audiobook Benjamin Rush: Patriot and Physician by Alyn Brodsky in History

Review

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Revolutionary GadflyBy VA Duck"Benjamin Rush was a congenital victim of two major personality flaws: impetuousness and a proclivity for indiscretion" (pg. 194). These flaws will prove; throughout this read; to be the factors that placed Dr. Rush forever on a 3rd tier of Founders. It is NOT that Rush was not an extraordinary man; he was; it may be rather that the 'Pantheon' tier of the Founders (Washington; Madison; Jefferson; Franklin; Hamilton and Adams) left contributions that have been judged for over two centuries to be not only extraordinary; but heroic. To the contrary; Rush's place in history (for the purpose of this book) is judged principally as an essayist; polemicist revolutionary. In this context; Author Brodsky succeeds; perhaps unintentionally (?) in portraying Rush as notable in history principaly through his 'connections' with the Great Men of the Revolution rather than through his own accomplishments; a "Revolutionary Gadfly": the title given by earlier biographer David Freeman Hawke (Benjamin Rush: Revolutionary Gadfly).Rush was trained in Philadelphia and Edinburgh as a physician. He achieved eminence in his profession; served in the 1st 2nd Continental Congress; was 'Patron' for Thomas Paine; signed the Declaration of Independence (though played no part in it's formulation); served as a Surgeon General for the Continental Army; conspired to remove Washington as Commander-in-Chief (Rush's 'undoing') worked for ratification of the Constitution; and most famously; 'healed' the late-life rift between Adams and Jefferson (see Zarrow's; Friendship and Healing: The Dreams of John Adams and Benjamin Rush). Rush leaves behind a full resumé; acting at the center of medicine; but only on the periphery of politics and in both often flawed by; "impetuousness and...indiscretion."The book's author; the late (April 12; 2011) Alyn Brodsky; delivers an even handed account of his subject written clearly and interestingly; only occasionally tipping the playing field in favor of Rush and then with military assessments who's victors are at least arguable and still questioned (Gates at Saratoga and Allen at Ticonderoga; see Randall's Benedict Arnold: Patriot and Traitor). Rush's ability to judge military leadership is summed by the selection of his favorite generals: Horatio Gates; Charles Lee and Thomas Conway; all three eventually disgraced. Brodsky struggles with Rush's story; the politics; often sniping and vindictive; are not enough to fill a volume; the medical seems unconnected - always primitive; frequently harmful and all to often tangential to the story of the Founding. If there is a (minor) criticism of the author's style; it is that the read is occasionally overly 'punctuated' with primary source material which brings to the story; in many instances; more cobwebs than clarification. The latter chapters struggle to give Rush a meaningful role in political events and go by s-l-o-w-l-y. Brodsky was interviewed by Brian Lamb on C-SPAN; Booknotes in 2009. That video (~58-min) is still available on their web site and worth watching prior to the read. I cautiously recommend this book to history buffs; it flows easily and provides a unique perspective to the events of the Revolution and Founding Period that the reader does not get to see when portrayed (typically) through the experiences of the 'pantheon' founders. By the end; the book comes up well short of establishing Rush as an indispensable Founder and leaves the reader questioning the criterion for 18th century medical efficacy.-----kindle edition-----Well done! The e-book publisher has taken pains to implement almost all of the electronic functionality that the buyer is charged for (and seldom receives). There is a well linked Table of Contents that functions as it should from a cross-swipe on the Fire versions. The notes are properly linked to their citations in the back of the book. The index is un-linked but the kindles "highlight"; " search"; "in-book" function delivers the same (or better) functionality. Even the seldom implemented page numbers are provided; as is text-to-speech. There are no illustrations in the e-book nor its paper siblings. Four typeface choices are provided; in 12 font sizes; though line spacing was ignored. Publication quality for publisher Macmillan USA; ★★★★★; excellent!0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A glimpse of early AmericaBy MK MillerWho knows? Perhaps others ( that we never learned about ) among our colonial ancestors contributed greatly to early American society. I knew something of Jefferson; Madison; Franklin; the Adamses; and Washington; but there may be so many others. . .(Paine; Hamilton; Hancock. . .) Not many of us knew about Dr. Rush; probably. Thanks; Alyn Brodsky.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy JoepauGreat book