History Reference Room

[MichaelMN]

I am currently reading



Diary of the American Revolution: From Newspapers and Original Documents
Well edited, using both points of vew (Tory and Rebel), covering all events, major and minor (one article described the tarring and feathering of a local Tory). It is a great way to see the Revolution developing from the point of view of most Americans, who got thier news through the newspapers of the day.
Saratoga, for instance, gains in importance, when you have been through the defeat at Ticonderoga, and the capture of Philadelphia. Including some of the songs (with musical notation) sung after the capitulation.
It does not give you the specific detail you will find in most histories. I have found myself hitting Wikipedia after some sections to gain a fuller picture. But it is a wonderful Point of View narrative that you would have a difficult time finding elsewhere.
And Vol 2 is free online at questia Diary of the American Revolution: From Newspapers and Original Documents Vol. 2 (havent found vol 1 yet)

To the casual reader - click forward to page 5 and read several accounts of the Battle of the Kegs

[Trudy Rose]

Has anyone read "Her Privates We" by Frederick Manning? My library does not have it, so would have to buy it..I'd like to know more about it before I do.. I buy too many books and some of them end up 'not-so-great

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by thriftylefty

I came across a book by a biologist on the L&C Journey I think the name was Botkin? (On the trail of L&C ?) I have since Loaned it, but if any one knows it I would like the ISBN #, Also if any one knows were a person could review the complete journals (all Volumes) of the Journey as well as all the members Journals. I think Lt. Glass? published one and Maybe Colter? also. A NPS employee published some thing at the 100 year mark(1906) of the journey maybe Wheeling?

http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu

ALL of the journals written by the five members of the Expedition who kept them. Also includes foot notes with explanations and historical/cultural context. I'm constantly referring to this site.

*Edit* Apparently I can't create UBB code correctly, sorry.

[bluebeard]

Has anyone read Eric Foner, eg "Reconstruction: America's Unfinished Revolution, 1863-1877"?

[kevxu]

MichaelMN you might enjoy this as a followup to your recent reading:

A Few Bloody Noses: The American War of Independence
Robert Harvey

This is a chronical of the American colonial rebellion from the time of the Seven Years War/French and Indian War through the armed uprising and successful war for independence from the perspective of the British. It is excellently written and moves along very well. It is not written as a debunking of U.S. history, but simply from another viewpoint, and it is fascinating.