Kennedy presents a richly detailed, congenial, and dryly humorous account of Paul Revere’s 1775 ride to Lexington and Concord and his legacy. Kennedy clears away sound bites and sentimentality shrouding Revere to present a fully formed account of the prosperous silversmith and patriot’s life. Revere’s legendary ride was actually his ninth; his longest was to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. As Kennedy chronicles Revere’s world, he profiles such fellow revolutionaries as John Hancock and Sam Adams and their British opponents, including Thomas Gage, and discusses the roles of women and enslaved people. A map is provided not only of the route Revere took but also that of compatriot William Dawes. Kennedy so vividly describes their heroic rides, readers will feel that they are galloping along with them. Both evaded British sentries and patrols; Revere had to slip past a Royal Navy frigate while crossing the Charles River to start his ride. The length of the rides in the dark on rough, rain-soaked roads while avoiding British patrols taxed Revere and Dawes physically and mentally. Writing throughout with wit and insight, Kennedy greatly expands our knowledge and understanding of Revere’s famous ride, placing it in a vividly realized historical context. The perfect read to mark the 250th anniversary of this foundational act. — John Rowen
*Booklist Starred Review: The Ride, 2025
“He is an immensely talented writer who knows what he is doing, and he does it better than just about anybody else.”
Scott Ferkovich. CASEY Award judge
“Kennedy brings literary grace to his subject, illuminating Robinson’s sizzling style on the ballfield, his colossal significance in American culture, his complex humanity and his enduring legacy.”
The Washington Post
“Kennedy’s book on the tarnished and enigmatic Rose is exceptional. Like the best writing about sport–Liebling, Angell–it qualifies as stirring literature. I’d read Kennedy no matter what he writes about.”
Richard Ford
“Kostya Kennedy has given us the real Pete Rose at last. Perhaps Pete does not deserve him, but baseball fans and readers who appreciate superb and subtle writing will be grateful.”
David Maraniss
“This is a wonderful, clearly written book about a dark and complicated tragedy that continues to beset the purity of our national pastime. The whole story is here: the deeply talented, passionate ballplayer, ‘Charlie Hustle,’…”
Ken Burns
“Pete Rose is too rich a character to fit on a bronze plaque. He requires a good, trenchant, poignant (ah, Petey) book, and this is it.”