From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Bestselling historian and two-time Pulitzer winner McCullough follows up John Adams by staying with America's founding, focusing on a year rather than an individual: a momentous 12 months in the fight for independence. How did a group of ragtag farmers defeat the world's greatest empire? As McCullough vividly shows, they did it with a great deal of suffering, determination, ingenuity—and, the author notes, luck.Although brief by McCullough's standards, this is a narrative tour de force, exhibiting all the hallmarks the author is known for: fascinating subject matter, expert research and detailed, graceful prose. Throughout, McCullough deftly captures both sides of the conflict. The British commander, Lord General Howe, perhaps not fully accepting that the rebellion could succeed, underestimated the Americans' ingenuity. In turn, the outclassed Americans used the cover of night, surprise and an abiding hunger for victory to astonishing effect. Henry Knox, for example, trekked 300 miles each way over harsh winter terrain to bring 120,000 pounds of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston, enabling the Americans, in a stealthy nighttime advance, to seize Dorchester Heights, thus winning the whole city.Luck, McCullough writes, also played into the American cause—a vicious winter storm, for example, stalled a British counterattack at Boston, and twice Washington staged improbable, daring escapes when the war could have been lost. Similarly, McCullough says, the cruel northeaster in which Washington's troops famously crossed the Delaware was both "a blessing and a curse." McCullough keenly renders the harshness of the elements, the rampant disease and the constant supply shortfalls, from gunpowder to food, that affected morale on both sides—and it certainly didn't help the British that it took six weeks to relay news to and from London. Simply put, this is history writing at its best from one of its top practitioners.
1 有用 长亭 2014-11-19 00:38:42
书是很好的书,故事的收放都很好,没有刻意塑造偶像,各种引文穿插得也很流畅。但整本书是讲1776年的华盛顿与英军交战,并未对潘恩的《常识》,《独立宣言》的起草做交待。有点过于单线条,缺乏全局视角。这样一来,独立史又变成了战争中的英雄史。
2 有用 疯狗散人 2015-05-20 14:11:36
最渣的同时也是最好的领袖……
0 有用 uhuru 2020-11-25 22:55:44
写的挺有意思的一本历史书
0 有用 蟹黄堡烹饪专家 2024-09-03 18:25:57 上海
看了很久的一本… 第一开始有被各种长难句和复杂的词汇震慑到,但读下去觉得还是蛮有意思的,这个时期还没有层出不穷的各类武器与战术,人类战争还算处于一个朴素的阶段,没有那么多残酷的现代战争机器,人们就显得格外鲜活一点。Lee将军因为被特务泄露位置,带着援军千里迢迢赶来,还没开打呢就穿着睡袍拖鞋在旅馆被活捉;Howe因为连胜美军,轻敌之下从战场跑到纽约享乐,结果被Washington在圣诞节偷袭;Was... 看了很久的一本… 第一开始有被各种长难句和复杂的词汇震慑到,但读下去觉得还是蛮有意思的,这个时期还没有层出不穷的各类武器与战术,人类战争还算处于一个朴素的阶段,没有那么多残酷的现代战争机器,人们就显得格外鲜活一点。Lee将军因为被特务泄露位置,带着援军千里迢迢赶来,还没开打呢就穿着睡袍拖鞋在旅馆被活捉;Howe因为连胜美军,轻敌之下从战场跑到纽约享乐,结果被Washington在圣诞节偷袭;Washington不小心看到他信任的手下和Lee蛐蛐他的信破防也很搞笑。每个人物都很立体,每段故事也都算有意思,很值得看的一本历史书。 (展开)
0 有用 休云 2015-06-16 11:30:22
国内的商务印书馆出中文版了~