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Revolutionary Reads: 22 Books About America’s Founding
By: Angela & Melissa
Updated:
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn a referral fee from qualifying purchases.Thanks in part to the musical phenomenon Hamilton, America’s founding era has become downright revolutionary again. While we’ll never stop humming the tunes, there’s so much more to the story. We love exploring history through the pages of books, so we’ve curated an excellent list of historical fiction and nonfiction reads about the Revolutionary War and the Founding Fathers.
Whether you’re interested in biographies of leaders like George Washington and John Adams or immersive novels that highlight lesser-known female perspectives, these books offer engaging ways to explore the people and events that helped create a new nation.
Best Historical Fiction About the American Revolutionary War Era
A Girl Called Samson
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Deborah was born in 1760 to Puritan parents in Plympton, Massachusetts. However, her father then abandoned the family. When Deborah’s mother is no longer able to support them, Deborah is forced into indentured servitude at age 10. She constantly yearns for a life of freedom and adventure.
When the fight for independence from England begins, Deborah is impassioned by the cause. She wants to be part of the action, so she disguises herself as a boy and joins the Continental Army using the name Robert.
Background on This Book
This historical fiction is based on the life of a real woman, Deborah Sampson. Amy Harmon dropped the p from Sampson when naming the main character.
Readers say there is a slow-burning romance as part of the storyline, but the main focus is on Deborah and the American Revolution.
Mrs. Benedict Arnold
Book Summary
As a woman in 18th-century Philadelphia, Peggy Shippen’s curiosity was not always seen as an admirable quality, but she found a circle of influential friends who appreciated her for who she was. Among this group was British Army Captain John Andre. After the two are separated by the Revolutionary War, Peggy meets Patriot General Benedict Arnold.
After trading her attendance at Loyalist balls for Patriot salons, Peggy concocts a scheme that leads to the most famous act of treason in history.
About the Author
Emma Parry is a longtime literary agent, and this is her debut novel. Parry was born in Britain and has lived half of her life in New York.
Agent 355
Book Summary
During the summer of 1779, Elizabeth Morris attended social events throughout British-occupied New York City. But she wasn’t there for the merriment. Instead, she was a member of George Washington’s New York-based Culper Ring.
Enemy soldiers didn’t think twice about discussing matters of war and government in front of “mere women.” As a result, Elizabeth might as well have been invisible in their company. This is her greatest asset when she offers her services to Robert Townsend, a Continental sympathizer.
Historical Context
Author Marie Benedict has spent years introducing readers to little-known women in history, but in this case, the actual identity of Agent 355 is unknown (she is known to history only by her alias). As a result, Benedict has crafted this historical fiction story based on who she thinks Agent 355 could have been.
Consider This Before Reading
This novella is only 80-some pages, so don’t pick this up expecting a full novel. Some readers feel that the romance thread feels out of place in this short historical fiction.
America’s Daughter
Book Summary
Addie Valencourt grew up enjoying idyllic summers in rural Virginia with her cousins and plush prosperity at her father’s home in Boston.
But the world is changing, and Addie has a front row seat to it the night she sneaks out to witness the Boston Tea Party. Soon, the British forces lay siege to Boston. Addie’s family is torn apart when her brothers and her childhood sweetheart, Silas, leave home to fight alongside General Washington and Alexander Hamilton, while her father invites the British troops into their home.
Addie makes the decision to join the American fight, but her loyalties are tested when she meets a handsome Scottish Highlander named John, who is on the side of the English crown.
When Silas is captured by the British, Addie ventures into enemy territory to search for him, only to find herself face-to-face with John again. She’ll have to make difficult choices between love and the future of her nation.
About the Series
If you enjoy this book, you can continue following Addie’s life in the subsequent two books, American Wife (set in 1776) and American Promise (set in 1780).
