So much more to understand! That is my takeaway from Rick Atkinson’s THE FATE OF THE DAY. This is volume two of his THE REVOLUTION TRILOGY, the first being THE BRITISH ARE COMING. ( see gordons goodreads).

Volume two traces the Revolutionary War action from Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, hardly a triumphant period for the Patriots and the Continental Army. With the exception of the astounding success at Saratoga the reader witnesses a war of attrition with insights into obscure battles, the intrigue within the British Parliament and the Crown, and the absolute inadequacy of political generals under Washington’s command.

Atkinson reveals the abject tragedy of the prolonged war. It is the very detail of Atkinson’s brilliant research that comes alive in this 618 page narrative that demands A Trilogy to tell the truth of the tale.

This reader came away with a previously unknown dimension of the Revolutionary War and volume two only builds a desire to reach for the conclusion and to understand how close we came to having no democracy at all.

The timing of THE FATE 0F THE DAY is perfect as we approach the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. However, this volume is not a one off and is much more meaningful and relevant following THE BRITISH ARE COMING !

Reading these pages gives understanding the to enormity of the sacrifices made by those who preserved our democracy.