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America, Britain, and Europe in the Revolutionary War
by John Ferling
From acclaimed historian John Ferling, a major, global reappraisal of the Revolutionary War on its 250th Anniversary.
In April 1775, British troops marched to Lexington, where an armed group of Yankees awaited them. Despite an order to disperse, shots rang out. Militiamen were killed. The British continued marching, only to find even greater trouble in Concord and all the way down the road back to Boston. The Revolutionary War had begun.
Shots Heard Round the World is a bold, comprehensive rendering of the world war that erupted out of America's battle for independence. Ferling highlights underestimated pivotal moments to reveal why the British should have put down the rebellion within a couple years of fighting. As European rivals France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic entered the fray, Britain's problems grew, but after seven long years, the war's outcome remained very much in doubt. Ferling assesses military and civilian leaders, the choices they faced, and the political, tactical, and strategic decisions they made as the war raged in North America, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Asia, and on the high seas, affecting peoples and countries miles from American soil.
Long after the soldiers laid down their arms, future generations have reckoned with the Revolution and its far-reaching consequences. Shots Heard Round the World is the definitive account of the war and its monumental legacy.
"An excellent history of the run-up and battles of the American Revolution with more than the usual diversions describing how other nations reacted...Scholars have not ignored European participation, but Ferling writes better than most of them and pays more attention than academics to the campaigns and commanders. From battles to international relations, an outstanding introduction to the American Revolution." —Kirkus Reviews
"A must-have volume to complete any collection covering the fight for democracy as we approach the sestercentennial." —Booklist
"An eloquent and sweeping introduction to the world war that was the American Revolution. I cannot imagine a better opening shot to the 250th anniversaries of its key events." ―Kathleen DuVal, Cundill Prize-winning author of Native Nations
"Ferling illuminates the multifaceted conflict from all angles, showing how America won and could have just as easily lost. An essential and welcome addition to the literature on the war." ―Eric Jay Dolin, author of Rebels at Sea
This information about Shots Heard Round the World was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
John Ferling is professor emeritus of history at the University of West Georgia. He is the author of many books on the American Revolution, including The Ascent of George Washington; Almost a Miracle; A Leap in the Dark; Whirlwind, a finalist for the 2015 Kirkus Book Prize; and, most recently, Apostles of Revolution: Jefferson, Paine, Monroe, and the Struggle Against the Old Order in America and Europe. He and his wife, Carol, live near Atlanta.
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