Book Summary
You’ve heard of Benedict Arnold, the Revolutionary War General who betrayed America, but you probably aren’t familiar with his wife, socialite Peggy Shippen Arnold. This historical fiction novel introduces a charming but cunning woman who not only contributed to her husband’s betrayal but also helped orchestrate it.
Half her husband’s age, Peggy seduced the war hero while he was a military commander in Philadelphia. Taken in by her beauty and wit, Arnold is oblivious to the fact that his young bride is secretly a British loyalist with a secret past romantic tie to a British spy.
Peggy watches her wounded husband grow increasingly disillusioned with the American cause and its leader, George Washington. She then hatches a plot to deliver West Point to the British, while winning fame and fortune for herself and Arnold.
The novel is told from the perspective of Peggy’s maid, whose loyalty to her young nation inspires her to intervene in her mistress’s affairs despite the personal risk.
Thoughts on This Book
We’ve really enjoyed the other Allison Pataki books we’ve read, including The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post and Finding Margaret Fuller, because she’s able to make you feel like you are right alongside the characters at pivotal moments in history.
Back Bay
Book Summary
This historical fiction mystery tells the story of six turbulent generations of the Pratt clan – all the way back to Horace Taylor Pratt, a founding father of Massachusetts.
The Pratt family has a secret that dates back to the time of George Washington and Paul Revere. Through the years, the family has been searching for a stolen tea set that they believe is hidden somewhere in the Back Bay section of Boston. In the modern timeline, historian Peter Fallon stumbles upon the Pratt’s secret while researching some old family papers. He begins asking questions about the tea set and the Pratt family history.
This novel goes back and forth in time, telling the story of the Pratt family through the years, along with the story of Peter Fallon’s search for answers.
About the Series
Back Bay is the first in the Peter Fallon thriller series, though it reads as a stand-alone. This novel was originally published in 1979, but recent reviewers say that this mystery story stands the test of time and paints a vivid picture of how the geography and culture of Boston evolved from the 18th to the 20th century.
The Girl From Greenwich Street
Book Summary
Just before Christmas of 1799, Elma slips out of her Quaker boarding house and never comes home. No one is sure if she ran away or eloped…until her body is found. Her family is certain she was killed by a carpenter named Levi, and they even circulate handbills around town accusing him of her seduction and murder.
Levi’s wealthy brother calls in a favor to lawyer Aaron Burr, who needs cash to fund his political campaign and expensive tastes. His rival, Alexander Hamilton, doesn’t want Burr to get publicity alone, so he joins the defense of Levi with Burr. With both the trial and election around the corner, Burr and Hamilton work to save Levi’s life while also trying to destroy each other.
Why This Book Made the List
This well-researched novel is based on a true crime and the first murder trial in Manhattan during the post-Revolutionary years, with two prominent early American political figures at the center of the story. The dialogue in the courtroom is taken from the real court transcripts, with the author’s notes identifying any recreated portions based on the lack of perfect records.
The Hamilton Affair
Book Summary
This sweeping historical novel chronicles the lives of Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler against the backdrop of America’s founding. The story begins with Hamilton’s challenging youth in the Caribbean and follows his rise as a key figure in the American Revolution and the early U.S. government.
It also explores Eliza’s life as the daughter of a prominent family and her enduring partnership with Hamilton. Through alternating perspectives, the novel delves into their personal and political struggles, including Hamilton’s controversial affair and his fatal duel with Aaron Burr.
America’s First Daughter
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
100% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Martha “Patsy” Jefferson was the oldest daughter of our founding father and eventual third president, Thomas Jefferson.
Patsy grew up knowing that her father loved her dearly, but sensing that he loved his country even more. After her mother died, Patsy became her father’s protector and constant companion, even traveling with him to Paris when he became the American minister to France. In Paris, during the early days of the Revolution, Patsy learns of her father’s liaison with a young enslaved girl named Sally Hemings, who is the same age as Patsy. Meanwhile, Patsy has fallen in love with her father’s protege and staunch abolitionist, William Short.
