Rise to Rebellion - Jeff Shaara

After watching the Ken Burns's multipart series on the American Revolution, I knew I had to read Jeff Shaaara's two-part series on the same topic.

Rise to Rebellion is a novel starting in 1770 with the lead-up to the Boston Massacre and ending with the Declaration of Independence and Washington's move to protect New York from the British invasion in July 1776. As with all the Shaara novels I've read so far--both Killer Angels by Jeff's father, Michael, and the other Civil War novels by Jeff, the author tells the story through the eyes of a handful of people. In this case, we follow primarily George Washington, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Sam Adams, and British commander Thomas Gage, with a sprinkling of other players.

The novel was inspiring and extremely well done. While I know that Shaara had to invent much of the dialogue, the big show pieces were all drawn from the players' letters and other written works, and so it felt as authentic as a piece of fiction could feel. Plus, all the characters felt completely consistent with what I already knew about them. 

One of the most interesting aspects were the maps that Shaara included, particularly of Boston Harbor. This image isn't from the book, but it shows what I mean. The city of Boston is practically an island, with just a thin neck connecting it to the mainland in the south. I asked a JASNA friend from Boston for help in understanding how modern Boston came to be, with so much water filled in, and he recommended Gaining ground : a history of landmaking in Boston by Nancy Seasholes. A copy is currently enroute to my local library!

What I learned from all the Civil War reading I've done over the years, and what any decent historian already knows, is that geography plays a huge role in any event. Until reading this novel and studying the maps, I really didn't have a good sense of how vulnerable Boston was, how isolated, and how the British navy terrorized it.

It was great to dive into the details, sometimes day by day, often month by month of the six years leading up to July 4, 1776. Some things I knew from school, past reading, the Ken Burns special, the John Adams near obsession I have, but so much was new to me.

One of the most moving sections was when Dr Joseph Warren, one of the leaders of the Sons of Liberty, took up a musket and fought as a soldier, although he had the rank of general at this point, during the Battle of Bunker Hill, on Breed's Hill. He was a man ready to die for his convictions, not merely someone who talked big but left the work to others. A true hero of the revolution, who inspired those around him with both his words and finally his actions. The image on the cover of the book is a painting of the death of Warren on Breed's Hill.

I also absolutely loved the section detailing Franklin's time in London as agent of several colonies. I really need to read a bio of Franklin. I read one decades ago, but that was...decades ago!

I am hoping to visit Boston vicinity this year--last year's trip was cancelled due to my husband's back issues--but the Isabella Stewart Gardiner art museum is still beckoning, and now I was to revisit Concord (here's a link to my travelogue from 2012), as well as re-walk the Freedom Trail.

I stumbled upon this article a few days ago: The five best TV shows about the American revolution – recommended by a historian. How apt!

• I watched most of Washington's Spies but now feel the need to watch it again...and finish it this time.
• How did the special on Franklin, starring Michael Douglas, escape my notice?
• I wonder if I can still find the 1997 Liberty online? If not, there is always the library. I'll bet mine has this as a DVD.

Anything else I should add to my reading/watching list?