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Read the Revolution

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

Featured Books

The Marquis: Lafayette Reconsidered

Read an excerpt from Laura Auricchio's book The Marquis: Lafayette Reconsidered.

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One Minute A Free Woman

Read an excerpt from Emilie Piper and David Levinson's book, One Minute A Free Woman: Elizabeth Freeman and the Struggle for Freedom.

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The Bill of Obligations

Read an excerpt from Richard Haass's book, The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens.

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The Contagion of Liberty

Read an excerpt from Andrew M. Wehrman's book, The Contagion of Liberty: The Politics of Smallpox in the American Revolution.

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An American Triumph

Read an excerpt from Tom Hand's book, An American Triumph: America’s Founding Era Through the Lives of Ben Franklin, George Washington, and John Adams.

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    This image shows the book cover for The Marquis: Lafayette Reconsidered with a large side profile portrait of Lafayette looking to the left with a blue to red gradient tint.
    This image shows the book cover for One Minute A Free Woman with the title in large navy blue serif font over script writing on beige paper.
    This image shows the book cover for The Bill of Obligations with black text on a cream background and an American flag sown back together with a needle and thread in the center.
    This image shows the book cover for The Contagion of Liberty featuring the book title large in blue and white font over a brown beige background on the top half with an engraving of a crowd of people getting vaccinated against smallpox.
    The book cover for Tom Hand's An American Triumph features an image of the iconic painting of Georg Washington crossing the Delaware River.

    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 271 items
    Book cover for Feeding Washington's Army by Ricardo A. Herrera featuring an image of Harrington Fitzgerald's painting Valley Forge Winter.
    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.
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    Cover for Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word by Sarah Jane Marsh.
    Children & Young Adults

    Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word

    Posted: December 28, 2022
    Read an excerpt from Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word, written by Sarah Jane Marsh and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham.
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    A Bard of Wolfe's Army Book Cover
    Biography & Memoir

    A Bard of Wolfe's Army

    Posted: November 23, 2022
    Read an excerpt from the book, A Bard of Wolfe’s Army: James Thompson, Gentleman Volunteer, 1733-1830, edited by Earl John Chapman and Ian Macpherson McCulloch.
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    Indigenous Continent Cover Pekka
    History

    Indigenous Continent

    Posted: November 02, 2022
    Read an excerpt from Pekka Hämäläinen's book, Indigenous Continent: The Epic Contest for North America.
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    Founding Finance book cover by William Hogeland.
    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.
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    Unveiling Memories book Cover by Iberdrola
    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.
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    The Compleat Victory Saratoga and the American Revolution by Kevin Weddle book cover.
    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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    First Lady Of Letters Book Cover by Sheila Skemp
    Biography & Memoir

    First Lady of Letters

    Posted: August 24, 2022
    Read an excerpt from Sheila L. Skemp's book, First Lady of Letters: Judith Sargent Murray and the Struggle for Female Independence.
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    Hero Of Two Worlds by Mike Duncan book featuring a portrait of Marquis de Lafayette.
    Biography & Memoir

    Hero of Two Worlds

    Posted: August 17, 2022
    Read an excerpt from Mike Duncan's best-selling book, Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age of Revolution.
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    Book cover for Liberty is Sweet: The Hidden History of the American Revolution by Woody Holton.
    History

    Liberty is Sweet

    Posted: July 27, 2022
    Read an excerpt from Woody Holton's book, Liberty is Sweet: The Hidden History of the American Revolution.
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