Tom Paine's War: the man and the pamphlet that gave a voice to the American Revolution

Tom Paine’s War: The Words that Rallied a Nation and the Founder of Our Time by Jack Kelly. The Declaration of Independence is often seen as the American Revolution’s defining document. However, one man’s words in two essays which would appeal to Americans and fuel their fighting spirit. Thomas Paine was a recent immigrant and self-taught writer who saw beyond the simple fight against taxes and representation. His pamphlet “Common Sense” convinced Americans that the king had no divine right to rule over them and they could rule themselves which led to the Declaration of Independence. Paine would also enlist in the militia and witness the army defeats. It would be as he walked with the retreating troops that he wrote “The American Crisis,” which became the rallying cry to fight another day. 

As the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution is approaching, Tom Paine’s War is an eye opening exploration into one man’s contribution to the founding of the nation. While I was aware of “Common Sense,” as I read and studied it in school and in college; however,  I knew very little about the man who wrote it, especially his life after the war. Tom Paine’s War is more than a biography of Thomas Paine. It is a intertwining of one man’s arrival to a country already fighting and his observations helped put into words what Americans were feeling and willing to fight for with the details of the battles won and lost. Overall, I found Tom Paine’s War to be insightful and intriguing. If you enjoy American history, I highly recommend Tom Paine’s War. 

Tom Paine’s War: The Words that Rallied a Nation and the Founder of Our Time 

is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook