Customer Reviews

The World Turned Upside Down: George Washington and the Battle of Yorktown

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Ferrie creates a refreshing, approachable, and exciting vehicle for examining the events and issues around the Battle of Yorktown. Unencumbered by patriotic propoganda, extremely well researched - reveals the issues and life as it truly was for those involved (on both sides and at all levels) in the struggle for American freedom. Highly recommended for elementary school and up!

As the headmaster of and a former history teacher at a private prep school I have studied numerous accounts of early American history and Richard Ferrie's work is by far one of the best I have read. I particularly liked the fact that he started out with a quick introduction (note, the facsimilie of the 1781 broadside before the intro. ends with the Latin phrase "Laus Deo!" The aluminum cap on top of the Washington Monument has the same phrase which means, "Praise Be To God"), followed by a picture of the "Key Players" with a cameo on each (which was divided into sections containing the American, French, and then British forces). Mr. Ferrie followed this up with a timeline of the major events before Yorktown and then the Yorktown campaign itself. The first chapter did an excellent job of setting the stage by giving a quick overview of the war and the events immediately before Yorktown. I also appreciated the appendices which gave more background material for those so interested. This overview was an excellent way to introduce the whole war and its glorious end to new students of this time period.

Most history books hold you hostage to their chronology by not letting you know where they are going with their narrative as well as drive all but the most serious reader away with exhaustive detail. History text books are usually worse and dry as dust (no wonder many students don't like history). Not so with this little gem. Right from the get-go you are gripped with a quick moving story that is hard to put down! Even though you know the ending, like all good story tellers, he keeps you on the edge of your seat wanting to now HOW Washington and the French pulled it off.

I only wish the author had gone into more background on the significance of the battle of Cowpens and how afterwards the patriots were able to harrass Cornwallis and drive him to the sea at Yorktown (instead of getting wiped out). Clinton, the commander-in-chief acknowledged (when Cornwallis was chasing the patriot army), "...here the royal army was again stopped by a sudden rise of the waters, which had only just fallen (almost miraculously) to let the enemy over, who could not else have eluded Lord Cornwallis' grasp, so close was he upon their rear..."

Although this book was written for children, I HIGHLY recommend it to adults as well. This is a must read for junior or senior high school students. It will give you a great overview of the war, the character of the major individuals, and a sense of excitement that textbooks, unfortunately, fail to deliver.

Well done Mr. Ferrie!

PS I completely disagree with the criticism by another reviewer who did not like the antiquated maps (not enough detail for him)...frankly, I thought they added character to the book. If you want detail, you can always use an atlas or go to Mapquest.com! :)

It took only a couple of weeks to reach me and I was delighted with the condition of the book. Although previously owned by a library it felt and looked as if it had never been opened.