Why read 1774?

Book cover of 1774: The Long Year of Revolution

Book description

From one of our most acclaimed and original colonial historians, a groundbreaking book tracing the critical "long year" of 1774 and the revolutionary change that took place from the Boston Tea Party and the First Continental Congress to the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

A WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST BOOK…

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American history

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Why read it?

2 authors picked 1774 as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

James R. Fichter

Author

This book is a history of the twists and turns of one revolutionary “year”—really, the 16 months between the Boston Tea Party and the Battles of Lexington and Concord—that seeks to answer the question, how did it all fall apart?

This book is a favorite because Norton wrote it while I wrote Tea. We had many long, and extremely fulfilling, exchanges over sources as we wrote. I knew I could always ask her: what did she think of a particular source, and she would have an answer. I could run a theory by her and she would know every…

From James' list on The best books that made me think twice about the American Revolution.

Alexis Coe

Author

George Washington didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence because he was already too busy fighting for it. Americans have become so focused on 1776, but the American Revolution was a long time coming. Mary Beth Norton does an excellent job of focusing on a pivotal year.

From Alexis' list on The best books about or around George Washington.