Shots Heard Round the World

America, Britain, and Europe in the Revolutionary War

De: John Ferling

Narrado por: Jason Keller

Bloomsbury presents Shots Heard Round the World by John Ferling, read by Jason Keller.

From acclaimed historian John Ferling, a major, global reappraisal of the Revolutionary War on its 250th Anniversary.

In April 1775, British troops marched to Lexington, where an armed group of Yankees awaited them. Despite an order to disperse, shots rang out. Militiamen were killed. The British continued marching, only to find even greater trouble in Concord and all the way down the road back to Boston. The Revolutionary War had begun.

Shots Heard Round the World is a bold, comprehensive rendering of the world war that erupted out of America’s battle for independence. Ferling highlights underestimated pivotal moments to reveal why the British should have put down the rebellion within a couple years of fighting. As European rivals France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic entered the fray, Britain’s problems grew, but after seven long years, the war’s outcome remained very much in doubt. Ferling assesses military and civilian leaders, the choices they faced, and the political, tactical, and strategic decisions they made as the war raged in North America, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Asia, and on the high seas, affecting peoples and countries miles from American soil.

Long after the soldiers laid down their arms, future generations have reckoned with the Revolution and its far-reaching consequences. Shots Heard Round the World is the definitive account of the war and its monumental legacy.©2025 John Ferling (P)2025 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Reseñas de la Crítica

Ferling has crafted an exceptional account of the Revolutionary War and its foreign entanglements. His thoroughly researched book outlines the political intrigue behind this world-changing conflict while detailing the battles that history buffs know so well. (Dave Kindy)

In his international history of the Revolutionary War written for the 250th anniversary of its outbreak, John Ferling brings Europe and its rivalries into the familiar story of American independence. [Ferling] shows not only why nations fought but also how they waged a protracted struggle whose outcome remained in doubt to the end . . . After 250 years, some points everyone at the time understood have been forgotten. The American Revolution was a global event, with global consequences. (William Anthony Hay)

Ferling has written a fresh look at this conflict and the beginnings of America with this marvelous one-volume history that covers a surprising number of underserved topics . . . Ferling weaves the political, military, social, and economic aspects of the war seamlessly together into a highly readable narrative that may become the standard one-volume history of the war. (Jerry Lenaburg)

[Ferling’s] masterful account dramatically conveys the global significance of America’s long fight for independence while also illuminating the experiences of the war’s commanders and everyday soldiers.

This account of the international politics of the American Revolution is given a steady narration by Jason Keller . . . Keller is clear in his enunciation, and his overall delivery . . . is outstanding. With the 250th anniversary of the Revolution taking place next year, this work should be a popular listen.

Ferling’s lucid prose engagingly conveys the insights of a brilliant historian’s long career. Any casual reader wishing to revisit the War of Independence in its semi-quincentennial year would do well enough to start here. (Sam Negus)

A fascinating look at the global legacy of the American Revolution.

An excellent history of the run-up and battles of the American Revolution with more than the usual diversions describing how other nations reacted . . . Scholars have not ignored European participation, but Ferling writes better than most of them and pays more attention than academics to the campaigns and commanders. From battles to international relations, an outstanding introduction to the American Revolution.

A must-have volume to complete any collection covering the fight for democracy as we approach the sestercentennial.

A thoughtful history . . . Shots Heard Round the World offers a new appreciation of the judgments made and how uncertain the outcome of the war was until the very end. An insightful examination of the American Revolution as a world war offers fascinating new perspective on the competing interests of all the nations involved.

Pretty good

The reader does not know America. So many words were mispronounced. For example Mobile Alabama, was pronounced as if it were a mobile phone. Reading Pa (which should be pronounced as Redding) was pronounced as if someone was reading a book.

A high school history

This book contains nothing that could not be ascertained from a 1 hour documentary. It lacks detailed information of the societies that participated in the revolution or much of their motives. It’s very superficial. There is nothing of the global implications of this war. But there is a lot of hero worship which is not history.

nothing new / robotic and incorrect narration

Hours into this, I haven’t heard anything new. If one is looking for a quick ride through the Revolution, then, OK, this book is fine. But the critic reviews made it seem as if this offered something new. Also, the narrator sounds like an AI voice. I know he’s not, but that doesn’t help the monotony.

Most egregiously, after listening to 300+ titles, no audiobook I've heard has as many pronunciation errors as this title. It's hard to believe how many simple words are mispronounced. This is, ultimately, on the producer of the title. However, the narrator should be ashamed.