I really enjoy reading this book. I learned a lot about our country history. I agree with the author we were lucky to win the war. I found that I could not use the Table of content to go to the chapters. I've used that before to go to chapters in other books for the Kindle. Since the chapters in this book are really long ones suggest you bookmark each time you come to a new chapter. Makes it easier to get back to where you were reading in case you accidently hit the wrong button by mistake.

This is a solid book. It's sure to please both the casual reader who picks up a history book now and then, as well as those who are really into the American revolution as a particular interest/hobby. Both types of reader will find this book rewarding.

I'm an avid reader of books about the American Revolution, and was asking myself whether yet another general book covering the whole set of events would be worthwhile, especially a 600 page one. The short answer is: yes, it's worthwhile.

It covers familiar territory: the revolutionary war. However, many other American Revolution books tend to focus on the events leading up to the war and then the beginning of the fighting, and thus have a geographic focus on the Northeast where the early stuff happened (e.g. Boston Tea Party, Shot Heard Round The World, Continental Congress, Saratoga, etc). The latter years of the war - that is to say, the last 80-85 % of it - and the war's expansive geography across the colonies (and indeed overseas) are often neglected. The main contribution of this particular volume is in extending the war temporally and geographically for the reader, to articulate what really took place - a long, drawn out affair across a huge swath of space and time. The war, as most know, ended in the South, and while it's obvious that somehow we got from Boston to Yorktown during this fight, the migration of the war to and then through the south is not familiar history. This book definitely fills in the gap, covering the broad scope of the war in ways that not many books on this topic do.

Well-written, interesting, and well-researched, this book is an excellent addition to anyone's Revolution collection. I see it as a good companion volume to some of the other main books such as 1776. It's a good introductory/general overview of the war for those who intend later to dig further into specialized or narrower topics.

I would have to agree with a few of the commenters below, who were taken slightly aback by the critical or perhaps just anti-fawning lens through which some of the main protagonists (Washington, Franklin, etc.) are viewed. That did get slightly irritating; the modern reader hardly needs to be told that historical figures are full of flaws, as we are frequently assaulted by historians whose raison d'etre is to minimize and "humanize" through reduction the larger-than-life figures that pop up now and then throughout history. In the case of understanding the revolutionary era, under-emphasizing the heroic personalities of major players like Washington tends to lead to over-emphasis of the capabilities and achievements of secondary players such as Lee, which may not be presenting the situation accurately. While slightly discontent with this aspect of the book, I felt that it stopped a few yards short of being "revisionist" or hyper-critical in a cloying post-modern sense, so I'm not dinging Ferling a star, and am giving the book a Solid Five.

This is a very solid book. It's sure to please both the casual reader who picks up a history book now and then, as well as those who have read many books on the American Revolution and are really into it. Both types of reader will find this book rewarding.

I'm an avid reader of pop and scholar-lite books about the American Revolution, and was asking myself whether yet another general book covering the whole set of events would be worthwhile, especially a 600 page one. The short answer is: yes, it's worthwhile.

Many, if not most, other American Revolution books tend to focus on the events leading up to the war or the beginning of the war, and have a geographic focus on the Northeast where the early stuff happened (such as the Boston Tea Party, the Shot Heard Round The World, Washington's crossing of the Delaware, pulling together the Continental Congress, Saratoga, etc). The latter years of the war - that is to say, the last 80-85 % of it - and the war's expansive geography across the colonies (and indeed overseas) are often neglected. The main contribution of this particular volume is in extending the war temporally and geographically for the reader, to articulate what really took place - a long, drawn out affair across a huge swath of space and time. The war, as most know, ended in the South, and while it's obvious that somehow we got from Boston to Yorktown during this fight, the migration of the war to and then through the south is not familiar history. This book definitely fills in the gap, covering the broad scope of the war in ways that not many books on this topic do.

Well-written, interesting, and well-researched, this book is an excellent addition to anyone's Revolution collection. I see it as a good companion volume to some of the other main books such as 1776. It's a good introductory/general overview of the war for those who intend later to dig further into specialized or narrower topics.

I would have to agree with a few of the commenters below, who were taken slightly aback by the critical or perhaps just anti-fawning lens through which some of the main protagonists (Washington, Franklin, etc.) are viewed. That did get slightly irritating; the modern reader hardly needs to be told that historical figures are full of flaws, as we are frequently assaulted by historians whose raison d'etre is to minimize and "humanize" through reduction the larger-than-life figures that pop up now and then throughout history. In the case of understanding the revolutionary era, under-emphasizing the heroic personalities of major players like Washington tends to lead to over-emphasis of the capabilities and achievements of secondary players such as Lee, which may not be presenting the situation accurately. While slightly discontent with this aspect of the book, I felt that it stopped a few yards short of being "revisionist" or hyper-critical in a cloying post-modern sense, so I'm not dinging Ferling a star, and am giving the book a Solid Five.

This is a very solid book. It's sure to please both the casual reader who picks up a history book now and then without a deep interest in the time period, as well as those who have read many books on the American Revolution and are already familiar with the history. Both types of reader will find this book rewarding.

I have read a lot of books on the American Revolution, and was asking myself whether another general book covering the whole war and political revolution would be worthwhile, especially a 600 page one. The short answer is: yes, it's worthwhile.

Most other American Revolution books focus on the year 1776, and/or focus nearly exclusively on the Northeast (NY/NJ/MA, etc), where much of the early, familiar action took place, such as the Shot Heard Round The World, the English landing off Long Island, Washington's crossing of the Delaware, political events in Philadelphia, etc. In many of these books, the latter years of the war (that is to say, the last 80-85 % of it), and its expansive geography (covering the entire colonial land-mass, not just the Northeastern colonies - not to mention the rest of the world) are not very prominent or are not included at all. The main contribution of this particular volume is in extending the war temporally and geographically to cover what really took place - a long, drawn out affair across a huge swath of space and time. Since the war ended in the deep South, most are aware that somehow we got down there to fight, but have little understanding of what happened in between, say, Trenton or Saratoga, and Yorktown, or between 1776 and the British surrender seven years later. This book definitely fills in the gap, covering the broad scope of the war in ways that not many books on this topic do.

Well-written, interesting, and well-researched, this book is an excellent addition to anyone's Revolution collection. I recommend it highly, especially as a companion volume to other more 1776 and Northeast focused books such as, well, "1776". I also see it as a good introductory/general overview of the war for those who intend later to dig further into specialized or narrower topics.

