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

by Don Cook (Author) "King George III accede to the throne of England in October of 1760, a fortuitous time in the history of his nation..." (more)
Key Phrases: long fuse, stamp act, peace mission, New York, Lord North, House of Commons (more...)

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.

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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: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #354,717 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 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)

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.

14 of 16 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

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 (Earlville, IL USA) - See all my reviews

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.