Founding Martyr

The Life and Death of Dr. Joseph Warren, the American Revolution's Lost Hero

By: Christian Di Spigna

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

A rich and illuminating biography of America’s forgotten Founding Father, the patriot physician and major general who fomented rebellion and died heroically at the battle of Bunker Hill on the brink of revolution

Little has been known of one of the most important figures in early American history, Dr. Joseph Warren, an architect of the colonial rebellion, and a man who might have led the country as Washington or Jefferson did had he not been martyred at Bunker Hill in 1775. Warren was involved in almost every major insurrectionary act in the Boston area for a decade, from the Stamp Act protests to the Boston Massacre to the Boston Tea Party, and his incendiary writings included the famous Suffolk Resolves, which helped unite the colonies against Britain and inspired the Declaration of Independence. Yet after his death, his life and legend faded, leaving his contemporaries to rise to fame in his place and obscuring his essential role in bringing America to independence.

Christian Di Spigna’s definitive new biography of Warren is a loving work of historical excavation, the product of two decades of research and scores of newly unearthed primary-source documents that have given us this forgotten Founding Father anew. Following Warren from his farming childhood and years at Harvard through his professional success and political radicalization to his role in sparking the rebellion, Di Spigna’s thoughtful, judicious retelling not only restores Warren to his rightful place in the pantheon of Revolutionary greats, it deepens our understanding of the nation’s dramatic beginnings.


Cover image: Joseph Warren (detail), about 1765, oil on canvas, 50”X39-3/4”, by John Singleton Copley, collection of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photograph © 2018 Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Great Book

It truly brought out the unsung heroes of the American revolution. It left me wanting to know more.

as a Mason this is a must read

I am a proud Joseph Warren Medal receipiant and an equally proud Mason in Massachusetts

That our nation is unaware of his truly great man, a founding grandfather of our nation

I have nothing to say about disliking this book. I highly recommend it to everyone.

Evangelizing for the merits of the man

This is a good and engaging biography, and legitimately points out where the legacy of Dr. Warren has been under appreciated, however; the early chapters are a bit pushy about forcing the reader's appreciation, somewhat distracting one from growing towards that appreciation organically. once I got past the first couple chapters the tone became more neutrally informative (or perhaps I became a true convert to the admirability of the oft-forgotten martyr).

Great book

A lot of things that I didn’t know. Well written and well presented. Great job