I would have to agree with a few of the commenters below, who were taken slightly aback by the Southern focus and by the anti-fawning lens through which some of the main protagonists (Washington, Franklin, etc.) are viewed. The latter point did get slightly irritating; the modern reader hardly needs to be told that historical figures are full of flaws, and in the case of understanding the revolutionary era, under-emphasizing the heroic personalities of major players like Washington tends to lead to over-emphasis of the capabilities and achievements of secondary players such as Lee. While slightly discontent with this aspect of the book, I felt that it stopped a few yards short of being "revisionist", so I'm not dinging Ferling a star, and am giving the book a Solid Five.

This is the best book that I've read on the American Revolution. Unlike some other good books, it covers the whole story from the start until the end and every aspect of the war including the overseas negotiations, the unknown war around New York between 1779-1781, and does an especially good job of covering the southern war.

Unlike other good books on the American Revolution, which don't really give the Southern campaign much emphasis, this one does, because the events of late 1780 and early 1781, including Kings Mountain, Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse did lead Cornwallis to move to Virginia which of course led to the concluding battle at Yorktown. The author lays out quite well that the patriot uprising in South Carolina after the loss at Camden was a key event of the American Revolution, because the patriots in South Carolina and North Carolina and the overmountain men in Tennessee rose up to fight for the freedom. Like a recent movie, this book highlights the importance of this and its result.

It also handles the different personalities in a more even approach. Yes, it emphasizes the importance of Washington, but also recognizes that Gates and Lee and most importantly Greene had key roles in the American Revolution. Gates, of course, was the leader at Saratoga, and yes, Arnold played a key role there, but then again Arnold was a traitor. Lee was very helpful to Washington during the New York campaign in 1776 and the book's presentation on Lee at Monmouth opened some slightly different insight on this event. And, then Greene was the real leader in the South - taking a losing cause when he had absolutely inadequate resources and turning it around.

In short, this book takes a more even approach to the American Revolution, in my opinion, and in the process of doing so offers new insights on this period of history. This is why I highly recommend this book for all readers and especially those who have studied this period of history.

This is the best book that I've read on the American Revolution. Unlike some other good books, it covers the whole story from the start until the end and every aspect of the war including the overseas negotiations, the unknown war around New York between 1779-1781, and does an especially good job of covering the southern war. Unlike other reviewers, I don't think that this book is biased towards the southern campaigns, it just recognizes just how important they were to the overall conclusion of the American Revolution. Unlike other good books on the American Revolution, which don't really give the Southern campaign much emphasis, this one does, because the events of late 1780 and early 1781, including Kings Mountain, Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse did lead Cornwallis to move to Virginia which of course led to the concluding battle at Yorktown. The author lays out quite well that the patriot uprising in South Carolina after the loss at Camden was a key event of the American Revolution, becausee the patriots in South Carolina and North Carolina and the overmountain men in Tennessee rose up to fight for the freedom. Like a recent movie, this book highlights the importance of this and its result. And, the logic and conclusions of the book make sense for anyone willing to consider them openly.

I will not get into details as there some great reviews here! This book is a terrific read, fast paced, broad in its scope, and brought to life like no other book.
The candor of the author to show both the good and bad sides of the main characters was refreshing and at times, astonishing. It opened my eyes to the difficult decisions, the hardships, the arrogance, and the desperation that faced the British and the rebels.
By opening up the book to the world wide scope of the revolution was a real surprise. Adams and Franklin in France, the French fleet in the Caribbean, the battles in Canada, and the hard fought struggles in the Carolinas brought me the meaning of the first world war.
Delightful book.

I greatly enjoyed "Almost a Miracle", which reviewed the Revolutionary war from the point of view of the military. It is intended by the author as a companion volume to "A Leap in the Dark" (2003) which covers the political side of the war. (Full disclosure: I have not read the earlier book.)

Plusses: + The military focus filled in for me a side of the war that I was not as familiar with. + The book covered military action throughout the country, including that in the South. The latter is presented as pivotal in the outcome of the war; the other books I have read on the war gloss over much of the Southern action and focus on the North. + The book features biographical summaries for many senior officers on both sides, along with portraits, who are not given much attention in most Revolutionary War books.

Minuses: - The author can sometimes be excruciatingly repetitive, as evidenced by his use of the words "Fabian strategy" at least 10 or 20 times throughout the book. - About half-way through the book, the author starts using an excessive number of idiomatic phrases. Two examples, of the many scattered throughout the text: one general was "hot under the collar"; two others where "not on the same wavelength". I felt that the latter phrase was especially egregious due to its anachronistic nature; radio waves were not even invented until the late 19th century. These may be nits; however, a good editor could have cleaned them up.

What a well written book. This book may look big and overwhelming, but give it a try. The author has a writing style that just consumes you. Before you know you have read 50 pages and learned something new on each page. Gives information on all aspects of the war. I would highly encourage people to read this book.

Makes you wonder how they did it....they must have had a great deal of intestinal fortitude and a great belief in independence.....

Author John Ferling brings the Revolutionary War to life. He kept me interested with his descriptions of battles and the men who planned and fought them. I had not known that Gen. Washington didn't like confrontation and elected to fight a "war of posts". It's a defensive strategy that hurts the enemy at the edges but does no real harm; dragging the war out to the point where the enemy gives up deciding it's no longer worth fighting.

There are several battles that could have been turning points in either direction but because of human failure, equipment failure, weather, or just plan miraculous luck, no single battle was truly decisive.

Ferling does a great job in bringing the personalities of the leadership into focus. And the descriptions of the conditions the soldiers had to endure gave me new respect and admiration for those who fought and died at the birth of our nation.

The flaws in this book are:

1. The book has numerous typos. I realize that some typos are normal but it seems to me that the number here is pretty large.

2. Some of the maps seem to be in odd places where there was no direct discussion of the battle. It would be helpful to have a map appendix and reference a page and and map number in the text.

3. The book touches on the role of women in the war but is in a chapter that doesn't make sense. It should have been a chapter of it's own.

Despite the flaws, I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a realistic history of the war that brings the events and players to life.

I'm just an average person who read this book to become more familiar with a topic that I last studied in high school many years ago. I'm not an historian. This book is well written, interesting to read, easy to understand and a complete package. It covers both the highlights and the low points of both the war and the war's participants. Even George Washington gets criticized. My only complaint with this book is that there are not enough maps of the battlefields. Nonetheless, this is a great book that provided me with a better understanding of the military and political conflicts arising out of the Revolutionary War.

AAM is a solid piece of historical writing covering the American War of Independence. (I hesitate to say "American Revolution" because it is mainly a military history and does not delve deeply into the social, political, and economic aspects of the larger Revolution). It reads well and moves along nicely.

