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Band of Giants: The Amateur Soldiers Who Won America's Independence
Band of Giants: The Amateur Soldiers Who Won America's Independence
Band of Giants: The Amateur Soldiers Who Won America's Independence
Audiobook10 hours

Band of Giants: The Amateur Soldiers Who Won America's Independence

Written by Jack Kelly

Narrated by James C. Lewis

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this audiobook

Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin are known to all; men like Morgan, Greene, and Wayne are less familiar. Yet the dreams of the politicians and theorists only became real because fighting men were willing to take on the grim, risky, brutal work of war.


The soldiers of the American Revolution were a diverse lot: merchants and mechanics, farmers and fishermen, paragons and drunkards. Most were ardent amateurs. Even George Washington, assigned to take over the army around Boston in 1775, consulted books on military tactics.


Here, Jack Kelly vividly captures the fraught condition of the war-the bitterly divided populace, the lack of supplies, the repeated setbacks on the battlefield, and the appalling physical hardships. That these inexperienced warriors could take on and defeat the superpower of the day was one of the remarkable feats in world history.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateFeb 3, 2015
ISBN9781494579104
Author

Jack Kelly

JACK KELLY is a journalist, novelist, and historian, whose books include Band of Giants, which received the DAR's History Award Medal. He has contributed to national periodicals including The Wall Street Journal and is a New York Foundation for the Arts fellow. He has appeared on The History Channel and interviewed on National Public Radio. He grew up in a town in the canal corridor adjacent to Palmyra, Joseph Smith's home. He lives in New York's Hudson Valley.

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Reviews for Band of Giants

Rating: 4.237288050847458 out of 5 stars
4/5

59 ratings26 reviews

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A VERY detailed look at the American Revolution and the men and women who were involved in sending the British back home. As in any war I suppose, it wasn't pretty, and the author details how difficult it was when your soldiers aren't professionals, and to make it worse, have to fight with little support from a new Congress as evidenced by numerous accounts of marches through winter conditions with no shoes and barely clothed.After finishing I have a couple of problems with the book. First off, it seems every march and battle was fought in the worst weather conditions? While I have no doubt there may have been deplorable conditions, it seems to me there may have been some embellishment at times to give the story a little more drama. I also felt there could have been a better account of the Native American plight. They played a key role for both sides, but the auhor basically portrays them as pawns with basically no reference to the fact they were more than likely being displaced by the establishment of the white mans liberty from England.If you're looking for battle history this is the book for you, but if it's an account of the story behind the battles, you may find yourself dissapointed as I was.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Loved it down to earth, almost personal accounts. A great read for one immersing themself in revolutionary war history
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    As the title states, BAND OF GIANTS:THE AMATEUR SOLDIERS WHO WON AMERICA'S INDEPENDENCE BY JACK KELLY is about some of the unsung heroes of our nations fight for independence. These men were not all wealthy soldiers. These men were farmers,merchants, woodsmen and just plain people who,when the call to arms came,they fought and died for our cause. They endured everything from dysentery to small pox, freezing cold to famine but they continued to fight.Jack Kelly puts the reader into the battles . This is a no holds barred look at the fight for independence. Frankly, I'm not really sure how we won but we did and Jack Kelly spells it out in BAND OF GIANTS:THE AMATEUR SOLDIERS WHO WON AMERICA'S INDEPENDENCE. When the 4th of July comes along I will definately be remembering this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    So glad I read this one! I have read quite a few books on the Founding Fathers and the American Revolution, but I keep learning something new. It seems that many books on the war focus solely on George Washington, as though he won the war single-handedly. Yes, he was an exceptional general, but I liked that this book also focused on the other leaders, men like Henry Knox, Benedict Arnold, and my distant cousin, Nathanael Greene. I didn't know much at all about the war in Canada, so I was glad to see that was covered. It's not a very long book, but it was well worth reading. I got this free in return for a (belated) review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Excellent book that I recommend to history geeks and teachers along with anyone who enjoys history. I received a copy but had to wait for my husband, who grabbed it first, to finish it. Not only was it enjoyable, but it offered great illustrations to share with my history students. I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Band of Giants tells the story of the American Revolution through the lives of its citizen soldiers and officers.This chronicle of the Revolutionary War is more than a listing of dates, battles and outcomes. It is a history of young men of various backgrounds, most with little or no military training. Their talents and perseverance, along with Washington's genius, resulted in a victory over an experienced and formidable foe.Most of these men were very colorful characters, but the steadfast Henry Knox impressed me the most. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in early American history.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    An easy read, having several short stories worked well. I'm a history buff, with interests in the American Revolution and the Civil War, and really enjoyed reading this book. Highly recommended.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I found this to be a good, concise history of the Revolutionary War. Kelly does a great job of explaining the major parts of the war, and the principal actors of those incidents. This is as good of a short history of the war as I have read. I would highly recommend it. The only issue I had with the book was Kelly's obvious love for Horatio Gates. All of his miscues, missteps, and errors were downplayed as being correct, yet misunderstood, moves. I would disagree with him in this area.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Written by an author who's relative fought in the Revolutionary War, this book shows you the growth of the leading officers of the Revolutionary War from amateurs to the men we know defeated the British Empire. I do have to note however that the title of this book was a bit deceptive and made me believe this would have more to do with the common soldier than the officers in the army. But once I got past that I found the book to be very informative and extremely readable.The focus here is not on all the usual characters, but on many of the lesser known leaders who contributed greatly to the cause. The careers and lives of Henry Knox, Nathaniel Greene, ‘Mad’ Anthony Wayne, Daniel Morgan, John Stark, Charles Lee, and others are given a closer inspection to discover exactly how diverse this cast was. This is the most important part of what can be learned from reading this book, as most modern Americans know very little about these men, where they came from, and what they became.One thing that becomes clear while reading this, America came damn close to loosing this battle. At several points the army almost fell apart completely, and a few key decisions were hesitated on. But one thing Mr. Kelly seems to neglect is the full role of the French in the final victory over the British. While He includes them, they're role seems to be portrayed as a bit less than it really was. The Marquis de Lafayette is mentioned and is used at the end of the book to wrap up a summary of all the characters the book covers, but that's about the most credit the French get. I really felt like this aspect was downplayed way too much and can be deceptive in highlighting why America managed to win the war.The book is written in a style that is immediately accessible and moves more like a novel than a history book. I do recommend this if you want to get a glimpse of some of the revolutionary war leaders in more detail than you get from your high school text book. In the end you will acquire a better understanding of the war and the people behind it.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Probably if you ask the man on the street about the Revolutionary War – the military part of the war – he’d tell you about the battle of Bunker Hill and shivering at Valley Forge and then suddenly the British are surrendering at Yorktown. Huh? But if you ask him how we got from there to here - how an amateur untrained rabble of farmers and laborers took on and beat the British Army – bet he wouldn’t know. So this book which goes deep down into the day to day of the war is a delightful tonic. Most people have never heard of Henry Knox the Boston bookseller who read a book and figured out how to do artillery - brilliantly. Or Nathanial Greene who led his ragtag band in the war in the south and kept Cornwallis so tangled up he lost the wagon with his cook and his wine cellar.Everyone knows that Benedict Arnold was a traitor but did you know he fought on Lake Erie and took on British ships of the line with glorified rowboats and lighters? If I had a quibble it would be on the book's tone - sometimes it seems to be a golly gee whiz book for younger readers and sometimes it seems like a thoughtful and serious book for scholars. And back and forth in between. But there are a lot of great little known stories here and Kelly tells them very well.