Lynn reviewed Our First Civil War by H. W. Brands
Review of 'Our First Civil War' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
This was interesting, but it was much less the story of the Patriots versus Loyalists than the Continental leaders (wealthy people like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington) versus the British government. The Loyalists were sort of mentioned in passing on occasion, but they were not given anything like the extensive examination afforded to the Continental leaders or the British government.
A much more thorough treatment of this topic - featuring not only the average farmers and small businessmen who made up most of those fighting on both sides but also the Spanish, the French, and the Indians (all of whom were independent actors rather than side characters, with their own motivations and influence) - is Alan Taylor’s American Revolutions, still by far the best book I’ve ever read about this fascinating conflict.
The most enjoyable part of Brands’ book for me was the pre-revolution section, in which he detailed …
This was interesting, but it was much less the story of the Patriots versus Loyalists than the Continental leaders (wealthy people like Benjamin Franklin and George Washington) versus the British government. The Loyalists were sort of mentioned in passing on occasion, but they were not given anything like the extensive examination afforded to the Continental leaders or the British government.
A much more thorough treatment of this topic - featuring not only the average farmers and small businessmen who made up most of those fighting on both sides but also the Spanish, the French, and the Indians (all of whom were independent actors rather than side characters, with their own motivations and influence) - is Alan Taylor’s American Revolutions, still by far the best book I’ve ever read about this fascinating conflict.
The most enjoyable part of Brands’ book for me was the pre-revolution section, in which he detailed the various efforts of American colonists to drive the French out of the Ohio valley, and how these efforts eventually led to increased conflict with Britain. Although I knew the basics of this subject, there was considerably more detail here than I’ve previously encountered and it was quite interesting.