Friday, December 27, 2013

Review-Forgotten Patriots by Edwin G. Burrows

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FORGOTTEN PATRIOTS:
An Untold Story of American Prisoners During the Revolutionary War

Edwin G. Burrows (Pulitzer Prize Winning co-author of GOTHAM)
Basic Books
November 17, 2008
Hardcover, $27.50
978-0-465-00835-3




Boldly written history of American Patriots and civilians who suffered inconceivably inhuman treatment on numerous prison ships and sugar houses during the American Revolutionary War at the hands of the British.

Burrows presents his research and unveils the horrors inflicted on over 30,000 captured patriots.  These brave, yet unfortunate prisoners chose to live in retched squalor, close to starvation, surrounded by disease and death, rather than switch allegiance to England.

This is a part of American History that missed the textbooks in school. It was a surprise to me. Perhaps if you live in the area of New York and New Jersey, you are aware of this unspeakable part of history.  Truly, it really has been forgotten. It took over one hundred years to dedicate a monument to these patriots.

Why study history? Many professors would caution, we study history to learn from the past. With our 21st century awareness, it is not hard to make comparisons with our global community and reflect on the human rights abuse and suffering in our country and around the world.

incredible book of timely relevance that will shock and sicken readers.  It is a difficult subject to fathom. The conditions and numbers of dead who suffered are staggering.  Questions may be answered with many more generated.

Edwin Burrows' book is  a valuable and necessary addition to American History shelves. Excellent.



Disclosure:  This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.  This review is my honest opinion.

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013]. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner] with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.



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