“Tales from a Revolution” by James D. Rice

Student’s Name Professor’s Name Course Date Book Review: “Tales from a Revolution” by James D. Rice Nathaniel Bacon, a novice in Virginia, championed an uprising against Indian policies in the 1676 spring. The revolution transformed into a civil war that shook the entire British colonies and resulted in the extermination of the colony's Indian confederates. James Rice, in “Tales from a Revolution” offers a comprehensive account of the revolution, unveiling how slave traders, English planters, intriguers, plunderers, colonial officials, and Susquehannocks were forced into an escalating struggle whose upshot remained uncertain for months. James exposes how Nathaniel Bacon successfully utilizes the hinterland clashes between Susquehannock Indians and English militias and progresses to mobilize extralegal enlistees. Moreover, he takes advantage of Governor Berkeley’s condemnation of the rebels, as well as the eruption of full-blown civil war. Rice then summarizes essential background erudition in expository asides, thus connecting his account to the broader diplomatic, political economic and social questions of the day. He focuses on storytelling, placing particular emphasis on the class struggle between poor settlers and wealthy planters, as well as the existing precarious situation of Chesapeake's Native Americans in the Chesapeake. His story telling technique helps to move rapidly through the unfolding events. Although many books unveil Bacon’s Rebellion, James D. Rice's Tales from a Revolution is a seamlessly crafted account authored by a renowned archaeologist who specializes in profoundly-investigated records of the early historical days. One of the author's approaches lies in humanity's shared beginnings that he uses from the correspondence and diaries of the chief players, and this enables the readers to hear real voices in real-time. James Rice’s goal in Tales from a Revolution is to produce a narrative that is clear, engaging, and brisk, a significant achievement for an experience that many people previously viewed as a chaotic mess. His perceptive critique exposes new possibilities for more in-depth and informed examination of rebellion and war in the 17th century south. His thesis echoes Edmund S. Morgan’s work American Slavery, American Freedom. James Rice provides two critical perspectives in Tales from a Revolution. These he bases on th...