A True Republican: The Life of Paul Revere Book

An honest, straightforward portrait of Paul Revere. The last line of the book is part of a quote by a fellow contemporary in assessing his life: "Mr. Revere was through life an upright, useful, respectable citizen." The author spends most of this biography attempting to prove just that. The Masons, and Paul Revere's membership and role in that group and St. Andrew's Lodge are a dominant theme throughout. His role in various patriot activities, including the Boston Tea Party, are covered with particular emphasis on the stature of Revere being above "the mob" and rabble rousers, yet not quite at the level of the wealthy, educated elite. This theme is repeated. Revere late in life attains dignity and wealth from his successful copper foundary and benevolence in the community, although never quite reaches his ultimate social goal. Revere's unsuccessful attempt at a military career is described honestly, as was his biased role as a juror in the Selfridge trial. We are given the good and the bad, and the author leaves the reader to come to his or her conclusion about this spirited, ambitious patriot. A well researched life of a less known Revolutionary War figure, whose midnight ride became famous when it was dramatized and romanticized by Longfellow in a poem written many years after Revere's death.