Friday, February 3, 2017

Scars Of Independence





Book Summary:

When we think of the American Revolution, we think of brave patriots fighting for a noble cause. It is a narrative the founding fathers encouraged after the war. Hoock argues, there is a more complex truth to the story. He claims the Revolution was not simply a battle over principles, but a violent civil war that continues to shape the American nation to this day. We read of tortured Loyalists, British troops massacring enemy soldiers and rape of local women, the forced conscription of African Americans, and Washington's genocidal campaign against the Iroquois.

Hoock is trying to bring to light a more honest approach to the American Revolution, hoping to show how it continues to impact American culture to this day.

My Thoughts:

I found the description of this book very interesting, and was very excited to read this book. I found it well written and a very interesting read. I thought there were important parts of American history presented. While the information is not all new, it brings together less savoury parts of history to let the reader make new connections and acknowledge that the violence that was an important part of American history.

I found it very intriguing to read how the Americans were very strategic in how they chose to be violent or avoid violence in certain situations knowing how it would look to citizens, making a huge difference in the outcome of the war.

I did appreciate that Hoock looked at the violence from Americans and British during the war and how each side approached violence. It is good to remember that neither side was blameless, and how they each used violent tactics or propaganda to help their cause. It was interesting to see how this shaped the outcome of the war and the future of America.

If you are looking for a different perspective on the American Revolution this is a book you should read. I highly recommend reading this book.

*I received a free copy of this book from LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.

*Receiving a free copy of this book does not change my review. It simply provides me with a copy of a book sooner than I would have gotten to it or one I might not have heard about otherwise.

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