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 enlarge | Author: David Hackett Fischer
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Category: Book
List Price: $40.00
Buy Used: $7.24
You Save: $32.76 (82%)
New (9) Used (29) Collectible (3) from $7.24
Rating:  75 reviews
Sales Rank: 118187
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 464
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.8
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 6.4 x 1.3
ISBN: 0195088476
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.3311092
EAN: 9780195088472
ASIN: 0195088476
Publication Date: April 14, 1994
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Condition: Standard used condition.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Just another happy person with a good book October 25, 2006
Just want to agree with the other reviewers that this is a well writen book. It's a fun look into untold history not found anywhere else. If you're a history buff and would like to know who Paul Revere really was, read this book. It also has some good maps of the day.
"... and I on the opposite shore will be ..." October 23, 2006
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Yes, Paul Revere was preparing to make his way to the "opposite shore" when the two lights appeared for a brief moment in the steeple of the Old North Church. But Revere had not yet left Boston. And he was neither one of the signalers nor one of the signal recipients: he was instead the one who arranged for the alarm to be sent in that fashion, in that place and by the two men who climbed that dizzying height carrying their candle-filled lanterns. And those are only some of the tidbits you will learn when you read this definitive history. More than just a standard biography of Revere, and more than just a look at "The Ride" in particular, Fischer's book is an excellent exploration of the aspects and ramifications surrounding one single event -- one that is fully enmeshed in American memory and culture, and one from which many ripples emanate.
Fischer traces all the avenues leading up to the battles at Lexington and Concord, from the viewpoints and behaviors of the colonists and the British officials. As the momentum builds, we follow Paul Revere's actions as well as General Thomas Gage's decisions and orders. We may *think* we know the basics of the event, but surprises show up at every turn. "Alarms" had been raised in several towns before the one in Concord. Revere wasn't the only rider on April 18-19, 1775, and he never reached Concord. No one called out, "The British are coming! The British are coming!" because at that point in time, everyone involved considered themselves British. ("The Regulars are out," was instead the patriot cry.) And the skirmish system of battle wasn't gleaned from natives on the continent; it was instead implemented by men who had been involved in the French and Indian Wars and used the variations in the landscape and terrain to their ultimate advantage. By the end of the book, readers will no doubt be buoyed and impressed by the independent spirit shown by their American ancestors. They might even feel a bit of sympathy for Thomas Gage, who eventually returned to England and never found much success in the British military.
The fascinating text is accompanied by b&w photos of the major personalities as well as useful maps of the region illustrating the movements of troops and individuals. But the real gems here are the appendices and historiographies that follow the text. If you're a numbers person, you'll welcome the supplemental material that includes troop strength and numerical accounts of those injured or killed on that fateful April day. Here you can also trace how the mythology of Paul Revere's ride became imbedded in our collective American psyche. You'll even discover what facts Henry Wadsworth Longfellow deliberately got wrong in his famous poetic rendering of the event. The latter third of Fischer's book is indeed a treasure trove that allows the readers to study primary source information themselves and come to their own conclusions.
Why didn't we learn all this stuff in school? For all these years, we've been missing "the rest of the story." *This* is the way history should be written and taught! I am eager to read other histories by David Hackett Fischer.
Fantastic, indespensible & accurate. October 14, 2006
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
One of the best popular history works on the American Revolution. Fischer builds up the atmosphere of Middlesex County in 1775 perfectly, and while his thesis is that Revere held a much more important role in the coming of the Revolution than a "midnight rider" he supports it with meticulous notes and information. Fischer also gives the reader a great interpretation of what the British went through; mostly green troops stationed in a very hostile countryside.
The maps included in the book are some of the best representation of that era; I actually spent al lot of time comparing the maps of Boston and the area with the same of Google Maps as I was visiting the area; it was great to walk throughout the area in the same footsteps that Fischer described in detail.
Throughout the book his writing style at time flows like a novel, but backed with annotations and notes. This is simply one of the best books written of this time period, and even people who have a passing interest of Revolutionary history should read it, and enjoy immensely.
The definitive work on Paul Revere October 11, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
'Paul Revere's Ride' is a superbly written historical account of the American legend Paul Revere. His life and character are explained in depth and his story is fluently blended with the general context of the revolution. Surprisingly, the actual "midnight ride" was only a small fraction of this man's contribution to the revolution. Fischer describes how Revere was an influential community leader in Boston well before his legendary ride. I was also surprised to learn that Revere was at the heart of the rebellion in New England, and was instrumental in organizing the resistance. He was notorious among the British, who viewed him as a dangerous rabble-rouser. He was also a skilled artisan, as well as a devout Christian. Revere was a product of Puritan New England and it seems that he and his peers-which included Sam Adams and John Hancock-had more of a sense of divine mission than their counterparts in the south. Taken from page 175:
"For these men, the revolutionary movement was itself a new Puritanism-not precisely the same as the old, but similar in it's long memories and large purposes. Like the old Puritans who had preceded them, these new Puritans were driven by an exalted sense of mission and high moral purpose in the world. They also believed that they were doing God's work in the world, and that no earthly force could overcome them."
Some reviewers have questioned whether some of the information in this book is mere speculation. While I cannot say if this is true not, I can say with the utmost certainty that Paul Revere contributed much more to the American Revolution than has previously been attributed to him, and that this book is the definitive work that proves it. Highly recommended.
You mean Revere had more than one ride? October 8, 2006
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
What a joy it was to read this book, and another of Fischer's books; Washington's Crossing. Written in narrative storytelling fashion, the book moves briskly--but with urgency. I will save the long reviews for the top 500 writers here at Amazon, but I found this book to be extremely satisfying. I have listened to many history buffs and history professors argue whether Paul Revere was a true founding father, or just a great patriot of the time. Whatever their prevailing opinions, Revere was an extraordinarily brave individual who's continued participation helped change the course of our history. We know him for his one ride. Read the book to learn why that ride was only one of his minor accomplishments.
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