Paul Revere's Ride

Book Description

Paul Revere's midnight ride looms as an almost mythical event in American history--yet it has been largely ignored by scholars and left to patriotic writers and debunkers. Now one of the foremost American historians offers the first serious look at the events of the night of April 18, 1775--what led up to it, what really happened, and what followed--uncovering a truth far more remarkable than the myths of tradition. In Paul Revere's Ride, David Hackett Fischer fashions an exciting narrative that offers deep insight into the outbreak of revolution and the emergence of the American republic. Beginning in the years before the eruption of war, Fischer illuminates the figure of Paul Revere, a man far more complex than the simple artisan and messenger of tradition. Revere ranged widely through the complex world of Boston's revolutionary movement--from organizing local mechanics to mingling with the likes of John Hancock and Samuel Adams. When the fateful night arrived, more than sixty men and women joined him on his task of alarm--an operation Revere himself helped to organize and set in motion. Fischer recreates Revere's capture that night, showing how it had an important impact on the events that followed. He had an uncanny gift for being at the center of events, and the author follows him to Lexington Green--setting the stage for a fresh interpretation of the battle that began the war. Drawing on intensive new research, Fischer reveals a clash very different from both patriotic and iconoclastic myths. The local militia were elaborately organized and intelligently led, in a manner that had deep roots in New England. On the morning of April 19, they fought in fixed positions and close formation, twice breaking the British regulars. In the afternoon, the American officers switched tactics, forging a ring of fire around the retreating enemy which they maintained for several hours--an extraordinary feat of combat leadership. In the days that followed, Paul Revere led a new battle-- for public opinion--which proved even more decisive than the fighting itself. When the alarm-riders of April 18 took to the streets, they did not cry, "the British are coming," for most of them still believed they were British. Within a day, many began to think differently. For George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Thomas Paine, the news of Lexington was their revolutionary Rubicon. Paul Revere's Ride returns Paul Revere to center stage in these critical events, capturing both the drama and the underlying developments in a triumphant return to narrative history at its finest.

Customer Reviews:

The Mercury of the American Revolution.......2007-09-20

Seldom does an academic book reach across the aisle and become a classic of popular history as well. Mr. Fischer's "Paul Revere's Ride" does just that. "Ride" captures the reader with incredible little known anecdotes as well as flawless research and a smooth narrative flow. The theme of Fischer's book was that Revere's ride far from being a singular achievement was in reality a collective effort of a multitude of revolulutionaries throughout the colony. Simply put, in reading history, Americans must sometimes put the proverbial `rugged individualist' on the shelf and look at history as how it developed, rather then how we would like to see it happen. What attracted me to this book in the first place was Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" in which Mr. Fischer's book is cited. Revere was a man who knew everyone in Boston and moved in many different circles. We often forget that great changes are not accomplished by the sole recluse theorist writing in his study, but rather as Mr. Fischer points out by "collective responsibilities of the group dynamic." In this, Revere and his fellow Whigs rejected the sort of individualist credo that would later find it's prophet in Thomas Jefferson.

Another fascinating portrait is General Thomas Gage, the largely ineffectual and philosophical libertarian leader of the British in Boston. One is tempted to think if Gage had a little more command and control structure that he could have countered the quickness of Revere and the minutemen especially in the late night of April 18, 1775 and the early morning hours of the next day. Throughout the book, the reader may wonder why Gage chose not to have Revere and co. arrested, but Gage felt he was bound to the Constitution just as any British overseer would be. Of course, Thomas Gage did not know the ending to this story and neither did any of the Colonists. In this General Gage and his governance was just one in a long line of ineffectual imperial military forces brought to their knees by a united, close knit community. Fischer concludes his book with a variety of appendices and fascinating data about how the burgeoning revolutionaries really worked. Of note is the author's historiography of the "Ride" taking it from the Whig's attempt to suppress it for being against the myth of "national innocence" to the 1960's revisionists attempt to destroy the "Ride" as one of the most well known symbols of the dead white male. Perhaps, the last word should belong to that shining beacon of the American political landscape in the 1920's: Warren G. Harding who said: "I love the story of Paul Revere, whether he rode or not."

Everyone in America Should Read This Book!.......2007-06-14

I wish I could give it 10 'stars'! It is an entertaining read. It is unusual among history books in that the maps are actually useful, easy to understand and related to the text. The author writes the story so well, it almost reads like an entertaining novel. I definitely have a much greater appreciation of the events that sparked the American Revolution. I strongly urge everyone in America to read this book. It will change everything you never learned of American History in school.

Oh, by the way, I liked the book!

