Pair Movies with Books: Washington D.C.

Today I'm in Washington D.C. visiting a friend and enjoying the cherry blossoms! My mini-vacation prompted some pre-trip reading on our Nation’s Capital. Here’s what I read and a few movies to watch at the same time.

Washington Schlepped Here

Walking in the Nation’s Capital

by Christopher Buckley

★★★☆

This walking guide is part of the Crown Journeys series, books written by well-known authors about the cities in which they live. It reads like a Bill Bryson travel book, high praise if you know my feelings on Bryson.

It’s full of fun anecdotes about the people who designed and built D.C., which I knew very little about before reading this. It’s a slim volume, so there’s not a lot of room for depth, but it’s a quick glimpse at how the city developed in the way it did.

The second half of the book takes on a slightly more serious feel as Buckley wanders through Arlington Cemetery and some of the city’s somber monuments. The sections on the Holocaust Museum and the struggle to get the Vietnam War Memorial built were particularly good. The story of the competition for the Vietnam War memorial design is so similar to The Submission it gave me chills. I had no idea it was so controversial.

BOTTOM LINE: It’s more entertaining than a regular travel guide, but it still has helpful info. I love seeing a city I’m visiting through the eyes of someone who lives there, so I enjoyed it. Read it if you’re planning a trip to D.C.

1776

by David McCullough

★★★★

History buffs rejoice! This nonfiction account of the first major year of the American Revolution will certainly hit the spot for you. After the United States declared its independence from British rule all hell broke loose. McCullough chronicles the ebb and flow of British power in the states as the battle was fought.

I didn't realize that the American army was completely voluntary. The majority of the men were trying to run their farms at the same time. They left their wives and children alone with all the duties on the farm and many of them had to leave the battle front for awhile to return home during harvest time to help their families. Meanwhile the British army they were fighting was made up of trained soldiers with no opportunity to return home.

I loved learning about the Americans taking the hill above Boston in the middle of the night. The British woke up and realized they were completely screwed. So much in war depends on chance, to pull that off they had to have the perfect weather and luckily they did! I also learned so much more about George Washington. He was a great leader who had a wonderful ability to instill confidence in soldiers, but he made mistakes just like anyone else.

There were so many moments when it looked like America would lose it all. We were the underdogs. The British had well-trained forces and plenty of supplies. We had exhausted farmers with mismatched jackets and a severe lack of food. Somehow a victory with those circumstances is even sweeter.  

My only complaint is that when it comes to history tomes it’s easier for me to stay connected when the focus falls on one person. One could argue George Washington in the lynch pin in this book, but it’s really about the war as a whole. I always feel like the facts stay with me longer if I see them in the context of one person’s life. I still really enjoyed it, but not quite as much as a straight biography.  

BOTTOM LINE: If you love history, especially regarding America, then this is for you. It’s well-written, covers fascinating territory and gives a complete picture of just how important that year was in the creation of a brand new nation.

p.s. I’d also recommend checking out the Crash Course videos on the American Revolution here and here.

Pair with a viewing of The Patriot and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. One is a harsh look at the violence in the Revolutionary War. The other is an idealist’s trip to the Capital, complete with Jimmy Stewart’s incomparable voice.