Book Description
Freedom, the oldest of clichés and the most modern of aspirations, is the unifying theme in the new survey of American history by Eric Foner, the well-known historian and author of The Story of American Freedom. As the fundamental idea behind Americans' sense of themselves as individuals and as a nation, freedom is deeply embedded in the record of our history and the language of everyday life. Give Me Liberty! examines the changing meanings of freedom, the social conditions that make freedom possible, and its shifting boundaries from colonial times to the early twenty-first century.
Customer Reviews:
Amazon's scamp in shipping.......2007-07-09
This rating is not about the book but it's about Amazon service. I ordered the book on 07/02/2007 and the book was not shipped until 07/09/2009. I received no email letting me know there is a delay in shipping. I am already behind in this class and I am having a test next monday 07/16/2007. I will have to buy a book in a local book store to study for the test. I am very disappointed w/ Amazon. I think they are playing this game to make you buy their shipping package. Very cheap and low tactic from Amazon...
A US History interesting book.......2006-11-06
It is a book that has all the facts of US History. It gives extra details to place every detail given in the right place. It is also very easy to read and would go along great with a lecture class. Personally I read this book with Howard Zinn side by side so I could get the facts and opinion at the same time. Very good book.
Book Description
Offering instructors and students a lower-price alternative to the regular editions of our leading textbooks, the Norton Seagulls feature inviting, clear designs that focus student attention on the texts themselves. These compact books are portable, affordable, and authoritative. The Seagull Edition of Eric Foner's Give Me Liberty! An American History contains the complete text of the regular edition. Acclaimed by instructors and students and adopted at hundreds of colleges and universities across the country, Give Me Liberty! provides a fresh and effective approach to the survey. Its single-author narrative gives students a clear, coherent introduction to American history. The theme of American freedom enriches the narrative, integrates the book's coverage of social and political history, and motivates the study of history by alerting students to how much is at stake in having a knowledge of our past. The book is supported by the same full array of print and electronic ancillaries as the regular edition.
Customer Reviews:
Decent amount of facts, but poorly written.......2007-07-24
Overall, this is a pretty poorly written book. Most of the important events are glossed over. The book is written in a list style, spending only one sentence on some important events and people, like the Glass-Steagal Act. World War I gets about 2 pages. Also, the organization leaves something to be desired. The author likes to skip around chronologically in favor of grouping by social, political, and economic topics. This works well in the case of the chapter on Progressivism, but fails elsewhere.
Written by only one author - most history textbooks have multiple authors - this books has the feel of getting only one viewpoint. Foner isn't even an expert in this time period; he writes about the Civil War and Reconstruction. There are much, much better US history textbooks out there. I would recommend American Pageant for this level (advanced high school, college survey).
grear History book.......2006-11-10
it holds american history in one volume, from Colon to 9/11
great price
this books is very easy to read and it comes with a code to get premium access to the editorial, with videos and a long interview with the authors about each chapter, really cool !
Excellent way to learn American History........2006-03-09
I am a foreign student, and this is the first time that I study American History. The Seagull Edition of this book is great because it has all the written information and appendix from the regular volume and it costed less than half. Some people might miss the colored pictures, the maps or the extra margens to right notes, but this edition fitted my budget and i am enjoying it anyway.
Regarding the content, the information is presented clearly and very complete.
Book Description
Offering instructors and students a lower-price alternative to the regular editions of our leading textbooks, the Norton Seagulls feature inviting, clear designs that focus student attention on the texts themselves. These compact books are portable, affordable, and authoritative. The Seagull Edition of Eric Foner's Give Me Liberty! An American History contains the complete text of the regular edition. Acclaimed by instructors and students and adopted at hundreds of colleges and universities across the country, Give Me Liberty! provides a fresh and effective approach to the survey. Its single-author narrative gives students a clear, coherent introduction to American history. The theme of American freedom enriches the narrative, integrates the book's coverage of social and political history, and motivates the study of history by alerting students to how much is at stake in having a knowledge of our past. The book is supported by the same full array of print and electronic ancillaries as the regular edition.
Book Description
Freedom, the oldest of clichés and the most modern of aspirations, is the unifying theme in the new survey of American history by Eric Foner, the well-known historian and author of The Story of American Freedom. As the fundamental idea behind Americans' sense of themselves as individuals and as a nation, freedom is deeply embedded in the record of our history and the language of everyday life. Give Me Liberty! examines the changing meanings of freedom, the social conditions that make freedom possible, and its shifting boundaries from colonial times to the early twenty-first century.
