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danchrist's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent telling of the story of the battle of Breed's and Bunker's Hill in 1775, something about which I knew almost nothing previously.
1teachingnomad's review against another edition
3.0
I listened to the audiobook through Audible.
Like other works by Philbrick, this is an incredibly detailed and well researched book on what he believes to be an important historical event. While the book is very well done, I believe my own ambivalence towards American Revolutionary history (as well as US civil war history) meant that I did not find the same enjoyment from this book that I have from other works by Philbrick.
Like other works by Philbrick, this is an incredibly detailed and well researched book on what he believes to be an important historical event. While the book is very well done, I believe my own ambivalence towards American Revolutionary history (as well as US civil war history) meant that I did not find the same enjoyment from this book that I have from other works by Philbrick.
cher_n_books's review
1.0
1.5 stars - I didn't like it.
Far too detailed about the most mundane, uninteresting things, making for a boring and tedious read. DNF'd at 11%.
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First Sentence: On a hot, almost windless afternoon in June, a seven-year-old boy stood beside his mother and looked out across the green islands of Boston Harbor.
Far too detailed about the most mundane, uninteresting things, making for a boring and tedious read. DNF'd at 11%.
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First Sentence: On a hot, almost windless afternoon in June, a seven-year-old boy stood beside his mother and looked out across the green islands of Boston Harbor.
mark_lm's review against another edition
4.0
A well-written history of the battles of Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill and the siege of Boston, with a refreshingly objective view of the Patriots and the coming of the revolution. The author has insightful discussions about many of the principal characters including Joseph Warren, Thomas Gage and George Washington who, I shuddered to learn, was prepared to defy the advice of his various generals, invade Boston and, apparently, almost certainly destroy his army. GW was saved from his own folly by bad weather forestalling the Brit's attack on Dorchester Heights. Mr. Philbrick also points out the Patriot's hypocritical denunciation of their "slavery" to Britain, while thinking nothing of owning slaves themselves, and he has fascinating mention of the colonists' fear that the British soldiers would incite a slave rebellion.
jsburt's review
4.0
Very well written and very interesting historical view of the instigation of hostilities around Boston to start the Revolutionary War. Especially interesting to me after I found out a relative of mine (James Taggart) may have fought in (or arrived there for the aftermath) the Battle of Bunker Hill.
judyward's review
4.0
In 1775 the city of Boston in the colony of Massachusetts was occupied by British troops. After the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party, those troops and the American colonists viewed each other with suspicion until violence finally broke out on April 19th in Lexington and Concord. After April 19th, the city of Boston was cut off from re-supply by a British blockade and the Patriot militia decided to go on the offensive and take military possession of both Bunker and Breed's Hill. Holding those hills would give the Patriots the ability to fire cannon directly into the British army and naval positions in and around the city. The Battle of Bunker Hill, fought primarily on Breed's Hill, would be the bloodiest battle of the Revolutionary War and after the contest was over, there was really no turning back for the colonists. Philbrick skillfully draws character portraits of the major and minor players of the era--Joseph Warren, a leading Patriot who was killed during the battle, Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, George Washington, General Thomas Gage, and his successor, General William Howe, and many more. Philbrick views the Battle of Bunker Hill as a crucial moment in the early days of the Revolutionary War and he has empathy for all of the individuals on both sides who are caught up in the events surrounding the conflict between the British and the residents of their rebellious colonies.