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Condition: Like New: A book that looks new but has been read. Cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket ... Like New: A book that looks new but has been read. Cover has no visible wear, and the dust jacket (if applicable) is included for hard covers. No missing or damaged pages, no creases or tears, and no underlining/highlighting of text or writing in the margins. May be very minimal identifying marks on the inside cover. Very minimal wear and tear. See the seller’s listing for full details and description of any imperfections. See all condition definitionsopens in a new window or tab

ISBN: 9780195159240

About this product

Product Identifiers

Publisher

Oxford University Press, Incorporated

ISBN-10

0195159241

ISBN-13

9780195159240

eBay Product ID (ePID)

2340474

Product Key Features

Book Title

Leap in the Dark : the Struggle to Create the American Republic

Number of Pages

576 Pages

Language

English

Topic

United States / Revolutionary Period (1775-1800), United States / Colonial Period (1600-1775), United States / General

Publication Year

2003

Illustrator

Yes

Genre

History

Author

John Ferling

Format

Hardcover

Dimensions

Item Height

1.8 in

Item Weight

34.2 Oz

Item Length

6.4 in

Item Width

9.6 in

Additional Product Features

Intended Audience

Trade

LCCN

2003-001212

TitleLeading

A

Dewey Edition

21

Reviews

"Many Americans today see the period from 1754 to 1801 in American history as a rational progression from British colony to the independent United States. Nothing could be further from the truth, as shown by Ferling in this account of the Founding Fathers' struggles to do what had not beendone before: create a nation. Throughout, he debunks popularly held notions.... Ferling's intriguing narrative is filled with stories of Americans both famous and obscure."--Library Journal, "Many Americans today see the period from 1754 to 1801 in American historyas a rational progression from British colony to the independent United States.Nothing could be further from the truth, as shown by Ferling in this account ofthe Founding Fathers' struggles to do what had not been done before: create anation. Throughout, he debunks popularly held notions.... Ferling's intriguingnarrative is filled with stories of Americans both famous and obsure."--LibraryJournal, "This book moves like a bottle rocket."--Kansas City Star"Every generation of Americans deserves a first-class history of the revolutionary era, and John Ferling has supplied it for this one. Those 2 million readers of David McCullough's John Adams, captivated by Adams's ardent patriotism and fiery opinions, will especially benefit from returning to the subject under the firm direction of a historian with a command of the scholarship that is matched by his gifts as a writer."--Joyce Appleby, Washington Post Book World"This deft account of the American struggle for independence dispels the aura of inevitability that usually surrounds such histories by beginning its narrative not on the verge of the Revolution but twenty years earlier....Ferling vividly evokes the political turmoil of the post-Revolutionary years. Even as he takes the Founders off their pedestals, their accomplishments only gain in stature."--The New Yorker"Solid history that will refresh anyone's memory of the essential stories and figures in America's founding. And it will enlighten anyone about the origin of some current civic problems....His book provides not just political and intellectual history, but emotional history as well."--Christian Science Monitor"The author's prose is smooth, but spellbinding. He brings to life the flinty, cross-grained Alexander Hamilton, the acute and enduring thoughts of John Adams, and some minor characters not found in most history books....Ferling has written several books on the Revolutionary period, but A Leap in the Dark may well be his masterpiece."--Dallas Morning News"Many Americans today see the period from 1754 to 1801 in American history as a rational progression from British colony to the independent United States. Nothing could be further from the truth, as shown by Ferling in this account of the Founding Fathers' struggles to do what had not been done before: create a nation. Throughout, he debunks popularly held notions....Ferling's intriguing narrative is filled with stories of Americans both famous and obsure."--Library Journal"In A Leap in the Dark, John Ferling conveys the personal and contingent character of public affairs by skillfully interweaving capsule biographies of leaders into his analysis of events. His book, which stretches from the French and Indian War through the inauguration of President Thomas Jefferson, supplies a learned and readable narrative of American politics during a crucial era in the nation's history."--Richard Brown, University of Connecticut"Questions about the establishment of the American Union are the focal point of this traditionally fashioned political history of Revolutionary America that moves gracefully from the period of the Seven Years' War through the presidential election of 1800. [Ferling] capably describesthe emergence of the newfound republican political order. Present[s] the various political achievements of the American Revolution in a highly engaging fashion, making for a study that deserves a large reading audience."--James Kirby Martin, The Historian, University of Houston, "This book moves like a bottle rocket."--Kansas City Star"Every generation of Americans deserves a first-class history of the revolutionary era, and John Ferling has supplied it for this one. Those 2 million readers of David McCullough's John Adams, captivated by Adams's ardent patriotism and fiery opinions, will especially benefit from returning to the subject under the firm direction of a historian with a command of the scholarship that is matched by his gifts as a writer."--Joyce Appleby, WashingtonPost Book World"This deft account of the American struggle for independence dispels the aura of inevitability that usually surrounds such histories by beginning its narrative not on the verge of the Revolution but twenty years earlier....Ferling vividly evokes the political turmoil of the post-Revolutionary years. Even as he takes the Founders off their pedestals, their accomplishments only gain in stature."