Book Description
Freedom, the oldest of clichés and the most modern of aspirations, is the unifying theme in the new survey of American history by Eric Foner, the well-known historian and author of The Story of American Freedom. As the fundamental idea behind Americans' sense of themselves as individuals and as a nation, freedom is deeply embedded in the record of our history and the language of everyday life. Give Me Liberty! examines the changing meanings of freedom, the social conditions that make freedom possible, and its shifting boundaries from colonial times to the early twenty-first century.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding college text.......2005-06-17
This text is indeed used for college history classes and is usually assigned in US survey classes that cover the colonial period to the present day. The amount and depth of material in the text is quite exceptional. The book includes chapter review pages, suggested readings and documents and tables. It also includes a generous amount of primary source documents, drawings and photographs, color maps and graphs. It is beautifully written and illustrated. It is expensive, but this is the case for all large survey texts and college lab books.
It is troubling to me that an individual would "review" a book they have never read and would disparage college professors for assigning the appropriate text for a class. Clearly, this individual does not understand the distinction between college texts and popular history books.
Who is the audience at this price level?.......2005-05-17
I have not read this book and won't at its $95 price (plus whatever special shipping amounts to).
I'm puzzled as to the author's intended audience for this book, given that pricing. Contrast that with Foner's other book, American Freedom, which is a little less than half as many pages yet costs only $16.95 in hardcover($11.93 with free Amazon shipping). Same publisher. What publishing dynamic is going on here? Is this volume intended just for colleges, where overpriced textbooks are the norm and can be forced onto students?
Amazon.com
"We are slaves. All of us," writes Wyoming superlawyer Gerry Spence with his trademark exuberance. "The New Master is an entanglement of megacorporations on the one hand and an omnipresent national government on the other, each stuck to the other like a pair of copulating dogs, each unable to move without dragging the other behind it, each dependent upon the other, hating the other, but welded to the other in a dissolute enterprise."
This decidedly offbeat manifesto will make Spence--who comes across as a left-leaning Ross Perot on steroids--friends and enemies at every point along the political spectrum. Among his tamer suggestions are a call to criminalize campaign contributions, forced voting for all citizens, and the drafting of judges for temporary assignment from a pool of trial lawyers. In case these ideas don't go far enough, Spence also wants to rewrite the U.S. Constitution. Liberal populists will cheer Give Me Liberty! for its unremitting audacity; conservatives will chafe at Spence's fundamental radicalism. --John J. Miller
Book Description
Here, in this landmark personal work, Gerry demonstrates how, despite the democratic rhetoric we hear and believe, we have become enslaved. All of us are trapped by a complex web of corporate and governmental behemoths he calls the "New Slave Master" That today controls our airways, educates our children, and manages every facet of our lives.Yet, far from being a pronouncement of gloom, Give Me Liberty! is an inspiring and visionary work. In the spirit of his bestselling How to Argue and Win Every Time, Spence expounds on his philosophy, thus empowering us to:Liberate the slave within, redefine success, unchain the spirit, escape the religions of work and beliefs that enslave us, free ourselves with what he calls our "magical weapon."Like Thomas Paine's Common Sense, Give Me Liberty! captures the underlying malaise of a country, transforming it into a national dialogue that promises a groundswell for a meaningful democracy in America in the coming years.
Customer Reviews:
Socialism not corporations is the enemy of labor.......2004-06-21
Division of labor is the essence of a free market system. A corporation is a lifeless entity: it does not have a brain, a heart, or an living organ. Too say a corporation is a new master and the workers are the slaves is not rationale. The migration from an industrial based society too an knowledge based society means that individuals provide the labor for an organization and individuals create the networks to get work done and organizations are composed of networks of individuals that provide specialized labor.
A corporation produces product from the efforts and skills of numerous divisons of specializations of labor. So the idea that an employee or a group of employees are indepensible to an organization is not practical. Exchange of money by a corporation is forced by the individual based on the agreement and terms of services rendered. A corporation can not breach the work agreement without penality. So, a contract of sorts is formed between the individual and corporations for the acquistion of labor skill and services, in exchange for money or profit. This free market transaction is not forced on the individual, it is a choice to labor in exchange for profit. The free exchange of business is the life of capitalism. Capitalism is the life of the free market system.
