The Revolutionary Paul Revere

I have always been fascinated with early American history, and especially the people who dared to challenge the (then) preeminent world power, Britain. At first I thought this book was too simple, but then I realized just how cleverly the author had constructed the tale. I consider this book to be a broad - but good - overview of the man, his life, and his accomplishments. The writing style is extremely easy to read. It is done in what I would characterize as a "modern language" sort of way. In this method, the author uses clever and witty sayings that are modern to help keep the reader in contact with the story. For example, after an obvious statement, the author writes a single word sentence - "Duh!". This may put off people who are into "serious" history as we have always read it. I thought that the style was amateurish at the beginning, but then I found myself remembering the content of the book far better than many other history books. So the style is both easy to read, and memorable. The book is fairly short for covering the whole life of Paul Revere. But it is NOT light "fluff"; the appendix has end notes documenting each chapter, and it is obvious that the author is very familiar with more traditional biographies, since he quotes them often. I discovered many things I had never known about the man, such as that he had 8 children by two different wives (a total of 16 kids!), and that only four of those children outlived him. I was also fascinated by the description of Paul Revere in the Revolutionary War - I had never known that he was accused of disobeying orders, or that he demanded (and eventually received) a courts martial to clear his name. He also made hundreds of church bells in the last period of his life. There are many more details (and I remember them all - great writing), that will interest the reader. Part of the style is sticking to the main story. The author describes what was happening, uses quotes from the period, and doesn't leave out critical facts. Many history books go into depth about the various events, providing detail that some people like, but leaving other readers bored. This is not that sort of book. I suppose that in many ways the book is best for those (like myself) who have not read a different biography, although it is such a quick and easy read that even those people already familiar with Paul Revere might enjoy it. Even though it depicts violence and death by battle and disease (the 1700's were a hard time for people), the book is not graphic and would be suitable for elementary kids, although it would be better received by early teenagers. If you at all like the subject, don't miss this book!

This book is right up my alley. I have been a Revolutionary War buff for years. I spent 10 years as a Rev. War battle re-enactor and produced and directed a silent comedy The Deserter about a British Rev. War drummer who accidentally deserts his regiment. Paul Revere is a pivotal character in the beginnings of the War. To be honest I really didn't know that much about him, but this book is all I needed to become familiarized with his amazing life and story. It is quite an easy read and the author does a great job bringing early Boston to life. He uses wonderful descriptions which just bring mental images flooding into one's head. Revere comes to life vividly as a real person and is more than just the guy who rode the horse. This is a great addition to any history fan's bookshelf. Every high schooler should be made to read this book. Excellent historical biography!

Until now, all I knew about Paul Revere was what I think most people know. I knew "one if by land, two if by sea;" something about a midnight ride; and "the British are coming!" Beyond that I was at a loss to know how Revere fit into the picture of America's founding. Thanks to Joel Miller now I know much more about Revere's life. I not only know more about his life, I am truly inspired by it and have a deeper appreciation for him beyond just the midnight ride. The Revolutionary Paul Revere by Joel J. Miller and published by Thomas Nelson is a great read. It is also a rather timely book considering the present day "Tea Party" movement in America. Reading Miller's book would put that title in a historical perspective. While I enjoy reading biographies, I find most of them can become tedious to read. Not so with this book. It reads more like a novel. There are plenty of details, but Miller smartly weaves them into the story that carries you along briskly through Revere's life. The book is organized into 22 relatively short chapters, each with a one word title followed by a heading that briefly summarizes the chapter's emphasis. I found myself caught up in the story and wanting to continue reading all the way to the end. If you want a good look not only into Revere's life, but into the principles and character that led to the founding of America, you can't go wrong in getting a copy of The Revolutionary Paul Revere.

The Revolutionary Paul Revere gives a thorough but quick look at Paul Revere and the American Revolution. It takes a deep look into the life of one of the more famous founders, who is usually overlooked. I am usually very cautious when reading a book on history. Mostly because history books have a tendency to get bogged down in minor details and settings or the book presents characters or events in history and I end up spending a lot of time researching them to get a complete picture. This book has neither of the two aforementioned problems. The book isn't completely centered around Mr. Revere, so you also get a wider look at the people before and after the revolution. This book shows the inside life of Paul Revere's business and his struggle to make a decent living. It also goes through the various protests against the taxes from Britain. The book gives a nice perspective to anyone who believes the modern day protests get out of hand, they are nothing compared to those that happened in the 1760's. Overall this was a very quick read, each chapter exposing more of Mr. Revere and by the end you get a complete picture of one of the great participants of our revolution. My review is before the release date because Thomas Nelson sent me an advanced copy to review.

Miller's biography of our much revered Paul reads as swift as Larkin's big brown mare that carried the patriot on his infamous ride. It was an excellent read with anecdotal insights gleaned from Revere's writings and those of his contemporaries. While most have heard of the midnight ride made famous in verse, it is Revere's roles as husband, father, soldier and entrepreneur that helped me to sense the humanness of this oft overlooked Revolutionary War leader. Miller's biographical narrative is separated into vignettes of chapters; each providing not only the facts, but the motivations that spurred Revere to act. We see Revere as the eager apprentice in his father's silversmith; the smitten young lover as he courts his first wife; the grieving father as he buries his child; the struggling provider as his income dwindles; and the fearless patriot as he is captured by his country's enemy. Reading this biography reminded me of the cost of freedom, and the blessings we enjoy today because of those who, against all odds, were willing to unselfishly risk themselves and their fortunes to achieve it...certainly a timely reminder for me as I consider the winds of change blowing throughout our nation. In the spirit of full disclosure, this book was provided to me gratis by Thomas Nelson for my review.