Bunker Hill by Nathaniel Philbrick (1 Viewer)

[jazzeum]

Nathaniel Philbrick has a new book out today, "Bunker Hill," and it's apaarently even handed. The reviews I've read so far are positive.

Here's the Wall Street Review, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324493704578430494097905604.html

incudentally, I find that the WSJ does an excellent job on book reviews.

 

[Fusilier]

Been looking forward to this one for a while. Philbrick does an excellent job with his books, as evidenced by Last Stand and Mayflower, to name two previous titles. He is known for his solidly researched, yet, easily accessible histories. Hope to pick up the Bunker Hill book soon.

Noah

 

[Scott]

I just got my copy yesterday.

 

[Fusilier]

I just got my copy yesterday.

Any early opinions on it Scott, or are you still getting into it?

Following the same topic are two other books which came out in the last couple years. With Fire and Sword by James L. Nelson and The Whites of Their Eyes by Paul Lockhart are both worthy reads if someone wants more on Bunker Hill.

Noah

 

[zblang]

While I enjoyed this book, now that I am done, I almost find the title misleading. I found this more to be a survey of the history of the escalation of the colonist's activities leading up to the war itself. The actual battle of bunker hill only lasted for about a chapter and then it was back to a survey of the end. Like I said, I enjoyed the book, but it was nothing that I hadn't read before and expected a more in depth study of the battle itself and the specifics leading up to it.

I do love the author's books however in that they are shorter compared to other non-fiction and due to this, I know many people who have read them who would never pick up a history book.

(as an aside, I studied history extensively in college which may have tainted what i was expecting as far as this book was concerned)

 

[Fusilier]

While I enjoyed this book, now that I am done, I almost find the title misleading. I found this more to be a survey of the history of the escalation of the colonist's activities leading up to the war itself. The actual battle of bunker hill only lasted for about a chapter and then it was back to a survey of the end.

Zach, I wondered if that might be the case with this new book. I have a couple other recent titles concerning Bunker Hill and they follow the same pattern, ie, the majority of the book is comprised of the lead up to hostilities and only a chapter or two on the battle itself. Specifically, I am referring to Lockhart's The Whites of Their Eyes and Nelson's With Fire and Sword. In any case, both are good reads.

Noah

 

[jazzeum]

I think part of the problem with a book like Philbrick's is that he's not really fluent in the field. If I'm not mistaken, this is his first book on the Revolutionary War. I read a lot of books on the Civil War and tend to avoid authors who decided it's time to do a Civil War book but who are not experts in the field. Unless they've done meticulous research, they're not really bringing anything new to the table which, from the reviews I've read, is the problem with Philbrick's book. I saw that Joseph Ellis had a new book out, Revolutionary Summer: The Birth of American Independence, and as he is a former Professor of History in the field, with numerous books about colonial America to his credit, if I were going to pick between his book and Philbrick's, I would opt for his.

 

[Oddball]

The actual battle of bunker hill only lasted for about a chapter and then it was back to a survey of the end. Like I said, I enjoyed the book, but it was nothing that I hadn't read before and expected a more in depth study of the battle itself and the specifics leading up to it.


Amen to that. I read the "battle piece" and, while a good read, it was nothing special -not the level of detail I had hoped for.

For those that want more detail on the battle and the troops in it, I recommend Col. John Elting's The Battle of Bunker's Hill and for every thing before the battle, David H. Fischer's, Paul Revere's Ride .

My .02,
Oddball

 

[jazzeum]

I'm not familiar with Elting but Fischer is top notch.