The Fourth of July is fast approaching! Friends and families across America are eagerly anticipating their Independence Day celebration, sure to be filled with sunshine, fireworks barbecue, and good times. We’ve got a lot to be thankful for, so we do our best to remember the precedents of our freedom once a year. And we aren’t the only ones with a political emancipation to be proud of. Here are some books about history’s most significant revolutions.
Collected Poems by William Butler Yeats
While not exactly a narrative take on the events that led to Irish independence, this collection still contains some of the most profound political poetry ever written. Yeats served as an Irish senator for two years, and was truly on the front lines of Ireland’s fight against British rule. Poems like Easter, 1916 detail the palpable political unrest of the time.
Toussaint L’Ouverture by Madison Smartt Bell
Toussaint L’Ouverture has quite a lot on his resume. The guy was a fighter in about a hundred different ways. He fought with the Spanish against the French. Then with the French against the Spanish. He went from slave, to rebel, to military leader, to genuine political player during a short adult life. Any way you cut it, he remains the single most important figure in the fight for Haitian independence against French and Spanish colonists. This renowned biography by Madison Smart Bell serves as a much needed reminder of the immense sacrifices individuals make for their countries.
Orwell’s 1945 classic was a clear allegory for the brutal Russian Revolution that upended the Czarist structure and ushered in the Soviet Era. The book is an absolute must read for anyone with a vested interest in the messy nature of political emancipation, and the natural temptation to power. It’s a quick and powerful read. Check it out!
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens is considered one of the best English authors of all time. He was known for his biting social commentary on class struggle and religion in Victorian England. His masterpiece, A Tale of Two Cities is no exception, as he delves deep into the years leading up to French Revolution. The opening line is one of the most oft-repeated in literature. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”. He goes on to describe a social climate of glaring contradiction. Try reading the opening passage now, and find me a line that isn’t 100% applicable to this day and age.
You can’t talk about history books without talking about David McCullough, and you certainly can’t talk about political revolution without talking about July 4th, 1776. This is the day the United States officially gained its hard-won independence from British rule. The author brings his usual narrative skill to the events of the revolution, and manages to tell an enthralling story whilst delivering the hard facts of history. A must-read for all history buffs.