--The New Yorker"Solid history that will refresh anyone's memory of the essential stories and figures in America's founding. And it will enlighten anyone about the origin of some current civic problems....His book provides not just political and intellectual history, but emotional history as well."--Christian Science Monitor"The author's prose is smooth, but spellbinding. He brings to life the flinty, cross-grained Alexander Hamilton, the acute and enduring thoughts of John Adams, and some minor characters not found in most history books....Ferling has written several books on the Revolutionary period, but A Leap in the Dark may well be his masterpiece."--Dallas Morning News"Many Americans today see the period from 1754 to 1801 in American history as a rational progression from British colony to the independent United States. Nothing could be further from the truth, as shown by Ferling in this account of the Founding Fathers' struggles to do what had not been done before: create a nation. Throughout, he debunks popularly held notions....Ferling's intriguing narrative is filled with stories of Americans both famous andobsure."--Library Journal"In A Leap in the Dark, John Ferling conveys the personal and contingent character of public affairs by skillfully interweaving capsule biographies of leaders into his analysis of events. His book, which stretches from the French and Indian War through the inauguration of President Thomas Jefferson, supplies a learned and readable narrative of American politics during a crucial era in the nation's history."--Richard Brown, University of Connecticut"Questions about the establishment of the American Union are the focal point of this traditionally fashioned political history of Revolutionary America that moves gracefully from the period of the Seven Years' War through the presidential election of 1800. [Ferling] capably describesthe emergence of the newfound republican political order. Present[s] the various political achievements of the American Revolution in a highly engaging fashion, making for a studythat deserves a large reading audience."--James Kirby Martin, The Historian, University of Houston, "Questions about the establishment of the American Union are the focalpoint of this traditionally fashioned political history of Revolutionary Americathat moves gracefully from the period of the Seven Years' War through thepresidential election of 1800. [Ferling] capably describesthe emergence of thenewfound republican political order. Present[s] the various politicalachievements of the American Revolution in a highly engaging fashion, making fora study that deserves a large reading audience."--James Kirby Martin, TheHistorian, University of Houston, "Every generation of Americans deserves a first-class history of the revolutionary era, and John Ferling has supplied it for this one. Those 2 million readers of David McCullough's John Adams, captivated by Adams's ardent patriotism and fiery opinions, will especially benefit from returning tothe subject under the firm direction of a historian with a command of the scholarship that is matched by his gifts as a writer."--Joyce Appleby, Washington Post Book World, "Solid history that will refresh anyone's memory of the essential stories and figures in America's founding. And it will enlighten anyone about the origin of some current civic problems.... His book provides not just political and intellectual history, but emotional history aswell."--Christian Science Monitor, "In A Leap in the Dark, John Ferling conveys the personal and contingent character of public affairs by skillfully interweaving capsule biographies of leaders into his analysis of events. His book, which stretches from the French and Indian War through the inauguration of President ThomasJefferson, supplies a learned and readable narrative of American politics during a crucial era in the nation's history."--Richard Brown, University of Connecticut, John Ferling's study of the early United States A Leap into the Dark, is solid history that will refresh anyone's memory of the essential stories and figures in America's founding. And it will enlighten anyone about the origin of some current civic problems ... His book provides not just political and intellectual history, but emotional history as well., "This deft account of the American struggle for independence dispels theaura of inevitability that usually surrounds such histories by beginning itsnarrative not on the verge of the Revolution but twenty years earlier....Ferling vividly evokes the political turmoil of the post-Revolutionary years.Even as he takes the Founders off their pedestals, their accomplishments onlygain in stature."--The New Yorker, "Every generation of Americans deserves a first-class history of therevolutionary era, and John Ferling has supplied it for this one. Those 2million readers of David McCullough's John Adams, captivated by Adams's ardentpatriotism and fiery opinions, will especially benefit from returning to thesubject under the firm direction of a historian with a command of thescholarship that is matched by his gifts as a writer."--Joyce Appleby,Washington Post Book World, "The author's prose is smooth, but spellbinding. He brings to life theflinty, cross-grained Alexander Hamilton, the acute and enduring thoughts ofJohn Adams, and some minor characters not found in most history books.... Mr.Ferling has written several books on the Revolutionary period, but A Leap in theDark may well be his masterpiece."--Dallas Morning News, "This deft account of the American struggle for independence dispels the aura of inevitability that usually surrounds such histories by beginning its narrative not on the verge of the Revolution but twenty years earlier.... Ferling vividly evokes the political turmoil of the post-Revolutionaryyears. Even as he takes the Founders off their pedestals, their accomplishments only gain in stature."--The New Yorker, "Questions about the establishment of the American Union are the focal point of this traditionally fashioned political history of Revolutionary America that moves gracefully from the period of the Seven Years' War through the presidential election of 1800. [Ferling] capably describestheemergence of the newfound republican political order. Present[s] the various political achievements of the American Revolution in a highly engaging fashion, making for a study that deserves a large reading audience."