The Glorious Cause
by Jeff Shaara
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Book Summary Information
Author: Jeff ShaaraEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-06-03
ISBN: 0345427580
Number of pages: 704
Publisher: Fawcett
Book Reviews of The Glorious Cause
Book Review: A gift to readers and American History teachers everywhere
Summary: 5 Stars
Jeff Shaara manages the improbable feat of making every major combat character in the American Revolution, plus the indispensable Benjamin Franklin, seem fresh. His forays into the thoughts of the involved commanders are convincing, his dialog is true to the period, and his grasp of army politics on both sides seems accurate. The book's only flaw is that the length of the war, and the 18th-century tradition of suspending military operations in wintertime, occasionally slows the narrative to the pace of a Rose Parade float. On the other hand, Shaara puts his 600-some pages to good use, explaining aspects of the Revolution that many history teachers don't have time for. I'd heard about Hessian troops, for example, but not until reading this book did I understand exactly who they were and why they were allied with the British Empire against her rebellious subjects. Shaara's treatment of Benedict Arnold and his wife, Peggy, is equally fascinating. If Shaara were a chef, his specialty would be the all-day pasta sauce that emboldens flavors you don't even recognize until the second or third taste.
I read this book while looking for work, and was glad to be reminded that George Washington did not enjoy a distinguished military career. What made him great was his willingness to learn from his own mistakes. As a result, he won when it was necessary. If ever a good man failed his way toward success, Washington was that man. Much the same could be said of lesser-known commanders like Henry Knox, Dan Morgan, and Nathaniel Greene. It's a valuable lesson, and Shaara drives the point home without being ham-fisted. Like his Pulitzer Prize-winning dad, the man has few peers among those who write historical fiction. This book made me a fan of the whole Shaara family.
Summary of The Glorious Cause
In Rise to Rebellion, bestselling author Jeff Shaara captured the origins of the American Revolution as brilliantly as he depicted the Civil War in Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure. Now he continues the amazing saga of how thirteen colonies became a nation, taking the conflict from kingdom and courtroom to the bold and bloody battlefields of war.It was never a war in which the outcome was obvious. Despite their spirit and stamina, the colonists were outmanned and outfought by the brazen British army. General George Washington found his troops trounced in the battles of Brooklyn and Manhattan and retreated toward Pennsylvania. With the future of the colonies at its lowest ebb, Washington made his most fateful decision: to cross the Delaware River and attack the enemy. The stunning victory at Trenton began a saga of victory and defeat that concluded with the British surrender at Yorktown, a moment that changed the history of the world.
The despair and triumph of America?s first great army is conveyed in scenes as powerful as any Shaara has written, a story told from the points of view of some of the most memorable characters in American history. There is George Washington, the charismatic leader who held his army together to achieve an unlikely victory; Charles Cornwallis, the no-nonsense British general, more than a match for his colonial counterpart; Nathaniel Greene, who rose from obscurity to become the finest battlefield commander in Washington?s army; The Marquis de Lafayette, the young Frenchman who brought a soldier?s passion to America; and Benjamin Franklin, a brilliant man of science and philosophy who became the finest statesman of his day.
From Nathan Hale to Benedict Arnold, William Howe to ?Light Horse? Harry Lee, from Trenton and Valley Forge, Brandywine and Yorktown, the American Revolution?s most immortal characters and poignant moments are brought to life in remarkable Shaara style. Yet, The Glorious Cause is more than just a story of the legendary six-year struggle. It is a tribute to an amazing people who turned ideas into action and fought to declare themselves free. Above all, it is a riveting novel that both expands and surpasses its beloved author?s best work.
From the Hardcover edition.
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