An anomaly in the model is insurance companies. Insurance companies represent a break in the model. The relationship between the insurance company and its beneficiaries seems to be one exception in the labor equal profit model. Insurance companies acquire money and do not want to pay out benefits on claims without adversial compelling reasons. There is not realization of any labor service agreements and so the benefit payment seems difficult to access or measure. The contracts are not explicit and easy too execute. Insurance seems too defy the labor equals profit equation.
So, organizations draw upon labor pools to accomplish specific tasks in the corporation. The process of identifying specific individuals capable of providing specific domains of knowledge becomes the competing factor between corporations on the free market. Companies must compete for labor. The marketing of knowledge labor jobs is too accomodate a sector of labor for the exchange of money or profit. Sectors provides the highest levels of profit attract labor.
Making the megacorporation the enemy is a blanket discrimination. The real threat is socialism. Why did legislature support for slavery die? Because slavery was based on the idealogy of socialism. Socialism destroys the free market. The free market can always compete from efficiency, innovatively, and cheaper than any other market system. However, if the free market is burden under the idealogy of socialism, it oppressive doctrines and practices stiffle incentitive; workers have no profit motive too labor; the state supports an idle group of workers with welfare benefits; and the quality of life deterioates. The slave industry was destined to crumble. The founding fathers realized "cheap labor" provided by slavery would never last. Division of labor and the "invisible hand" drove individuals to gain specialized knowledge, the work for a profit, increasing both wealth and productivity. As long as socialistic idealogy does not destroy the workers belief they can labor for a profit, the knowledge worker will continue to think, innovate, design, and produce. The impact of the brain produces millions of fold of value. The human inguentity is the great producer of profit.
Did large corporations force small farmers too sell their land? No. Division of labor for small farmers was so inefficient they could not compete against large corporations possessing capital giving them an agricultural advantage. The agricultural advantage being fertilizers, economy of scale discounts, improved planting and harvesting methodologies. The free market benefit from lower food prices and more abundant supply. The small farmer could not convince his sons that farm division was profitable enough to spend their lives on the farm, so they sought more profit divisions of labor. As long as demand exists for a labor division, resource pooling will be available; once demand decreases labors migrate too new labor divisions and create resource pools of availability.
Large corporations represent a tax entity. Individuals within the corporation are responsible too invest, distribute, and utilize the resources of the corporation. Individual networks provide the specialization of labor and the resource pooling too keep the corporate tax entity profitable. If individuals support socialistic idealogy then labor productivity will cease because socialism prohibits profitable labor. Taxes reduce profits. Reductions in profits suffocate labor incentive.
Bad ideas, cleverly written.......2003-07-04
Gery Spence's ideas would turn these united States into a socialist dystopia. His ideas are anathema to liberty.
Example: That Congress shall make no law abridging freedom of speech is set in the First Amendment. We can be certain that the founders meant political speech.
Spence's solution: Eliminate campaign contributions, so that only thos who control a TV network or newspaper chain can influence the outcome of an election. While he rails against the big corporation, this one proposal gives unprecedented power to a small sub-group of corporations.
Whether you believe that socialists or social conservatives control the media, this effectively silences those with opposing views. Stalin and Hitler would be proud of such an idea - and to couch it in the name of freedom is obscene.
Good Brain Food for those worried about current trends........2002-11-05
I have read several of Gerry Spence's books, some of which I loved and some of which bored me to sleep at night. This one is definately a must buy!
I am a 39 year old US Citizen who returned to the USA just 2 years ago after living from age 18-26 in Soviet Occupied East Germany and age 29-35 in "Reunified" Germany with the in between years spent in Hungary, South Africa and The United Arab Emirates. Upon my return to this country I was floored by just how similar the US has become to many of those countries whose governments I viewed as "police states".
In this book, Gerry Spence responds to many of my concerns, points out many recent dangerous precedents and sounds the alarm that our freedoms and Rights really are in jeopardy! For the first time since my return to the USA I realize that my observations are in fact valid and that there are others out there who are well travelled, educated and/or observant enough to see what is really going on.
Gerry likes to be a poet and he likes to spin fine webs of utopian bliss but he is also a very observant and astute critic of American ideals and images VS the reality behind them. Give the book a read! What else can you get for $2.00 that might just change your perception of life in the USA?