I think, perhaps, that the author has been unfairly or overly criticized for his detractions from Washington and others. I think it's fairly obvious (to the objective observer) that Washington was not a brilliant general (or an outstanding President, for that matter). Good, yes, but not brilliant. His virtues were more in his character than in his actual accomplishments. I thought the treatment of Washington (and others) was balanced. (I'm tired of writers who insist on either deifying or vilifying the Founders).

Overall, AAM is a well-done and worthwhile book. Keep in mind, however; it is a military history and is thus limited in its scope. Not the definitive work on the American Revolution, to be sure, but worth reading.

Recommended.

If you want to learn all about the American Revolution, this is definitely the book to read. Ferling does a fantastic job balancing the need for explaining the war's essential facts with the need for keeping it a fast paced narrative. Its analysis is well written and gives some different perspectives on the war and its participants, particularly of George Washington. Lastly, I was pleasantly surprised that in a book on such an extensive topic as the American Revolution, at no point did I become disengaged with it. Maybe it's just me, but from cover to cover, the text captivated my full attention.

All in all, Almost a Miracle is an easy and pleasing way to become very informed on the American Revolution.

This book reminded me of why it can be so valuable to read a well written military history. Warfare is like a mirror that shows us human nature in its nobility and cruelty. This story is a study in human character and leadership, in making mistakes and learning from them, in perseverance and hardship, and in believing in a cause larger than oneself.

I was surprised to learn how the Revolutionary War was not only a fight between the British and the Americans, but also a fight between Americans themselves, that is, between patriots and loyalists. It was in many ways a civil war. Also, I often saw parallels between this British military venture 3000 miles from its shores and current American military ventures overseas.

This war was not won by Washington's steadfastness or by French military assistance, as important as these were. It was won by the common American foot soldiers, who were willing to serve for years without pay and to march through swamps and snows, often barefoot, in service to their country and their ideals.

All the facts we were never taught nor given the opportunity to review for ourselves can be found in this book for this specific period of time. What a new understanding I have for our forefathers and such a great appreciation for their sacrifices. I will endeavor to protect and honor their sacrifices by being a better American.John Ferling is a masterful author. He documents his material so well and for the most part doesn't concentrate on the most obvious. He takes major characters and describes them as total people. His portrayal of Washington and other significant founding fathers gives an insight into the trials and triblations they endured during the revolutionary times. He tells of their magnificent gestures as well as acts we might won't to forget except for wanting to know the whole truth. The years that our congress nearly cost the revolution its victory. The manner inwhich we treated our military. The inability to sustain action. The lack of support of each states militia and the Continnetal Army. The bailing out of so many of the original signers of the Declaration inorder to pursue other interests, mostly materialistic. A drama unfolds that is much like our political life of today.I would recommend that you read every book that Ferling authors. It is a rare insight into our social, economic, political and military history of our nation. He lends a new appreciation to those who went before us. As mortal as they were, they accomplished truly a miracle in the independence of our nation.

All the facts we were never taught nor given the opportunity to review for ourselves can be found in this book for this specific period of time. What a new understanding I have for our forefathers and such a great appreciation for their sacrifices. I will endeavor to protect and honor their sacrifices by being a better American.

Unlike many of the previous reviewers, I know very little about the war of independence, other than that it was a war about being freed from British rule; I am not an American and have very little interest in military history. So, I will not be able to comment on whether Ferling is biased or not, or to the accuracy of the facts presented in the book.

Having said all that, this is the best non-fiction book I have ever read. I read it only because I had just returned from a wonderful stay in north east US and my husband had the book lying around. So, when I returned home, I started reading Ferling's book.

I found Ferling's narrative writing style to be very engaging (not all narrative style are engaging). His description of the battles reads like a thriller and better than some fiction thriller novels. I found it difficult to put the book down until I knew the outcome of the various battles he described, probably reflecting my lack of knowledge in America's history, but the fact that his writing could have this effect on someone with no interest in military history, reflects on how well Ferling writes.

Ferling made me feel the continental soldiers' anxiety leading up to battle, feel their elation when they won and their sorrow when they lost. My heart went out to the continental soldiers; most weren't properly clothed, some weren't paid while they fought. All this while they endured terrible conditions tracking hundreds of miles from one place to another, particularly during the summer, to do battle with the British.

I cannot comment on whether he treated Washington favourably or spent too much time writing about the battles in the south, etc, but I can say that Ferling made the reader see that the sacrifice made by the more courageous militia men and soldiers were just as important in these battles as the tactics of some of the generals.

I highly recommend Ferling's Almost a Miracle, particularly to those like me, who has no background in this subject matter.

I am now a big fan of Ferling and plan to buy more of his books.

Having taken a recent interest in the Revolutionary War period, this was the second book I have read on the subject (the first being Benson Bobrick's "Angel in the Whirlwind") and it was as thorough as the thickness might indicate. I feel I have a much better understanding of both American and British goals and intents that led to the end results. Anectdotal tales taken from correspondence from various participants bring the story to a higher level of "realism" than mere history. As one who lives in South Carolina and is keenly aware of the significant role this area played in the war, I think the author gave the South the appropriate attention it deserved -- even issuing a bit of a indicator to the roots of the Civil War, nearly 100 years later. The author brings to light the realities of the day -- that the war was nothing like the atmosphere portrayed in Mel Gibson's movie "The Patriot." Most Continentals were ill uniformed and inadequately armed. More men died of disease and exposure than from battle. The officer corps was highly politicized, resulting in much plotting, rumor-spreading and the pursuit of individual ambitions rather than national aims. Reading this book it is beyond me how a reader can conclude that the US victory was anything but a miracle. The only things I would change would be more maps and either graphics or better descriptives used when describing the battle strategies and fortifications of the day. Also, Bobrick's "Angel in the Whirlwind" got more in depth regarding Benedict Arnold than did this book, but that's why there are different books. Overall -- highly recommended. It is long, but it is an easy and fascinating read.

I had read John Ferling's A Leap In The Dark (a mainly political look at the subject) & had also read other histories of the American Revolution & wondered if I needed another. Almost A Miracle was billed as a military history of the struggle & being that I am an avid military history fan & because I had such a good time reading the other I couldn't resist. What a fantastic experience it was!

Ferling does a great job telling the story from three points of view: the North American colonists (both revolutionaries & loyalists), the British & the French. He promises it will be a tale of suspense & in this regard he delivers. It was a see-saw struggle on all sides & the outcome was in doubt the entire 8 years ("...104 blood-drenched months"). So many choices & many of them pivotal chances missed. It is description of a seemingly endless series of "what-ifs". And a fascinating description it is. From the mud & sweat & gore of the battlefield all the way up to the perfumed atmosphere of the ministries, everything is there.

