French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America
French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America
French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America
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Description
Description
In the summer of 1754, deep in the wilderness of western Pennsylvania, a very young George Washington suffered his first military defeat, and a centuries-old feud between Great Britain and France was rekindled. The war that followed would decide the fate of the entire North American continent--not just between Great Britain and France, but for the Spanish and Native Americans as well.
Fought across virgin wilderness, from Nova Scotia to the forks of the Ohio River, the French and Indian War is best remembered for dogged frontier campaigns to capture such strategic linchpins as Forts Ticonderoga, Duquesne, and Niagara; legendary treks by Rogers' Rangers; and the momentous battle of Quebec on the Plains of Abraham. Here are the stories of Jeffery Amherst, the loyal soldier who did his king's bidding at the expense of his home and family; the marquis de Montcalm, Canada's champion who had to fight his own governor as well as the British; and William Pitt, the man who brashly proclaimed that only he could save England. We also encounter George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, William Shirley, Edward Braddock, and, of course, Major Robert Rogers, a legend misunderstood who stands both revered and damned.
Against the backdrop of Fortress Louisbourg in Nova Scotia, the forests surrounding Lake George in upstate New York, the Caribbean, and the fall of Quebec, Borneman poses interesting what-if questions, examining controversies that continue to this day: Did the dashing Brigadier General James Wolfe frantically wave his hat to signal retreat or to urge his troops onward to victory? What if Spain had come to the aid of France sooner? What if the affable Lord Howe had lived?
The French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America presents the triumphs and tragedies of this epic struggle for a continent, placing them in the larger context of France and Great Britain's global conflict--what Samuel Eliot Morison called truly the first world war--and emphasizes that the seeds of discord sown in its aftermath would give root to the American Revolution.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
"Thoroughly readable . . . this sound introduction will propel those whose curiosity is piqued to read further in all directions." - Publishers Weekly
"This is the most accessible of all the Alaska histories." - Anchorage Chronicle
"This is narrative history told in superlatives. We meet waves of insistent humanity: Alaska Natives, fur hunters, river explorers, dogsled drivers, and incurable gold hunters (women included). Worst of all are the dripping oil tankers bigger than football fields. Can today's environmentalists slow down any of this headlong rush while maintaining the allurements of exploitation? Form your own answer as you thumb through Walter Borneman's gripping pages and crisp maps." - David Lavender, author of Land of Giants: The Drive the Pacific Northwest
"Often referred to as the Last Frontier, Alaska has captivated the imagination of many over the centuries. Western writer Borneman has done an excellent job of describing why this fascination exists....Engaging chapters detail the important events and those who helped shape Alaska's history. Of note are the fascinating sections on Alaska's important contributions to the Allied victory in World War II and the 1964 Good Friday earthquake. This expansive, comprehensive history is recommended." - Library Journal
"Mr. Borneman's book . . . is colorful and replete with anecdotes of those who became famous: Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, who won Lake Eerie; David Farragut, who would later damn the torpedoes at Mobile Bay; President Madison, who had declared war on Britain." - Peter Worthington, The Wall Street Journal on 1812
[The French and Indian War: Deciding the Fate of North America] by independent historian Walter R. Borneman, is a fast-paced introduction... as its subtitle suggests, it demonstrates just how important the war was in configuring the world we inhabit today. - New York Times Book Review
It's in [Borneman's] step-by-step descriptions of the campaigns, however, that he'll rivet the attention of most readers. Borneman is a vigorous, passionate historian, and it's clear from the first that every battle, every general, heroic or inept, looms large in his understanding. - Providence Journal
Author Walter R. Borneman tells the story of the French and Indian War with diligence and enthusiasm....Fresh and exciting throughout, The French & Indian War is highly recommended. - BookLoons.com
"I think that Walter Borneman's book on Alaska is just plain terrific. It tells the reader everything conceivable that he might want to know about Alaska from the time of its discovery by Bering in 1741 to the present." - Bradford Washburn, veteran Alaska author, photographer, and mapmaker
"A solid performance...placing key events in a larger perspective without playing down the vast stupidity of many of the participants." - Kirkus Reviews on 1812
"A lively narrator and explainer of war fought with muskets and sailing ships, Borneman will be welcomed by military-history readers." - Booklist on 1812
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
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