Book Review: The Battle of Lexington by Jonas Clark

As a history lover, I was drawn to The Battle of Lexington: A Sermon and Eyewitness Narrative by Jonas Clark. Originally titled, The Fate of Blood-Thirsty Oppressors and God's Tender Care of His Distressed People, this book includes a sermon given by Clark on the one year anniversary of the Battle of Lexington, in which was fired "the shot heard round the world."  Also included is Clark's eyewitness narrative of the battle where America's War for Independence began.

A thought-provoking Introduction is provided by Reverend Christopher Hoops, and the eyewitness account is followed by five pages of Endnotes, and an Appendix featuring four poems: Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Lexington by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Lexington by John Greenleaf Whittier, and Concord Hymn ("shot heard round the world") by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I memorized Paul Revere's Ride in high school, and it's one of my all-time favorite narrative poems. I've used it for a public speaking class and in a writing workshop with our third graders who were studying the American Revolution.

While I enjoyed this book for its celebration of an important part of America's history, I was surprised to find in Clark's sermon, lessons that could be applied to our modern world. His discussion on how God cares for His people and seeks justice for those who are oppressed would make for a good sermon today.

If you like historical accounts or want to teach your teen reader about the start of the American Revolution, The Battle of Lexington by Jonas Clark would be an excellent book to read.

Title:  The Battle of Lexington: A Sermon and Eyewitness Narrative
Author: Jonas Clark, Pastor, Church of Lexington
Publisher: Nordskog Publishing, Inc.
ISBN-10: 0979673631

ISBN-13: 978-0979673634
SRP:  $9.95

Also available in a Kindle edition.


The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation.