| Olivero | 31 Jan 2016 1:46 p.m. PST |
Hello and sorry if this question has been asked a hundred times (trouble with the TMP search):
Can you recommend a book on the American War of Indepence (American Revolution it is called today?) for someone from outside the anglo-american parts of the world? Should cover history/politics as well as batttles. An overview of the major battles would suffice, no need for in-depth analysis of orders of battle, weaponry etc. needed. Information on main characters involved would be appreciated. Any advice? Oops, just noticed a similar post a couple of days ago… but still, what would you specifically recommend for someone new to the period? |
| sneakgun | 31 Jan 2016 1:48 p.m. PST |
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| MajorB | 31 Jan 2016 3:15 p.m. PST |
"Rebels and Redcoats" by Hugh Bicheno
"Fusiliers" by Mark Urban |
| Bill N | 31 Jan 2016 3:49 p.m. PST |
A great many good books have been written the past couple of decades on particular aspects of the AWI. For a military overview though I think it is still hard to beat Christopher Ward's "War of the Revolution". It is written with the focus on the American fighting, so don't expect much on what was happening in other theatres after France got into the war. Politics is trickier as you would need something that goes back decades, and which looks at what was happening in individual colonies as well as what was happening overall. If you are willing to go beyond and look at specific aspects of the war, I think Mark Urban's "Fusiliers" is an excellent choice. |
| B6GOBOS | 31 Jan 2016 4:38 p.m. PST |
Second Christopher Ward's two column War of the Revolution. Great writing and very good research (for when done). Still my favorite after fifty years. Lots of information on battles both big and small. Great for orders of battle and simple maps that translate onto the table top. Also you can pick it up used very cheaply. |
| KSmyth | 31 Jan 2016 8:01 p.m. PST |
There are loads of great books on the revolution and every one that has been named is really good. I would add Thomas Middlekauf's Glorious Cause as a somewhat abstracted overview. Academic but very readable. I'm in the middle of his recent biography of Washington, and it is also quite good. |
| Dave Crowell | 01 Feb 2016 10:19 a.m. PST |
Mark Urban's Fusiliers is very readable. |
| historygamer | 01 Feb 2016 11:47 a.m. PST |
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| Olivero | 01 Feb 2016 12:17 p.m. PST |
Gentlemen, your advice is greately appreciated. Especially *because* there are so many books written on the subject (and in many cases very good ones, no doubt), it is hard to choose. I will check out all your recommendations, and, once again, thank you very much! |
| Old Contemptibles | 01 Feb 2016 1:12 p.m. PST |
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| Olivero | 03 Feb 2016 2:26 p.m. PST |
Rallynow, that would have been the TMP-Link I would love to have found if just my computer (or TMP) didn't time out every search I started (must be doing things the wrong way I guess). I'll go for Thomas Middlekauf's Glorious Cause, for one thing some of the other books seem to focus on certain aspects or points of view (might come to them later on), and (almost ashamed to say) I need the book faaast (going on holiday and Glorious Cause is available in eBook format). Happy gaming! |
| Old Contemptibles | 04 Feb 2016 11:59 p.m. PST |
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paints brigs for the British fleet.