Torn between family loyalty, love, and her principles, can Patsy make a life as William’s wife while remaining a devoted daughter? The choices she makes will follow her back to Monticello in Virginia and even to the White House. Time and again, through scandals and tragedies, Patsy will be forced to decide how much she is willing to sacrifice to protect her father’s political legacy and that of the country he helped to found.
Historical Context
In writing this historical fiction novel, the author drew upon thousands of letters and original sources. This meticulous research brings to life the turbulent years after the Revolution in a way that we haven’t read before.
Another Book by These Authors
The writing duo behind America’s First Daughter also authored the highly rated novel My Dear Hamilton about Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, wife of Alexander Hamilton.
The Midwife’s Revolt
Book Summary
One night in 1775, Lizzie is woken by the sounds of cannons. From her viewpoint on a hill south of Boston, she watches fires burn in Charlestown, not yet knowing the battle has claimed her husband’s life.
Grieving and alone in an unfamiliar city, Lizzie takes comfort in her friendship with Abigail Adams. Word begins to spread about Lizzie’s skill as a midwife and a healer, and she takes solace in caring for those who need her. But when two patriots are poisoned, she finds herself at the center of a potential political plot intended to harm Abigail and her family.
Lizzie is determined to learn the truth, but finds herself mixed up in a conspiracy that could not only destroy her livelihood, but also lead to the downfall of a young nation.
Historical Context
While this novel features some real historical figures as characters, it is not based on a true story. Nonetheless, it is based on extensive Revolutionary-era research about the lives and roles of women at that time.
About the Series
This book is the first of three in the series set during the Revolutionary era. The second book, set concurrently with the first, expands on the storyline of Lizzie’s sister-in-law, Eliza Boylston. The third book is set a couple of decades later, but concludes the saga. The books are intended to be read in order, but there aren’t any cliffhangers, so the first book can be read as a standalone.
I, Eliza Hamilton
Book Summary
Elizabeth Schuyler (pronounced Sky-ler) was the daughter of a respected general. While she was used to her parents hosting dignitaries and soldiers at their home, none made as lasting an impression on her as George Washington’s aide, Alexander Hamilton. The two married quickly, and she became an important advisor to her husband during the American Revolution. After the war, as her husband became one of the country’s most important figures, Eliza also came into her own.
In public, she was an adored member of society, and behind closed doors, she was astute at managing the household and assisting her husband with his political writing. As the years went on, she would be tested again and again by scandal, betrayal, heartbreak, and tragedy.
A crucial ally during Alexander’s life, she was also his most loyal advocate after his death. She worked tirelessly to preserve his legacy while still pursuing her own extraordinary path for the fifty years that followed.
The Women of Chateau Lafayette
Book Summary
This historical fiction novel is based on the true story of a castle in France that was protected by a series of women throughout history.
In 1774, noblewoman Adrienne Lafayette became her husband, the Marquis de Lafayette’s political partner in the fight for American independence. But when their idealism sparked revolution in France, and the guillotine threatened everything she held dear, Adrienne was forced to either renounce the man she loved or risk her life for a legacy.
In 1914, New York socialite Batrice Chanler seemed to fear nothing – not her humble beginnings, her crumbling marriage, or the start of WWI. But after witnessing the devastation in France firsthand, Beatrice must try to convince America to fight for what’s right.
In 1940, Marthe Simone, who grew up an orphan and later became a school-teacher and aspiring artist, wanted nothing to do with war. But when the realities of Nazi occupation transformed her life in the isolated castle where she was raised, she made a discovery that called into question who she was, and more importantly, who she is willing to become.
Why This Book Made the List
While only about a third of the book is set in the Revolutionary period and covers both the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolution, we included this book on the list because it provides a broader context for what was happening in the world at the time.