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The story of the American Revolution is retold strictly from the military perspective. The goal of the author is to highlight many of the lesser known commanders to show just how important they were to complete the victory. The book is not just fighting as the author recounts the personal lives of these men when warranted. I think that the sacrifices shown give ammo to the thought that THIS was indeed the "greatest generation" A must read for anyone who enjoys accurate historical writing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Band of Giants is a well written, informative and entertaining volume about our American History. Jack Kelly has developed great characters that offer entertaining aspects of their lives during the Revolution. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the American Revolution.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The story Jack Kelly tells is hard to beat even if you were writing fiction. But that's maybe the problem, it is such an amazing story and somehow it just lacked the excitement it should have created as I read it.Kelly does a decent job of telling the story, but maybe it's because I've read David McCullough's 1776 that I'm being hard on this. McCullough did a masterful job. Kelly, maybe because it was abbreviated in comparison to McCullough's tome seems to blow through events to quickly.And one major critique - map placement. There was at least one instance that I was reading about a general's struggle as he geared up for a battle, turned the page, was confronted with the map at the top of the page (which of course I looked at then) and saw it marked on the map, "here X was killed." I'm not so far up on my history that I would have recalled that off the top of my head. So that was some suspense quelled earlier than it needed to be.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book went way beyond expectations. Having never read anything previously by Jack Kelly, I was interested to get the opportunity to read this book. Having an interest in the American Revolution, I had previously read books like 1776 and Nathan Philbricks book on Bunker Hill. I had also read original texts being curious about first hand accounts. This book went way beyond anything I had previously read having introduced characters I had never head of before. Soldiers like Daniel Morgan and Anthony Wayne as well as others, brought the realism from the foot soldier right to me. I was immersed in this book and at times had difficulty putting it down. Absolutely one of my Revolutionary War favorites.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Band of Giants is about the soldiers that fought the Revolutionary War. It covers the military events leading up to the war, and you view the entire war through the eyes of the generals and common soldiers. We usually think of Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and other political characters when we think of the Revolutionary War but in this book they are only lightly touched as the focus is on the fighting man. Of course George Washington plays a major role and the book begins with his role in the French and Indian War and how his experiences influenced his later leadership. Most people know that the common soldier was lacking in food, uniforms, and gunpowder and was subject to much disease. However Kelly points out that they were also looked down on as the lower end of society and did not receive much in the way of respect or compensation. It is also stressed that this was an amateur army lead by very young leaders. There are many fascinating stories in the book such as the role of Gorge Rogers Clark in the battles in the West. Clark was the older brother of William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame. Many other heroes are covered including Knox, Greene, Wayne, Morgan, Gates, von Steuben and others. Benedict Arnold's role and reasons for becoming a traitor are laid out. The book ends with Lafayette's return to the US in 1824 and Kelly uses Lafayette's tour of the 24 states to wonderfully tie the up the stories of these great men.I highly recommend this book to all who have an interest in American History.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent review of the American Revolutionary War and the "giants" who got us there. There are many books on the Civil War and the World Wars but it seems our Revolutionary War has been less endearing to military fans. This book gave insight to each major battle as well as other small ones and was filled with clear, distinct, even disturbing images about the men and women who fought the battle for us. The grit, determination, and persistence shown by these patriots is inspiring. I've been looking for a good book on this war and time period. I was so excited to receive it as a LibraryThing selection but even more excited to find it was a fantastic read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    In order for a history book to be “5 Star” it needs to offer information and entertainment. Without entertainment you simply have a regurgitation of facts. “Band of Giants” offers the facts, some new to me, in an entertaining style. Well written, informative, and entertaining all wrapped one book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The Revolutionary War is not my field of interest. That said, I think this book explains well the battles and reasons for them. I was particularly interested in the lead-up because I grew up down the road from Jumonville and visited both Fort Necessity and Braddock's Grave many times. We all knew the importance of the French & Indian War to our independence and Washington's growth as a military commander.If you are interested in military history and battles, you would be interested in this book. I found it a bit ponderous for my liking and will have difficulty finishing it. That doesn't mean it is a bad book; it just isn't to my liking.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Mr. Kelly's writing is compelling, with an easy flowing narrative. However, the Advanced Reader's Edition is riddled with errors. I am surprised that it was even released in this state.There are noticeable typographic or sentence structure errors on many pages, including 68, 82, 83, 88, 90, 98, 100, 114, 148, 161, 176, and 183.Furthermore, there are several historical inaccuracies, perhaps due to the limited research evident in the author's bibliography (all fairly recent, secondary sources). Apparent errors include:p. 81 - The Hessions were not really Hessions (Brunswickers).p. 82 - The third paragraph seems to imply that the Americans were escaping to the North (with the flow of the river). They were not.p. 112 - The American troops at the Battle of Hubbardton were not all Vermonters as is implied.p. 117 - The map is distorted, not accurate.p. 128 - Refers to a feint on Washington. The City of Washington was not yet established.p. 135 - It was not just Poor's N.H. Continentals at the First Battle of Saratoga. Massachusetts Continentals were also engaged.All in all, I think that the book had much more potential than what is presented. Too bad.