Spence wants to buck the system.......2001-06-06
Im a fan of Mr. Spence and have owned all but one of his books. This is an interesting book, but your showing your lack of resonableness if you go along with it whole-heartedly. In fact it's probably what Mcviegh read before making his bomb. We can't change the system overnight(nor would we want to if we had to replace it with Gerry's ideas). He's much like Nader(except anybody takes a better picture than Ralphy) in the sense that he could get alot farther if he only focused on changing part of the world at a time. Still it's worth reading just to think of it all in a different way.
Good ideas.. bad writing style........2000-12-29
When I picked this book up in the bookstore, I read the summary on the back. When I saw 'All of us are trapped by a complex web of corporate and governmental behemoths ... that controls our airways, educates our children, and manages every facet of our lives." I immediately became interested. This is an idea that I have explored thoroughly, and loved to read any extensive perspective on it.
Gerry Spence's comparison between full-blown slaves and the american public was very compelling and eerie. And his ideals to change things, while I don't agree with every one of them, are very fascinating.
Unfortunately, Spence's writing style is very erratic. The book is nothing more than a collaboration of independent ideas and perspectives sectioned off into non-continous brackets. He hardly ever has a continous thought that spans more than one page, and the discontinuity makes some chapters very fuzzy and incoherent.
Book Description
Describes the events leading up to the Declaration of Independence as well as the personalities and politics behind its framing.
Customer Reviews:
Liberty At Its Best.......2004-12-16
This book is a shining example of how good we fought the American Revolution. I gave it four stars because I loved the way the writer expressed the war. The story takes place in the American Revolution and its battlesd. you learn about the Sons of Liberty, Lexington and concord, and the major battles of the Revolution. I thought it was a great reflection on the Revolution. A story element most represented in this book is allusion. At most the writer recalls a lot of facts and incorporates them into the story. I would recommend this book to people who are big history buffs.
Give Me Liberty:The Story of the Declaration of Independence.......2004-12-16
(1) The book has a great part when it tells about the boston tea party. (2) I like this book because it talks about the wars that went on in the american revolution.(3) the story element that I am going to pick is flash back because the story flashback to when we were fighting the revolutionary times. (4) I recommend this book to people who like action and fighting in a book. The reason that I only gave it four stars is because it does not have enough fighting in it.
An outstanding American history book for young readers.......2004-05-26
This book may be aimed at young readers between 9 and 12 years old, yet readers of any age can benefit from Russell Freedman's basic yet very informative look at the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the events and ideas that helped shape it. Opening with the exciting story of the Boston Tea Party, Freedman walks the reader through the series of events leading up to the start of the Revolutionary War and America's formal declaration of independence from the English government. After a quick summary of American history up to the crucial events of the 1770s, Freedman describes the range of taxes, burdens, and laws that the British Crown and Parliament forced on its increasingly recalcitrant colonies. The words of such men as Thomas Paine and Patrick Henry are once again called upon to reveal the unquenchable thirst for freedom which would help convince a divided population to take up arms in defense of a new, independent nation.
Freedman then presents a wonderful summary of the early skirmishes and battles of the Revolutionary War: the Boston Massacre, the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill (Breed's Hill), the ill-fated (and very poorly planned) attack on Quebec, the English naval bombardment of coastal towns such as Charlestown, Massachusetts and Charleston, South Carolina, etc. Against this backdrop of burgeoning military conflict stands the work of the First and Second Continental Congresses, and Freedman provides an excellent assessment of the differences of opinion that had to be ironed out before America dared claim her independence. Freedman does an especially nice job of showing how the events of the first skirmishes of the war affected the thinking of Continental Congress delegates. He closes with a discussion of the Declaration of Independence, imparting the true significance and provocative importance of this document too easily taken for granted today.
Freedman does not cover the events of the Revolutionary War after July 1776, but he does devote a chapter to an informed discussion of the legacy of the Declaration of Independence, discussing its relevance to later issues such as the emancipation of the slaves, women's suffrage, and the civil rights movements. He shows just how significant and visionary the document remains to this very day and gives readers the chance to read it in its entirety. He closes with a chronology of important events and a bibliography featuring recommendations to adults as well as children for future reading. Packed with wonderful prints and illustrations, Give Me Liberty! The Story of the Declaration of Independence offers readers a concise yet highly informative look at the document that defines the United States of America.
