David McCullough has a talent for writing history that is readable by historians, history buffs, and those who don't ordinarily pick up a history book. I especially liked the way he used primary resources, such as letters and diaries, to to give a realistic picture of life in the American army in 1776. It was a moving book that made me realize how much not only the dedication and devotion of individuals to the cause but also luck? fate? divine intervention? had to do with the outcome of the Revolution.