1st rate history that separates fact from the myth.......2007-04-21

David Hackett Fisher should be praised for his mid 1990s work on Paul Revere. The book was written years before "Founding Brothers" and bios of John Adams and George Washington made it acceptable again to study and revere our nations' founders. During the 1960-1990s most university historians focused on debunking any patriotic constructions of the American Revolution. and instead focused on the underlying social and economic factors that drove the conflict.

The author bravely presents a rebuttal that individuals do matter in the course of history. While Paul Revere's role clearly became an iconic symbol of American independence following the war, his actual contributions should not be tossed aside as pure myth. By ignoring most original scholarship and instead relying mainly on hundreds of original accounts of the events of 1775, the author presents a vivid and analytical retelling of the opening shots of the American Revolution and the intimate role of Paul Revere.

While Paul Revere did not lead the Revolution, he did do more than ride a horse late one night. The complex layers of the American insurgency against British occupation are wonderfully described. In, addition to the telling of Paul Revere's ride, the book contains a lengthy discussion of the Battles of Lexington and Concord from both the British and American perspective.

While this is not "thee" book on the American Revolution, it never tries to be. Instead it is a deeply researched, highly readable narrative of the early days of the American Revolution and the actual events of the famous midnight ride. Well worth you time for anyone who enjoys American history.

Evocative, interesting... but.......2007-03-29

To begin, I think that Fischer has very few superiors among historians for assembling material, and composing a story. Besides providing a detailed account he enriches it with cultural sidebars and descriptions of conditions and terrain that create an incredibly evocative text. the book was so visual i have no doubt it will stay in my memory long after ive forgotten better books. I definitely recommend it.
that being said I have a few criticisms I have not seen in other reviews. First I wish to address Fischer's theories of history which he perpetually attempts to budge into the narrative in an attempt at achieving the big idea. He maintains the importance of contingency in history and the impact of individual choice. the reader instinctively agrees but Fischer undercuts his thesis in this particular work by stressing the importance of collective action and communal responsibility. In fact the story is primarily one of community action and hence the irrelevance of his theory here. It comes across as forced.
More jarring is his dwelling on the virtues of his idealized revolutionaries vis a vis the degenerates of the modern world. The author quaintly and crotchedly flails at modern humanity in absurd generalized statements claiming we have no morality, thoughts of mortality, respect for ancestors, courage in warfare or communal responsibilty.
Finally, his historiagraphy section, while as an overview is helpful has irrelevant individual examples. He repeatedly uses non historians work to describe trends in the field. the obvious reason is so better to vent his spleen and hence make his point stronger. A dramatist and a novelist are his only examples for post vietnam history. He decries vietnam veteran Tim O'Brien for having the effrontery to identify with the British troops and thier quagmire, accusing him of "self pity." If only we had strong, patriotic men like Fischer over there we would have won handily! He also states that TWO textbooks in thirty years didnt even mention Paul Revere. Shocking! The implication seems to be that his work is a needed antidote to two centuries of misguided reporting, and that he, Fischer, will save us with the perfect synthesis of all that was good before.
Don't get me wrong I liked the book.

Another Brilliant History by David Hackett Fischer.......2006-12-12

This is brilliant book! It is, like any history written by David Hackett Fischer, extremely well researched and written and a tremendously compelling read.

Fischer focuses this history of the opening days of the American Revolutionary War on two figures; American Paul Revere and British General Thomas Gage. These individuals are used to examine the attitudes and culture of both sides as the war prepares to unfold and then explodes with a fury and intensity neither expected.

Fischer shows convincingly that the Americans were better prepared for the war than their British counterparts. Unlike the British, most Colonial military leaders and many of their soldiers were more experienced in warfare, having fought against the French and their indian allies in the Seven Years War, which preceded the Revolutionary War.

Fischer also dispels the myth of individual minutemen marching, fighting, and winning the first battle at Lexington and Concord. Instead, relatively well trained and drilled milita formations and regiments, alerted by a practiced system of riders, alert bells and musket and cannon shot, arrived in strength throughout the British march from Lexington and Concord back to Boston, inflicting a stinging defeat on Gage's men.

That luck had little to do with this was proven at the Battle of Bunker and Breed's hill, where well led militia inflicted more than a thousand casualties on the British. That battle prompted the British to send more troops and better commanders to America to pursue the war with increased intensity.

"Paul Revere's Ride" is recommended for any student - new or old - of the American Revolutionary War, especially for those who plan on visiting Lexington or Concord, where it all began.

Average customer rating:

Brought the poem to life
Makes History Fun!
An amazingly beautiful and creative book.
What a treasure!
My four-year-old son loves this book!

