Westerly Sun Column | Learn More About the Revolution at the Library

Earlier this year my husband and I went on a trip to Saratoga Springs in upstate New York. While there we visited Saratoga National Historical Park, where a pivotal revolutionary battle took place in 1777. It was the first significant victory for the patriots as it ended British General John Burgoyne's plan to control the Hudson River. There is a monument to one of the heroes of the battle, General Benedict Arnold. Though for obvious reasons, his name is never mentioned. After our trip, both my husband and I wanted to learn more about the battle as well as the revolution as a whole. 

I found some terrific documentaries on the revolution including a 1997 PBS one called “Liberty! The American Revolution”. The documentary features dramatic readings by actors from letter and diaries of the time. We were surprised to see some pretty famous actors including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Roger Rees, Campbell Scott, and Victor Garber. Hearing the words of some famous and not-so-famous players in the Revolution really brought the era and events to life. Another documentary I am looking forward to watching is a new one (I’m on the waitlist) called “Benedict Arnold: Hero Betrayed”.

As I am usually a little late to the game I also checked out “John Adams”, the 2008 miniseries starring Paul Giamatti and Laurie Linney. It is based on the 2001 biography of Adams by David McCullough. Every actor is terrific, and the filmmakers do a remarkable job of showing these historical figures’ humanity, including their flaws. The centerpiece (in my opinion) was the relationship between John and Abigail. Much of the dialogue is taken from the 1,160 letters they wrote to one another between 1762 and 1801, and it shows their enduring partnership.

We have also started watching the series “TURN: Washington’s Spies” which ran from 2014 to 2017 and starred Jamie Bell and other actors I have seen, but can’t quite come up with their names. It follows a farmer living in British-occupied Long Island who reluctantly joins his friends to from a spy ring for George Washington called the Culper Ring. The story is full of betrayal, friendship, fear, and love, all the things that make for a compelling show!

I’m looking forward to many more shows because every time I watch something I feel like I learn something new. Even if the American Revolution is not your cup of tea, the library has tons of materials to entertain or educate, and in the best scenario do both of those things!

By Caroline Badowski, Head of Adult Services