Reviews
"Fischer knows how to grip the reader as few historians do....Fischer succeeds brilliantly in re-creating the milieu of the 1770s."--The Commercial Appeal (Memphis) "This well-written, carefully researched, and interesting book dispels much of the myth and legend that has grown up around Paul Revere's famous ride and has replaced it with an exciting account of the events on those early spring days of April, 1775....A good read as well as an excellent reference."--KLIATT, September 1995 "In one of the best recent books on the Revolution, Fischer takes what might be the most famous episode from the war and carefully sifts accumulating legend from a substantial body of fact heretofore little recognized about the famous 'midnight right.'"--The Virginian-Pilot and the Ledger-Star "Fischer has provided a nice update of one of the semi-mythological events associated with the American revolutionary experience. What is most impressive about the book is the scholarly apparatus indluded. Revere is now a human figure acting out an historical role without mythology to get in the way. For contextural biography, this is a first-rate volume."--Gerald Michael Schnabel, Bemidji State University "The action in this exciting history illuminates New England's culture--especially the ways that it differed from old England's--on the eve of the American Revolution....Fischer's details are meticulous, and provide an irresistible sense of immediacy as a slumbering countryside is wakened to war."--The New Yorker, "The action in this exciting history illuminates New England'sculture--especially the ways that it differed from old England's--on the eve ofthe American Revolution....Fischer's details are meticulous, and provide anirresistible sense of immediacy as a slumbering countryside is wakened towar."--The New Yorker, "Fischer knows how to grip the reader as few historians do....Fischer succeeds brilliantly in re-creating the milieu of the 1770s."--The Commercial Appeal(Memphis) "This well-written, carefully researched, and interesting book dispels much of the myth and legend that has grown up around Paul Revere's famous ride and has replaced it with an exciting account of the events on those early spring days of April, 1775....A good read as well as an excellent reference."--KLIATT, September 1995 "In one of the best recent books on the Revolution, Fischer takes what might be the most famous episode from the war and carefully sifts accumulating legend from a substantial body of fact heretofore little recognized about the famous 'midnight right.'"--The Virginian-Pilot and the Ledger-Star "Fischer has provided a nice update of one of the semi-mythological events associated with the American revolutionary experience. What is most impressive about the book is the scholarly apparatus indluded. Revere is now a human figure acting out an historical role without mythology to get in the way. For contextural biography, this is a first-rate volume."--Gerald Michael Schnabel,Bemidji State University "The action in this exciting history illuminates New England's culture--especially the ways that it differed from old England's--on the eve of the American Revolution....Fischer's details are meticulous, and provide an irresistible sense of immediacy as a slumbering countryside is wakened to war."--The New Yorker, "In one of the best recent books on the Revolution, Fischer takes whatmight be the most famous episode from the war and carefully sifts accumulatinglegend from a substantial body of fact heretofore little recognized about thefamous 'midnight right.'"--The Virginian-Pilot and the Ledger-Star, "A work of rare historical distinction, an unputdownable narrativescraping away the tarnish of time and myth to reveal the essential metal of PaulRevere, silversmith. It is crammed with anecdote, represents a meticulousstandard of research...and offers a peerless portrait of its subject."--TheBoston Sunday Globe, "Positively spell-binding, a brilliant exercise in narration which vividlyexplores Revere's word.... A must for any scholar interested in the AmericanRevolution."--Eric Robert Papafuse, Yale University, "A rare volume of history that has something for every reader. Readers with a general interest in American history will find it engaging and richly illuminating. Specialists will find it packed with a wealth of fine detail. And scholars will appreciate the close attention to the sources,evidenced by more than 100 pages of notes, appendices, bibliographical commentaries, and scholarly apparatus. The maps are excellent, illustrations numerous and skillfully interpreted, and the prose sprightly and polished....Educational and though-provoking without ever bogging down inpedanticism."--Richmond Times-Dispatch, "Positively spell-binding, a brilliant exercise in narration which vividly explores Revere's word.... A must for any scholar interested in the American Revolution."--Eric Robert Papafuse, Yale University, "It is rare when a scholarly history will appeal to a general readership,but such is the case with this book....A meticulously researched and wonderfullyevocative narrative that will be enjoyed by history lovers and scholarsalike."--Library Journal, "Restores Paul Revere to his place in the pantheon of American heroes by clearing away the junk of myth and mockery that has grown up around him....The book tells the story of Revere's ride in great detail and the ensuing battles with all the drama they possess."--Milwaukee Journal, "The action in this exciting history illuminates New England's culture--especially the ways that it differed from old England's--on the eve of the American Revolution....Fischer's details are meticulous, and provide an irresistible sense of immediacy as a slumbering countryside is wakened towar."--The New Yorker, "A thrilling read. Part biography, part history, this is a mesmerizinglook at democracy's infancy....This is a superb examination of the whys and howsof our Revolution."--Trenton Times, "A detailed account of the legendary 'midnight ride' as narrated by a professional historian with a scholar's command of the facts and a gift for storytelling."--Los Angeles Times, "A work of rare historical distinction, an unputdownable narrative scraping away the tarnish of time and myth to reveal the essential metal of Paul Revere, silversmith. It is crammed with anecdote, represents a meticulous standard of research...and offers a peerless portrait of itssubject."--The Boston Sunday Globe, "Restores Paul Revere to his place in the pantheon of American heroes byclearing away the junk of myth and mockery that has grown up around him....Thebook tells the story of Revere's ride in great detail and the ensuing battleswith all the drama they possess."--Milwaukee Journal, "A thrilling read. Part biography, part history, this is a mesmerizing look at democracy's infancy....This is a superb examination of the whys and hows of our Revolution."--Trenton Times, "It is rare when a scholarly history will appeal to a general readership, but such is the case with this book....A meticulously researched and wonderfully evocative narrative that will be enjoyed by history lovers and scholars alike."--Library Journal, "In one of the best recent books on the Revolution, Fischer takes what might be the most famous episode from the war and carefully sifts accumulating legend from a substantial body of fact heretofore little recognized about the famous 'midnight right.'"--The Virginian-Pilot and theLedger-Star, "A detailed account of the legendary 'midnight ride' as narrated by aprofessional historian with a scholar's command of the facts and a gift forstorytelling."--Los Angeles Times, "A rare volume of history that has something for every reader. Readerswith a general interest in American history will find it engaging and richlyilluminating. Specialists will find it packed with a wealth of fine detail. Andscholars will appreciate the close attention to the sources, evidenced by morethan 100 pages of notes, appendices, bibliographical commentaries, and scholarlyapparatus. The maps are excellent, illustrations numerous and skillfullyinterpreted, and the prose sprightly and polished....Educational andthough-provoking without ever bogging down in pedanticism."--RichmondTimes-Dispatch, 'There have been many versions of the battles at Lexington and Concord, but all of them have been superseded by Fischer, who has made it unnecessary to produce another one.'London Review of Books'this book by David Hackett Fischer ... is the first full-scale scholarly history of Revere's principal achievement ... Fischer has produced an excellent piece of narrative history. The research and the mastery of the secondary literature on late colonial Massachusetts are impressive. Fischer's writing is generally brisk and often analytically rich. The characterization of Revere is incisive and persuasive ... Fischer shows an ipressive grasp of thecharacter of the American Revolution.'Times Literary Supplement'a narrative of compelling interest provides much enlightenment ... No better account of the course of the conflict at Concord and Lexington can be found or required ... This account, furnished with excellent maps, does justice to an encounter whose cost, however unacceptable, was subsequently met.'Times Higher Education Supplement
