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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 231–240 of 273 items
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.

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.
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Image 100223 Rtr251 Overflowing Of Friendship Godbeer Cover

The Overflowing of Friendship

Posted: October 11, 2023
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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The Perils of Peace book cover

The Perils of Peace

Posted: August 12, 2014
This excerpt from Thomas Fleming describes the political reaction in Britain immediately after the surrender at Yorktown, Virginia
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Image 102620 Rtr Philadelphia Campaign Volume One Mcguire

The Philadelphia Campaign, Vol. I

Posted: August 23, 2017
Read an excerpt from Thomas J. McGuire's book, The Philadelphia Campaign, Vol. I: Brandywine and the Fall of Philadelphia.
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Image 10012020 The Philadelphia Campaign

The Philadelphia Campaign, Vol. II

Posted: September 26, 2018
This excerpt from Thomas McGuire depicts the movement of Hessian forces as they marched to fight Continental troops at the Birmingham Meeting House.
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The Queen's American Rangers Book Cover

The Queen's American Rangers

Posted: August 09, 2017
This excerpt from Donald Gara details efforts to remake the Queen's Rangers in 1777 during the early months of the British occupation of Philadelphia.
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The Revolution's Last Men Book Cover

The Revolution's Last Men

Posted: April 21, 2015
Read an excerpt from Don Hagist in which he updated biographies on the last living American Revolution veterans for a more accurate take.
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Cover of The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff featuring a zoomed in image of Samuel Adams's face.

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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Image 102620 Rtr181 Right To Vote Keyssar

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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Image 091120 333x499 Rtrguilford

The Road to Guilford Courthouse

Posted: March 02, 2016
This excerpt from John Buchanan examines not only the battlefield strategy made in the Carolinas, but also the military careers of the major characters
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