[...].......2004-03-23
Give me Liberty is a very factual novel about the Revolutionary War and the people who played important roles. This book goes in detail about the Boston Tea Party, Sons of Liberty, Daughters of Liberty, The Battle in Lexington and Concord. Read this book!
Review by a teenage drama queen.......2004-03-22
I have to adment that it took some time for me to get interested in this book. This book has so much information about the Revolutionary War and people who played big parts in it. This takes you back shows you images of what life was like under British rule. I love my country but what was so harsh about paying 3 cents a pound for tea. That is how this thing got started. If you look at the facts given to us. These farmers with pitchforks weren't that bad off. They revolted out of greed not love of their county. I say againg I love my county, but what was so bad about paying 3 cents a pound for tea. If you think about it we pay taxes all the time for our troops, government employees, and others. They asked us to help pay for war dept. I do understand however that they should have not ignored us. This book tells the stories but not the whole truth.
Average customer rating:
- The Unsurpassed graphic novel of a near future America
- LIBERTY
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Give Me Liberty
Frank Miller , and
Dave Gibbons
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
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Martha Washington Goes to War
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ASIN: 0440504465
Release Date: 1992-01-04 |
Book Description
A young girl from the ghetto struggles against impossible odds to save the world from the Fat Boy Burger corporate army, the Aryan Thrust, and the meanest Mr. Clean ever... the Surgeon General! That young girl is Martha Washington, and she redefines heroism in the Eisner Award-winning story, Give Me Liberty. Give Me Liberty set the stage for the Martha Washington Goes to War series.
Customer Reviews:
The Unsurpassed graphic novel of a near future America.......2003-03-03
"Give Me Liberty" tells the story of young Martha Washington, a precocious african-american girl growing up inside of the horror of public housing - "The Green" (a hideous development of the "Carbrini Green" projects of Chicago). At the dawn of a new century, a fascist president helms an America that features everything evil we can expect of the "New World Order" - including domination by corporations and an insurmountable gap between rich and poor. Abolishing term-limits (with each succesiive inauguaration, the crowds of supproters seems to be inversely proportional to the armed guards) the President spends most of his time reminding us how happy we should be thanks to him. At first trapped in Cabrini, Martha's savage misfortunes provide her an odd escape - first institutionalization, then (because it will clean her record) enlistment with PAX, a sort of corporate backed citizen's army. As a soldier on every one of America's frontlines, Martha witnesses how America's new empire is born, even as its dying. The enemies of course are not the Russians, but competing corporations (mostly theme parks and fast-food companies). In case you haven't caught on, "Give Me Liberty" is all about an advanced American state slowly disintegrating under its own weight. The country is soon gripped in civil wars - rather than a single conflict, the fighting is disorganized, along state, muncipal and corporate lines, and further complicated by various non-aligned factions, like the amazon women of the "First Sex Confederacy" and tribes of Native Americans armed with their own missiles. Even the left-wing administration that (briefly) suceeds Rexall is overwhelmed by the evil that is the new century.
While the story of America is compelling, "Give Me Liberty" actually suceeds because it never abandons Martha. Rather than some empty-headed figure upon whom "Give Me" can stamp its story, Martha is strong-willed, convincingly intelligent and surprisingly sympathetic. We never pity Martha nor can we condemn her for the ends she must take (which are violent - there's a fair amount of gore in the story). The future landscape of America is compelling, yet the story appears heavy-handed in some spots (the orbiting laser cannons are overtly phallic; the fst-food wars are fought by robots styled after the avatars of many Fat-Boy restaurants; genetic engineering creates an army of hyper-intelligent mutants used as living computers - like the "Pre-Cogs" of "Minority Report"; other clones include an army of beautiful but super-strong blondes who manage to escape the billionaire who bred them; then there's a mysterious surgeon general who seems patterned on Darth Vader - always masked, speaking in short sentences and never leaving any doubt of his homicidal mania). Still, the story can rely on our being continually focused on Martha. In that respect, "Give Me Liberty" does not dissappoint.