No hagiography this. No one comes out smelling like a rose. Everybody is stripped of the chrome of retrospective admiration or even hero-worship & all paint jobs have rusted at the end. Washington is shown with his strengths & weaknesses galore. He comes off very human indeed. The same goes for all the cast of characters. This is the brilliance of this description of the historical events: they are inhabited by fallible beings doing the best they could under very trying conditions.

Ferling also uses wonderful snippets of quotes from the ordinary folk who participated to add even more humanity, a difficult task considering the large cultural & language gulf separating us from those that inhabited the time.

The book gives the War in the South the appropriate role it deserves but in no way detracts from the campaigns in the North. The story naturally starts up north & moves south with the British strategy change after Saratoga. If you are unfamiliar with the war in the South then it all comes crystal clear.

As a pure military history it gets only average marks. The battle descriptions are not intricately detailed (this may be a blessing) & while most of the larger engagements are illustrated with adequate maps there are many battles that are not. Not to fret because the battles of the era where quite linear & easy to describe verbally. Most were also not very decisive anyway. The battles are not the important element in this wonderful book: it is the context of the battles that is critical & in this he does a superb job. I would have like more campaign maps but this is also minor complaint.

You know, history is all about the who, what, when, & where. This the historian must grasp adroitly. However if history in the telling is limited to those qualities it becomes quite pedantic & boring. What Ferling does in this book is tell the why & the how. By doing this he tells a story of this epic struggle on the North American continent. It reads like a novel bulging from a steroid injection of suspense. It becomes a thriller you can't leave alone. You have to know not only how it turned out but why it did!

The essence of genius is the ability to take a complicated subject & tell those of us less familiar with the subject a story that will enrapture & at the same time inform. In this regard John Ferling is at the pinnacle. He is a master & the national treasure that others have called him.

I cannot recommend Almost A Miracle enough.

Superb book that must be read as a new look at the totality of war, politics, alliances, Atlantic Rim struggles, and the art of the possible. This is much more than simply a rehash of American Fabian tactics. In fact, it is a "soup to nuts" review of the War from its first bubbling of dissatisfaction, to the British Crown's initial hesitant steps, through the conflagration, Southern Strategy, defeat at Yorktown, and final peace treaty.

The book is broken into four parts, named Going to War, The War in the North, The War in the South, and American Victory. In each of these parts, Ferling does a very good job of looking at the conflict from the perspective of British home politics and worldwide operations, the evolving interactions and effects of the war on the inhabitants of the colonies, Canada and peripheral areas, and potential other combatants of interested parties in the alliances. Additionally, Ferling does a very good job of comparing and contrasting the leadership of each side, mostly American (Washington), British (Lord North, Americas Secretary Lord Germain and generals Gage, Howe and Clinton) and the French.

Ferling starts his book by noting the prevalence of the `warrior spirit' in Colonial America. "Warfare was woven into the fabric of life of Colonial America...hardly any American escaped the sullen impact of hostilities." (p. 15) He concludes this opening noting that "a literature flowered that praised soldiering and sought to infuse young men with qualities that included boldness, heartiness, fortitude and sobriety...young men were to be strong and bold, to renounce indolence and effeminacy." (p.17) In other words, culture counts, and Ferling makes this the cornerstone of this 600 page treatment of the War in America.

By way of immediate pre-history, Ferling then spends some time chronicling the involvement of Colonial Soldiers in the French Indian War. The end result was that the colonists to a large degree more closely identified with Great Britain than ever before, to the point that Ben Franklin declared "I am a BRITON." It then begs the question - with such good will from west to east across the Atlantic, how did it devolve in a few short years to such antipathy and hatred that it would sustain the Colonies through a grinding, difficult war?

To a large degree the answer resides in London and the appointments that King George made to run his affairs. Lord Germain, a former Major General, was a man with very hawkish views who served as one of three Foreign Secretaries (the other two responsible for Northern Europe and Southern Europe). To read Ferling's history is almost to pre-visit the summer of 1914. Both the British and Continental governments are preparing for war. In great detail Ferling lays out the actions and decisions on both sides of the Atlantic that fanned a smoldering discontent into an armed rebellion and war. There are great cautionary lessons in statecraft to be read here. The governments were far more uncertain about what their strategic objectives should be, who should be appointed and with how much authority, where the division of labor and responsibility should be, and then, what the operational campaign should look like to implement those desired strategic effects.

Ferling then moves quickly forward over familiar ground to the Battle of Saratoga, and dissects it for its strategic impact. He shows that Burgoyne had options, many of them good, but chose to take little to no risk at each stage of the campaign, thereby putting himself, his force, and the position of Britain at great risk. While Burgoyne's failed attempt to reach New York resulted in an impressive and crucial victory for the Americans, it also sealed the "Canada question" but to the favor of the Americans. No longer to realistically entertain ideas of invading Canada, it forced the British to still keep garrisons there (in case the Americans did try to invade again) while freeing up the Americans to focus on the mid-Atlantic and the southern colonies. At the same time, the British are now forced to concede that this will not be a quick war, and it emboldens the French and Spanish to start negotiations to see what effects the American War can generate for their own state policies. It is not without irony that to become a free and liberal democracy, the Old World politics of balance of power with two autocratic monarchies must be played by the young American generals, politicians and diplomats.

Ferling then spends considerable text analyzing the "transition year' of 1778. North's government starts to put together a peace commission at the same time that Howe and Germain are pilloried in the press for failing "to secure ground in America." Ferling then segues into 1779 and the "forgotten war" between the `northern campaign' and the `southern campaign.' The key is General Washington, who has been gone from home for 3.5 years, has made mistakes and learned from them, who maintains a vigorous and simple lifestyle, rises early, works hard, retires early, and enjoys phenomenal good health throughout. Inspired by that example, Continental soldiers almost never desert, despite no pay, and frequently, no boots. They are fueled by the "principles of patriotism - they glory in the noble cause of their country." (p.338) By now there is no hope of a peaceful de-escalation - this has become a fight to the finish, and no where is that more evident than in the vicious fighting in the southern Colonies.

