The choicest bits are the unexpected details ... The book’s tone can be uneven, however. Bell’s occasional colloquialisms prove welcome...but his awkward direct addresses, not so much ... An apt guide for readers revisiting 'the shot heard round the world' ... A solid addition to any semiquincentennial reading list.
Propulsive, beautifully crafted ... [Bell] brings a mesmerizing outsider perspective to the Spirit of ’76 ... Rich with delectable trivia ... Bell’s trick here is one of organization: by moving between individuals and upheavals — by creating dioramas around actual characters and their respective peoples — he makes a broader argument.
A fresh perspective on a familiar subject ... Fascinating ... Bell’s international emphasis occasionally leads him to overreach...but his basic argument is sound ... Based on solid and deep research, his book is written in clear, accessible prose—with entertaining minutiae such as the fact that the minutemen at Lexington and Concord fired guns made in Spain—that will appeal to general readers with an interest in history.
Particularly riveting is the story of Molly Bryant ... Such riveting profiles provide a clear-eyed accounting of a formative conflict for the modern world.
