1776 by David McCullough

Welcome to Page 6 of I Read That Book! On each Page, I’ll tell you a little about a book I read, often in a fun and informal manner, with the hope that you also may become interested enough to read it – or perhaps read it again if you’ve already enjoyed it once. The books I’ll be featuring come from a variety of genres at differing stages of my life, so whether you prefer history, literature, science fiction, or horror, there’s a good chance you’ll get some interesting ideas for your personal “To Be Read” list. Thank you for joining me on this journey as we flip through the pages of some of my favorite books. But before you start reading below, I invite you to grab a cup of your favorite beverage (coffee for me!) and find a comfortable place to sit, then turn to Page 6.

1776 by David McCullough

Publication Date: May 24, 2005

What’s the most important year in American history? You’d be hard pressed to present a more compelling argument than Pulitzer Prize-winning author David McCullough makes in his nonfiction, modern-day classic, 1776…which, perhaps, contains the most seminal moments in the history of the United States.

Argue all you want concerning the Civil War and the two World Wars and what they meant to our country. I won’t refute you. But in 1776, we were perilously close to losing to the British, and if that had been the outcome, the world would be an entirely different place.

I’ve always enjoyed history, but ever since I finished school, you could say I love it, because now the choices of what to read and study are left entirely up to me. While astute students and other people far more intelligent than I am may enjoy diving deeper into the Teapot Dome scandal and the XYZ Affair (click HERE to find out what these are about…because learning stuff is fun!), my preference leans towards pre-Revolutionary War history (Roanoke, Jamestown, and Plymouth Colony are perfect examples), with a dash of the Revolutionary War and Civil War tossed in.

Back in high school and during my first couple years in college, I read a lot of books about the Vietnam War. I can remember seeing film clips on the news of our brave military members over there when I was a child, and I witnessed some of the devastating results firsthand (as a young boy, their war injuries disquieted me) when visiting my grandfather, a World War I vet, at a VA hospital in Pittsburgh (incidentally, David McCullough, the author, was born in Pittsburgh).

While I don’t praise the idea of war, I do honor and respect our military forces (I’m a proud Army veteran) who answer the call of duty. And how many people today, whether they’ve served or not, would be able to suffer through the harsh conditions that the continental Army, under General George Washington, went through in 1776? So many of these brave souls lacked adequate clothing, footwear, weapons, and sustenance (along with the nightmare of battlefield surgery) that our independence and freedom is nothing short of a miracle.

I really enjoy the way McCullough tells the story of this pivotal year, and while you’ll encounter historic figures you’re familiar with, in 1776 you’ll come across others you may never have heard of, but won’t soon forget. And you don’t have to be a history major to understand and enjoy the important information given in this volume, as you can see in this example from Chapter Two – RABBLE IN ARMS:

“But Nathanael Greene was no ordinary man. He had a quick, inquiring mind and uncommon resolve. He was extremely hardworking, forthright, good-natured, and a born leader. His commitment to the Glorious Cause of America, as it was called, was total.”

These heroes are worth learning about, and 1776 is a great way to get introduced to them.

And don’t forget to join us here again when I flip to the next Page!

Note: The first 32 pages of I Read This Book! originally appeared on Substack.

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