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Manufacturer: Handprint
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1929766130

Book Description

In his magnificent interpretation of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow s poem, Christopher Bing seamlessly weaves history and imagination into a rich portrait of an American hero. A meticulous researcher, Bing includes material that provides texture to history, maps that follow the British campaign to quell the rebellious citizenry, as well as the patriot s ride into the Massachusetts night of April, 1775. Documents firmly affixed into the book, including the British general s orders to his troops and Revere s own deposition relating the events, give the reader not only a visual experience but a tactile one as well. Far more than a brilliantly presented history lesson, this book represents a tour de force of coherent artistic vision. In an extraordinary series of rich and moody engravings, from the mysteriously shimmering rigging of the British sloop, The Somerset, looming in a moonlit Boston harbor to the taut urgency of a man and his horse galloping at a combustible moment in the American experience, this book illuminates our country s past unlike any other.

Customer Reviews:

Brought the poem to life.......2006-04-14

This is my child's oppinion of the book."I recently memorized this poem for school and found it quite boring and I did not want to learn it at all. But then after I learned it I read this book and saw all the pictures and I really started to appreciate that I learned it. The pictures really made the poem come to life and I really wish I had the book while learning it. Now I have it memorized and I am hoping to get a copy of the book!"

Makes History Fun!.......2005-09-24

This book is a gift for a home schooling mom like me, who frequently fell asleep in my history classes in school! It really evokes the excitement, mixed with fear that must have been present at that time in history. Longfellow perfectly captures the passion and determination that gripped these "patriots". In addition, the illustrations are fantastic - true art.

An amazingly beautiful and creative book........2004-01-03

This book comes alive when you open it and are allowed to step back in time with the wonderful backbeat of Longfellow's great American poem about the "the British are coming", and awakening of the people from Boston to Concord by Paul Revere. This is the beginning of America! Right before the "shot heard round the world" folks. A poem that shaped America not only in the eyes of Americans, but the rest of the world. Longfellow's poetry was simple genius. The art of Christopher Bing is outstanding. This exceptional book has the kind of creativity I would like to see more of in Children's Literature. A unique book that can be found on adult bookshelves as well.

What a treasure!.......2003-02-20

You know this book is special as soon as you touch it. You realize that the look of leather on the cover is just that, a look. You flip through the pages and find a scrapbook, complete with worn and mildewed pages, enhanced with token mementos that look so three-dimensional you must trace them with a tentative finger. A letter from Thomas Gage to Lieutenant Colonel Smith is tucked inside the front cover; the Deposition of Paul Revere is stuck in the back. We find a map of the British plan and a corresponding map of the Middlesex Alarm, including Revere's actual route. This is *not* just a casual recitation of the classic poem. The words proceed on faded sheets while Bing's illustrations hint at period woodcuts. No explanations are necessary within the text. Notes are saved for the end, and they reveal the minor inaccuracies in the Longfellow version (one of the biggest being that Paul Revere was captured outside of Lexington and that his companion Dr. Samuel Prescott was the one who made it all the way to Concord). A gift for any age ... especially for those of us who can chime off part of the rhyme but forget the whole story.

My four-year-old son loves this book!.......2003-02-01

Despite the "age" recommendation, I purchased this book for my four-year-old son. We've been reading it outloud for almost a year. He absolutely loves it! It's so hard to find books for children with classic authors' words presented, without apology, in their original form. And the drawings and details in this book are outstanding. My son loves to open and refold the reproductions of letter and newspaper in the front and back, and he loves to trace Paul Revere's ride on the map with his finger. A beautiful book, with much to teach any reader, of any age. This book should be declared a national treasure.

And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? (Paperstar)

Average customer rating:

Some good history here -- Myths persist, though
A Fun Book to Stimulate Interest in History
Paul Fritz ?
And then what happened, Paul Revere?
Now I know a lot about Paul Revere's Ride.

And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? (Paperstar)
Jean Fritz
Manufacturer: Putnam Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0698113519

Customer Reviews:

Some good history here -- Myths persist, though.......2005-08-19

Jean Fritz' attempt to tell the story of Paul Revere's ride is an engaging tale, but it is riddled with the myths that have accumulated around this pivitol event in U.S. history. She does a good job giving Revere's personal history, and readers can get a good sense of the context in which he was working. Still, she refuses to let go of some myths that have long since been proven false.
Of course, no historian still believes in the "one if by land, two if by sea" nonsense that Longfellow invented for his 19th century poem. But Fritz includes it here as if it is fact. And how's this for a misleading version of the reasons behind the revolution: "Now the English were causing trouble, telling the colonies they couldn't do this and couldn't do that, slapping on taxes, one after another." Hmm.
Well, what Fritz doesn't tell you is that the "this and that" the English were telling the colonists not to do consisted primarilly of burning native settlements and murdering the inhabitants. The English had a non-confrontational policy toward the natives along the colonial border, while the Americans wanted to move in and take the land, by force if necessary. This was one of the main disagreements between the colonies and the English, but Fritz hides this behind some silly word choices. She also neglects to tell readers that the taxes were being levied to pay for the defense of the colonies during the French-Indian War (quite a reasonable stance from their point of view).
This book is OK on a very surface level, when read as a strict adventure tale. But don't make the mistake of thinking that this is very serious history.