Clinton's force, sent to execute a southern `end around' and at least secure the economically rich colonies of Georgia and the Carolinas, and perhaps even Virginia, starts ominously when the British attempt a sea movement in heavy winter storms that beat his ships and soldiers mercilessly for days before they make landfall. Much of this campaign design is built on a hope that the Loyalists of the south will rise up, be armed by the British, and take the fight to the `underbelly of the rebellion.' Again, a failure of the British to carefully consider the politics and the topography of the south, combined with personal friction between the leading British generals (further degraded by unclear strategic guidance and a three month transit time for letters to and from London) plays to the Continental's favor. With such leaders and Daniel Morgan, Thomas Sumter, Andrew Pickens and Francis Marion, Generals Clinton and Cornwallis have a steep challenge to overcome in sparsely populated terrain that is broken by rivers, swamps and foot hills. Of Marion, Ferling notes that he "lived a Spartan existence, ate little, had a passion for order and cleanliness, and that men flocked to serve under him, not because he was endearing, but because he tended to succeed." (p.454)

Ultimately, General Cornwallis and Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton met their match, and then some, in the cagey tactics and hard marching of the Americans. Even Tarleton, vicious in combat (but no more so than others on both sides) and able to drive his men 20 hours a day while covering upwards of forty miles in forced marches, could not out maneuver and defeat decisively the American forces. Finally, in desperation, Cornwallis notifies Clinton that he is entering into Virginia, implores Clinton to de-camp from New York, and join him in Virginia for a combined force decisive campaign. Washington decides, and acts faster, sneaking out of the siege works at New York City, and forced marching to Yorktown, where Cornwallis, formerly brave, decisive, and driving, passively awaits the force and leadership that Clinton never provides.

Nonetheless, as Ferling points out, the victory at Yorktown did not end the war. Two more years of negotiating in Europe were required before a peace treaty could be arranged, agreed to and signed. In the end, the squabbling of European politics was almost as important a precursor to the success of the American Revolution as was Washington and Yorktown. This book does a superb job of analyzing the politics of government, on both sides of the Atlantic, the strategy, campaigns, tactics and individual actions that produced a result almost impossible for anyone, even John Adams, to have envisioned in April 1775. As such , it is an indispensable read to any student of history, warfare, campaign design, and diplomacy.

I have read a lot of book on the Revolution but John Ferling has done such a fantastic of job of not only discribing the battles and the different commanders he does a great job of showing both side of the political struggle both in American and with North in England. He does it in a short but very accruate manner that a lot of aurthor miss. This book should be mandatory reading for all 9th grade student in the U.S. History studies. I kown my grandchildren will read it.

In short, a good overall narrative with nice prose and not written in an overly dramatic way. However--Dr. Ferling has left out the Indians!!

Judging by a recent cluster of bestselling titles, it would seem that Americans never tire of reading about how their ancestors worsted the mighty British Empire. As a 'Brit', I expected 'Almost a Miracle' to beat the well-worn patriotic drum, but was pleasantly surprised to find a far more balanced and thoughtful assessment of the Revolutionary War.
This is a chunky book, and the generous page-count gives its author the scope to really get to grips with the topic. A fast-paced narrative, including enough detail to breathe life into the conflict's events and personalities, is balanced by perceptive analysis. There is room not only for the military operations, but also the diplomatic background upon which they hinged.
Professor Ferling boasts impressive credentials as a historian of the Colonial and Revolutionary eras, and his knowledge is reflected in the scholarly foundations of his latest book. As the notes show, his account rests upon a truly vast range of primary and secondary sources, including works published as recently as 2006. To distill this mass of material into a coherent and readable volume is no small achievement in itself, but Ferling also succeeds in refreshing the old story with some provocative verdicts, particularly regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the key players. Not only does George Washington come in for a more realistic assessment than he often receives from awe-struck biographers, but even such traditional bogeymen as Benedict Arnold and Banastre Tarleton here enjoy fairer than customary treatment.
The final chapter, 'Accounting for America's Victory', is especially well written, and will no doubt be quarried by many a hard-pressed college student for decades to come. As Ferling shows, when the British had the best chance of quelling the rebellion, they lacked the inclination to do so, with men like General William Howe pulling their punches rather than going for the knock-out blow. By the time the gloves were finally off, French intervention had transformed the conflict into a world war that Britain could not hope to win. Having just finished Stephen Brumwell's new biography of General James Wolfe ('Paths of Glory') I was intrigued by what might have happened if the aggressive 'Hero of Quebec' had survived to confront the 'rebels' in 1775-76. Would he have shown more boldness than his protege Howe, and crushed Washington when he was still prepared to stand and fight at New York?
Both engaging and authoritative,'Almost a Miracle' offers plenty of raw material for many other such 'what if' scenarios. It now stands as the best overview of the Revolutionary War, and deserves recognition by specialists and general readers alike - on both sides of the Atlantic.

The author of this book is a university professor who teaches military history of the American Revolution. The book is well written and makes a good use of maps and illustrations. The basic premise of the book is: Britain lost the war in the North, and the Americans won the war in the South. He does a good job of backstopping that premise.

He generally follows the war chronologically prefacing each year with a chapter called choices. This is where the political enters in and the planning of campaigns as well. This is followed by a chapter covering the military aspects of that year and you see how the planning lead to events.

He has two chapters in the text of interest. One is a chapter on attitudes and statistics of everyday soldiering etc. This is a very informative chapter. Especially concerning the role of women and minorities and the fate of POW's. Make no mistake this was a brutal and savage war.

The second chapter of interest to me anyway was the one about naval operations. I am a land forces man and so was unaware of the far ranging sea fight.

His conclusion chapter is also quite good. In a sense it is what he was building up to. I think many readers will be surprised at the economic state of the Colonies before, during, and after the war. It is a miracle that the entire society did not totally collapse, so run down was the economy and currency.

This would probably be a very good textbook or casual read for those interested in the subject. The details are enough for the student and the prose and sweep will hold the casual reader. It will disappoint those who are really focused.

There is only limited coverage on the frontier wars and while he does a lot for bring to light the southern campaigns, especially of N. Greene it goes by quickly. He does downgrade the contributions of foreigners such as Steuben and Lafayette. Those inclined to that area or to issues of engineering and mapmaking will be better served by reading The Continental Army by Robert K Wright.

There are excellent sources in the back organized by subject to further your reading on a specific topic. However they are not listed out but lumped together in paragraph format by topic which makes their retrieval diificult.

