Book Awards Reading Challenge

Holley’s Review #6 of 12
1776 by David McCullough
Quill Award, 2005

I do not often read nonfiction; it is just not my favorite genre. It is often dry and uninteresting with little punch to make it a page-turner (for me, anyway). David McCullough has taken this slice of history, when our nation was just beginning its struggle for freedom, and crafted a book that is hard to put down.

I don’t know if I just wasn’t paying attention in school (likely) or if my teachers never bothered to mention it (unfortunately, also likely), but I never knew George Washington was such a novice at warcraft. In my mind’s eye, I see a tall, distinguished and crafty old fox, busily outmaneuvering the stolid, overly-dressed British. Instead, I learned that Washington was hesitant, indecisive, and utterly unprepared for what the fledgling Congress was asking him to do. I felt a definite pang for all these boys and men, fighting through the depths of melting summer and harsh winter against a well-trained and supplied regiment of Red Coats. I have suggested this book to many of our junior high and high school students who recently had an assignment requiring them to read a history book. They came in down-cast at the prospect and I sent them out excited…a pretty good day for any librarian!

Happy Reading!
htw