This is an excellent and inspirational book. Reading of the dedication and sacrifice of the men who literally staked their lives and fortunes to found our nation is humbling and should inspire in us a wealth of gratitude. I heartily recommend this book to every American.

This is an invaluable source of historical perspective on the Declaration of Independence itself as well as the lives of the signers. For anyone interested in the history surrounding the American Revolution it is a must.
It should be in every school library in the nation and the world.

Lives of The Signers by B. J. Lossing is a unique epic that traces the lives of fifty-seven of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. From John Adams , Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin, to the lesser known men like Dr. Benjamin Rush. Lossing first published his book in 1848, a time when the new nation was young, and fresh. This book was used for many years in our country's public schools. I am pleased that this book is now available again from Wall Builders Press. Permit me to list just a few of the many men whose lives are sketched in this timeless volume.

Josiah Barlett of New Hampshire 1729-1795
William Whipple of New Hampshire 1730-1785
Matthew Thornton of New Hampshire 1714-1803
Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts 1744-1814

All of these men were brilliant statesmen; they had a mind capacity that would far outreach many of our politicians today. These men understood law and government. Not only did they sign the Declaration, many drafted the U.S. Constitution years later. I believe this book belongs on every home-school family's shelf. This is a great read-aloud for the family because the short sketches are easy to follow, and it is very educational. There are many books like this one, for instance, A Worthy Company M. E. Bradford; however, Lives of the Signers is possibly the more in-depth. I heartily recommend this book.

I really enjoy reading books from this era (1848) for several reasons. First the style interests me. Second the positive and negative characteristics are sharply different. For example many of the signers are stated to have been good examples of piety. I am forced to wonder what a modern writer would have to say in such regard.

The topic of this work was also of great interest. One thing that struck me was the familiarity of the names. Counties streets, schools all sorts of things have very similar names. Also the amount that these men gave for all of us to enjoy what we do today is astounding. For anyone interested in the founding of the USA this is an excellent read. The book also contains chapters on the articles of confederation, stamp act and the constitution