George Washington remarked that America's victory in the Revolutionary War (1776-1783)was almost a miracle. The Father of our Country was correct!
The story is well told in this one volume military history of the war. Author John Ferling, who has written several well received books on the colonial and early American period has produced his magnus opus
with this 600 page small print volume!
The Revolutionary War was not about stuffy looking wealthy gentlemen in ivory towers pontificating about the need for American independence! The war was long, bloody, costly in lives lost, injuries, money spent and
divisive. In a real sense, it was a civil war, as loyalist to King and country battled the rebels.
Ferling divides the book into several sections:
a. The War in the North-We follow the action from Lexington & Concord to Bunker Hill to the American army's miraculous escape from New York. We
see Washington triumph at Trenton and adopt his Fabian strategy to perplex General Howe. Howe's sluggish fox chase against the rebels across New Jersey was not successful as the wily Washington kept his army together. Washington rarely won battles but he never gave up!
We suffer at Valley Forge, Morristown in horrible winter encampments. We
suffer the betrayal of Benedict Arnold. New York was occupied by the British until the very end of the war. Important battles such as Brandywine, Germantown and Brandywine are covered in depth with maps included. Due to the American victory at Brandywine the French decided to support America with money, troops, ships and much needed supplies. Without the French the patriot cause would have come a cropper.
b. The War at Sea featuring John Paul Jones the doughty Scot captain who made raids on Great Britain and defeated the HMS Serapis at Sea. John Adams is the Father of the Navy. We see how difficult a life it was at sea for the sailors who fought on salt water.
c. The War in the South. We see how great American general Nathaniel Greene and his friend General Daniel Morgan defeated the British in key victories at King Mountain, Cowpens and Guilford Court House. The British took and held Charleston and Savannah but were defeated by Americans who refused to surrender. General George Clinton hoped to win the war for the British in the South by having the assistant of General Howe. Howe never linked up with Clinton prefering the safety of New York.
d. Ferling does a fine job in explaining diplomacy during the era. We see men like Ben Franklin, John Adams and Silas Deane winning French support in Paris; Lord Germaine and Prime Minister North trying to run the military show from London and see 18th century power politics up close.
France, England, Spain were the key players moving the chess pieces of political and military power. The fledging United States would benefit from these rivalries.
e. Ferling devotes several pages to the life lived by the typical soldier in the British and American armies. We see the importance of African-Americans and women in the conflict.The attitude of native Americans is examined.
Ferling gives George Washington high marks but at times is critical of his indecisveness and thin-skinned jealousy of other leaders such as Horatio Gates the victor at Saratoga. He concludes that Washington did the job better than anyone else could have done.
The book is well illustrated with maps and an extensive bibliography. Any course on the American Revolution would do well to consider using this book as a textbook. Excellent!

Historian John Ferling sets out to define the causes for American victory in the War of Independence on the broad canvas of his magnum opus, Almost a Miracle. The author uses a remark General George Washington made after Yorktown - that American victory seemed almost a miracle - as a starting point for his dissection of just how the American rebels were able to defeat the greatest empire on earth. Almost a Miracle is a very well-written, well-argued historical work that sets out not only to narrate facts but to ascertain what they mean and whether or not the actual outcome was indeed a miracle, or only seemed that way at the time. The author handles this material deftly, but there are two issues of bias in his approach that may cause readers familiar with this subject to bristle. First, the author has a tendency to emphasize defects with familiar heroes of the Revolutionary era (Washington, Hamilton, Lafayette, Franklin), while praising men (Lee, Gates) who ended up with less than stellar records. Second, the author - who lives in the south - tends to exaggerate the importance of the south while neglecting to mention colonial demographics, that the percent of the population in the Carolinas and Georgia was small. Overall, Almost a Miracle succeeds in laying out a well-argued explanation for the American victory and if readers can overlook some of the author's bias, they will find a very satisfying intellectual look at why the American Revolution turned out the way it did.

Almost a Miracle consists of four main parts (Going to War, 1775-1776; the War in the North, 1776-1779; the War in the South, 1780-1781; and American Victory, 1781-1783), which are sub-divided into 25 chapters. The book also includes 25 maps, an 8-page bibliography and 75 pages of footnotes. Each chapter lays out part of the chronological narrative and the author uses the clever device of intercalary chapters labeled "choices" to discuss each sides strategic options and plans for the next year. While the author's writing style tends toward the academic, it is unencumbered enough to keep the narrative flow moving at a brisk pace.

Although this is primarily a strategic history, covering the war from both the British and American viewpoints, the author does provide a fairly comprehensive history of military operations, as well. The tactical detail varies and the early chapters on fighting in the north are far less detailed than chapters on fighting in the south, which is clearly the author's presence. Some battles, like Freeman's Farm in 1777, are covered primarily through first-person quotes which are interesting, but tell little about the overall action. The author provides enough detail to explain why a given battle turned out the way it did, but he spends comparatively little effort detailing the inner organization of each army or tactical lessons learned.

The author's characterization of key individuals is often difficult to accept, since most seem unduly harsh. While the author avoids outright hero-bashing, he clearly wants to take Washington and his key officers off their pedestals. I particularly found the author's constant snide remarks about Washington's "cronies" and "sycophants" (i.e. Alexander Hamilton, Lafayette) to be over-the-top. We all know about Washington's military deficiencies in terms of command experience and mistakes made, but these seem balanced by the battlefield victories he did achieve and in keeping an unpaid army intact for years. By any definition, Washington was a great commander, which explains why he was admired. The author also wants to elevate Gates and Lee, saying they "were among the few truly talented generals in the army" but were undone by Washington's resentment of military competitors. Where was that military talent ever demonstrated? Other than acting in the role of senior advisor to Washington in 1775-76, it's hard to see what Lee accomplished before he was captured. The author holds up Gates as the "victor of Saratoga" - denigrating the real heroes, Arnold and Morgan - and suggests that he too, was skewered by a whispering campaign by Washington's inner circle. When Gates runs away from the battlefield at Camden, the author makes excuses for him. When Lee's efforts lead to a near-rout at Monmouth, the author excuses him. While the author skewers one Revolutionary hero after another (even poor Ben Franklin), Gates and Lee enjoy immunity from criticism. This aspect of the book is irksome and does not add to the author's thesis.

So why did the Americans win? The author sees the key reasons as a string of British strategic mistakes: not committing enough troops to North America, failing to appreciate the extent of the rebellion early on, and failure to protect the Loyalists. The author agrees with several traditional conclusions about the over-caution of British commanders and the role of the French. He states that, "Britain possessed the capability to score a knockout punch during the war's early years...that the rebels were not crushed in1776 was due largely to General Howe." And, "French help was the single most important factor in determining the outcome of the War of Independence." Actually, these explanations tell us why the British lost the war, not how we won it.

