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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 41–50 of 262 items
    This image shows the book cover of Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick. It shows a picture of a cannon going off during a nighttime battle. There are Revolutionary soldiers behind the cannon and the fire and sparks fill the dark.
    History

    Bunker Hill

    Posted: June 17, 2014
    This excerpt from Nathaniel Philbrick describes the uncertain, dramatic start to the legendary Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolution.
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    Cabal! The Plot Against General Washington book cover
    History

    Cabal! The Plot Against General Washington

    Posted: April 08, 2020
    Read an excerpt from Mark Edward Lender's Cabal! The Plot Against General Washington on the challenge to Washington’s command known as the "Conway Cabal."
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    Book cover for Captives of Liberty features a painting that depicts a Hessian soldier and a British redcoat leading a Continental soldier away as a prisoner.
    History

    Captives of Liberty

    Posted: August 09, 2023
    Read an excerpt from T. Cole Jones's book, Captives of Liberty: Prisoners of War and the Politics of Vengeance in the American Revolution.
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    Image 091520 847x1241 Rtrchains
    Children & Young Adults

    Chains

    Posted: September 10, 2013
    Read an excerpt from Laurie Halse Anderson's young adult novel that tells the story of a young slave girl during the start of the Revolutionary War.
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    Charity and Sylvia Book Cover
    Biography & Memoir

    Charity and Sylvia

    Posted: June 08, 2022
    Read an excerpt from Rachel Hope Cleves' book, Charity and Sylvia: A Same-Sex Marriage in Early America.
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    Citizen Sailors Book Cover
    History

    Citizen Sailors

    Posted: January 25, 2017
    This excerpt from Nathan Perl-Rosenthal that examines evolving concepts of identity, nationality, and citizenship in the decades leading to the War of 1812.
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    The image depicts Colonists Citizens Constitutions book cover by James Hrdlicka. It is a blue cover with a photo of the first few lines of the constitution. “We, the people of the United States,” is a visible.
    History

    Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions

    Posted: June 09, 2021
    Read an excerpt from James Hrdlicka's exhibition book Colonists, Citizens, Constitutions: Creating the American Republic.
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    Image Rtr Common Sense
    History

    Common Sense

    Posted: January 06, 2015
    This excerpt comes from the section "Thoughts on the Present State of American Affairs" from Common Sense, the influential pamphlet by Thomas Paine.
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    This image depicts the book cover of Congress's Own: A Canadian Regiment, the Continental Army, and American Union by Holly A. Mayer. The top of the image is a map of Canada. The title of the book is written in red in a box, mostly covering the map. The bottom half is a white background with a painting of a soldier marching and playing a drum.
    History

    Congress's Own

    Posted: September 22, 2021
    Read an excerpt from Holly Mayer's new book, Congress's Own: A Canadian Regiment, the Continental Army, and American Union.
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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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