--James Kirby Martin, The Historian, University of Houston, "Solid history that will refresh anyone's memory of the essential storiesand figures in America's founding. And it will enlighten anyone about the originof some current civic problems.... His book provides not just political andintellectual history, but emotional history as well."--Christian ScienceMonitor, "The author's prose is smooth, but spellbinding. He brings to life the flinty, cross-grained Alexander Hamilton, the acute and enduring thoughts of John Adams, and some minor characters not found in most history books.... Mr. Ferling has written several books on the Revolutionary period, but ALeap in the Dark may well be his masterpiece."--Dallas Morning News, "This book moves like a bottle rocket."-- Kansas City Star "Every generation of Americans deserves a first-class history of the revolutionary era, and John Ferling has supplied it for this one. Those 2 million readers of David McCullough's John Adams , captivated by Adams's ardent patriotism and fiery opinions, will especially benefit from returning to the subject under the firm direction of a historian with a command of the scholarship that is matched by his gifts as a writer."--Joyce Appleby, Washington Post Book World "This deft account of the American struggle for independence dispels the aura of inevitability that usually surrounds such histories by beginning its narrative not on the verge of the Revolution but twenty years earlier.... Ferling vividly evokes the political turmoil of the post-Revolutionary years. Even as he takes the Founders off their pedestals, their accomplishments only gain in stature."-- The New Yorker "Solid history that will refresh anyone's memory of the essential stories and figures in America's founding. And it will enlighten anyone about the origin of some current civic problems.... His book provides not just political and intellectual history, but emotional history as well."-- Christian Science Monitor "In A Leap in the Dark , John Ferling conveys the personal and contingent character of public affairs by skillfully interweaving capsule biographies of leaders into his analysis of events. His book, which stretches from the French and Indian War through the inauguration of President Thomas Jefferson, supplies a learned and readable narrative of American politics during a crucial era in the nation's history."--Richard Brown, University of Connecticut, A Leap in the Dark is popular history at its best. Ferling has drawn together the research of the leading historians and woven a masterful narrative that is written with grace and flair., "This book moves like a bottle rocket."--Kansas City Star "Every generation of Americans deserves a first-class history of the revolutionary era, and John Ferling has supplied it for this one. Those 2 million readers of David McCullough's John Adams, captivated by Adams's ardent patriotism and fiery opinions, will especially benefit from returning to the subject under the firm direction of a historian with a command of the scholarship that is matched by his gifts as a writer."--Joyce Appleby, Washington Post Book World "This deft account of the American struggle for independence dispels the aura of inevitability that usually surrounds such histories by beginning its narrative not on the verge of the Revolution but twenty years earlier....Ferling vividly evokes the political turmoil of the post-Revolutionary years. Even as he takes the Founders off their pedestals, their accomplishments only gain in stature."--The New Yorker "Solid history that will refresh anyone's memory of the essential stories and figures in America's founding. And it will enlighten anyone about the origin of some current civic problems....His book provides not just political and intellectual history, but emotional history as well."--Christian Science Monitor "The author's prose is smooth, but spellbinding. He brings to life the flinty, cross-grained Alexander Hamilton, the acute and enduring thoughts of John Adams, and some minor characters not found in most history books....Ferling has written several books on the Revolutionary period, but A Leap in the Dark may well be his masterpiece."--Dallas Morning News "Many Americans today see the period from 1754 to 1801 in American history as a rational progression from British colony to the independent United States. Nothing could be further from the truth, as shown by Ferling in this account of the Founding Fathers' struggles to do what had not been done before: create a nation. Throughout, he debunks popularly held notions....Ferling's intriguing narrative is filled with stories of Americans both famous and obsure."--Library Journal "In A Leap in the Dark, John Ferling conveys the personal and contingent character of public affairs by skillfully interweaving capsule biographies of leaders into his analysis of events. His book, which stretches from the French and Indian War through the inauguration of President Thomas Jefferson, supplies a learned and readable narrative of American politics during a crucial era in the nation's history."--Richard Brown, University of Connecticut "Questions about the establishment of the American Union are the focal point of this traditionally fashioned political history of Revolutionary America that moves gracefully from the period of the Seven Years' War through the presidential election of 1800. [Ferling] capably describesthe emergence of the newfound republican political order. Present[s] the various political achievements of the American Revolution in a highly engaging fashion, making for a study that deserves a large reading audience."--James Kirby Martin, The Historian, University of Houston, This is an account loaded with facts but unburdened by them; the result is a book that never gets bogged down. A gifted biographer, the author interrupts his narrative to introduce the major figures as each comes on the stage, bringing the history of these times to life with vivid descriptions and artful analyses of the interplay of men, their interests and their ideas., "In A Leap in the Dark, John Ferling conveys the personal and contingentcharacter of public affairs by skillfully interweaving capsule biographies ofleaders into his analysis of events. His book, which stretches from the Frenchand Indian War through the inauguration of President Thomas Jefferson, suppliesa learned and readable narrative of American politics during a crucial era inthe nation's history."--Richard Brown, University of Connecticut