LIBERTY.......2000-05-21
Well, that's a Frank Miller's story. You know about Frank Miller, he's always a genius. In this particular book he had the help of Dave Gibbons (Watchmen's illustrator), that is always the warranty of a good drawing. But the book has troubles. It's not like "Dark knight returns" or "ronin", Frank Miller's classics. It's... softer. I mean, it's good, but do not expect classic Miller's type of stories. But worth the prize. You must buy it.
Average customer rating:
- Very Good, But....
- What a Book!
- loved it!
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Give Me Liberty
L. M. Elliott
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ASIN: 0060744219
Release Date: 2006-09-05 |
Book Description
For thirteen–year–old Nathaniel, an indentured servant in colonial Virginia, life is hard. Though things improve with the help of a kind master named Basil–who shares music, books, and philosophies on equality–around him the climate is heating up. It's 1775 and colonists are enraged by England's taxation. Patrick Henry's words "give me liberty, or give me death" become the sounding call and the American Revolution is about to errupt. Nathaniel and Basil must make a choice about joining the fight and face a larger conundrum about the true meaning of liberty.
L. M. Elliott crafts a stirring narrative for middle grade readers–conveying the hopes and dilemmas of this crucial era in American history.
Ages: 9+
Customer Reviews:
Very Good, But...........2007-03-01
As a regular visitor to Williamsburg, I didn't really FEEL much Williamsburg flavor to the book. But that may be just a personal thing...
More importantly, in her efforts to educate the young readers along with Nathaniel about the politics of the times, Basil often goes into long lectures that didn't hold my attention, and I doubt if they will hold the younger readers either. They are likely to skip onwards to get back to the plot!
And I hate, hate, hate corny bits such as the one she does here with the "who's that tall guy?.."Oh, that's just George Washington". Clever, clever, hah-hah. I will allow her the bit with Jefferson and his violin--that does fit both Jefferson's life and the story.
It was pretty easy to predict the identity of the "mystery man" who helps care for Nathaniel's wounds. Predictable, predictable.
But don't get me wrong. This is well written, the characterizations are well done, and the details are there. This stands head and shoulders over old chestnuts like "Johnny Tremaine"--it's a lot more fun to read, and readers will learn a good deal along the way.
What a Book! .......2007-02-05
The book, Give Me Liberty, is full of adventure and suspense. The story starts when a young indentured servant named Nathaniel is sent over from England. He is sold to a plantation where he is unhappy. One day, a cruel-hearted man named Owen comes to buy his time. Soon after Owen buys him, Nathaniel is spotted by a kind-hearted school-teacher named Basil. Basil saves him from Owen's harsh treatment and he and Nathaniel become friends. Together, they move to the household of Edan Maguire, a carriage maker.
Trouble soon broils in the colonies. The leaders are calling for rebellion against the British, and for the citizens to take action! Edan, a known loyalist, is shamed in public and Nathaniel and Basil's lives take a dramatic turn! Soon, they are partaking in the rebel's actions and join the 2nd Virginia Regiment. They are forced to fight through the perils of the Revolutionary War. Join them as the battle moves on, and experience the hardships! One of the cruelest things Nathaniel must face comes at the end of the book, when he has to square off with his best friend, Moses, a slave, the one soul who cared about him when he was on the plantation. Moses' only way to freedom is to run away and join not the Americans but the British.
There are several reasons why I like this book. One reason is that the author makes you feel like you are in the action. Her compelling writing draws you in, and makes you feel like you are sneaking into the Gunpowder Magazine with Nathaniel and his friends, trying to take a musket for yourselves! The accomplice of Nathaniel in this scene, Ben, is a troublemaker who stirs up bravery in Nathaniel. Despite his sometimes careless behavior, Ben is a wonderful friend for Nathaniel. Another reason why I like it was the character development. Through the story, Nathaniel grows from being a timid boy to a self-confident, brave patriot. Again, with the writer's descriptive text, you can see Nathaniel blossom before your eyes. In my opinion, Basil, the old schoolmaster, is my favorite character. He is loveable and bumbling. His excitement about the Revolution teaches you a lot but is funny and enjoyable to read.
An additional reason I like this book is that I like how the author twists the ending to make Moses and Nathaniel have to face off at the end. It symbolizes the Revolutionary War in that it shows that some people would win their freedom, while others, like Moses, would have to deal with more years of anguish through slavery. Thinking about that saddened me.