The author favors the idea that the Southern Strategy adopted by the British in 1780-1781 might have salvaged a British victory by allowing them to hold onto 2-3 of the 13 original colonies. However, a British presence in the lower south after the war would have only pushed the newly-independent colonies to push more quickly for a federal constitution and regular army. The author's interpretation that the war "was won in the south" appears designed more to please regional tastes than to pass a test of analytic rigor (was an alternate hypothesis tested?). Overall, a good book on the Revolution, but not without its quirks.

I am over half way through reading this book and all I want to say is that it is a winner. My main area of historical interest starts with the US Civil War, jumps to WWII thru today. I had a smattering of knowledge, and a little interest in the Revolutionary period, so I decided to pick up this book based on others' recommendations. It would have sat on my pile of books waiting it's turn to be read if I hadn't made the happy mistake to glance through it and read the first few pages. I just returned from a vacation with the family, and it was my "quiet-time companion".
I can compare it's one volume treatment of this period to the magnificent single volume account of the US Civil War by James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom. Both these books are excellent histories of their subjects, and I cannot recommend either highly enough. Many times while reading Almost a Miracle, I'd put it down and exclaim to my wife "what a great read the book was"!
I read allot of history, and can tell the average from the superior, and this book is one of the best; detailed, easy to read and colorful. The author brings the historical figures and times alive for the reader. Worth every star!

John Ferling's "Almost a Miracle: The American Victory in the War of Independence" is one of those rare treasures - a history book that is both scholarly and eminently readable without having been dumbed down.

The book spans roughly the years 1775-1882 and much of the emphasis, as should be expected, is on Washington and his army, the carousel of British generals and admirals, the French and the US representatives (mainly Adams) and the pivotal battles (though minor skirmishes are also given their due).

The book, as all good history books do, comes with maps and an excellent bibliography, both of which are boons to anyone interested in grasping as much as possible as well as further reading. It is neither over reaching in its scope, nor does it smack of revisionism or attempts to "judge" the principal characters. In other words, it passes no judgment on whether or not John Adams was "right in doing this or that", or if "Benedict Arnold was a bad person who turned traitor". He merely tells us what happened and speculates as to why certain people took the actions they did. He points out, for example, that Cornwallis may very well had hoped for a storm to destroy Degrasse's ships at Yorktown, which might serve to explain his failure to attack Lafayette while he had the chance, or that the languor of the British pursuit of Washington or the decision to take Philadelphia may be chalked up to reasons other than mere irresponsibility - a trek through militia infested N.J. may have made Howe rethink his strategy.

With this books Ferling proves that he belongs with the likes of Bury, Gibbon, Catton, Wood and Keegan. "Almost A Miracle" is what this book is in an unfortunate age in which too many scholars write books for each other and not a general audience. Bravo!

In his masterful work, Almost A Miracle, author John Ferling yanks you out of
your favorite chair, hurling you back in time to be there with Washington, in
the thick of battle, the smell of gunpowder thick in your nostrils, men and
horses dying all around you, cannon firing as though they were announcing
Judgment Day. This is the War for Independence, sans make believe, sham,
romantics or posturing. This is how it was for the colonists in their
struggle, and Ferling spares us no pain or agony yet reminds of us of what
a heroic breed we can be. Though I have read many accounts of this period
in our history, none comes closer to the truth than Almost a Miracle. Get
it, read it, live it. It should be required reading for all Americans!

This book deals almost exclusively with the military aspects of the American Revolution. As such, it is excellent. I found it really a page-turner and stayed up to nearly 1am two nights to finish it. The book does not cover the political aspects of the war - for that the best book I've seen is Middlekauff's "Glorious Cause" (Oxford University Press). Ferling is especially good at pointing out the military blunders made by both sides. In fact, at times it's almost a comedy of errors. It's a wonder that either side won!

One of the best comprehensive books I've ever read on the American Revolution, covering from the start of the conflict till the end. Ferling takes the time to honour the Navy's contributions (under the leadership of John Paul Jones)and highlight the generalship of Genereal Nathaniel Greene. If you think you have already read all there is on the subject, think again and take a look at this book! Easy narrative for easy reading; I read it in about a week. This is definitely a book to check out if you are just getting interested in this subject.

Bringing to this book nearly forty years of teaching and writing experience, John Ferling is one of the premier authorities on the history of early America.

Ferling is the author of numerous books and articles on the American Revolution, including Setting the World Ablaze: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and the American Revolution; The World Turned Upside Down: The American Victory in the War of Independence; and A Leap in the Dark: The Struggle to Create the American Republic (2003), which won the Fraunces Tavern Book Award as the year's best book on the American Revolution.

In Almost a Miracle, Ferling, professor emeritus at the University of West Georgia, has written an engrossing, fast-paced military history of the Revolutionary War, from the first shots fired at Lexington and Concord to the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown.

At the end of this eight-year war, George Washington remarked that the American victory was "little short of a standing miracle."

How did America emerge victorious?

Ferling's assessment of George Washington is a double-edged sword. Often out-generaled, Washington made several egregious blunders that, had the British commander (Howe) acted aggressively, would have ended the war almost before it began. Washington also was slow to recognize the importance of Britain's "Southern Strategy," believing that military action in the "backwater" South was of small importance.

And yet, Washington's Fabian strategy and tactics (employing frequent "hit-and-run" retreats and a defensive war of posts), held the tattered American forces together, through brutal winters at Valley Forge and Morristown, to live and fight another day.

"Washington alone," writes Ferling, "had the preparation for the office of commander in chief at the outset of the war and the intelligence, temper, and character necessary to grow in the office. His defects notwithstanding, fortune smiled on the infant nation when Washington was selected to lead it into the war."

Ferling points out that, although there was no turning point in the Revolutionary War, there were, however, significant victories that enhanced the American cause, such as the battles of Bunker Hill, Trenton and Princeton, Saratoga, and King's Mountain.

Inclement weather was also an important factor, causing both the British and the Americans to revise their battle plans, resulting in missed opportunities for success or narrow escapes from disaster. (Providence seems to have been confused as to which side to favor.)

"Battles often hinged on intangibles," writes Ferling, "such as leadership under fire, heroism, good fortune [luck?], blunders, resiliency, planning, tenacity, and surprise."

Above all, Ferling asserts, "French help [financial and military, especially the French fleet] was the single most important factor in determining the outcome of the War of Independence." While this is true, one should not sell short the sacrifices made by numerous soldiers and sailors who fought in the patriot cause.

In addition to military matters covered by other writers, Ferling provides a bonus: a more detailed coverage of the war at sea (including the heroic exploits of John Paul Jones) and, especially, of Britain's Southern Strategy and the partisan war (guerilla fighting) in the South, led by audacious and aggressive Nathanael Greene.