Dewey Decimal

973.3

Table Of Content

Introduction: The Past Really is Another CountryPart I: Falling From Grace1. Joseph Glanvill: Scientific Witch-Finder2. The Man Who Made Underpants for Frogs3. Pettenkofer's Poisoned ChalicePart II: Eureka! Revisited4. Sir Isaac Newton and the Meaning of Light5. Dr. James Lind and the Navy's Scourge6. The Destruction of Ignaz SemmelweisPart III: Heroes Made to Measure7. Will the Real Johann Weyer Please Stand Up?8. Philippe Pinel: The Reforging of a Chain-BreakerPart IV: Do-It-Yourself Heroes9. The First Casualty of War10. Rank Hath its PrivilegesConslusion: The Bigger Picture

Synopsis

It was an age of fascinating leaders and difficult choices, of grand ideas eloquently expressed and of epic conflicts bitterly fought. Now comes a brilliant portrait of the American Revolution, one that is compelling in its prose, fascinating in its details, and provocative in its fresh interpretations. In A Leap in the Dark, John Ferling offers a magisterial new history that surges from the first rumblings of colonial protest to the volcanic election of1800., It was an age of fascinating leaders and difficult choices, of grand ideas eloquently expressed and of epic conflicts bitterly fought. Now comes a brilliant portrait of the American Revolution, one that is compelling in its prose, fascinating in its details, and provocative in its fresh interpretations. In A Leap in the Dark , John Ferling offers a magisterial new history that surges from the first rumblings of colonial protest to the volcanic election of 1800. Ferling's swift-moving narrative teems with fascinating details. We see Benjamin Franklin trying to decide if his loyalty was to Great Britain or to America, and we meet George Washington when he was a shrewd planter-businessman who discovered personal economic advantages to American independence. We encounter those who supported the war against Great Britain in 1776, but opposed independence because it was a "leap in the dark." Following the war, we hear talk in the North of secession from the United States. The author offers a gripping account of the most dramatic events of our history, showing just how closely fought were the struggle for independence, the adoption of the Constitution, and the later battle between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. Yet, without slowing the flow of events, he has also produced a landmark study of leadership and ideas. Here is all the erratic brilliance of Hamilton and Jefferson battling to shape the new nation, and here too is the passion and political shrewdness of revolutionaries, such as Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry, and their Loyalist counterparts, Joseph Galloway and Thomas Hutchinson. Here as well are activists who are not so well known today, men like Abraham Yates, who battled for democratic change, and Theodore Sedgwick, who fought to preserve the political and social system of the colonial past. Ferling shows that throughout this period the epic political battles often resembled today's politics and the politicians--the founders--played a political hardball attendant with enmities, selfish motivations, and bitterness. The political stakes, this book demonstrates, were extraordinary: first to secure independence, then to determine the meaning of the American Revolution. John Ferling has shown himself to be an insightful historian of our Revolution, and an unusually skillful writer. A Leap in the Dark is his masterpiece, work that provokes, enlightens, and entertains in full measure., It was an age of fascinating leaders and difficult choices, of grand ideas eloquently expressed and of epic conflicts bitterly fought. Now comes a brilliant portrait of the American Revolution, one that is compelling in its prose, fascinating in its details, and provocative in its fresh interpretations.In A Leap in the Dark, John Ferling offers a magisterial new history that surges from the first rumblings of colonial protest to thevolcanic election of 1800. Ferling's swift-moving narrative teems with fascinating details. We see Benjamin Franklin trying to decide if his loyalty was to Great Britain or to America, and we meet GeorgeWashington when he was a shrewd planter-businessman who discovered personal economic advantages to American independence. We encounter those who supported the war against Great Britain in 1776, but opposed independence because it was a "leap in the dark." Following the war, we