On Newsstands And In A Nutshell

It's been a while since my last blog entry--which is actually a good thing! It verifies that we at Patriots of the American Revolution have truly been busy. When not promoting the magazine on the road, we have been hard at work on new content. And speaking of new content: our current May/June issue is now on select newsstands along the East Coast.

In other news, I will soon be interviewed on the Information in a Nutshell radio program, hosted by Felice Gerwitz. She and I will discuss the creation of Patriots of the American Revolution, the future of the magazine, and my other publishing ventures. Stay tuned for more details!

 

Who Do You Think You Are?

NBC will debut a new show this Friday (March 5) called Who Do You Think You Are? Each episode will feature a celebrity, who--with the help of genealogists--traces their ancestry to learn more about their roots. The first celebrity to experience this on Friday will be Sarah Jessica Parker. 
 
We think this is a great concept for a show! Furthermore, Patriots of the American Revolution magazine has already been providing similar information in our "Notable Bloodlines" department.  In fact, we have traced the lineages of Amelia Earhart, Wyatt Earp, Lucille Ball, and Ernest Hemingway (among others) back to the American Revolution and before. In the upcoming May/June issue, we focus on Helen Keller. 

Curious? Then check out an issue of Patriots of the American Revolution today!

Flight from Monticello: Thomas Jefferson at War

I’m currently reading a review copy of the newly released Flight From Monticello: Thomas Jefferson at War by Michael Kranish, a long-standing journalist/reporter for The Boston Globe and historian. Aside from familiarizing the reader with Jefferson’s writings, political views and his narrow escape from the British on June 4, 1781, Kranish paints a riveting account of Jefferson’s friendship with Patrick Henry. It covers how the two came to meet, their time in college together, and the numerous debates they attended together over the years as the American Revolution neared the horizon. Jefferson was at the Virginia House of Burgesses on March 23, 1775, when Henry gave his famous “Give me Liberty or Give me Death” speech. Despite their years of friendship, Jefferson later came to believe that Henry—who was critical of Jefferson’s military leadership during the Revolution—set out to ruin his reputation and name. 

         Flight From Monticello: Thomas Jefferson at War is a fascinating read, and I recommend it. But enough about me—what are you reading? Do you have any excellent recommendations? Please take a moment and let us know what you’re reading; we’d love to hear form you!

News for the New Year

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season!

For many of us, a new year brings new resolutions. We at Patriots of the American Revolution are no exception. We have resolved to continue publishing quality articles on the leaders, battles, and events of the Revolution, as well as excellent research on early American culture.   However, this cannot be done without you. If you would like to write for us,  please check out our guidelines at www.patriotsar.com. We hope to hear from you!

In other news: we are currently working on the upcoming March/April issue, and it promises to be a delightful read. Also, we are proud to have a new review editor on our staff: Eric Wittenberg. Eric will also be contributing content, starting with the May/June issue (we have just received a wonderful article by him on the the Battle of Waxhaws). Furthermore, Eric facilitates a discussion forum about the American Revolution; please check it out at http://rev-war.com/

  

Michael Aubrecht

We'd like everyone to meet Michael Aubrecht, an author and writer who has published multiple books on America’s Civil War, and hundreds of essays and articles for Baseball-Almanac, The Free Lance-Star, Mort Kunstler Enterprises, and Civil War Historian. 

You may wonder why I would post a blog about a Civil War author.

Well, Aubrecht is a co-founder of The Thomas Jefferson Project. Also, you can read an article he wrote entitled "Race & Remembrance at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello" in our upcoming January/February issue of Patriots of the American Revolution.

Aubrecht's work on this article has inspired him to shift from writing about the Civil War to concentrating on Colonial America and the American Revolution. This is a dramatic change for Aubrecht, and we are very excited for him and will support him in his future endeavors. We are also very pleased that Aubrecht plans to contribute to Patriots of the American Revolution on a regular basis.

Please visit Michael Aubrecht's website and blog at www.pinstripepress.net

Giving Thanks

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is upon us already! 

Last night I thought about what my Patriot ancestor, Ezekiel Jacobs, would have been thankful for. I imagine he would have given thanks for his family, good neighbors, a profitable season of crops, and--in 1782--for the outcome of the American Revolution. 

 

And now I ask you this: what do you think your ancestors were thankful for? Just a little food for thought. 

Enjoy your holiday!

Honoring Ancestors

Over the past year, many people have asked me why I started Patriots of the American Revolution. It originally began out of wanting to honor my own Patriot ancestor, Ezekiel Jacobs.

Ezekiel was born in North Haven, Connecticut, in 1755. When the American Revolution broke out, he joined the cause and served from 1776 to 1779, mostly with the Connecticut Militia. He was present at the Burning of Danbury, Connecticut, and at the Retreat from Long Island; stationed at Fort Independence; and a participant in the Battle of New Haven. He even met General George Washington. Ezekiel eventually received a pension for his military service, and died in 1834. He is buried in the Montowese Cemetery in North Haven, and his stone is decorated with a flag and veteran's star.

After learning and researching much of Ezekiel’s life and time in the war, I wrote an article about him--but I couldn’t find a publication to submit the piece. And that was the genesis of the this magazine. Today, people can submit articles about their own Patriot ancestors--plus articles on leaders, battles, and events of the Revolution (and research on early American culture)--to us, and we will help honor their memory.

You can reach me with any questions about articles at editor@patriotsar.com.