rc2's review against another edition
4.0
A top-notch resource for my counterfactual essay on the Battle of Trenton. Easy to read, very little jargon. Hefty, but not boring.
pemuth59's review against another edition
4.0
I know what you're thinking. A entire book on Washington crossing the Delaware River? How long did that take, 30 minutes? Well, the history of nations can change in less time than it takes an army to cross a river and, in this case, it certainly did.
This is a wonderful narrative by David Hackett Fischer, who details the saga of George Washington's army from the disaster of New York City to the amazing triumphs in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania campaign of late 1776 and early 1777. Along the way, we get a fascinating glimpse at the inner workings of the British army and its Hessian (German) mercenary forces as its derision turns to anger, then apathy (in a matter of weeks). This fact, combined with the improvisational genius of the Continental Army, allows Fischer to demonstrate that, despite many hardships to come, American victory in the revolution was more inevitable than you might think.
Two readers' notes: Don't be intimidated by this book's heft. This is one history book long on notes and appendices, but its narrative is a breezy 350 pages. Also, even if you read David McCullough's brilliant "1776," "Washington's Crossing" makes a great companion. Although it covers some of the same ground, this story richly deserves both.
This is a wonderful narrative by David Hackett Fischer, who details the saga of George Washington's army from the disaster of New York City to the amazing triumphs in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania campaign of late 1776 and early 1777. Along the way, we get a fascinating glimpse at the inner workings of the British army and its Hessian (German) mercenary forces as its derision turns to anger, then apathy (in a matter of weeks). This fact, combined with the improvisational genius of the Continental Army, allows Fischer to demonstrate that, despite many hardships to come, American victory in the revolution was more inevitable than you might think.
Two readers' notes: Don't be intimidated by this book's heft. This is one history book long on notes and appendices, but its narrative is a breezy 350 pages. Also, even if you read David McCullough's brilliant "1776," "Washington's Crossing" makes a great companion. Although it covers some of the same ground, this story richly deserves both.
msmithr's review against another edition
5.0
Wow wow wow. I have so many thoughts my mind is reeling from this expertly written account of Washington crossing the Delaware River on Christmas night 1776. This event completely turned the tide of the Revolutionary War. Absolutely incredible. The cast of characters is vast and somewhat entertaining. I highlighted so much in this book. And, George Washington is a super star. Leadership at its finest. This event those that came after has molding the American military into what we take for granted today. I have so much awe and gratitude.
spinnerroweok's review against another edition
4.0
A very interesting book. There was so much more to Washington's crossing the Delaware than I ever knew. David Hackett Fischer's analysis of the event goes far deeper as he points out how Washington and this event set the tone for how the American Army would come to function and its place in the government in the US. And the back of the book (almost half) is filled with interesting appendices. I highly recommend.
constancemn's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent book focused on the decisive turning points of the Revolutionary War in the winter of 1776-1777. Lots of interesting anecdotal information from letters of the era, etc. I really enjoyed it--but you have to like history. It's pretty dry. This is one I had to put down and pick back up several times over the course of a few months, but it was worth the time.
mightync's review against another edition
5.0
Another Pulitzer Prize winning history book that deserves all the praise that it gets. You won't want to put it down!
cmbohn's review against another edition
5.0
By Christmas Day 1776, the Revolutionary War looked like it was already over. Ninety percent of the troops had gone home. The British and the Hessians had won every major battle. The way Washington turned that around saved the cause of independence. That turn around is the focus of this book. Don't be put off by the size. There's a huge appendix at the end, complete with order of battle and bibliography. It reads much faster than it looks. I liked that the maps and the portraits are scattered throughout the book, rather than stuck on just a few pages in the beginning or middle, as seems to be popular now. Especially once the action started, I would turn a couple of pages back to the map so I could refer to that and understand what was going on. Well written, great subject, extensively researched. Highly recommended.
bowienerd_82's review against another edition
2.0
I was severely unimpressed by this one. I noticed several errors throughout the book including incorrect listed ages and ranks for various figures, which makes me wonder what other mistakes might have been in the book that I didn't catch.
I was also displeased by the style of the book. It was at times pedantic with a slightly condescending air, but chapter conclusions often read like a sophomoric essay in which the author felt the need to hammer home an obvious thesis point. And good god, the conclusion of the book was the worst of all. It felt like Fischer let a high school student do the writing: it reiterated obvious points from the book without adding anything new or of interest.
The scope of the book was also poorly chosen- Fischer's stated goal was to cover the highlights of the crossing of the Delaware and the related battles of Trenton and Princeton, but he did not narrow his focus properly. He tried to cover far too much information for a spotlight book, but didn't have enough substance for a more general history.
I almost gave up on this one because of the flaws, but I wound up grudge reading the whole thing because I was irritated at the time I'd already wasted and wanted to be able to properly skewer it. And yet, I wound up giving it two stars instead of one, largely because I found the appendix somewhat interesting. I don't, however, understand how this possibly could have won the Pulitzer Prize for history(?!?!) or why it has so many positive reviews.
I was also displeased by the style of the book. It was at times pedantic with a slightly condescending air, but chapter conclusions often read like a sophomoric essay in which the author felt the need to hammer home an obvious thesis point. And good god, the conclusion of the book was the worst of all. It felt like Fischer let a high school student do the writing: it reiterated obvious points from the book without adding anything new or of interest.
The scope of the book was also poorly chosen- Fischer's stated goal was to cover the highlights of the crossing of the Delaware and the related battles of Trenton and Princeton, but he did not narrow his focus properly. He tried to cover far too much information for a spotlight book, but didn't have enough substance for a more general history.
I almost gave up on this one because of the flaws, but I wound up grudge reading the whole thing because I was irritated at the time I'd already wasted and wanted to be able to properly skewer it. And yet, I wound up giving it two stars instead of one, largely because I found the appendix somewhat interesting. I don't, however, understand how this possibly could have won the Pulitzer Prize for history(?!?!) or why it has so many positive reviews.