hear talk in the North of secession from the United States. The author offers a gripping account of the most dramatic events of our history, showing just how closely fought were the struggle for independence, the adoptionof the Constitution, and the later battle between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. Yet, without slowing the flow of events, he has also produced a landmark study of leadership and ideas. Hereis all the erratic brilliance of Hamilton and Jefferson battling to shape the new nation, and here too is the passion and political shrewdness of revolutionaries, such as Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry, and their Loyalist counterparts, Joseph Galloway and Thomas Hutchinson. Here as well are activists who are not so well known today, men like Abraham Yates, who battled for democratic change, and Theodore Sedgwick, who fought to preserve the political and social system of the colonial past.Ferling shows that throughout this period the epic political battles often resembled today's politics and the politicians--the founders--played a political hardball attendant with enmities, selfishmotivations, and bitterness. The political stakes, this book demonstrates, were extraordinary: first to secure independence, then to determine the meaning of the American Revolution. John Ferling has shown himself to be an insightful historian of our Revolution, and an unusually skillful writer. A Leap in the Dark is his masterpiece, work that provokes, enlightens, and entertains in full measure., It was an age of fascinating leaders and difficult choices, of grand ideas eloquently expressed and of epic conflicts bitterly fought. Now comes a brilliant portrait of the American Revolution, one that is compelling in its prose, fascinating in its details, and provocative in its fresh interpretations. In A Leap in the Dark, John Ferling offers a magisterial new history that surges from the first rumblings of colonial protest to the volcanic election of 1800. Ferling's swift-moving narrative teems with fascinating details. We see Benjamin Franklin trying to decide if his loyalty was to Great Britain or to America, and we meet George Washington when he was a shrewd planter-businessman who discovered personal economic advantages to American independence. We encounter those who supported the war against Great Britain in 1776, but opposed independence because it was a "leap in the dark." Following the war, we hear talk in the North of secession from the United States. The author offers a gripping account of the most dramatic events of our history, showing just how closely fought were the struggle for independence, the adoption of the Constitution, and the later battle between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. Yet, without slowing the flow of events, he has also produced a landmark study of leadership and ideas. Here is all the erratic brilliance of Hamilton and Jefferson battling to shape the new nation, and here too is the passion and political shrewdness of revolutionaries, such as Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry, and their Loyalist counterparts, Joseph Galloway and Thomas Hutchinson. Here as well are activists who are not so well known today, men like Abraham Yates, who battled for democratic change, and Theodore Sedgwick, who fought to preserve the political and social system of the colonial past. Ferling shows that throughout this period the epic political battles often resembled today's politics and the politicians--the founders--played a political hardball attendant with enmities, selfish motivations, and bitterness. The political stakes, this book demonstrates, were extraordinary: first to secure independence, then to determine the meaning of the American Revolution. John Ferling has shown himself to be an insightful historian of our Revolution, and an unusually skillful writer. A Leap in the Dark is his masterpiece, work that provokes, enlightens, and entertains in full measure.

LC Classification Number

E195.F47 2003

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by p5mitt
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A Leap in the Dark.
Great book. A long read but well worth it.
Verified purchase: YesCondition: NewSold by: yecolonialsutler

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Leap in the Dark : The Struggle to Create the American Republic by John Ferling

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