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Conceived in Liberty
Fast’s stunning account of the brutal winter at Valley Forge, where thousands of American revolutionaries made a harrowing sacrifice for freedom
General George Washington’s twelve thousand soldiers march into Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, under-fed and under-clothed, their frozen feet leaving bloody tracks in the snow. Shortly after the soldiers establish quarters for the cold months ahead, disease begins to rip through the camp. The men, helpless against sickness and despair, are facing the longest winter of their livesâ and their survival will determine the fate of their young nation. Passionate and unforgettable, Conceived in Liberty is one of Fast’s rawest accounts of the brutality of the Revolutionary War, and of the heroism of its soldiers. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Howard Fast including rare photos from the author’s estate.
General George Washington’s twelve thousand soldiers march into Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, under-fed and under-clothed, their frozen feet leaving bloody tracks in the snow. Shortly after the soldiers establish quarters for the cold months ahead, disease begins to rip through the camp. The men, helpless against sickness and despair, are facing the longest winter of their livesâ and their survival will determine the fate of their young nation. Passionate and unforgettable, Conceived in Liberty is one of Fast’s rawest accounts of the brutality of the Revolutionary War, and of the heroism of its soldiers. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Howard Fast including rare photos from the author’s estate.
208 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1945
About the author
Howard Fast
317 books257 followersHoward Fast was one of the most prolific American writers of the twentieth century. He was a bestselling author of more than eighty works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and screenplays. The son of immigrants, Fast grew up in New York City and published his first novel upon finishing high school in 1933. In 1950, his refusal to provide the United States Congress with a list of possible Communist associates earned him a three-month prison sentence. During his incarceration, Fast wrote one of his best-known novels, Spartacus (1951). Throughout his long career, Fast matched his commitment to championing social justice in his writing with a deft, lively storytelling style.
Pseudonyms: Walter Ericson, E.V. Cunningham
Pseudonyms: Walter Ericson, E.V. Cunningham
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 8, 2016
"I wash Ely's feet-and then he stares at them curiously. Somehow, they are healing. Long, raw scars are ingrained with dirt, but the bleeding has stopped. The poor, tortured flesh is knitting itself together once more. Soon the scabs will fall off. The dead white skin will be replaced with new flesh, and new blood will flow through the blue veins that stand out so sharp. He stares at his feet as if he had never seen them before He takes a few steps through the water-then goes back to the bank and sits down. He attempts to say something to me, and his words choke up."
Sometimes reviews are weaker than the truth of what an author can convey. I believe this to be one of those cases. I will only add that I relished living in the pages of Fast's words.
Sometimes reviews are weaker than the truth of what an author can convey. I believe this to be one of those cases. I will only add that I relished living in the pages of Fast's words.
October 28, 2014
I don't read many war time novels (Killer Angels, The Things We Carried come to mind). But I stumbled on this one accidentally while searching for something I'd read as an adolescent - and it is exceptional. It's a starkly brutal retelling of the winter at Valley Forge during the American Revolution, when so many soldiers died from the elements it nearly broke the back of the young continental army.
While some of the characters are slow to take shape, when they do, they become wonderful portraits of spirits made and broken by war. And the at-times meandering storytelling turns positively riveting by the last half of the book. Most powerful of all is the clear-eyed depiction of living in a state of war and its deprivations.
Fast was a master of the historical novel, and this early work is ample evidence of his skills. I'd definitely recommend this for anyone who's interested in war writing, American history, or gritty historical fiction!
While some of the characters are slow to take shape, when they do, they become wonderful portraits of spirits made and broken by war. And the at-times meandering storytelling turns positively riveting by the last half of the book. Most powerful of all is the clear-eyed depiction of living in a state of war and its deprivations.
Fast was a master of the historical novel, and this early work is ample evidence of his skills. I'd definitely recommend this for anyone who's interested in war writing, American history, or gritty historical fiction!
March 12, 2018
It's one thing to read about the horrific conditions at Valley Forge, but when read through a soldiers eyes, it puts a whole new meaning on the sacrifices and suffering the patriots endured. Should be required reading for everyone who takes for granted those sacrifices that were made so we could live in Freedom. An honest portrayal of the doubts and suffering our Patriots endured.
October 30, 2023
For quite a while now “Conceived in Liberty” by Murray Rothbard has been on my list and so I decided, rather than keep looking at it on that list, I should just order a copy and start reading. I thought I did that but it turns out I didn’t look very closely at what I was ordering and got a copy of “Conceived in Liberty” by Howard Fast (1939) instead!
