love_schwizzle's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
robdabear's review against another edition
2.0
While in the longer perspective I realized Founding Brothers was a tad interesting and informative, this was one of those summer reading books that was way over my head. Each chapter was gruelling, and honestly I think Ellis kept repeating the same things throughout. The book would be much shorter if he hadn't. It used a lot of stupid big words that did expand my vocabulary but also made the book somewhat...pretentious. It was ok.
lakecake's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed Ellis's style on this book. He made all of these stories really flow seamlessly together and it felt less like reading history (dry, boring) as living history--really getting inside the heads of those involved. I have two small quibbles--the first is that Aaron Burr really gets shafted in basically Revolutionary history book I've ever read, including this one. People always try to make him out as being somehow more immoral or less gentlemanly than the other Founders, but in actuality, he's the one we should relate to most! He wasn't worried about his place in history, he was living his life...no wonder everyone thinks he stank, he didn't write flowery letters about his own part in the Revolution for us to find after his death! My other small complaint is that Ben Franklin gets really glossed over in this too, mentioned only in passing in reference to other Founders. I understand that this is the sacrifice you make in putting a book like this together, you can't tell every story thoroughly, but I thought Franklin would feature more prominently since he's on the cover and everything.
Ellis is a really phenomenal history writer though, and I'm really looking forward to checking out his Jefferson bio. Ellis might get a ranking up there with David McCullough as "favorite history writer guy."
Ellis is a really phenomenal history writer though, and I'm really looking forward to checking out his Jefferson bio. Ellis might get a ranking up there with David McCullough as "favorite history writer guy."
nilly00's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.0
At the end this book succeeds at what it intended to do, which is to paint a vivid image of the founding generation as they were the first few decades after independence through a series of vignettes that tie into each other: all political yet deeply personal to all the characters involved.
The whole effect gives you an idea of the characters of the grandest figures of the founding generation and the forces that animated them and peels back the curtain of mysticism that history has placed over them, and which they had no small part in stitching themselves.
Reading this book gives a singular impression of the difficulty of the intractable problems facing the founding generation as they steered the nascent republic and the toll it took on their relationships with each other. The book is rather fond of all the characters involved, although not hesitating in presenting all of their flaws truly.
The whole effect gives you an idea of the characters of the grandest figures of the founding generation and the forces that animated them and peels back the curtain of mysticism that history has placed over them, and which they had no small part in stitching themselves.
Reading this book gives a singular impression of the difficulty of the intractable problems facing the founding generation as they steered the nascent republic and the toll it took on their relationships with each other. The book is rather fond of all the characters involved, although not hesitating in presenting all of their flaws truly.
chairmanbernanke's review against another edition
4.0
A truly educational look at favourite founders.
brookeje60's review against another edition
2.0
Well, this book was certainly the most frusturating I have ever read. I am still astonished that I got through it. I'm sure that I didn't understand half of it, but nevertheless at the end the book left quite an interesting footprint on my mind. It taught me a different perspective on American History. I hated reading it, but I'm glad I did because it was quite enlightening. It's not that the writing style is bad, but Ellis's vocabulary choice was so frusturating. There was litteraly paragraphs that I could not make out a single word. But, still, interesting enough for a history book.
gae6ase's review against another edition
2.0
This was exhausting. It's very informative for what it talks about, but I would never have read about the revolutionary generation for myself (I rated it on my enjoyment). Some parts were interesting, but the writing was just so dense.
t_wayne's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
5.0
bookshelf_from_mars's review against another edition
5.0
Never have I thought that I would come across a book that seemed perfect. Never could I imagine an author synthesizing the writings and actions of the Revolutionary generation into narratives and characters that are at the same time poignant, humorous, frustrating, and undeniably human. Never would I have dreamed to be made fiercely aware of the process of historical narrative and felt gratified for the effect.
At least not until this book. A perfect five out of five.
At least not until this book. A perfect five out of five.