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book greatly exceeded my expectations. I thought it might be a narrow, possibly dry, exposition on the role of the militia in the Revolutionary War. Not at all dry, it is a very well-written history of the military events of the war. The engagement of the various militia is woven into a compelling recount of the leades and their triumphs and failures throughout the six-year campaign for independence. The book gives fascinating portrayals of figures I knew (Washington, Arnold, Greene, Gates, Knox, Steuban and Layfayette) and some I didn't. Particularly interesting among the latter is Daniel Morgan. Morgan was a rough backwoodsman from Virginia who was tactically brilliant and an aggressive leader of citizen soldiers.Antecedents to the war are told, starting with Washington's experience in the French & Indian War. The history follows the Revolutionary War campaigns from 1775 to Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown in 1781. There is not much about the political circumstances during the war other than reminders of how poorly the armies were supported by the Continental Congress.Kelly's writing is exceptionally good; the vividness and pace of the narrative make the read very enjoyable. As a one-volume overview of the war I would highly recommend this book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Being born and raised in South Carolina I thought I knew the battles of King’s Mountain, Cowpens, Camden, etc, pretty well, but Band of Giants helped me better understand these pivotal battles as well as the rest of the Revolutionary War. It’s a very detailed account of the men, the amateur soldiers, who won America’s independence. I think every American should read a book like Jack Kelly’s. No one in the United States should ever take for granted what we have AND how we came to have the freedoms we bask in. Band of Giants is a book I will pull out every year or so to refresh my freedom.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I consider myself smonwhat of a history buff and as a result, I have read many books about the Revolutionary War. This has provided me with a good understanding of the causes, historical progress and a general knowledge of the participants. I found this book to be well written, informative and to smoothly travel though the time period. I particularly enjoyed reading it because it provided much more information about the members of the "Band of Giants" covered in the book. I highly recommend it. This book was furnished to me by Librarything Early Review program
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Band of Giants covers the period of the Revolutionary War from 1754 - 1782. The novel focus' on the usual luminaries, including George Washington and Nathaniel Greene, to lesser known fighters such as Daniel Morgan. Pivotal battles and personalities are also highly featured. Serious scholars of the Revolutionary War aren't likely to learn anything new from this book. However Band of Giants is a good place to start for readers who want to brush up on their history or read about the highlights of the war that made the United States of America.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I received this book from the publisher Palgrave/Macmillan, which had no influence on whether or not i liked the book....Yep, It's a history book,and it's anything but typical. Not a bunch of names dates and places where you try and connect the dots, not at all.INSTEAD, Kelly has made those names become actual relateable people. People with faults and strengths. Dates that we're all familiar with become times with meaning. And places? His words made it possible to envision a lot of what took place in those towns.The pages of THIS history book actually do turn quickly. It is so very readable. You learn what the men of the revolution were probably thinking and feeling, their backgrounds and personal lives. You learn tidbits like what an abatisis is- a precursor to barbed wire, made of sharpened wood....or that Brooklyn is Dutch for broken land, or marsh- Breukelen.Washington and his leaders got groups of militia men from various areas, the troops had "very little discipline, order or government",with one thing in common.... patriotic perserverance. And with this ragtag army he accomplished what many scoffed at, and WE are here, an independent country because of those men.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The soldiers of the Continental Army were not professionals when the American Revolution began in 1775, neither were their commanding officers. But as Jack Kelly writings in his book “Band of Giants”, these amateur soldiers took on and defeated the greatest army in the world to win independence for their nation.Kelly’s chronicle of the Revolutionary generation’s military journey starts in 1754 following an inexperienced George Washington as he ignites the French and Indian War and the military lessons he learned. As each significant leader is introduced within the narrative, Kelly gives the reader insight into their previous military experience or lack thereof. As the war goes on, Kelly explains how the commanders learned through failure and success that eventually resulted in the victorious siege of Yorktown.The best part of this book is that Kelly just doesn't follow Washington, the Marquis de Lafayette, Horatio Gates, and Benedict Arnold who always seem to be at the fore of Revolutionary history. The lives and careers of Henry Knox, Nathaniel Greene, ‘Mad’ Anthony Wayne, Daniel Morgan, John Stark, Charles Lee, and many others are given their just do in the relating of events during the war.Yet there were sections of the book that seemed that Kelly let stray from the overall thrust of the book. Kelly introduced the wives and family of many of the men he follows in the book; overall this is not a bad thing since at times family situations did interfere with a commander’s duties. However at times, the details Kelly relates while interesting little facts were just that and nothing more in the overall context of the book. Another glaring error was Kelly shifting from chronicling the course of events and why the individual made the decisions he made, only to then suddenly armchair quarterback the decision before continuing on the narrative. These moments were few and far between, but left the reader scratching their head.Overall “Band of Giants” is a very readable, researched, general history of the American Revolution and the commanding officers of the Continental Army. Although author Jack Kelly does stray briefly into unrelated details and on a couple of occasions interjects his opinion, those errors cannot take away from a well written book that introduces the reader to a better understanding of the history of the American Revolution.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a very stirring portrayal of the people and events that won independence for the thirteen American colonies. I liked the fact that the book went into details of the personalities of both the American and British leaders. Men like Henry Knox, who taught himself the intricacies of artillery and heavy ordinance from books in his store in Boston. He went on to become one of George Washington’s most respected generals. Daniel Morgan, the rugged, rough hewn backwoodsman, and his frontier sharpshooters, would time and again leave their frontier homes to win the day for the Americans. Benedict Arnold, the obstinate, hard fighting officer who led his American troops to victory only to be overlooked repeatedly for promotions by a Congress more concerned with protocol and political maneuvering than with military ability and natural leadership. He was overlooked once too often and turned his back on the colonies betraying them to the British. The book is full of many fascinating details that bring this exciting period of our history to life. From the highest ranking generals to the lowliest private, all are represented in this entertaining book. This book was provided for review by the publisher.