Service To Their Country
This book reminded me of why it can be so valuable to read a well written military history. Warfare is like a mirror that shows us human nature in its nobility and cruelty. This story is a study in human character and leadership, in making mistakes and learning from them, in perseverance and hardship, and in believing in a cause larger than oneself. I was surprised to learn how the Revolutionary War was not only a fight between the British and the Americans, but also a fight between Americans themselves, that is, between patriots and loyalists. It was in many ways a civil war. Also, I often saw parallels between this British military venture 3000 miles from its shores and current American military ventures overseas. This war was not won by Washington's steadfastness or by French military assistance, as important as these were. It was won by the common American foot soldiers, who were willing to serve for years without pay and to march through swamps and snows, often barefoot, in service to their country and their ideals.
Best non-fiction book I have read
Unlike many of the previous reviewers, I know very little about the war of independence, other than that it was a war about being freed from British rule; I am not an American and have very little interest in military history. So, I will not be able to comment on whether Ferling is biased or not, or to the accuracy of the facts presented in the book. Having said all that, this is the best non-fiction book I have ever read. I read it only because I had just returned from a wonderful stay in north east US and my husband had the book lying around. So, when I returned home, I started reading Ferling's book. I found Ferling's narrative writing style to be very engaging (not all narrative style are engaging). His description of the battles reads like a thriller and better than some fiction thriller novels. I found it difficult to put the book down until I knew the outcome of the various battles he described, probably reflecting my lack of knowledge in America's history, but the fact that his writing could have this effect on someone with no interest in military history, reflects on how well Ferling writes. Ferling made me feel the continental soldiers' anxiety leading up to battle, feel their elation when they won and their sorrow when they lost. My heart went out to the continental soldiers; most weren't properly clothed, some weren't paid while they fought. All this while they endured terrible conditions tracking hundreds of miles from one place to another, particularly during the summer, to do battle with the British. I cannot comment on whether he treated Washington favourably or spent too much time writing about the battles in the south, etc, but I can say that Ferling made the reader see that the sacrifice made by the more courageous militia men and soldiers were just as important in these battles as the tactics of some of the generals. I highly recommend Ferling's Almost a Miracle, particularly to those like me, who has no background in this subject matter. I am now a big fan of Ferling and plan to buy more of his books.
Informative and Captivating Book on the American Revolution
If you want to learn all about the American Revolution, this is definitely the book to read. Ferling does a fantastic job balancing the need for explaining the war's essential facts with the need for keeping it a fast paced narrative. Its analysis is well written and gives some different perspectives on the war and its participants, particularly of George Washington. Lastly, I was pleasantly surprised that in a book on such an extensive topic as the American Revolution, at no point did I become disengaged with it. Maybe it's just me, but from cover to cover, the text captivated my full attention. All in all, Almost a Miracle is an easy and pleasing way to become very informed on the American Revolution.