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Read the Revolution

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

Featured Books

Memory Wars

Read an excerpt from A. Lynn Smith's book, Memory Wars: Settlers and Natives Remember Washington’s Sullivan Expedition of 1779.

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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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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 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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Making the Presidency

Read an excerpt from Lindsay M. Chervinsky's book, Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic.

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    This image shows the book cover for the book Memory Wars with a red background textured with Native American symbols and the book title and author name in white font to the left side.
    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 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 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.
    This image shows the book cover for Making the Presidency by Lindsay Chervinsky featuring a portrait of John Adams.

    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 81–90 of 273 items
    This image depicts the book cover of The Gun, The Ship, and The Pen by Linda Colley. The text of the title is written in large blue letters. There is an illustration, pictures vertically on the left side of the book cover. It shows a sailor, with his back to the viewer, looking out at a ship on fire in the sea.
    History

    The Gun, the Ship, and the Pen

    Posted: May 12, 2021
    Read an excerpt from historian Linda Colley's new book, The Gun, the Ship, and the Pen: Warfare, Constitutions, and the Making of the Modern World.
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    This image depicts the book cover of James Monroe: A Life by Tim McGrath. James Monroe is written in red, while A Life and Tim’s name is written in white. The cover is a portrait of James Monroe in a black jacket. His body is turned off to his left looking in the same direction.
    Biography & Memoir

    James Monroe

    Posted: April 28, 2021
    Read an excerpt from Tim McGrath's book, James Monroe: A Life.
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    This image depicts the book cover of Masquerade: The Life and Times of Deborah Sampson, Continental Soldier by Alfred F. Young. The background is a pale yellow. There are images of eight continental soldiers. The middle soldier is the largest and is colored pink. The other soldiers surround this one in varies positions and are colored blue.
    Biography & Memoir

    Masquerade

    Posted: April 06, 2021
    Read an excerpt from late historian Alfred F. Young's book, Masquerade: The Life and Times of Deborah Sampson, Continental Soldier.
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    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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