the cover with the subtitle right below in white.

    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 1–10 of 45 items
    Book cover for King Hancock book featuring a large portrait of John Hancock's face with the title King Hancock in gold and Hancock written in his famous signature.
    Biography & Memoir

    King Hancock

    Posted: April 10, 2024
    Read an excerpt from Brooke Barbier's book, King Hancock: The Radical Influence of a Moderate Founding Father.
    Read More
    Book cover for Female Genius written in a wavy font across the bottom third features Columbia holding the American flag.
    Biography & Memoir

    Female Genius

    Posted: March 27, 2024
    Read an excerpt from Mary Sarah Bilder's book, Female Genius: Eliza Harriot and George Washington at the Dawn of the Constitution.
    Read More
    Cover for David Waldstreicher's book The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley with the book title and author name in bold black font against an orange background with a colorized version of Phillis Wheatley's portrait in the center.
    Biography & Memoir

    The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley

    Posted: March 13, 2024
    Read an excerpt from David Waldstreicher's book, The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley: A Poet’s Journeys Through American Slavery and Independence.
    Read More
    Cover of The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff featuring a zoomed in image of Samuel Adams's face.
    Biography & Memoir

    The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams

    Posted: January 24, 2024
    Read an excerpt from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stacy Schiff's book, The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams.
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    Book cover for Founding Martyr by Christian Di Spigna featuring a portrait of Dr. Joseph Warren.
    Biography & Memoir

    Founding Martyr

    Posted: December 13, 2023
    Read an excerpt from Christian Di Spigna's book, Founding Martyr: The Life and Death of Dr. Joseph Warren, the American Revolution’s Lost Hero.
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    Book cover for Freedom's Prophet by Richard Newman featuring a large scale portrait of Bishop Richard Allen.
    History

    Freedom's Prophet

    Posted: November 22, 2023
    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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    The Road To Yorktown edited by Norman Desmarais book cover
    History

    The Road to Yorktown

    Posted: July 12, 2023
    Read an excerpt from Norman Desmarais's edited edition of The Road to Yorktown: The French Campaigns in the American Revolution, 1780-1783.
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    A Gentleman of Color book cover
    Biography & Memoir

    A Gentleman of Color

    Posted: April 05, 2023
    Read an excerpt from Julie Winch's groundbreaking book, A Gentleman of Color: The Life of James Forten.
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    The Grimkes by Kerri Greenidge Book book cover.
    Biography & Memoir

    The Grimkes

    Posted: March 22, 2023
    Read an excerpt from Kerri K. Greenidge's book, The Grimkes: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family.
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    Cover of The Journal of Charlotte L. Forten featuring a photograph of an older Charlotte.
    Children & Young Adults

    The Journal of Charlotte L. Forten

    Posted: March 08, 2023
    Read an excerpt from The Journal of Charlotte L. Forten, edited by Ray Allen Billington.
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