Forgotten Patriots

I picked up Forgotten Patriots expecting a standard military history, but what I got was a haunting, meticulously crafted account of the Revolution’s hidden casualties. Edwin Burrows doesn’t just recount battles—he immerses you in the stench of British prison camps in NYC, the desperation of starving Patriots, and the quiet heroism of those who survived. Norman Dietz’s narration is a quiet anchor, his voice calm yet evocative, which works well for the book’s dense, analytical prose but occasionally feels too restrained for the emotional weight of the stories. The audiobook’s strength lies in its focus on the forgotten 25,000 prisoners, a group rarely highlighted in Revolution histories. Burrows’ inclusion of personal letters and diaries adds a visceral layer, making the human toll impossible to ignore. However, the lack of a clear chronological flow can make the narrative feel scattered, and some listeners might struggle with the jargon-heavy sections on military logistics. Still, this is a compelling listen for anyone craving a gritty, underexplored angle on American history. The production is solid, but the pacing could have used more variance to match the book’s emotional highs and lows.