The General’s Cook
Book Summary
A decade after the end of the Revolutionary War, George Washington’s chef, Hercules, is a well-known figure in Philadelphia. He has the run of the city and earns double the wage of an average American citizen, but he nonetheless remains enslaved in a city where most Black Americans are free.
He masterfully manages his kitchen like a commanding general, but he’s also hiding secrets. He is learning to read, and he’s having an affair with a mixed-race woman who works for a prestigious Philadelphia family while passing as white.
Eventually, Hercules’ carefully crafted intrigues fall apart, and he finds himself trapped by his circumstances and the will of George Washington.
Historical Context
This historical fiction novel is based on actual events and people, mixing well-researched facts with a plausible fictional narrative.
Book Summary
This adventurous tale follows a girl as she struggles to survive amid a smallpox epidemic and the Revolutionary War. Thirteen-year-old Elsbeth wakes one morning in the spring of 1776 in her Boston home to the sound of cannons. Soon, the Siege of Boston turns her home into a chaotic war zone, and her father goes missing. With no other living relatives, she is desperate to find work and avoid the orphanage.
Just when she thinks things can’t get worse, the smallpox epidemic adds a new, invisible enemy in addition to the visible one in her city. There is a rush to develop a treatment for the disease, and when inoculation becomes available, some are eager to accept the treatment while others fear that it could be more dangerous than what it intends to prevent. Elsbeth already had smallpox as a child, so her immunity allows her to find work caring for a large, wealthy family.
Thoughts on This Book
Despite being geared toward middle school-aged students, adult readers report really enjoying the immersive historical details.
Highly Readable Non-Fiction About the Founding Fathers & Revolutionary Era
Boston, 1776: A Rogue Tour of Revolution City
Book Summary
From the turbulent streets to the crowded taverns, Boston was frenzied and dangerous during the Revolutionary War.
This raw and gritty new non-fiction will transport you back in time to witness history alongside the everyday Bostonians.
You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington
Book Summary
This biography begins with a look at George Washington’s childhood and his upbringing by a struggling single mother. As a young man, he demanded military promotions, chased rich young women, and even caused an international incident.
His demeanor changed once he married his wife, Martha. He preferred to be at home and fought only when he saw it as the only option.
After an unlikely victory in the Revolutionary War, the world was shocked when George Washington tried to step down from power. He reluctantly served two terms as president at the founders’ behest, and then modeled the peaceful transfer of power. At the end of his presidency, he left office heartbroken over the partisanship he saw developing.
Upon returning home to his plantation, he struggled to square his fight for liberty with the hypocrisy of “owning” hundreds of enslaved men, women, and children.
Unique Perspective
Alexis Coe is the first female historian to write a biography of George Washington in over a century.
While she was not the first woman to write about him, she used her role as a rare female voice to focus on aspects of George Washington’s life often overlooked by other historians, such as his relationships with his mother and his wife.
This biography is described as unique, fresh, and often humorous.
Fun Companion Read
While George Washington did not officially establish term limits (that came later), he did set a very important American precedent by voluntarily stepping down after his second term rather than seeking a third term.
Have you ever wondered how things might have been different if he had not modeled the peaceful transfer of power and had instead viewed the presidency as a lifetime appointment? The 2019 YA romance novel, American Royals by Katherine McGee, reimagines American history, creating a contemporary story in which the House of Washington rules as a modern monarchy. This novel is the first 4 in a series.
The Great Contradiction: The Tragic Side of the American Founding
Book Summary
This non-fiction examines how America’s founding fathers viewed slavery as they drafted the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. In the years preceding, there were more than half a million enslaved people in the colonies, some of whose families had been enslaved for several generations. This was at the same time that the colonies sought to form a new nation on the fundamental principle of not being governed without consent. Historian Joseph Ellis calls this paradox the “American Dilemma.” How could both things be true at the same time?
