The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies 1760-1785 [Paperback]

Don Cook (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 1996

In The Long Fuse, Don Cook investigates the American Revolution from the British side, throwing new light on this colorful age and its players. He draws from a multitude of primary sources, including personal correspondence and political memoranda, to show how Britain, at the height of her power but suffering from internal political strife, made one mistake after another, culminating in the loss of her prized colonies. In opposition to King George's American policies were such towering figures as William Pitt, Edmund Burke, and Charles James Fox; their speeches in the House of Commons are some of the best oratory in the English language. But despite their eloquence and forcefulness, they did not have the votes to prevail. In the end, the Americans rebelled as much against an English political state of mind as against the British Army. Cook takes us through the war years: King George's decision that "blows must decide" the colonies' future; Lord North's futile effort to negotiate peace after the British defeat at Saratoga, which only hastened the American alliance with France; the secret letter from Washington to Lafayette that the British intercepted, perhaps altering the outcome of the Battle of Yorktown; and the peace negotiations masterminded by Franklin and John Jay. Winner of the Colonial Dames of America Annual Book Award 1996. "The Long Fuse is a marvelous new way of understanding the Revolutionary War. Many Americans have no idea of the extraordinary combination of brilliance, ignorance, stubbornness and intelligence on the British side. We won with a majestic collection of heroes, fools, geniuses, and rogues; they lost with an unforgettable cast of colorful characters. This eye-opening book is a splendid historical synthesis." - John Chancellor

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Retelling the saga of the American Revolution from the viewpoint of Mother England, Cook ingeniously portrays the 13 colonies' breakaway as a succession of inexorable blunders and collective missteps in London that led to an unnecessary, unwinnable war. Former political correspondent for the Los Angeles Times and the New York Herald Tribune, Cook lays the lion's share of blame at the feet of autocratic King George III, who prodded his government into war-provoking acts, refusing all suggestions of compromise. Cook's vivid, wonderfully readable narrative sheds new light on the origins of the American Revolution and is peopled with memorable characters: Anglophile diplomat/scientist Benjamin Franklin, testifying before the House of Commons in London against the oppressive Stamp Act in 1766; Isaac Barre, fierce, rough-talking, one-eyed British colonel, sympathetic to the American cause, who warned Parliament that a revolution could be brewing; amiable, indecisive British prime minister Lord North, totally unfit to wage war, who repeatedly tendered his resignation in vain; parliamentarian William Pitt, who dared to question the king's wisdom in fiery oratory. Cook provocatively concludes that with a more conciliatory policy, England might well have reached an accommodation that would have kept the American colonies in the British Empire.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Scientific American

Delineating the political culture of corruption and bribery that pervaded London and disgusted Americans like Benjamin Franklin, Cook convincingly concludes that the war was lost as much in London as on the colonial battlefields. Illuminating new perspective on an old topic.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press; 1st Paperback Ed edition (September 9, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871136619
• ISBN-13: 978-0871136619
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #226,951 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!, June 26, 2000

By 

Richard Quarles "Rich Quarles" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies 1760-1785 (Paperback)

An enjoyable, eminently readable narrative of the American Revolution. Cook concentrates on the political aspects of the revolution, particularly on the British side of the pond. He gives Ben Franklin the starring role on the American side. Despite concentrating strongly on the "high politics" of the era, Cook never bogs down in the details, and the result will be of wide interest to armchair historians and the general public alike. This book should be of interest to anyone with even a passing interest in the Revolution, Ben Franklin, or the the state of the late eighteenth century British Empire.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars With thanks to Amazon's recommendations feature, December 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies 1760-1785 (Paperback)

I discovered this book thanks to Amazon's personalized recommendations, and I am very grateful. This is simply a wonderful book. It opens up a side of the Revolutionary War that is rarely taught or discussed, and therefore provides a depth of understanding that is extremely valuable; and somehow, the author has made this a thoroughly enjoyable and absorbing read. I literally did not want to put it down. Reading the actual text of Ben Franklin's testimony to the House of Commons was very compelling, particularly in the context the author created. Although I must admit I am a big history fan, I believe that anyone with even a mild interest would be very happy that they read this book.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Institutional stupidity revealed!, May 26, 2000

By 

Stuart Bloom - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies 1760-1785 (Paperback)

If you've ever wondered how the British could have been so continually and incredibly stupid as to lose their American colonies, this book will answer your questions! It provides a view of the Revolution not often encountered by Americans. Your view of the American Revolution is not complete without this view. Highly recommended.