Support a Local Author and Small Business Owner

Exclusive offer for the Wellesley Historical Society: Personalized copy of Boston in the American Revolution

Boston in the American Revolution: A Town Versus an Empire is a fun and accessible read that is perfect for the history buffs and history curious people in your life. And for those interested in visiting historical sites, a section at the end of each chapter discusses what the locations from the 1760s and 1770s look like today.

Brooke, the author, will sign and mail a copy of your book (and personalize it to someone, if desired). Then join Brooke on Thursday, January 7 for an online event. More details below. Huzzah!

Price: $25, which includes signed book, tax, and shipping.
​Thank you for shopping small and local! 

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*Book must be ordered by December 15 to be received by December 24.

About Boston in the American Revolution: A Town Versus an Empire
In 1764, a small town in the British colony of Massachusetts ignited a bold rebellion. When Great Britain levied the Sugar Act on its American colonies, Parliament was not prepared for Boston’s backlash. For the next decade, Loyalists and rebels harried one another as both sides revolted and betrayed, punished and murdered. But the rebel leaders were not quite the heroes we consider them today. Samuel Adams and John Hancock were reluctant allies. Paul Revere couldn’t recognize a traitor in his own inner circle. And George Washington dismissed the efforts of the Massachusetts rebels as unimportant. With a helpful guide to the very sites where the events unfolded, historian Brooke Barbier seeks the truth behind the myths. Barbier tells the story of how a city radicalized itself against the world’s most powerful empire and helped found the United States of America.

Save the Date: January 7
Wellesley Historical Society Online Event

Title: Alcohol in Colonial Boston: Violence and Cooperation among Revolutionaries
​Bostonians in the eighteenth century drank a lot of alcohol, but did you know that their imbibing influenced the American Revolution? Join historian Brooke Barbier to learn about the role alcohol played in Boston’s resistance and rebellion of the 1760s, 1770s, and 1780s. She’ll be discussing tavern brawls and tarring and feathering, which were often fueled both by anger towards British officials and alcohol. And she’ll talk about the important ways that alcohol also brought colonists together to build a nation. We recommend grabbing your favorite winter beer or cider and drinking alongside colonial Boston’s rowdiest residents. 

About the Author

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​Barbier received her PhD in American History from Boston College, researching Boston’s social and cultural life during and after the American Revolution. Because she believes beer makes history even better, she founded Ye Olde Tavern Tours in 2013, offering spirited tours of Boston’s Freedom Trail. She is the author of Boston in the American Revolution: A Town Versus an Empire and co-host of the “Beer Makes History” podcast series. When she’s not talking about history, she’s usually reading or watching baseball. A native of San Diego, she has resided in Boston for over fifteen years.