This book coincided with my school curriculum really well, because as I was reading this, we were learning about the Revolutionary War in History class. It made the time period really come alive and be much more interesting. The author has lots of details about everyday life, like how people wore wigs made of yak hair, how they protested in their songs and writing, how they printed newspapers and made carriages by hand. I thought it was pretty funny that they had to carry handkerchiefs to hold to their noses because everyone smelled so bad and that they ridiculed a man who bathed every day, who turned out to live longer than any of them.
Yes, the book is a little lengthy, but the plot is so persuasive and gripping, and the scenes are so vividly described, it is a must-read!
loved it!.......2007-01-30
this is really a fantastic novel full of relevant information about the revolutionary war and the moral philosophy of the time, the complications of a new government seeking independence, and the energies of the people.. but all this information is woven seamlessly into an ultimately sophisticated story about a boy who had lost his trust in people and ultimately finds himself in the framework of this history. The characters are rich and well-developed, the protagonist is sympathetic and intelligent, and the story ultimately evokes deep thought on many subjects in the reader. I highly recommend it for any fan of historical fiction.
From the Publisher
"know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" These compelling words from a speech delivered by Patrick Henry in 1775 at the second Virginia Convention embody the spirit of American courage and patriotism. The speeches of the 'orator of liberty' fueled the fire of the struggle for American Independence. This insightful look at one of our country's most colorful and verbal forefathers will deepen every readers' appreciation for the leaders in our past and strengthen their understandimg that, even today, freedom isn't free.
Available in December.
Customer Reviews:
Thank you!.......2007-02-06
Thank you, Mr. Vaughan, for pointing out what many if not all public schools leave out of history... the fact that it was founded on Biblical principles by Christian men. I'm not saying that all the founding fathers were Bible believing or lived a moral live but that fact that Patrick Henry was such a HUGE part of it and he WAS a Christian and moral person was impactful to our nations birth.
My daughter enjoyed the humorous bits throughout the book and I enjoyed the fresh look at history.
The Cheering Section.......2003-07-05
In his biography of Partick Henry, Vaughan complains that previous biographers were unfair to the legendary statesman. Thus, he moves to correct this historical error by bringing forth a laundry list of glowing facts about Henry. While Vaughan does have a point about previous renderings of Henry's life, he does little to paint a more accurate picture of the orator. Rather, he glosses over Henry flaws, and presents us with a candy-coated version of the man. And Henry was a man--a good man, but a man nonetheless. Unfortunately, this biography fails to recognize that.
A Delightful Read.......2003-02-08
What a delightful read this book has been. The author displays a clear and deep admiration for his subject, but I find no fault in that. The book reads very easily without a lot of stilted verbiage, making it a wonderful introduction of the great orator to the student.
There is not a lot of detailed analysis here, but I don't believe that was the authors' intention. This work is meant to be an outline and introduction Henry, the Trumpet of the Revolution.
The work is actually presented as three separate volumes in one binding. Part 1 takes the reader from birth to death, touching on the momentous occasions, as well as a good bit of reference to the details of life which shaped the life of Henry. Part 2 gives Henry's views of some of life's virtues, such as Christianity, patriotism and duty and gives an insightful look at the character of this great American. Part 3 concludes with how Henry has been remembered by history, and how he should be remembered.
Overall, a delightful read which I highly recommend to students or anyone wishing to gain a basic insight to a great American patriot.
Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com
A "MUST READ" FOR LOVERS OF LIBERTY.......2002-04-27
It was wonderful to see Patrick Henry's Christian values and belief on the LORD JESUS CHRIST openly written about. I enjoyed it completely and would recommend it to any who enjoy studying the Revolutionary War. BUY IT!
Too didactic.......2002-03-31
I was somewhat disappointed with this short book. The author seems to have targeted the book to young people rather than older, more demanding readers. The book is comprised of very short, easy-to-read chapters written with too much moral heavy-handedness. The second half is nothing but a series of chapters on the moral lessons of his life with a decidedly religious take. A hagiography for early adolescents. This is not a book that takes much time to develop more complex themes of his life, times, and ideas.
Nevertheless, I finished the book with great admiration for Patrick Henry and an eagerness to read more about him and his ideas. I came to the book wanting to know more about the Anti-Federalists, as Henry was the most visible leader. I didn't get what I was searching for in this book. An okay book for young people but too simplistic and pat for others wanting a more intellectually demanding examination of the man.
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