Book Review: 1776

Since I started blogging, I have found myself with significantly less time to devote to what I confess is probably my greatest passion: good books. But I do steal some time away from Google News, C-Span, and the outer reaches of the blogosphere now and then and read awhile. I've just finished David McCullough's latest offering, 1776, and I wanted to just offer a few impressions of it, for what they're worth.

McCullough has long been one of my very favorite authors of historical non-fiction/biography: his John Adams would probably be on my all-time top ten list, were I ever forced to make such a painful choice. Once again with 1776, he does not disappoint. I have to be honest, the tale wasn't what I expected - it was better. This is the story not of independence resolutions and hot Philadelphia meeting rooms, but of the trials and tribulations of a ragtag band of patriots, headed by an all-too-mortal Virginia gentleman farmer.

Reading 1776 was, at times, like riding a roller coaster (except for the obvious difference that I did not feel in constant danger of throwing up while reading the book). From the siege of Boston to the retreat from New York to the triumphs at Trenton and Princeton, McCullough's reader is transported back to the headquarters of General Washington, back to the makeshift tents of the young men who stood with him through the darkest days ... and who marched with him through the darkest nights - in retreat and in attack.

The story of this vital year, as seen from the perspective of Washington, his generals, his aides, and his rank-and-file soldiers (McCullough expertly weaves into his narrative diary accounts and letters from soldiers whose names we've never seen before) is much different from the typical "Founding Fathers" business we're used to. John Adams, John Hancock, Ben Franklin and the rest of the Continental Congress make only cameo appearances. The only tales of entertainment and dinner parties come from the British in occupied Boston and and New York. McCullough's work instead is focused on "the times that try men's souls," and much of the book is little short of utterly depressing.

Above all, though, this book is the story of perseverance. Of a vision, of brave men doing what they saw as their duty, to the best of their abilities. Of courage. Of honor. They fought, those valiant few, so that we all can spend our hours going back and forth with each other about stem cells, and stonewalling; so that we can debate what it means to be a country that values the great ideals of freedom, and liberty, and the rule of law.

The lessons of 1776 (both book and year) are as important today as they have ever been.