Strange and Obscure Stories of the Revolutionary War
There are several stories that are put into this compilation that are off the beaten path from the tales we’re told during history lessons in school. These include narratives ranging from the women who aided the revolution, to the floating P.O.W. camp off the East coast that held American soldiers.
This book is very short. The thing I liked about it was the out of the ordinary histories that people don’t usually hear or talk about. I found myself wanting to know more than the book had to offer. However, there was more that was frustrating about this novel then there was that I liked. The biggest was that the author would be telling a story and then jump back and forth in the timeline talking about other people who were minor characters to the story, only to jump back into the main account and carry on with it. It was confusing and I found myself lost as to who was who several times. The other thing that was frustrating was that the author essentially assumes the reader to be well versed in the famous battles, their participants, and the history of the Revolutionary War. I truly enjoyed history in high school, and I recognized a handful of names the author dropped in passing, but I would have appreciated a longer book and a bit more background of the events he was referencing.
Ultimately, I would only recommend this one to history buffs who really know the ins and outs of the traditional narratives of the American Revolution. Pick this one up if you like a quick read and the OBSCURE part of this read. If that doesn’t float your boat over the Delaware, pick up The Patriot starring Mel Gibson.