A Fun Book to Stimulate Interest in History.......2002-01-31

This is a fun book that should help your youngster develop an interest in American History. It is easy to read an has great illustratiions. You will not be disappointed with this purchase. Look for others by the same author.

Paul Fritz ?.......2001-02-08

This book was great! Fritz makes learning FUN! I never knew that Paul Revere forgot his spurs on his ride! Did You?

And then what happened, Paul Revere?.......2000-07-06

The story of Paul Revere is simply written by Fritz. Aftereach account she writes, "And then what happened? This patternthroughout the book makes the book easy to read, as you always know what the next section will be about. The information provided about Paul Revere is authentic. Young readers would find the information appealing. Not only does Fritz give authentic accounts of Revere's ride through Boston, Concord and Lexington, but she adds specific details to each. For example, she tells of how Revere and Adams had to return to a tavern in Lexington to get a trunk of important papers Adams had left, and how they walked right through the American lines in the process. While the actual text is informative yet light-hearted and easy to read, the illustrations provide essential support. This adds to the simplicity of the book. Included at the end of the story is an author's note on historical facts contained within the story that were not completely developed in the text. Fritz in her notes adds to the events so that the reader gets a true account of history. Overall, this book is an appealing, authentic, and easy to read account of Paul Revere's life, perfect for the middle school child!

Now I know a lot about Paul Revere's Ride........1999-08-14

Jean Fritz has a fun way to teach facts and have fun at the same time. She makes reading enjoyable and interesting.

Average customer rating:

'Did you bring your mother a bit of that lovely English tea?'
Mr. Revere and I
wonderful history
this Book was Great
Great Read-Aloud for elementary school kids

Mr Revere and I
Robert Lawson
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0316517291

Customer Reviews:

'Did you bring your mother a bit of that lovely English tea?'.......2006-07-07

"It all started with the imbecile, practically sacriligeous, determination of these stubborn Colonists to defy the sacred authority of our Royal and Sovereign Majesty King George III."
- Scheherazade, on her early career as a horse in His Majesty's armed forces

Lawson wrote at least four books in this vein: a famous figure in American history as seen by a close animal companion (ranging from a mouse acting as advisor to a ship's cat). This is the only one of the four in which the narrator would seem at first glance to be based on something that definitely existed, since Revere in his role as a courier obviously *did* have at least one horse.

Lawson, however, isn't attempting to be meticulously accurate; he's concerned with writing an entertaining story that will bring the human historical figure to life, aimed mostly at young readers. So what we have here is historical fiction in which the broad historical details are reasonably correct, including the characters of the leading figures of the Sons of Liberty, but most of the Loyalists are caricatures - the most notable exception being the storyteller, commonly known as "Sherry".

Sherry tells the story as a retrospective in her near-retirement years after her involvement in Revere's pre-War courier work have ended, starting with her early career as the personal mount of an officer in His Majesty's 14th Regiment of Foot. She's careful to retell events as she saw them at the time, underscoring the laughable arrogance of her former associates - at least, of the officers and so-called gentlemen. The "most thrilling moment of [her] entire military career" was the Regiment's last Royal review before being dispatched to Boston - through which her rider and his immediate superior slept on horseback. Lawson's portrait of Sherry's former owner Lt. Barnstable could serve as a poster about the evils of inbreeding among the gentry - and that's just Lawson's illustration. At the time, though, Sherry was deeply devoted to him just because he was her master.

The first two years of the Regiment's posting to Boston are skimmed over very quickly, mostly serving to illustrate how unsanitary long-distance ocean transport could be, the drawbacks of conscripting convicts for jobs they're neither trained nor motivated to perform well, and the high-handed behaviour of the regulars toward the people of Boston (and the cold shoulders they got in return). Unfortunately for Sherry, Barnstable opts to kill time by gambling, and has to sell her to a local factory owner to settle some of his debts.

Thus begins Sherry's long path of disillusionment with her old loyalties, when her devotion to her former master is repaid with life as an ill-treated carthorse, and her former best friend rejects her with "I never speak to civilians". Life is very bleak, until the day she wrecks her cart trying to avoid being seen by her former associates - and comes to the attention of Sam Adams, who arranges for her to be 'appropriated' and turned over to Paul Revere for his courier work. And as Sherry becomes acquainted with the revolutionaries' point of view - and even that of the rank-and-file regulars, mostly homesick conscripts - she herself begins to change.

