Five Revolutionary Authors Recommending Five Revolutionary Books

Shepherd is a website founded by Ben Fox to provide a forum for book recommendations, like “little notes from the [indie bookstore] staff about which books are their favorites and why.”

The site offers authors the chance to highlight five books of a particular sort (with some exposure for their own work, of course).

Here are some offerings about America’s Revolutionary era.

Prof. Joel Richard Paul, author of Unlikely Allies: How a Merchant, a Playwright, and a Spy Saved the American Revolution and Without Precedent: Chief Justice Marshall and His Times, on “The best books on the American Revolution.” Mainly solid overviews.

Ray Raphael, author of Founding Myths, Constitutional Myths, A People’s History of the American Revolution, and The Spirit of ’74, among other books, on “The best books to expand and deepen your view of the American Revolution.” Getting beyond the standard stories.

Tom Shachtman, author of The Founding Fortunes: How the Wealthy Paid for and Profited from America’s Revolution, on “The best books on lesser-known figures in the American Revolution and early years.” Following the money.

Prof. James R. Fichter, author of Tea: Consumption, Politics, and Revolution, 1773–1776, on “The best books that made me think twice about the American Revolution.” Novel perspectives.

Prof. Richard Bell, author of the new The American Revolution and the Fate of the World, on “The best books on the American Revolution as a World War.” Broader views in space and time.

The Fort Plain Museum bookstore has a Revolutionary War section ranging well beyond its own region in central New York, with generous terms on shipping and the proceeds going to support a historic site.