In this episode we're taking a look at another great new book on this history of the American Revolution: The American Revolution and the Fate of the World, by Richard Bell. In this book, we get to see how the revolution affected not only North America, but most of the world. To learn more about how you write a book that manages to cover such a massive subject with remarkable alacrity, I'm joined by the author of The American Revolution and the Fate of the World, Dr. Richard Bell.

Rick Bell is a professor of history at the University of Maryland and is the author of three books, as well as an edited collection. His first book was We Shall Be No More: Suicide and Self-Government in the Newly United States, which came out in 2012. He followed that up with Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped Into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home, an award-winning book that was published in 2019. The American Revolution and the Fate of the World came out at the end of last year. He has also created two streaming courses through the Great Courses series online, with a third on the way.

I have to tell you, I was a little surprised at how I absolutely devoured this book, and I was even more surprised to learn how it came together. I think you'll love learning about Rick's approach to writing, his thinking about structure and character, and his habit of wandering the halls of his department, talking to himself. Here's my interview with Dr. Rick Bell.

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Mentioned in this episode:

Richard Bell, The American Revolution and the Fate of the World
Richard Bell, Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped Into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home
Richard Bell, We Shall Be No More: Suicide and Self-Government in the Newly United States
Richard Bell on Great Courses Plus: "America's Long Struggle Against Slavery"
Richard Bell on Great Courses Plus: "Ordinary Americans in the Revolution"
Zotero
Octet musical
Alan Taylor
Jill Lepore
Eric Foner
Ira Berlin
Ilyon Woo, Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom
Edward P. Jones, The Known World

Episode 89: Richard Bell Boils and Distills