Revere's personal tragedies in the year in which Sherry comes to live with his family are omitted, but Lawson goes to some trouble to humanize him, emphasizing his family life - particularly along the lines of implying that he couldn't afford a horse of his own, and had never ridden a horse before Sherry was given to him.

A fun story, and while it can't be taken as historical gospel, it might inspire the reader to learn more about the people involved. For that, I recommend PAUL REVERE'S RIDE by David Hackett Fischer.

Mr. Revere and I.......2003-06-18

Mr. Revere and I is about Paul Revere told from the perspective of his horse Sherry. Sherry goes through three owners, the last her favorite. She expierences what it is like to be the horse of a Patriot. We enjoyed reading this book because it includes humor, facts, and sometimes even suspense. That is why we recommend this book to other kids.

wonderful history.......2003-01-09

I teach 8th grade US history and recommend this book to my kids, who range in reading levels. It tells the story of Paul Reevere and the Sons of Liberty from the HORSE'S viewpoint. It is a delightful and very accurate depiction of this most important time in our history. This book can spark the imagination and interest young and old!

this Book was Great.......2001-04-25

I had to read this book for reading in school and I loved'd it. Im in 5th grade and it was still great fun. I am recameding this to you. READ IT. on a 1 to 5 chart, it was a 10. off the charts.

Great Read-Aloud for elementary school kids.......1999-10-28

This book is such fun for adults to read to kids! The hors-ey perspective on American history is a hoot, the vocabulary is challenging, and there are lots of opportunities for discussion with your bright child. The history is accurate, too. It would be an unusually motivated 9 year old who could read this alone, but as a read aloud, it offers benefits to parent and child.

Average customer rating:

Beautifully Illustrated
It DOES contain the whole thing...
Great for Kids
Great book for teaching history to young children
used it for a report

Paul Revere's Ride
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140556125

Amazon.com

"Listen, my children, and you shall hear/Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere ..." So begins one of the most stirring poems in American literature. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote "Paul Revere's Ride" in 1861, nearly 100 years after the actual midnight ride that began on April 18, in 1775. The poem creates a suspenseful story as American colonist Paul Revere decides with his friend Robert Newman and others to avert a British attack on Concord, Massachusetts. The British had come from Boston in search of the colonists' arms supply. What Revere and his friends didn't know was whether the Redcoats would come by land (around the mouth of the Charles River) or by sea (across the river). Newman spotted the British "by sea" and signaled from the Old North Church tower to Revere, who was "Ready to ride and spread the alarm/Through every Middlesex village and farm,/For the country folk to be up and to arm." And, by morning, the country folk were ready, indeed. "Chasing the red-coats down the lane,/Then crossing the fields to emerge again/Under the trees at the turn of the road,/And only pausing to fire and load." This battle, the first of the American Revolution, drove the British back to Boston.

Ted Rand--well-loved illustrator of The Hullabaloo ABC, Mailing May, Knots on a Counting Rope, and many other critically acclaimed titles--masters the mood and movement of the famous midnight ride, and children will love the power and drama of this historic American event. (Great read-aloud, ages 4 to 8)

Customer Reviews:

Beautifully Illustrated.......2007-03-09

The text is the classic Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem, and the paintings give it new life for the visually-oriented kids of today. This book will help them visualize what the poem is talking about, which becomes more important as time passes and kids are less accustomed to reading the words of older poems. If you want kids to really appreciate this famous poem, this book should help them connect with it.

It DOES contain the whole thing..........2003-12-07

Just a point of correction on the review given by Seidur above--the Ted Rand illustrated edition not only contains the complete Longfellow poem, it is also correctly titled (contrary to two erroneous criticism made by Seidur). It is, I think, the best edition of this wonderful poem.

Great for Kids.......2003-11-15

A great introduction to Longfellow and the roots of this great Country. The artwork is beautiful. A good book for young children learning to read.

Great book for teaching history to young children.......2002-09-20

For the last two days I have read Paul Revere's Ride by Longfellow to my 4 and 7 year old. We have learned the history, vocabulary words, the different methods the artist used to illustrate the poem, and many other interesting facts. They are begging for more! What are great book! Longfellow makes history come to life. You can just feel the night air in Revere's face as he so courageously warns the people.

used it for a report.......2002-06-06

It had good information for my report in the back of the book. It had true history of the ride. I liked the illustrations. My moms friend did the design layout.

