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Liberty's Exiles: American Loyalists in the Revolutionary World

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2011

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Book Brief

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Maya Jasanoff

Liberty's Exiles

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2011
Book Details
Pages

480

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

Global • Late 18th Century

Publication Year

2011

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Liberty's Exiles by Maya Jasanoff details the diaspora of American loyalists who fled the United States during and after the Revolutionary War, seeking refuge throughout the British Empire. Jasanoff's work, based on extensive archival research, examines the diverse experiences of approximately 75,000 loyalists and highlights how their movement shaped the British world. Topics include displacement, property loss, and racial violence.

Informative

Contemplative

Melancholic

Nostalgic

Reviews & Readership

4.2

1,210 ratings

75%

Loved it

20%

Mixed feelings

5%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Maya Jasanoff's Liberty's Exiles offers an engaging and well-researched account of loyalist refugees during the American Revolution. Praised for its vivid storytelling and scholarly depth, the book excels in bringing lesser-known histories to light. However, some reviewers note its dense prose and occasional lack of focus. Overall, it's a compelling read for history enthusiasts.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Liberty's Exiles?

A reader who enjoys Liberty's Exiles by Maya Jasanoff is likely interested in the American Revolution and its global repercussions, with a focus on loyalist experiences. Fans of David McCullough’s 1776 or Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton will appreciate Jasanoff's detailed research and narrative style.

4.2

1,210 ratings

75%

Loved it

20%

Mixed feelings

5%

Not a fan

Character List

Maya Jasanoff

An American scholar and historian specializing in the British Empire and globalization, Jasanoff draws on extensive archival research to explore the loyalist diaspora following the American Revolutionary War.

A Virginian loyalist who organized the Loyal American Regiment and lived out his final years in England, struggling with the decision to support Britain during the Revolutionary War.

A Mohawk leader who fought for the British and founded a settlement in Ontario, representing Native interests in multiple trips to London and exemplifying Native allegiances during the war.

A Georgian loyalist who relocated frequently due to war and social upheaval, ultimately settling in Nova Scotia, providing a female perspective on displacement during the diaspora.

A Black loyalist preacher who fled to Nova Scotia after the Revolutionary War, later establishing a Baptist church in Sierra Leone, offering insights into the experiences of Black loyalists.

A Scottish noble better known as Dunmore, who issued the Dunmore Proclamation to recruit Black loyalists and governed the Bahamas, demonstrating the tension between loyalists and British authorities.

A central figure in orchestrating the evacuation of British territories in North America, Carleton served as governor of British North America and was a vocal advocate for loyalist refugees.

A Baptist preacher who established the faith in Jamaica, Liele faced imprisonment on treason charges but continued to influence the Baptist movement in the British Empire.

A loyalist involved in administering sequestered estates in North Carolina, Cruden advocated innovative political schemes in Florida and the Bahamas, though his mental illness impacted his legacy.

A Maryland-born loyalist who tried to establish a pro-British Native state in Florida and testified to insurgency plots in the Bahamas, showing the complexity of post-war alliances.

Book Details
Pages

480

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

Global • Late 18th Century

Publication Year

2011

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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