Paul Revere bio cited by Gladwell?

November 19, 2011 6:27 AM

Malcom Gladwell's The Tipping Point mentions a really good biography of Paul Revere. What is that book?

I listened to the book digitally while driving, and am extremely interested in buying the book he cites in the text, but I can't figure out what it is.

posted by popechunk to Writing & Language (5 answers total)

Best answer: Here's the section from Google Books. It doesn't seem to mention a specific biography -- I think he's just telling the story of Paul Revere.
posted by jabes at 6:47 AM on November 19, 2011

Response by poster: I think it's in a section of the book where he mentions more things about Revere's life than just the famous ride. I very specifically recall him citing a specific book, and while I was careening down the highway, I exclaimed, "hey, I really want to read that book!"

Thanks for the link to the Google Book Search...
posted by popechunk at 7:03 AM on November 19, 2011

Response by poster: Found it! Search for "David Hackett Fischer" in Tipping Point Google Book Search and the citation pops right up. Thanks, jabes!
posted by popechunk at 7:05 AM on November 19, 2011

Best answer: ...and for those of us who like our gratification a bit more instantaneous:
"Paul Revere's Ride" by David Hackett Fischer.
posted by Floydd at 7:17 AM on November 19, 2011

Best answer: Fischer's book is good, but he repeated a few inaccuracies. If you talk to the people at The Paul Revere House in Boston, they'll point you towards the Forbes biography (although it's not the one Gladwell mentions).
posted by CaptainCaseous at 1:35 PM on November 19, 2011