Book Review: 1776
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
I heard so many things about this book, and I was really looking forward to reading it. So here's my take.
Pros:
The opening. Every other Revolutionary War book starts with the Americans. This one started with the British. There was some great stuff in there I'd never read before, and I really enjoyed the reminder that this was a war with TWO sides.
The information. Lots of good stuff in there, thoroughly researched.
Cons:
A little too much information. Get to the action already!
The layout. There were 2 or 3 sections of pictures and maps and that was it.
No maps. Maybe it's just me, but I have trouble following the action of a battle. A map right where the battle is being described is much more helpful than if I have to turn back to look at it. There actually were 2 maps, both drawn at the time and almost impossible to read. Not helpful.
In summary, I compared this with Washington's Crossing which I read this year and I found 1776 lacking. I wasn't as motivated to pick it up and keep reading. Still, I'm glad I read it. But if you wanted to read a book on the subject, I would recommend Washington's Crossing and not this one.
Posted by
Cindy B
at
4/29/2008 11:44:00 AM
Labels: 1776, book review