Read the Revolution

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

Featured Books

A Bard of Wolfe's Army

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.

Feeding Washington's Army

Read an excerpt from Ricardo A. Herrera's book, Feeding Washington's Army: Surviving the Valley Forge Winter of 1778.

Flora MacDonald: "Pretty Young Rebel"

Read an excerpt from Flora Fraser's new book, Flora MacDonald: “Pretty Young Rebel”: Her Life and Story.

Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word

Read an excerpt from Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word, written by Sarah Jane Marsh and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham.

Indigenous Continent

Read an excerpt from Pekka Hämäläinen's book, Indigenous Continent: The Epic Contest for North America.

Book cover for Feeding Washington's Army by Ricardo A. Herrera featuring an image of Harrington Fitzgerald's painting Valley Forge Winter.

Flora Macdonald Pretty Young Rebel book cover by Flora Fraser

Cover for Thomas Paine and the Dangerous Word by Sarah Jane Marsh.

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

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History

Hessians

Posted: May 11, 2022

Read an excerpt of Friederike Baer's new book, Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War.

History

Historians on Hamilton

Posted: October 10, 2018

In her essay, Renee C. Romano looks at how Hamilton: An American Musical sparked surprising conversations and unexpected results

History

Household Gods

Posted: March 24, 2021

Read an excerpt from Sara Georgini's book, Household Gods: The Religious Lives of the Adams Family.

Children & Young Adults

I Survived the American Revolution

Posted: January 10, 2018

Read an excerpt from Lauren Tarshis's children's book of a young boy's courage as he and the Continental Army prepare for the Battle of Brooklyn.

Fiction

I, Eliza Hamilton

Posted: November 14, 2018

Read an excerpt from Susan Holloway Scott's work of historical fiction about Eliza Schuyler, wife of Alexander Hamilton, during the Revolutionary War.

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.

History

Independence Lost

Posted: April 27, 2016

This excerpt from Kathleen DuVal sets the stage for the American Revolution on the Gulf Coast and tells stories that give international perspectives

History

Indigenous Continent

Posted: November 02, 2022

Read an excerpt from Pekka Hämäläinen's book, Indigenous Continent: The Epic Contest for North America.

History

Insignia of Independence

Posted: June 27, 2018

This excerpt from artist Don Troiani and author James L. Kochan looks at the armies of the American Revolution and further divides each by regiment to take a closer look.

History

Invisible Ink

Posted: May 23, 2018

This excerpt from John Nagy shows the spycraft of a Philadelphia family during British occupation and their assistance in helping Washington prepare battle

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