  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 06/01/2018 *Starred Review* Thomas Paine, author of the pamphlet Common Sense, which rallied the colonists to break from England, gets a strong, smart treatment here. Paine was born the son of a corset maker and undergarments were to be his future. But a love of reading gave him a way with words, and a thirst for adventure brought him to America in 1774, just as the colonies were trying to decide their fate. Common Sense, which was published in 1776, contained the shocking word independence. The Founding Fathers took note, the public snapped up copies, and the pamphlet was reprinted multiple times and became one of the things the Revolutionists rallied around. In her debut, Marsh does a fine job of mixing the personal and public elements of Paine’s life; he comes across as not just a historical figure but a fully realized fellow with hopes and dreams, enthusiasms and disappointments. She also makes note of Paine’s abolitionist views, an integral but often forgotten part of his story. Her lively text is complemented by Fotheringham’s artwork, hand-drawn on a digital device, which sets the mood on every page. Though his palette is rather somber—browns, golds, and greens—his cast springs to life and have almost a Disney appeal. The back matter offers lots more information, especially about Paine’s surprising end. - Copyright 2018 Booklist. Loading...
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