I started this book on Saturday and finished it today. It's about the Continental Army under Washington in the turbulent year of 1776, but also includes the point-of-view of the Brits under William Howe and civilians. It starts out at the Siege of Boston (which did start in 1775, but that's beside the point) and follows the army from there until our victories at Trenton and Princeton.
I thought this book very clearly summarized how the American soldiers lived, and the state of affairs of that army. It emphasizes how our army, a mere "rabble in arms" fought, and what they thought. The terrible conditions the Americans were forced to live in are described. It describes the state of gloom after the defeats at Brooklyn and New York, and the waning trust in Washington. It tells of the despair following our darkest hour, abandoning Fort Lee and retreating across New Jersey. And it tells of the joy and hope that appeared after our weakened and battered army defeated the Hessians at Trenton. All of it is told with great clarity, using the diaries of real soldiers from the Revolution for information and providing excerpts from those, as well as several letters, all the while giving the facts of what happened that year.
Some of you may have read McCullough's book, John Adams. I, myself, have not. But if it is any bit as good as 1776 was, I will most certainly read it. I do quite like history, and the American Revolution is, somehow, a blind spot in my knowledge. Therefore, this book was a great introduction to that fateful war. If you have an interest in history, and want to know about this year of the Revolution, I whole-heartedly recommend 1776.