Overview

Ten Books We are Looking Forward to in Early 2026 --NPR In 1776, one man's words--and the determination of American patriots--allowed our nation to survive its first crisis. ""Exemplary... Kelly explains why Paine and his writing mattered 250 years ago and why they matter now."" --Booklist (starred) Two hundred and fifty years ago, the Declaration of Independence marked the birth of the United States. But two essays of that era appealed even more directly to Americans' feelings. In January 1776, Thomas Paine--a recent immigrant to America --published Common Sense. His straightforward argument upended the fraud of monarchy and dismantled the idea of aristocratic privilege that had dominated the world for centuries. His words convinced Americans that the king had no divine right to rule them--they could rule themselves. He turned a rebellion over taxes and representation into a true Revolution. Having inspired patriots to declare their independence, Paine enlisted as a militia private. He saw Washington's army suffer grievous defeats. He slogged through the mud with retreating troops to Pennsylvania. There, he wrote The American Crisis, the most stirring rallying cry in our history. It began: ""These are the times that try men's souls . . ."" With Paine's words ringing in their ears, Washington and his men crossed the Delaware River and defeated the enemy at Trenton. The battle reversed the fortunes of the campaign and of the Revolution itself. A tribute to the Revolution's 250th anniversary, Tom Paine's War is a riveting exploration of our nation's birth. This is a story of the power of words--and the power of belief--and how both speak as well to America's current crisis.

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9781250331939

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Reviews

Praise for Tom Paine's War ""Too often historians have reduced Thomas Paine to a mere propagandist for the American Revolution. Jack Kelly revives both the originality of Paine's thought and the central significance of the man himself to bringing about American independence... an unusually intimate, blow-by-blow depiction of the suspenseful, history-changing year of 1776."" --William Hogeland, author of The Hamilton Scheme and Declaration ""When last a man fancied to call himself our king, we rallied to the words of Thomas Paine, who made himself the voice of the American Revolution. Jack Kelly's remarkable book traces the whole, kaleidoscopic war of Paine, who took up his musket as well as his pen in 1776, and chronicled the decisive days of the first American Crisis."" --Kevin Baker, author of Dreamland ""Kelly's book focused on Thomas Paine is a timely reminder of the principles of human equality, justice, and reason that undergird the creation of our democratic republic. Accessible and entertaining - and a stern rebuke to contemporary political actors who have betrayed the American cause."" --Katherine Stewart, author of Money, Lies, and God and The Power Worshippers ""Jack Kelly has taken on the task of reviving Paine's reputation for a new generation. In Tom Paine's War, a lively and scrupulous examination of the pamphlet ""Common Sense,"" which played a major role in starting the American revolution, Kelly refutes the idea that America was founded on Christianity or any other religion. There could scarcely be a more timely book."" --Susan Jacoby, author Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism and The Age of American Unreason Praise for God Save Benedict Arnold Finalist, New England Book Awards ""Vivid."" --The Wall Street Journal ""A dazzling addition to the history of the American Revolution."" ―Kirkus Review (starred) ""Vivid and fast-paced."" --The Christian Science Monitor ""A deeply insightful, researched page-turner."" --Booklist ""Revolutionary War buffs will enjoy the skillful narration."" --Publisher's Weekly

Author Information

JACK KELLY is an award-winning author and historian. His books include Band of Giants, which received the DAR History Medal, and God Save Benedict Arnold, a Finalist for the New England Book Awards. He has published five novels, and is a New York Foundation for the Arts fellow in Nonfiction Literature. Kelly has appeared on The History Channel, National Public Radio, and C-Span. He lives in New York's Hudson Valley.

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