"Vivid, splendid reading—reading for pleasure, for profit, for a sure grasp of the past that made the present possible." —William Manchester

Combining the skills of a gifted writer and a scholar's grasp of early America, The Way of Duty draws readers into a vividly evoked world. The Buels have used a rich trove of documents to tell the story of a Connecticut woman, Mary Fish Silliman (1736–1818), whose adventures illuminate the day-to-day realities of living through the American Revolution.

"An admirable book about an admirable person. . . . Thoroughly engrossing." —Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World

"Engrossing family history, very well told." —Kirkus Reviews

"A poignant, even heart-wrenching story. The Buels make clear just how disruptive the Revolution was in the private lives of families. It is a beautifully written, irresistible story that tells a lot about what the Revolution really meant." —Richard L. Bushman, Columbia University