Average customer rating:

an execptional read, for historical fiction novels
Another great period piece about the American Revolution period
Entertaining historical fiction
book review for language 5th period
A pretty good book

The Secret of Sarah Revere
Ann Rinaldi
Manufacturer: Gulliver Books Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0152046844

Book Description

Thirteen-year-old Sarah Revere knows her father is a hero. But she also knows that Paul Revere guards a secret about the start of the Revolutionary War that he'll tell no one--not his new wife, not his best friend, not even his trusted daughter. It seems everyone in her family has secrets. Sarah's even got one of her own--and it's tearing her apart.
Reader's guide included.

Customer Reviews:

an execptional read, for historical fiction novels.......2007-03-16

Secrets are what your family is based upon, and one told could mean death to an insurmountable amount. Sarah's father is Paul Revere, a man of mystery, secrets, and honor. What started out as a small interview turns into a flashback no one wants to remember. She remembers all the rides, the cannons, and all the deaths. Dr. Warren, a close friend and her father's colleague is killed, and her world is turned upside-down. Before his death, Sarah and Dr. Warren were close friends until an argument, a ridge that is never mended. This book was so-so, but consider ing I do not like historical fiction, I am not a good judge of character. In spite if that, I would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction.

The Secret of Sarah Revere had a good deal of secrecy. Her father, Paul Revere, was a man that could be depended on, so he was called upon a lot to ride to different towns, telling of news and secrets. The whole family could never tell of any of these rides, even if it endangered their lives. Sarah and Dr. Warren had always been good friends. When Sarah turned thirteen, she started to like him in a different way, and wanted him to like her the same way. Because of this, they had a big quarrel, causing them to part and overlooking each other. They did not speak for a long time, and because of that, their friendship was never mended. All of this was a secret that neither would share. Paul Revere knew who shot first and technically started the feud between the British and the Americans. Everyone asks him, but he doesn't tell anyone. Except Sarah. He trusts her, and trusts her that she will keep it to the grave.

The Secret of Sarah Revere tied in a lot of history. Paul sr. had just set out on "the big ride", when Paul jr. found that he forgot his spurs. Sarah begged Paul jr. to take her, so it would look like a romantic rendezvous. After they dropped off the spurs, Paul took Sarah to a church that Paul sr. used to ring the bells and showed her the lamps and explained, "one if by land, two if by sea". Throughout the story, it has very updated, detailed accounts of the Lexington and Concord account, in which Sarah relates. After Dr. Warren died, a man was sent to take over Dr. Warren's government, a man that everyone becomes fond of. George Washington.

The Secret of Sarah Revere had many different versions of the love story. Paul Revere sr. and Rachel Revere's love story tells how Paul's heart was once closed by the death of his first wife's death, yet opened by the kindness of Rachel. Debby Revere, the oldest daughter, and Amos Lincoln's love story was one in which they both loved each other, but war drew them apart, with Amos wanting to join the cause, but never stopping their love. Sarah Revere and Dr. Joseph Warren's love was a platonic, strong bond that death could not break.

The worst part of the book was that even though they were such good friends, Sarah and Dr. Warren's bond was never mended. Before Dr. Warren went to war, Sarah tried to mend things between them, but he said he did not have time for it, and left. This book was okay, but not one on Ann's best.

B. Rimando

Another great period piece about the American Revolution period.......2006-11-15

In "The Secret of Sarah Revere," author Ann Rinaldi takes us back to Boston for another young woman's story. This time the woman is Sarah, daughter of silversmith Paul Revere, and the time period is right before the American Revolution begins in earnest.

When the story begins, Paul Revere has taken his famous ride warning the colonies that "the British are coming," and everyone wants to know about it. Revere also supposedly saw the first shot fired at a famous battle, the knowledge of which could hurt the colonies' case against the British.

It is this monumental secret that sets Sarah thinking about the events leading up to Revere's ride, as well as the many other secrets that her family members are hiding from each other. Several of her family members are involved in the movement against the British, so there are many things that remain unspoken in her house. Chief among them is Sarah's fear that her stepmother and her father's best friend might be having an affair.

Sarah is quick to jump to conclusions and slow to clear the air with her family members regarding her fears. Her father, on the other hand, teaches her the value of trust, even if it seems blindly placed, in a time when you must choose to trust your neighbors or go crazy with suspicion. Sarah is an admirable character, fiercely loyal to her family, and struggling with new feelings she has never experienced before.

I read this book right after finishing "The Fifth of March," and was pleasantly surprised by how neatly it ties in with that book. Not just because it's a continuation of the Revolutionary period (begun in "Fifth of March") but also because several characters from "Fifth of March" appear or are referenced in "Secret."

Entertaining historical fiction.......2005-12-30

A colleague recommended Ann Rinaldi to me, so I decided to give her a try. There is much to like here - a strong female protagonist, a relatively balanced disucssion of the issues surrounding the American Revolution, and vivid descriptions of pre-colonial life.

