Becoming American: Young People in the American Revolution

Zall, a research scholar at the Huntington Library in California, plunges readers into one of the most dramatic moments in American history with this skillfully edited anthology. He introduces 23 teenagers from the Revolutionary War period (1767-1789), calling forth voices from sources as diverse as journals, letters, diaries and even court records. Andrew, a slave, witnesses the Boston Massacre; a farmer's daughter considers the consequences of her love for a cousin; a 16-year-old girl entertains the troops. Most of the writers are unknowns, but Martha Jefferson, Abigail Adams and John Quincy Adams speak up as well. Zall frames each excerpt with relevant background and presents the material chronologically. His welcome collection is a unique approach to history. Illustrations not seen by PW. Ages 13-up. (June)