The American Revolution
An Intimate History
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The American Revolution
Narrated by:
Robert Petkoff, Beth Hicks, Fred Sanders, Ken Burns
Buy Now for £27.59
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Narrated by:
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Robert Petkoff
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Beth Hicks
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Fred Sanders
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Ken Burns
About this listen
“From a small spark kindled in America, a flame has arisen not to be extinguished.” —Thomas Paine
In defeating the British Empire and giving birth to a new nation, the American Revolution turned the world upside down. Thirteen colonies on the Atlantic coast rose in rebellion, won their independence, and established a new form of government that radically reshaped the continent and inspired independence movements and democratic reforms around the globe.
The American Revolution was at once a war for independence, a civil war, and a world war, fought by neighbors on American farms and between global powers an ocean or more away. In this sumptuous volume, historian Geoffrey C. Ward ably steers us through the international forces at play, telling the story not from the top down but from the bottom up—and through the eyes of not only our “Founding Fathers” but also those of ordinary soldiers, as well as underrepresented populations such as women, African Americans, Native Americans, and American Loyalists, asking who exactly was entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Enriched by guest essays from lauded historians such as Vincent Brown, Maya Jasanoff, Jane Kamensky, and Alan Taylor, and woven together with the words of Thomas Paine— The American Revolution reveals a nation still grappling with the questions that fueled its remarkable founding.
Critic reviews
“A sprawling canvas in every sense, including its generous use of paintings and maps. . . . Ward and Burns offer a visual feast, conveying the full continental grandeur of North America. We see the familiar battlegrounds—Bunker Hill, Saratoga, Yorktown—but the story also ranges into the deep interior, and toward Canada and the Caribbean. . . . The book and, no doubt, its companion film will effectively ground the coming national conversation about our origins. We can’t avoid the American Revolution, so we might as well face it squarely. This hefty volume does just that, and reminds us how, against all odds, a fractious people came together in the first place. Let’s hold that thought, and see if we can get through 2026 in one piece.” —Ted Widmer, The New York Times Book Review
“A substantial work in every sense—richly illustrated, gorgeously printed, and patient in its storytelling. Ward’s prose moves with a measured, cinematic cadence. . . . This book is a long conversation across centuries, generous in its curiosity and unsparing in its clarity. . . . A history written with the conviction that understanding the past is an act of citizenship.” —Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
“This gripping, in-the-moment, thought-provoking, visually exciting history profoundly deepens our understanding of our nation's origins and how the past is shaping our volatile present. . . . Ward and Burns bring their uniquely erudite and dynamic expertise to the story of the American Revolution, [chronicling] political and military history in startling detail through eyewitness accounts." —Booklist (starred review)
“The achievement of this volume is to be forthright and occasionally critical, but still grand and stirring. All truths are self-evident for Burns and Ward, not just the easy ones. . . . The bulk of the volume is comprised of Ward’s lucid prose and exquisitely rendered details.” —Publishers Weekly
“A substantial work in every sense—richly illustrated, gorgeously printed, and patient in its storytelling. Ward’s prose moves with a measured, cinematic cadence. . . . This book is a long conversation across centuries, generous in its curiosity and unsparing in its clarity. . . . A history written with the conviction that understanding the past is an act of citizenship.” —Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
“This gripping, in-the-moment, thought-provoking, visually exciting history profoundly deepens our understanding of our nation's origins and how the past is shaping our volatile present. . . . Ward and Burns bring their uniquely erudite and dynamic expertise to the story of the American Revolution, [chronicling] political and military history in startling detail through eyewitness accounts." —Booklist (starred review)
“The achievement of this volume is to be forthright and occasionally critical, but still grand and stirring. All truths are self-evident for Burns and Ward, not just the easy ones. . . . The bulk of the volume is comprised of Ward’s lucid prose and exquisitely rendered details.” —Publishers Weekly
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