John Hancock, Harlow Giles Unger
John Hancock, Harlow Giles Unger
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John Hancock
Merchant King and American Patriot

Author: Harlow Giles Unger

Narrator: David Stifel

Unabridged: 13 hr 17 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 09/27/2022

Categories: Nonfiction, History


Synopsis

He was a rich, powerful aristocrat, a merchant king who loved English culture and fashion, and, above all, he was a loyal British subject with ambitions of a lordship and a grand retirement estate in England. There simply was no doubt about it: John Hancock was the least likely man in Boston to start a rebellion. How, then, did this Tory patrician become one of the staunchest supporters of the American Revolution?

John Hancock's overnight transformation from British loyalist to fiery rebel and first governor of the independent state of Massachusetts is one of the least known stories of the American Revolution. Acclaimed author Harlow Giles Unger introduces us to the Founding Father whose name is as recognizable as George Washington's, but whose thrilling life story is all but untold. Applying his historical expertise and storytelling gift, Unger details the fascinating life of one of our most extraordinary business and political leaders—the first signer of the Declaration of Independence.

As Unger reveals in this unflinching portrait, Hancock was one of the most paradoxical figures of his time. A brilliant orator, he combines his wealth and political skills to unite Boston's merchant and working classes into an armed might that forced Britain's vaunted professional army to evacuate Boston, assuring the success of the Revolution.

About Harlow Giles Unger

Harlow Giles Unger was the 2008 Distinguished Visiting Fellow in American History at George Washington's Mount Vernon. A veteran journalist, broadcaster, educator, and historian, he is author of sixteen books, including five biographies of America's Founders.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Jean on May 31, 2023

I found Harlow Giles Unger’s biography of John Hancock most interesting. Unger did an excellent job of weaving facts acquired from various sources into a fairly fast-moving story. The research was meticulous and Unger’s storytelling was superb. My only complaint is Unger’s approach to Samuel Adams a......more

Goodreads review by Jacqui on October 04, 2013

A very easy to read biography of one of the lesser known founding fathers. Having read extensively on the American Revolution and many biographies on several of the patriots, this book is revealing on how underappreciated and unrecognized were Hancock's contributions to the birth of the new nation.......more

Goodreads review by Scott on January 09, 2019

I like Unger's biographies for a few reasons. He picks interesting people that are not as covered as people like Lincoln, Washington and Kennedy. He has a real knack for telling an interesting story and he keeps it brief. I love a great 1000 page biography as much as the next history buff but I don'......more

Goodreads review by Jim on October 14, 2024

John Hancock is a fascinating historical figure. Heir to the House of Hancock established by his childless uncle, he turned his inheritance into an empire that supported his public life as a Founding Father of the country he helped create. Beginning as a most unlikely revolutionary, British taxation......more

Goodreads review by Dr. Kathy on September 06, 2022

This is one of those books that you read and realize how your history teachers failed you. Harlow Giles Unger has written an incredibly entertaining and educational account of the life of John Hancock. In John Hancock: Merchant King and American Patriot, Unger lets us know undisputedly that there is......more