Professor Middlekauf is a superlative writer; and this text reads more like a novel than anything akin to the dry, pedantic tomes normally attributed to academic historians. There are several notable features of this book which outstand it: (1) The writing is narrative and therefore is presented as a continuous plot-line in motion; (2) The unfolding of events in England prior to the outbreak of hostilities is presented, nearly in parallel, with the reactions (and counter-reactions) in the American colonies, thus telescoping the cause-effect relationship into a seamless synthesis; (3) There are interesting, but quite relative, asides from the main narrative of the events leading to the Revolutionary War, and the War itself, such as the discussion on the perennial problem with colonial militia deserters, such as the fractiousness of the Continental Congress in balancing Northern and Southern colonial interests, such as the quite intriguing fact that the British Royal Army not only had black soldiers as regular enlisteds, but also used them to 'discipline' white army regulars, usually by beatings.
Professor Middlekauf is a refreshing wit, which is on light display throughout the work. This text is amply footnoted (much more convenient for reference than endnotes). The author strikes a fine balance (not always an easy task) between providing his interpretations of events and leaving the reader to develop her own thoughts.
This is the first text in a series upon American History by Oxford University Press, and as such, it takes into account a wide range of scholarship. This emphasis makes the book entirely suitable for the layreader who is searching for a single-volume text upon the major (and many of the minor) historical themes. Moreover, Oxford University Press, the publisher, uses an easy-to-read typeset with generous margins, so that this text, though lengthy, is eminently readable.
I would also heartily recommend two other texts in the series, the ones immediately following this one in the historical chronology--that is, the book by Gordon S. Wood, treating of the early Republic (1789-1815), and the book by Daniel Walker Howe, treating of the period from 1815 to 1848.
ISBN-13: 978-0195315882
ISBN-10: 019531588X
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Customer reviews
Considering that this is on the official list of Oxfords History of the United States list, it is extremely well written! Usually these college published books are dreadfully boring! This book is great for those who wish to have a much better understanding of the roots of the revolution, the war itself, and the founding of a new nation. It's time sequence is set about a decade before the revolution broke out, which i thought was a very good place to start. It explains the attitudes and worries in the colonies before revolution was even conceptualized. It moves step by step through the major British failures which moved the colonies step by step to that fateful day of July 4, 1776. One aspect that I personally enjoyed about this book is that it goes into great detail of the actual war itself. I would say that at least 50% of this book reads like a military history book. It concludes with the years following peace and the new struggle of creating the central government which hinged on the framing of the greatest constitution so far written in human history. I would consider this to be one of the greatest single volume histories of the Revolutionary era available. I read this book in 9 days. I highly recommend. As with most books of this depth, a preliminary knowledge of this time period is helpful - so as to not be lost in the myriad of names and places.
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Top reviews from other countries
Innes M
A thorough, if not particularly readable, tome
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 9, 2022Mrs. Sarah Catrin Morgan
Very good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 4, 2019
