The Writings of Thomas Paine — Volume 1 (1774-1779): The American Crisis

This volume gathers Thomas Paine’s fiery pamphlets written between 1774 and 1779, a pivotal period when the American colonies were grappling with war and identity. The collection presents the full sequence of his “Crisis” series—thirteen numbered essays plus a “Crisis Extraordinary”—offering a window into the polemical writing that helped shape public opinion. Paine’s prose is direct and urgent, combining moral appeal with vivid imagery to argue that liberty is worth any sacrifice.

The opening essay, famous for the line “These are the times that try men’s souls,” was composed during Washington’s retreat across the Delaware and was read aloud to dispirited soldiers. Its stirring rhetoric aimed to rally the “summer soldiers” and “sunshine patriots” into steadfast supporters of the cause. Listeners will hear how Paine’s words resonated with the era’s leaders and ordinary citizens, capturing the spirit of a nation on the brink of independence.