Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for The Glorious Cause by Jeff Shaara - Available

The Glorious Cause

A Novel of the American Revolution

by Jeff Shaara
Grover Gardner
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
1 of 1 copy available
In Rise to Rebellion, bestselling author Jeff Shaara captured the origins of the American Revolution as brilliantly as he depicted the Civil War in Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure. Now he continues the amazing saga of how thirteen colonies became a nation, taking the conflict from kingdom and courtroom to the bold and bloody battlefields of war.
It was never a war in which the outcome was obvious. Despite their spirit and stamina, the colonists were outmanned and outfought by the brazen British army. General George Washington found his troops trounced in the battles of Brooklyn and Manhattan and retreated toward Pennsylvania. With the future of the colonies at its lowest ebb, Washington made his most fateful decision: to cross the Delaware River and attack the enemy. The stunning victory at Trenton began a saga of victory and defeat that concluded with the British surrender at Yorktown, a moment that changed the history of the world.
The despair and triumph of America’s first great army is conveyed in scenes as powerful as any Shaara has written, a story told from the points of view of some of the most memorable characters in American history. There is George Washington, the charismatic leader who held his army together to achieve an unlikely victory; Charles Cornwallis, the no-nonsense British general, more than a match for his colonial counterpart; Nathaniel Greene, who rose from obscurity to become the finest battlefield commander in Washington’s army; The Marquis de Lafayette, the young Frenchman who brought a soldier’s passion to America; and Benjamin Franklin, a brilliant man of science and philosophy who became the finest statesman of his day.
From Nathan Hale to Benedict Arnold, William Howe to “Light Horse” Harry Lee, from Trenton and Valley Forge, Brandywine and Yorktown, the American Revolution’s most immortal characters and poignant moments are brought to life in remarkable Shaara style. Yet, The Glorious Cause is more than just a story of the legendary six-year struggle. It is a tribute to an amazing people who turned ideas into action and fought to declare themselves free. Above all, it is a riveting novel that both expands and surpasses its beloved author’s best work.

  • Creators

  • Series

    The American Revolutionary War

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    July 12, 2002

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781415950630
      • File size: 748085 KB
      • Duration: 25:58:30

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Take one of the most remarkable events in world history, humanize the main players with realistic dialogue, and add a solid narrator. The result is a better-than-average depiction of the American Revolution and iconic figures such as Washington, Franklin, Cornwallis, and Arnold. Narrator Grover Gardner sets the tone from the beginning, reading in a straightforward, level voice that allows the writing to move the story. His characterizations are not showy, but rather capture the essence of the people in the book: humble Lafayette, decisive Washington, arrogant Cornwallis. Gardner has an interesting voice that serves him well during the lengthy narrative passages. His greatest gift, though, is that he amplifies the author's words while bringing drama and humanity to this enjoyable look at history. R.I.G. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from September 30, 2002
      Shaara's hefty fifth novel, the second in a two-volume series about the American Revolution, is an epic saga of what Shaara calls our first civil war and the first truly world war, told with emotion, energy and historical precision. Using the formula of character-driven fiction employed by his father, Michael Shaara (The Killer Angels), Jeff Shaara presents the dramatic history of the revolution as seen through the eyes of the major players. In describing the battles, skirmishes, victories, defeats, blunders, intrigues, treason and bickering, Shaara illuminates the circumstances whereby a rebel collection of motley amateurs dared to confront a mighty empire and its vaunted army. The narrative establishes immediacy in its colorful profiles of the participants. Shaara depicts George Washington as a general whose force of will and strong character earn the loyalty of soldiers who are defeated by the British again and again. Washington's relationships with other principals are profound and surprising. Having regarded Gen. Charles Lee as a friend, he is stunned by the behavior of his second-in-command on the battlefield and behind his back. He thinks highly of Gen. Nathaniel Greene and the Marquis de Lafayette, and neither will disappoint him. Having enjoyed the "pleasantly sociable" company of Benedict Arnold, Washington discovers too late that there are two traitors at West Point. He also learns firsthand how "Mad Anthony" Wayne earned his nickname. Shaara takes equal pains to characterize the British, men like dawdling Gen. William Howe, arrogant Henry Clinton and the capable but hapless Charles Cornwallis. This is vivid and compelling historical fiction, but also a primer on leadership and the arts of war and diplomacy. Shaara reaches new heights here, with a narrative that's impossible to put down. (Nov.)Forecast:The timing of this novel, recalling our country's turbulent birth, is sure to have resonance in this period of national crisis. The simultaneous release of the Warner Bros. movie of
      Gods and Generals should boost reader recognition and make the book a standout for Christmas gift giving. Eight-city author tour.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Shaara, who is known for his novels of the Civil War, this time tells the story of the American Revolution. As a prelude, events before Washington's appointment as General-in-Chief are described. The action begins with the failed campaign of New York City in the fall of 1776. We then follow the course of the war through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the Carolinas to the British surrender at Yorktown in October 1781. The story concludes with the dismissal of Washington's staff at Fraunces's Tavern in New York City in 1783. Barry Bostwick's performance of this abridgment is superb. He is spirited in his delivery, yet never overbearing. French, German, and other accents are skillfully rendered. M.T.F. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading