Books like Redcoats and rebels by Christopher Hibbert

A comprehensive military, political, and social history of the American Civil War, awarded the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for History.

David McCullough’s *1776* chronicles the human drama surrounding the American Revolution’s pivotal year, tracing ordinary soldiers, notable leaders, and British forces as they shape the fate of the fledgling nation.

A focused study of the United States’ first decade, tracing how the original Founding Brothers—Hamilton, Jefferson, Franklin, Washington, Adams, Burr, and Madison—translated revolutionary ideals into the practical workings of the new government.

A gripping, first‑hand account of the 1950 U.S. Marine Corps’ harrowing breakout from Chinese encirclement near the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War.

A concise examination of George Washington’s leadership during the Revolutionary War, focusing on military strategy and political dynamics.

Rick Atkinson delivers a vivid, firsthand portrait of the 101st Airborne Division’s 2003 Iraq campaign, following soldiers from Fort Campbell to Baghdad and providing insight into modern U.S. military operations.

"A major new biography of one of Americas most storied military figures. General Sherman's 1864 burning of Atlanta solidified his legacy as a ruthless leader. Yet Sherman proved far more complex than his legendary military tactics reveal. James Lee McDonough offers fresh insight into a man tormented by the fear that history would pass him by, who was plagued by personal debts, and who lived much of his life separated from his family. As a soldier, Sherman evolved from a spirited student at West Point into a general who steered the Civil War's most decisive campaigns, rendered here in graphic detail. Lamenting casualties, Sherman sought the war's swift end by devastating Southern resources in the Carolinas and on his famous March to the Sea. This meticulously researched biography explores Sherman's warm friendship with Ulysses S. Grant, his strained relationship with his wife, Ellen, and his unassuageable grief over the death of his young son, Willy. The result is a remarkable, comprehensive life of an American icon whose legacy resonates to this day."

Raphael explains the central purpose of his "people's history" thusly: "By uncovering the stories of farmers, artisans, and laborers, we discern how plain folk helped create a revolution strong enough to evict the British Empire from the thirteen colonies. And by digging deeper still, we learn how people with no political standing -- women, Native Americans, African Americans -- altered the shape of a war conceived by others." After carefully reconstructing the histories of all these groups, he concludes: "The story of our nation's founding, told so often from the perspective of the 'founding fathers,' will never ring true unless it can take some account of the Massachusetts farmers who closed the courts, the poor men and boys who fought the battles, the women who followed the troops, the loyalists who viewed themselves as rebels, the pacifists who refused to sign oaths of allegiance, the Native Americans who struggled for their own independence, the southern slaves who fled to the British, the northern slaves who negotiated their freedom by joining the Continental Army". Raphael's account rings true: these people made the American Revolution. - Marcus Rediker, University of Pittsburgh.

Two volumes of Ulysses S. Grant’s firsthand account of his life and the military campaigns that defined his career, offering insight into his rise from a modest upbringing to the presidency of the United States.