The story is told from the persepctive of 13 year-old Sarah Revere, the second oldest of Paul Revere's children. Through her eyes we see glimpses of the growing rebellion against Britain, with the concerns and worries of a daughter for her father, and of a girl becoming a woman.

I like the book, and see why it was recommended - however, I think the book would be more a better fit for the grade 6 - 8 age group.

book review for language 5th period.......2005-10-28

Book Title:The Secret Of Sarah Revere

Author:Ann Rinaldi

Genre:Nonfiction

Three sentence summary:A war was going on and a man 7 miles away just sitting outside a castle. Days after that war a women named Rachel recieved a note about her meeting her brother but he never showed up. A year after a man named warren died at a war on the hill.

what i liked most about the book: I liked the wars and mysteries of the book.

What i didn't like and why:b I didn't like master Warren dying because he was a famous patriot and guards a secret about the american revolution.

What i would say about this book to someone else and why: It's a good book if you like Social Studies.

My strongest reason for recommending this book:I recommend this book because I wanted to learn about a famous patriot hero, a champion of the american colonies.

A pretty good book.......2005-09-16

In this book "The Secrets of Sarah Revere", Ann Rinaldi(author) has captured a essential time in the history of America, told from point of view of Sarah Revere the daughter of one of Americas honored patriots Paul Revere. The book is mostly about secrets and trying to crack them and keep them.
This book was the first historical-fiction I have ever read. To tell you the truth I didn't think that this book was going to be so interesting. But it was actually an enjoyable and easy read. It is not boring at all. It puts a very good picture in your head of how it was back then. It even makes you think, "What matters? The truth? Or what people think?" just because that is the question that pledges young Sarah (it is repeated over and over in the story).
I couldn't really pick a favorite character; every character was described so good that you could really see every quality that they had. But I did have a favorite part, it was a very sad moment in the story, because Sarah finally got to straiten thing out with Dr. Warren (a family friend who watches over the family while Mr. Revere is gone) but it was too late. She had said very harsh stuff to him because she feared that he had interest in her stepmother Rachel this moment drove them apart. For me this part was very sad, I really felt as if I was there and I were watching him not even looking or thinking about what Sarah was saying, he was all ready at war (Revolutionary War). This part really touched me. Reading this book has opened a new window to see the history of America from a different approach. Definitely I would start to read more historical books in the future.

Average customer rating:

The story of Paul Revere's ride that is both informative and entertaining

Paul Revere's Ride (Step into Reading)
Shana Corey
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375828362
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Book Description

The Redcoats are coming! The Redcoats are coming! Every second counts as patriot Paul Revere rides into the night to warn the colonists. Will he make it? Young readers will find out all about this real-life American hero in this fun, action-packed Step 3 reader.
“History and biography are also successful topics for level three readers. Random’s Step into Reading has the best offerings for the reading level. . . . They are high in kid appeal”—Booklist
Shana Corey was a Publishers Weekly Flying Start Author in 2000 and is also a Random House editor. She lives in Brooklyn, NY.

Customer Reviews:

The story of Paul Revere's ride that is both informative and entertaining.......2005-08-12

When I was a child what we learned about Paul Revere came from a few lines in our American history books and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem about his famous midnight ride. There is also the painting by Grant Wood that made an impression on me, but I only stumbled across that in one of my father's art books, which I would think is atypical for somebody in elementary school. However, all of those sources put together are not as engaging, and probably not as informative, as this story of "Paul Revere's Ride" written by Shana Corey and illustrated by Chris O'Leary.

Paul Revere did more than ride to warn the minutemen that the British were coming, and Corey and O'Leary work in lots of details that will appeal to young readers. Revere was a silversmith and while he made buckles, bowls, teapots, and trays it is the chain he made for someone's pet squirrel that serves as the first illustration in the book. From that engaging start young readers learn that Revere was also a dentist who made false teeth out of hippo tusks. After that we learn that at night Revere went out to meetings of the Sons of Liberty and find out about the Boston Tea Party and the events that led to the British marching on Concord and Lexington to arrest Sam Adams and John Hancock, two key colonial leaders.

The rest of the book tells the story of Revere's midnight ride, adding details that will particularly appeal to young children, and then covering what happened to Revere afterwards, ending with how Longfellow's poem, written in 1860, finally made him famous. The only fault on content that I find in the book is that while it mentions the name of Robert Newman, the man who would hang the one or two lanterns in the steeple of Christ Church (known today as Old North Church), it does not mention William Dawes, another Son of Liberty rider who actually left Boston by the southern route across Boston Neck to warn Adams and Hancock a half hour before Dr. Joseph Warren asked Revere to make his journey. If you ever do the Freedom Trail in Boston (highly recommended), you can visit the graves of Revere at the Old Granary burying ground (when Adams, Hancock and the victims of the Boston Massacre are also buried) and Dawes at the cemetery at King's Chapel.

This is a Step 3 book in the Step into Reading series, which is the Reading on Your Own level, appropriate to Grades 1-3 (these grade levels are only guides since children learning to read can progress through these steps at their own speed regardless of grade). If you child is comfortable tackling new words and likes to read on their own then they are ready for Step 3, which provides engaging characters, easy-to-follow plots, and popular topics, as "Paul Revere's Ride" amply proves. In helping children take their first steps towards independent reading there are also Step into Reading Sticker Books, Step into Reading Math Readers, Step into Reading Writer-In Readers, Step into Reading Phonic Readers, and Step into Reading Phonics First Steps. So there is a complete literacy program available.

The Saturday Evening Girls: Paul Revere Pottery

Average customer rating:

An excellent detailed view
Great book

The Saturday Evening Girls: Paul Revere Pottery
Meg Chalmers , and Judy Young
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0764322273

Book Description

Among the Arts & Crafts potteries of early 20th century, the Saturday Evening Girls (SEG) Paul Revere Pottery holds a special place. Founded in Boston around 1907 the pottery gave young women the chance to learn a trade and the skills needed to run a business. It was a success, creating forms and decorative designs that are cherished by connoisseurs and collectors today. This long-awaited and eagerly anticipated source book is the most comprehensive reference on the Saturday Evening Girls Paul Revere Pottery ever published, and the only book that exclusively chronicles its history and art. It is an essential and important reference for beginning as well as advanced collectors. Included are 675 color photos and historic catalogs and illustrations, making up the largest archive of SEG material gathered in one place. The marks and artists' signatures are illustrated as an aid for identification. The pots they made, in all their forms, are carefully described and, for the collector and appraiser, their value on the current market is estimated. A chapter on collecting explores the passion that leads to collecting as well as stories, venues and helpful hints. Written with warmth, humor, passion, and scholarship, this gem of a book fills a void in the existing literature, becoming the quintessential resource on an important and increasingly well-recognized American Art Pottery. It proudly takes its place in documenting women's art and history.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent detailed view.......2006-03-12

I truly enjoyed this book. This is the most detailed account of the Saturday Evening Girls that I have found. The pictures are marvelous...

Great book.......2006-03-06

I bought this for my wife who is a potter as a hobby. She likes the book a great deal and continues to use it extensively as she does her pottery design work. It seems to be a very good reference document with great pictures.

A Picture Book of Paul Revere (Picture Book Biography)

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Kid Friendly History - a review of "A Picture Book of Paul Revere"
The real Revere

A Picture Book of Paul Revere (Picture Book Biography)
David A. Adler
Manufacturer: Holiday House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0823412946

Customer Reviews:

Kid Friendly History - a review of "A Picture Book of Paul Revere".......2007-09-09

This is a very nice book about Paul Revere that's appropriate for elementary aged children. Besides covering the war for our nation's independence, one of the nice things that it accomplishes is a more human depiction of Paul. It talks about his two marriages and the 16 children that resulted. It also emphasizes that Paul was constantly working to learn new crafts and skills in order to support his family. There are descriptions and pictures not only of his school days, but also of some interesting kid-friendly trivia, like the fact that Paul once sold a woman a chain for her pet squirrel.

Five Stars. All in all this is a very good biography. The artwork is colorful and interesting, and there are enough fun details about Revere's life that children should find the book engaging. Very young children will likely need to have the wars and politics explained to them.

Reading Level: Fifth Grade (5.3)

The real Revere.......2003-02-18

This picture book is an excellent resource for children of any grade level. The book gives an excellent portrayal of Paul Revere through the years. It really focuses on him as a person and the contributions he made to his family and to his country. The pictures are an excellent resource for ELD students as well as all students. I found this book to be very accurate, yet simplistic.

Average customer rating:

Paul Revere is a young brave boy who warns his people.
Pretty Good Book

America's Paul Revere
Esther Hoskins Forbes
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0395249074

Book Description

A vivid history of one of America's best-loved patriots.

Customer Reviews:

Paul Revere is a young brave boy who warns his people........1999-11-09

When Paul was about fourteen,his farther was mad because Paul's friend Micky was getting beat by his master. Mr. Revere was going to see if Micky's master would sell him. Paul was going to tell his friend Micky in the morning but Micky wasn't there. He was gone but Paul and his father looked for months for Micky.

Pretty Good Book.......1998-11-04

Tells about famous American patriot/silversmith Paul Revere and his famous ride to Lexington and Concord. Well known story but excellent.

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