Revere has been one of the best known legendary heroes of our country, embedded in the customary errors of [Long-fellow's poem]. As Esther Forbes … says, the legend was to swallow the actual man. It has been her task [in Paul Revere and the World He Lived In] to bring the real man to life, and to paint his portrait against the background of his times.

The original material for the purpose has apparently not been excessive, but it has been sufficient, and the author has evidently gone through it with care and discrimination. This is her first non-fiction book, but shows, like the five novels dealing with New England conditions which preceded this historio-biography, an extremely competent knowledge of the history of her section…. Esther Forbes wears her learning lightly, and in her easy style transmits to her readers some of the pleasure, and even fun, she has...