The Kent Family Chronicles
Author John Jakes, for the American Bicentennial, wrote a series of novels about a fictional character, Philippe Charboneau, and his immigration to the colonies. The first novel, The Bastard, is the story of Philippe and his French mother, Marie, and what led him to make the decision to leave his home in France, go to England where he was to get his inheritance from is father, the 6th Duke of Kent, settle a while in London and the finally set sail for the colonies.
I enjoy this series of novels because it is based on historical people and situations. It brings to me a connection to history and a story about the way that life may have been in the late 1770. The series carries thru 19th Century America.
In The Bastard, Phillipe meets Dr. Benjamin Franklin, who according to the story likes to swim naked in the Thames in London. Dr. Franklin influences the young man to move to the colonies. In Boston, he meets Ben Edes, an early American publisher, who at the time was publishing The Boston Gazette. Soon a revolution breaks out. Now known as Philip Kent, he joins in the cause participating in the Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride.
I am now reading the second in the series, The Rebels. It continues with the meeting of Second Congressional Congress in Philadelphia. Once again, our dear Dr. Franklin is quite a character. I wonder if that was what he was like in real life. The Declaration of Independence was read in the public square in Philadelphia with Dr Franklin in attendance along with John Adams, John Hancock, and Thomas Jefferson.
There are eight novels in this series. I read them all in the 1970’s. They are very interesting and keep my attention to read about two hours at a time! Now I read before falling asleep.
If you have an interest in American history, I think you may enjoy this series. It isn’t the dull facts. There is enough action to keep your finger turning the page (or swiping as I am know doing on my tablet)!
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