1776: A guest post

If you aren't a regular reader you might not have noticed, but I've been slacking on my book reviews. Partly because I've been finding a lot of duds recently, and I don't have a ton of time to spend reading (although I imagine myself sneaking in more reading time than I do...). So I've glad to say I have a guest post to share with you today.



This post is actually written by my husband, and he decided to share a book he thinks would be a great read for any man in your life - in case you are looking for a holiday gift (never too early to get that shopping done!).

I hope you enjoy it!

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Photo credit

1776

By David McCullough

If you grew up in the U.S. you learned about the American Revolution all throughout school.  You learned names, dates, important moments, and the philosophical arguments behind why it took place at all.  The problem is that when you focus so much on the recorded history, you lose out on the people that played significant roles in it.

David McCullough took the year of the Declaration of Independence, 1776, and turned it into a masterful book exploring both sides of this historic conflict.  McCullough based this historical fiction on a great deal of research and as such, it stands as a fantastic standard-bearer for the genre. 

The story itself weaves in and around the men surrounding General George Washington, what brought them together, and why they still fight.  You get a sense of their God-given purpose, their passion, and their desperation.  You see the fear, the valor, and the bravery of the men that fought on either side of the war.  You also will get to see the often untold part of the American Revolution, where the war was nearly lost except for a string of fortunate circumstances that led up to the culmination of the novel. 

The Prayer at Valley Forge - photo credit

From cover to cover, the book reads as a continuous night march just before the Battle of Trenton.  Interspersed throughout are flashbacks that explore the various characters and incidents that have brought them together to this moment in time.  This style has a natural feel to it and reads as if it were a story told by a grandfather to his grandchildren.  McCullough adds just enough scenic detail to paint a great mental picture for all ages.

If your husband or son has a love of history, I cannot recommend this book more as a way to meet the men that fought for our independence.

Meet the blogger:
Patrick is a husband, father, patriot, and servant of His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  He writes to light sparks of freedom, liberty, truth, and Truth. Follow him at http://freedomsbrushfire.wordpress.com/ or on twitter @Cyclimus.

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