This book is a gripping chronicle of the epic struggle that gave birth to our nation. If anyone reading this book did not already know the outcome, he or she would fear for the patriot cause. The fact that America triumphed is, indeed, "almost a miracle."

Previous Books by John Ferling:
--A Leap in the Dark: The Struggle to Create the American Republic
--Setting the World Ablaze: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and the American Revolution
--The World Turned Upside Down: The American Victory in the War of Independence
--Struggle for a Continent: The Wars of Early America
--A Wilderness of Miseries: War and Warriors in Early America
--The First of Men: A Life of George Washington
--John Adams: A Life
--John Adams: A Biography
--Adams vs. Jefferson: The Tumultuous Election of 1800
--The Loyalist Mind: Joseph Galloway and the American Revolution
--Compromise or Conflict: The Rejection of the Galloway Alternative to Rebellion

Almost A Miracle is terrific telling of the Revolution, including its details, strategies, participants, daily human realities, the roles of luck and chance, and the might-have-beens of history. As a New Yorker I could actually picture Ferling's recreation of Washington's eight-abreast march down the Post Road as it proceeded from place to place and finally to Broadway as the last Continentals, black and white, re-took York Island in November 1783. That's good writing. I finally learned why a small city in South Carolina would be named for a Rhode Islander. Buffs and newcomers alike will enjoy the flow and perspective in Ferling's version of this oft-told tale. No Founding Era collection could be complete without it.

Reviews require criticisms too, and I have two: a book like this would benefit greatly by an Appendix or two that included a timeline and a cast of characters (sort of like White's Bitter Ocean). Secondly, all books have typos and grammatical faux pas - this one has too many.

Professor Ferling provides a thorough and fascinating look at the role of contingency in the American Revolution. It was a war the Americans came closing to losing on many occasions. Yet countless small decisions by generals, soldiers, sailors, diplomats and politicians on both sides kept the British from exploiting numerous American weaknesses, and kept the American cause alive until Washington and the French finally crushed Cornwallis at Yorktown. Knowing the numerous close calls, George Washington called the ultimate American victory "little short of a standing miracle."

Washington was choosing his words carefully. In the 18th Century, Europeans and Americans were quite familiar with the ancient Hebrew, Stoic and Christian doctrine of Providence. God governs the world, they believed, largely through subtle interventions. His hidden hand constantly tips the balance on close-call events and decisions. On the surface, there is nothing miraculous. But the end result is Providential, increasing the fear of God and reinforcing the moral order.

The precarious American Revolution represented a radical experiment in self-government. It was based upon the proposition, stated in the Declaration, that the Creator gives all people basic rights, that governments must defend those rights, and that tyrannical governments may justly be overthrown. Had the Revolution failed, republican democracy might have been set back for centuries. Instead, by the end of the war, as John Adams observed, the Revolution had "set the world ablaze."

Did the hidden hand of Providence protect the American Revolution? Did God intervene to show mercy to the American experiment, and through it to the world? Dogmatism on this point is impossible. Much will depend upon the reader's religious presuppositions. But to the theist, Professor Ferling's book suggests that the answer is "yes."

Note that Professor Ferling does not write from a religious perspective. He tells a largely secular tale of the Revolution. (For example, the Index has no citations to God or to Providence -- apart from one reference to a ship named Providence ... and one reference to the city in Rhode Island!) However, his focus on contingency in the Revolution will be fascinating to all history buffs, whether religious or secular.

Professor Ferling provides a thorough and fascinating look at the role of contingency in the American Revolution. It was a war the Americans came closing to losing on numerous occasions. Yet countless small decisions by generals, soldiers, sailors, diplomats and politicians on both sides kept the British from exploiting numerous American weaknesses, and kept the American cause alive until Washington and the French finally crushed Cornwallis at Yorktown. Knowing the numerous close calls, George Washington called the ultimate American victory "little short of a standing miracle."

Washington was choosing his words carefully. In the 18th Century, Europeans and Americans were quite familiar with the ancient Hebrew, Stoic and Christian doctrine of Providence. God governs the world, they believed, largely through subtle interventions. His hidden hand tips the balance of numerous close calls, to bring judgment or show mercy. On the surface, there is nothing miraculous. But the end result is Providential, increasing the fear of the moral law and the moral order.

The precarious American Revolution represented a radical experiment in self-government. It was based upon the proposition, stated in the Declaration, that the Creator gives all people basic rights, that governments must defend those rights, and that tyrannical governments may justly be overthrown. Had the Revolution failed, republican democracy might have been set back for centuries. Instead, by the end of the war, as John Adams observed, the Revolution had "set the world ablaze."

Did the hidden hand of Providence protect the American Revolution? Did God intervene to show mercy to the American experiment, and to the world? Dogmatism on this point is impossible. Much will depend upon the reader's religious presuppositions. But to the theist, Professor Ferling's book suggests that the answer is "yes."

Note that Professor Ferling does not write from an expressly religious perspective. His focus on contingency in the Revolution will be fascinating to all history buffs, whether religious or secular.

Professor Ferling provides a thorough and fascinating look at the role of contingency in the American Revolution. It was a war the Americans came closing to losing on numerous occasions. Yet countless small decisions by generals, soldiers, sailors, diplomats and politicians on both sides kept the British from exploiting numerous American weaknesses, and kept the American cause alive until Washington and the French finally crushed Cornwallis at Yorktown. Knowing the numerous close calls, George Washington called the ultimate American victory "little short of a standing miracle."

Washington was choosing his words carefully. In the 18th Century, Europeans and Americans were quite familiar with the ancient doctrine of Providence. God governs the world, they believed, largely through subtle interventions. His hidden hand tips the balance of numerous close calls, to bring judgment or show mercy. On the surface, there is nothing miraculous. But the end result is Providential, increasing the fear of the moral law and the moral order.

The precarious American Revolution represented a radical experiment in self-government. It was based upon the proposition, stated in the Declaration, that the Creator gives all people basic rights, that governments must defend those rights, and that tyrannical governments may justly be overthrown. Had the Revolution failed, republican democracy might have been set back for centuries. Instead, by the end of the war, as John Adams observed, the Revolution had "set the world ablaze."

Did the hidden hand of Providence protect the American Revolution? Did God intervene to show mercy to the American experiment, and to the world? Dogmatism on this point is impossible. Much will depend upon the reader's religious presuppositions. But to the theist, Professor Ferling's book suggests that the answer is "yes."

Note that Professor Ferling does not write from an expressly religious perspective. His focus on contingency in the Revolution will be fascinating to all history buffs, whether religious or secular.