Customer Reviews

Paul Revere and the World He Lived In

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For this book Forbes got the Pulitzer Prize and it is hard to believe it is almost 50 years old now.

It is a biography of Paul Revere but also more than that. It is also the history of Boston and the Revolution. Because of his important standing in Boston of his day, he was a coppersmith, a Son of Liberty and a prominent Mason, we get to know a lot more about 'the world he lived in'.

It seems very fair and balanced. Not a great soldier or tactician but someone who was instrumental behind the scenes as a provider of weaponry and of course as a messenger.

For those interested in daily life AND the Revolutionary War this book is great. It also shows you what Paul REvere did and why you find his name so often when walking around Boston.

Paul Revere and the World He Lived in by Esther Forbes is a well written authoritative biography about Paul Revere. The book has a flowing but romantic aire to it... painting a portrait with words and describing the life and times of early New England and Boston in particular.

Paul Revere was a multifarious man displaying many talents as the book points out. Well written, flowing narrative, being easily readable and well documented are just a few of the wonderful traits that the author brings to the reader. It's enjoyable to read and you feel like your right there seeing everything transpire right before your eyes. That's a talent raely found in writing and no wonder this book won a Pulitzer Prize in history.

This book is well worth reading and gives the reader a good foundation as to what life was like for people from 1735 - 1818. As well, this should be one of the books used in our schools for teaching American History. The author really brings out a love for her subject in this book.

This book deservedly won the Pulitzer Prize in History. It examines the life of Paul Revere in the setting of the era he lived in, but goes beyond a mere biography to include wonderful anecdotes about the Revolutionary War period. Oh, and it turns out that Paul Revere was a really nice, decent guy; he just is little remembered because he never turned into a politician. I recommend this book without reservation to every living soul on this planet!

I was pleased to find out that there is a newer edition of this book. The one I have is the 1942 edition and rather worn. I used sections from this book to help document certain events that occured during the time period. The social studies text we used didn't do justice to events such as the Boston Massacre and the Battle of Lexington & Concord, both events where Paul Revere played a part. Forbes detailing of events and characters helped to bring these events alive for my students...they also got to see that not all the colonists were noble, freedom-fighters, but that propagandizing was alive and kicking even then. I would heartily recommend this book as a resource for American History teachers!

It is a rare author who can write a book that , 50 years later, shows few signs of age. It is also rare for the writer of historical fiction to have the ability to entice kids of another generation to enter the world of which she writes. Esther Forbes is one of those gifted writers. Fifteen years ago, my 13 year old son pulled this book from my shelves and found himself thoroughly immersed in the world of 18th century Boston. Although more has undoubtedly been discovered about the life and times of Paul Revere since this particular bio was initially published, this account remains vital and valuable today. I don't keep all of the books that I buy and read, but this has been in my bookcase for more than 20 years.

Esther Forbes shows that Paul Revere was not just a guy who rode a horse and shouted, "The British are coming!" Actually, his famous ride to Lexington was a very small part of his life and contribution to our nation's development. Forbes provides thorough details about Revere's many activities and interests. In addition to his work as one of the Sons of Liberty, he was an engraver, silversmith, bell maker, military officer, and manufacturer of gunpowder and rolled copper. And if that weren't enough, he dabbled in dentistry. Such an entrepreneur! It's inspiring to see what can be accomplished by a person who is honest, hard-working, humble, and genuinely concerned about other people.

Forbes also includes a lot of information about other prominent people from Boston, such as John Hancock, Joseph Warren, Dr. Benjamin Church, and Samuel Adams. These men played important roles, but I think the focus is on Revere because of the aura surrounding Paul Revere and his legendary midnight ride. We are drawn to stories of heroism in the face of mortal danger. John Hancock's huge signature ... well, it just doesn't stir us the same way.

Most of the action happens between 1756 and 1779. It was a time of tension and uncertainty. Forbes shows that the people struggling against the British really didn't know how it would turn out. There were no guarantees of success. Also, the wrangling between Whigs and Tories seemed like a foreshadowing of the friend-against-friend clashes that happened in our Civil War 80 years later.

The pre-1756 and post-1779 events didn't benefit from the inherent excitement of current events, so these parts of the book didn't hold my attention as well. Still, this IS a biography, and it isn't Forbes' fault that Revere lived 40 years past the end of the Revolutionary War.

I enjoyed this non-sensationalized look at social, political, and military facets of colonial America. And now that I know what Paul Revere did beyond riding horses and shouting, I'm glad he's got a spot in our history books.

If you would like to go back in time and really experience what it was like to know Paul Revere, John Hancock, Samuel Adams & Joseph Warren - then this book is for you. It is an enjoyable read that really takes you back to Boston in the late 1700's.

You will come to understand what an important role Paul Revere played in our early history. It is fascinating to see that a man who was involved in the Boston tea party turned around and left without sleep to carry news to Philadelphia of what had taken place. He made the trip to Philadelphia and back four times that year, averaging 63 miles a day!

By reading this book, you will be there to see the painted faces of men returning from the Boston tea party, or feel the frustration of having the king's soldiers living in your neighbor's homes. You will experience anxiety as Robert Newman makes his narrow escape out of Christ's Church window after the lanterns have given warning.

You will also come to appreciate Paul Revere - who was kind-hearted, quick to make peace with old enemies, and willing to do what was needed. You will find that at age 65 he took on the task of learning how to roll copper for the ships for our new American Navy.

After reading this book you will find you have been both entertained and educated!

Where has this book been all my life? Some mentioned it on a FB post and for that I am quite grateful. I never thought I'd totally fall in love with a historical figure, but I am. Read this and become a part of history!

Here is the story of one of America's earliest and best known heros. His name today, like those of his historical peers seems more mythical than real and his achievements have been reduced by time and misguided revisionists to a few pieces of silver and a brisk ride. The reality of this man's life is many times more impressive than the storied man we think we know today. His many feats include several "midnight rides" that changed history. His December 1774 ride to warn the Durham N.H. patriots led directly to the rebel siezure of Ft. William Henry in Portsmouth. An act that had many wide ranging consequences. He carried Joseph Warrens "Suffolk Resolves" to the congress in Philidelphia which united the colonies in a policy of armed resistance to British opression. Revere campaigned in Rhode Island and Penobscot Maine, marched Saratoga's prisoners across Massachusetts, commanded Boston's defenses at Castle Island, pioneered in dentistry, powder production, printed the commonwealth's currency, sheathed the State House dome and the U.S.S. Constitution's keel in rolled copper, and still managed to have a dozen or so children and 3 wives. Our nation is deeply indebted to Esther Forbes for her relentless persuit of the real Paul Revere and the Revolutionary Boston he helped create. In the author's own words, "So away goes Paul Revere on the Larkin horse,...not just a lone fiqure riding a lonely road long ago, but a symbol to which his countrymen can still turn".

I'm surprised that this book is still in print, available, and in paperback. I have an edition published in 1942. I had never heard of the author, Esther Forbes, but she is a fine writer. All the details of the extraordinary life of this patriot and artisan are there, but also the entire life of Boston in the late 1700's is vividly described. It's an exciting book by a lucid historian.