Tom Paine's War by Jack Kelly

In 1776, one man’s words―and the determination of American patriots―allowed our nation to survive its first crisis.

"Exemplary... Kelly explains why Paine and his writing mattered 250 years ago and why they matter now." ―Booklist (starred)

Two hundred and fifty years ago, the Declaration of Independence marked the birth of the United States. But two essays of that era appealed even more directly to Americans’ feelings. In January 1776, Thomas Paine―a recent immigrant to America ―published Common Sense. His straightforward argument upended the fraud of monarchy and dismantled the idea of aristocratic privilege that had dominated the world for centuries. His words convinced Americans that the king had no divine right to rule them―they could rule themselves. He turned a rebellion over taxes and representation into a true Revolution.