Review by Booklist Review
Kennedy presents a richly detailed, congenial, and dryly humorous account of Paul Revere's 1775 ride to Lexington and Concord and his legacy. Kennedy clears away sound bites and sentimentality shrouding Revere to present a fully formed account of the prosperous silversmith and patriot's life. Revere's legendary ride was actually his ninth; his longest was to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. As Kennedy chronicles Revere's world, he profiles such fellow revolutionaries as John Hancock and Sam Adams and their British opponents, including Thomas Gage, and discusses the roles of women and enslaved people. A map is provided not only of the route Revere took but also that of compatriot William Dawes. Kennedy so vividly describes their heroic rides, readers will feel that they are galloping along with them. Both evaded British sentries and patrols; Revere had to slip past a Royal Navy frigate while crossing the Charles River to start his ride. The length of the rides in the dark on rough, rain-soaked roads while avoiding British patrols taxed Revere and Dawes physically and mentally. Writing throughout with wit and insight, Kennedy greatly expands our knowledge and understanding of Revere's famous ride, placing it in a vividly realized historical context. The perfect read to mark the 250th anniversary of this foundational act.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Paul Revere's famous 1775 late-night journey to warn American colonists about approaching British forces was far from his first such ride, emphasizes bestselling biographer Kennedy (True) in this amusing and affectionate recounting of Revere's activist years before the Revolution. Kennedy presents Revere as essentially a laborer of the Revolution, writing that "Revere was not born into money. He received no high-shelf education. He spent less time pondering. He worked." Revere came into contact with the Revolution's early architects--John and Samuel Adams and John Hancock--through Boston high society, first as a prominent member of the Masons (prominent because he simply showed up to more meetings than anyone else, Kennedy suggests), and later in his capacity as a silversmith (but a bad one, leaving him ever in arrears). The passionate, cash-strapped, and notably athletic Revere was thus well positioned to help the Revolution with such arduous physical tasks as couriering messages, including a dozen or so rides predating the most famous one. Kennedy, whose previous biographies have all been of athletes, charmingly depicts Revere as somewhat of a jock among nerds (his riding prowess is much dissected), but he pads the narrative with unnecessarily detailed descriptions of routes and out-of-left-field pivots to pop science writers like Malcolm Gladwell. Still, it makes for a fresh and up-close look at Revolutionary Boston. (Mar.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Journalist Kennedy (True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson) pens an expertly reconstructed historical narrative that breathes new life into a familiar story. His book is of exceptional literary quality, drawing from scholarly and primary sources and blending dramatic storytelling with meticulous research. Kennedy reveals lesser-known aspects of Paul Revere's famous Revolutionary War ride, challenging traditional interpretations. Exploring themes of courage and strategic thinking, the book offers fresh perspectives illuminating the nuanced realities of the Revolutionary era. Kennedy employs clear, accessible language that transforms complex historical details into an enchanting narrative, appealing to scholars and general readers alike. His vivid prose paints compelling images of 18th-century Boston and its surroundings, making readers feel almost as if they're tagging along with Revere on his ride. VERDICT An important book for readers seeking a deeper understanding of a crucial moment in American history. It will captivate history scholars, students, and enthusiasts from start to finish.--Lawrence Mello
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A brisk trot through Paul Revere's famous ride and the many traces of history surrounding it. That April night in 1775 wasn't Paul Revere's first ride nor his last. But, observes Kennedy, shifting from his sportswriting beat to history, it was central to both Revere's legend and the American Revolution: If the British had successfully marched, surprised their foe, fulfilled their aim of seizing the Massachusetts rebels' store of gunpowder and ammunition, and seized Samuel Adams and other leaders, the colonies might still be British today. It's emblematic of the tightness of the colonial world that British commander Thomas Gage and Continental commander George Washington fought the French together--and that Revere was right there beside them. (Daniel Boone was on hand, too.) It's also the case that the Revolution was really a civil war. Kennedy ably illuminates the background while also carefully examining Revere's legend against documented reality: the fact, for instance, that 40-odd riders spread the word alongside Revere, figuring not a bit in the received wisdom but there all the same. Still, Kennedy adds, "It was Revere, booted and spurred, who raised the resistance, who helped to deliver the first, fateful stand." Revere, as Kennedy shows, was a man of parts: an engraver whose views of the Boston Massacre were instrumental in raising that resistance, a horseman, an entrepreneur, a metalsmith, even a dentist who could hold his own against the colonial elite "while never having to suffer the indignity of being so privileged himself." Kennedy's side notes are fascinating, including the conjecture that the person who revealed the planned British march on Lexington and Concord in the first place was none other than Gage's wife. The set pieces--including Revere's arrest by British officers--are suitably dramatic as well, and the book makes for engaging reading overall. A skillful separation of truth, legend, and what lies between in a canonical American story. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
