ecms-reference

“A definitive biography portrays the life of one of democracy’s greatest champions–a soldier, diplomat, and pamphleteer of the American Revolution who helped draft the French Constitution–and reveals tensions, discoveries, and dramatic surprises.” From Amazon.com.

Discusses the situation of the Continental Army at Valley Forge during the frigid winter of 1777-78, describing the courage of the soldiers and the leadership of George Washington. From Amazon.com.

Selected Reviews “Intimate and detailed . . . [Alan Pell Crawford] had access to thousands of family letters–some previously unexamined by historians–that he used to create his portrait of the complex idealist, [and] there are some surprising tidbits to be found.” –Associated Press “[A] well-researched look at Jefferson, and even readers with only a passing … Read more

Selected Reviews “Foner provides a striking picture of the strength and limitations of the radicalism that helped to form the United States.”–The New Republic” One of the most important studies ever published on Paine…[with] superb analyses of the artisanal world in which Paine moved in Philadelphia, Paine’s crucial role in the movement for American independence, … Read more

“The Burr treason trial, one of the greatest criminal trials in American history, was significant for several reasons. The legal proceedings lasted seven months and featured some of the nation’s best lawyers. It also pitted President Thomas Jefferson (who declared Burr guilty without the benefit of a trial and who masterminded the prosecution), Chief Justice … Read more

“Thomas Paine was one of the most remarkable political writers of the modern world and the greatest radical of a radical age. Through writings like Common Sense―and words such as “The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth,” “We have it in our power to begin the world over again,” and “These are the … Read more

“Despite his being a founder of both the United States and the French Republic, the creator of the phrase “United States of America,” and the author of Common Sense, Thomas Paine is the least well known of America’s founding fathers. This edifying biography by Craig Nelson traces Paine’s path from his years as a London … Read more

Allison, Andrew M. The Real Benjamin Franklin. National Center for Constitutional Studies. 1982.

There is properly no history; only biography, wrote Ralph Waldo Emerson. If that is true of the general run of mankind, it is particularly true of George Washington. The story of his life is the story of the founding of America. His was the dominant personality in three of the most critical events in that founding: … Read more

“Jefferson is the central figure in American history, and…he may yet prove to be the central figure in modern history. So stated noted historian Henry Steele Commager. And as the English novelist Samuel Butler once wrote, Though God cannot alter the past–historians can. His observation is especially applicable to our changing perceptions of great historical personalities, most of … Read more

The Road to Monticello: The Life and Mind of Thomas Jefferson. Hayes, Kevin J. Oxford University Press. 2008.

Franklin, Benjamin. The Way to Wealth. Applewood Books. 1986.

“My favorite historical novel . . . a superb re-creation of the Battle of Gettysburg, but its real importance is its insight into what the war was about, and what it meant.”—James M. McPherson In the four most bloody and courageous days of our nation’s history, two armies fought for two conflicting dreams. One dreamed … Read more

“Often-overlooked yet significant and prophetic event in U.S. history, the Barbary War was America’s first battle against an Arab despot and President Thomas Jefferson’s first major challenge to U.S. foreign policy. As described by A.B.C. Whipple, it is a great yarn as well as first-rate history. The author skillfully combines vivid accounts of derring-do with … Read more

“The words Abraham Lincoln spoke at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg comprise perhaps the most famous speech in history. It has been quoted by popes, presidents, prime ministers, and revolutionaries around the world. From “Four score and seven years ago…” to “government of the people, by the people, for the people,” … Read more

“The Lincoln Bicentennial Collection contains three complete volumes of works by and about the 16th President. The first two books, the landmark Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1832-1858 and Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859– 1865, which Alfred Kazin called it a “momentous and thrilling addition to any private library,” have been reissued with commemorative … Read more