ePub Independence: The Struggle to Set America Free by John Ferling in History

Review

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful. Wonderfully insightfulBy J. M. WilliamsJohn Ferling presents material masterfully from his broad knowledge of the Revolutionary Period of U.S. History. He has given new insight into the background political maneuverings of this period from the American and English points of view. One comes away with a much broader understanding of this interesting period of our History and the contributions of great men of that era. I really enjoyed the way he gave brief; yet concise biographical histories of the major players in this time period which added significantly to exactly what their impact was during the American Revolution. He has a marvelous talent in weaving the fabric of historical material; that is both interesting and entertaining; into a clear picture of what was actually going on and of the motivations that led to our independence. I believe him to be one of the premier historians of our age. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying his work and not gaining vastly in their knowledge of U.S.History from his clear and insightful presentations. I highly recommend this book and look forward to more of Mr. Ferling's future work.11 of 11 people found the following review helpful. Blew me away!By J.B. HughesEveryone has a style of writing that they generally prefer so my experience with this book may not be the experience had by everyone else. However; I really enjoyed the style; pace; and content of this book. I bought it on July 4 because it was a kindle daily deal but I am certainly interested in reading more of the works written by John Ferling. This book is unique and clears up some misconceptions that people may have about Congress and the background of the American Independence. The book is not structured as a story but more as a journey. Here are some key points which may be helpful to you when deciding whether to buy this book.Dr. Ferling starts with the premise that the study of history is best looked at when we return to the time itself. History has a way of appearing to be pre-scripted. However; lots of things could happen and change its course. To understand the revolution it is not enough to know that it is a pivotal moment in American History; but one must return and try to retrace the crisis that led to the birth of America. Turning back to discuss the drama of the history adds the elements of humanity such as fear; uncertainty; rebellion; and outrage. Dr. Ferling does not tell the history of a bold nation who unanimously forged together to oppose Britain. There were competing views about the future of the country. Lots of men came together with different ideas about direction America should take and it took a while before they were able to come together and break ties with England.First; he retraces some familiar background by dealing with the issues and grievances that the Americans perceived were being foisted on them by the British. Along the way he does a very clever job. He slowly starts picking up characters and adding their history into the narrative. Some of the stories like those of John Adams; Samuel Adams; Thomas Jefferson; and George Washington one may know. Other stories like that of John Dickinson; Joseph Galloway; Robert Morris; and Roger Sherman one may be less familiar with. He does a stand-up job telling the British side of the story as well and pulls out key aspects in the characters of these men. He spends a great deal of time talking about many of the great English statesmen who opposed the war on the colonies. The way he picks up characters along the way was very clever and they are brought into the story when they are needed to be seen.While I did not think he was completely unbiased (which I believe no one can be) I thought his perspective on the Fathers was rounded. Let's face it: Most of our founding fathers were W.A.S.P's (White Anglo Saxon Protestants) more importantly; many of them had wealth. Some of the men involved with the independence movement may have been moved at least in part by the economic advantages. Richard Henry Lee for example; (known as Bob Booty behind his back) invested in the Ohio Valley and London did not want to increase Virginia landholding. However; Lee stayed conservative until he saw the success that Patrick Henry had with his more radical tone. Franklin was at first neutral as well. He lived in London before the revolution and wanted to make good money and influential connections there. It was a series of events that led Franklin towards becoming involved in American Independence. There were trade possibilities that no doubt interested many of these men. If America won the trade market would open wider and the wealthy would certainly benefit.The downside to the book was the extensive vocabulary. Most of the words I understood but there were words that Dr. Ferling uses that I was not aware existed. Now; it was not so difficult for me because I am fairly well-read and am able to decipher the word in the context; plus; kindle has a dictionary feature to help with exact meanings. However; this may not be as accessible to one who may be struggling to read. I should be clear to say that his vocabulary was not a problem but it may present a problem to a reader. So make sure if you are buying a non-kindle version to keep a dictionary on hand to reference from time to time. Other than that I really did not feel there was anything to complain about. One reviewer suggested that the book was slow in spots and I will agree with that. However; it was not terribly slow and I actually found the book to be fun most of the time.So my recommendation is that this book is a valuable work to add to one's collection on the Revolutionary War. When an author leaves me wanting to read more of his or her works than I think that says a lot about the writer. Dr. Ferling definitely knows what he is talking about. He not only tells us a good story but he goes a little deeper and traces the development of what I believe is one of history's most significant events. He writes passionately and a majority of time fast-paced. He clears up misconceptions about the 4th of July and gives the real date that the decision was made and the date that the Fathers originally wanted to celebrate. On a side note the kindle edition is good and there are no kinks in the book. All in all; I found this book to be lively; informative and entertaining. I have not been as excited about a book in a long time.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Sweeping History BookBy The Irregular ReaderThis sweeping history focuses not on America’s War for Independence; but on the decade or so before independence was declared. With the French and Indian War over by 1763; Great Britain found itself with a massive war debt; accumulated for the protection of its colonies in America. In order to raise revenue; the British ministry decided to levy a series of taxes on its colonies; perhaps the most infamous of these being The Stamp Act of 1765.The taxes were wildly unpopular with the American colonists; not least because they had no representation in the British ministry. Protests to the Stamp Act and other taxes enacted by Parliment were met with fierce resistance. Mobs gathered in city streets; leading colonists took to pen and paper; writing tracts decrying the British government for denying their right as British citizens to determine their own destiny.From these first days in 1765; when for many the main goal of their protest was reconciliation with the motherland; until the hot days of early July; 1776; when independence seemed like an inevitability; Ferling leads us along the path the Founding Fathers took towards declaring the United States its own country. He takes us through the debates in the British Parliment and the arguments between the members of the Continental Congress. The bloody battles and confrontations between the Redcoats and the Continental Army and the political wrangling of the nascent government in Philadelphia; Pennsylvania.This is a well-written; thoroughly researched book. My only caveat is this: this is a history book. This is not a novel. You will learn a great deal from this book; and Ferling does try to leaven his writing with humor on occasion; but this is first and foremost a history book. Ferling’s goal is to tell us as much as he can; as accurately as he can; and a fair amount of dryness is the inevitable result. I recommend this book to any history buff (Revolutionary or otherwise); or anyone who wants to learn about the path the United States took towards becoming independent.