This book examines that paradox and addresses questions about America’s twisted roots, from the first debates around slavery to the treatment of Native Americans, and from the Constitutional Convention to the Treaty of New York. Ellis takes a close look at the reasoning and rationalizations behind Jay, Hamilton, and Madison’s revisions to the Articles of Confederation, and highlights the roles of other key figures.
While some aim to portray the founders as infallible or make them into trophies in the ongoing culture wars, Ellis acknowledges the coexistence of both brilliance and blindness, grace and sin.
About the Author
Joseph John-Michael Ellis III is an American historian, born in Alexandria, Virginia, whose work focuses on the life and times of the Founding Fathers. His previous books have won accolades that include the National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize for History.
The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America
Book Summary
If you remember anything from your American History classes in school, it’s likely the story of Paul Revere’s ride on horseback to alert the American colonists of the advancing British troops. But do you know any more than that?
In this non-fiction account, the author draws upon both primary and secondary sources, including family letters and diaries, to shed light on a story much more complex than that typically taught in school.
Revere, while central to the mission, was not the only one riding that night, and this book provides a dramatic new narrative of the coordinated effort on April 18th and 19th, 1775, that (despite near disaster) ultimately set in motion events that led to America’s independence.
Book Summary
This non-fiction book about the year of the Declaration of Independence doesn’t read like your high school history textbook because, in addition to providing an in-depth look at George Washington’s leadership, it also focuses on the human stories of those who marched with the General. The narrative introduces everyday people fighting for a new nation, from farmers and schoolteachers to shoemakers and mere boys, as well as the men fighting on behalf of the British king.
Readers praise this well-researched book for not glossing over the difficulties Washington and his men faced and the failures they endured.
About the Author
The late David McCullough was a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning writer who historical non-fiction books also include a biography of John Adams that would make another good pick for those interested in the founding of the United States.
The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams
Book Summary
This book, a 2022 Goodreads nominee for Readers’ Favorite History & Biography, sheds light on the life of often-overlooked Founding Father Samuel Adams. It traces Adams’ transformation from a failed businessman and tax collector to a shrewd political operative who masterminded the resistance against British rule in Boston.
Consistent with Thomas Jefferson’s assessment that if there was any leader of the Revolution, “Samuel Adams was the man,” this biography portrays Adams as the essential catalyst behind the American Revolution.
About the Author
Pulitzer Prize winner Stacy Schiff has been praised for her ability to write “almost novelistic” non-fiction narratives that bring history to life.
In the Hurricane’s Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown
Book Summary
We’ll admit that we knew little about the Battle of Yorktown prior to seeing the musical Hamilton, and we suspect that we are not alone. We’ve wanted to learn more ever since first hearing the song “The World Turned Upside Down,” so this title is high on our list.
This non-fiction book traces the year leading up to the siege of Yorktown. After five years of war between American and British troops, they were at a stalemate.
The Royal Navy had a fleet of powerful warships that could attack the rebels’ seaside cities at will. The Rebels, on the other hand, could just fall back inland and wait. Neither side could manage to inflict the decisive blow.
Washington knew that only the French navy could break Britain’s stronghold on the eastern seaboard. In this book, you’ll learn how Washington strategized to ensure an American victory without a single American ship.
About the Series
This is the third non-fiction title in Philbrick’s series about the Revolutionary War, but each reads as a standalone. The first book is about the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the second is about the relationship between George Washington and Benedict Arnold.
Travels with George
Book Summary
In 2018, author Nathaniel Philbrick, along with his wife and their dog, set out to visit Washington’s presidential excursions to all 13 original colonies, from the new capital in New York to the southern edges of the new country in South Carolina and Georgia.
His account alternates between what it would be like for Washington in the 18th century alongside the Philbrick’s 21st-century visits. This lends itself to his exploration of the divisions of the country as it was formed, compared to those we experience today.
In Honor of the Semiquincentennial
The United States is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776. Join us in reading books about six pivotal moments in the country’s history.
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