It’s a short novel about Allen Hale, a fictional Continental Army soldier in the American Revolution. Much of the novel is about the horrors of living through the winter of 1777-78 in Valley Forge, through terrible cold, almost no food, onslaught of disease with little medical attention, and the desire to desert the army held in check only by the severe punishment one could expect if caught. The British really aren’t the enemy at all; they are nowhere to be seen, sitting the winter out in comparative luxury in Boston nearby. The terrible winter gives way to a merciless summer and a resumption of the war. While the battles that ensue are horrible and see many of Allen’s friends killed, the ability to fight back makes the attacks of the British almost seem like a relief compared to the attacks by nature.
In addition to the fictional characters, the novel features historical ones too, such as Washington, Hamilton, Lee, Von Steuben, and Lafayette. Conflicts between the troops from different states are also highlighted, with Hale being from a New York regiment that has lost so many men that they are rolled into a Pennsylvania regiment instead. The New Yorkers clash with the native Pennsylvanians but eventually get absorbed into the unit and turn their ire onto Virginians, Marylanders, and New Jerseyans. Officers are a constant target of scorn, regardless of their place of origin. I kind of got the impression that the author was playing to the Progressive Era attitude towards elites but maybe it was an attitude that prevailed in the Revolution too?
The book is well-written and easy to read, though the dialogue is a little old-timey. I couldn’t quite tell if the author did this on purpose to reflect the times he was writing about or if the book is just old enough to sound a little dated. Either way, it wasn’t hard to follow.
I’m not well-read enough on this time period to tell how historically accurate the book is. There is more than one place where a musket is declared to be 15-20 lbs in weight though, which seems awfully high to me. The British “Brown Bess” musket weighed closer to 10 lbs and I imagine most commercial guns of the time would have been about the same. Whenever I run across an inaccuracy on a subject that I’m familiar with, it causes me to doubt all the other information in the book too, even if I have no way of verifying the information. That said, in this case it’s a work of fiction, so maybe that’s not worth worrying about.
This was a book I never intended to read, much less own, but I think I’ll keep it around since it was quick to read and entertaining. I could see myself reading it again, possibly, and it’s nice to have classics like this around.
It’s a short novel about Allen Hale, a fictional Continental Army soldier in the American Revolution. Much of the novel is about the horrors of living through the winter of 1777-78 in Valley Forge, through terrible cold, almost no food, onslaught of disease with little medical attention, and the desire to desert the army held in check only by the severe punishment one could expect if caught. The British really aren’t the enemy at all; they are nowhere to be seen, sitting the winter out in comparative luxury in Boston nearby. The terrible winter gives way to a merciless summer and a resumption of the war. While the battles that ensue are horrible and see many of Allen’s friends killed, the ability to fight back makes the attacks of the British almost seem like a relief compared to the attacks by nature.
In addition to the fictional characters, the novel features historical ones too, such as Washington, Hamilton, Lee, Von Steuben, and Lafayette. Conflicts between the troops from different states are also highlighted, with Hale being from a New York regiment that has lost so many men that they are rolled into a Pennsylvania regiment instead. The New Yorkers clash with the native Pennsylvanians but eventually get absorbed into the unit and turn their ire onto Virginians, Marylanders, and New Jerseyans. Officers are a constant target of scorn, regardless of their place of origin. I kind of got the impression that the author was playing to the Progressive Era attitude towards elites but maybe it was an attitude that prevailed in the Revolution too?
The book is well-written and easy to read, though the dialogue is a little old-timey. I couldn’t quite tell if the author did this on purpose to reflect the times he was writing about or if the book is just old enough to sound a little dated. Either way, it wasn’t hard to follow.
I’m not well-read enough on this time period to tell how historically accurate the book is. There is more than one place where a musket is declared to be 15-20 lbs in weight though, which seems awfully high to me. The British “Brown Bess” musket weighed closer to 10 lbs and I imagine most commercial guns of the time would have been about the same. Whenever I run across an inaccuracy on a subject that I’m familiar with, it causes me to doubt all the other information in the book too, even if I have no way of verifying the information. That said, in this case it’s a work of fiction, so maybe that’s not worth worrying about.
This was a book I never intended to read, much less own, but I think I’ll keep it around since it was quick to read and entertaining. I could see myself reading it again, possibly, and it’s nice to have classics like this around.
January 22, 2020
Howard Fast's portrayal of life in the Continental Army for one horribly cold winter at Valley Forge was brilliant. The men suffered physically from the weather, living conditions, lack of food, proper clothing and emotional distress. They had not seen the enemy since Bunker Hill and were losing sight of why they were there. Since they weren't being paid many had deserted and gone home. I love American history and loved this book. It had all the players including George Washington and Alexander Hamilton. I highly recommend it.
July 20, 2022
A honestly and truly brilliant book. Once I finished the book for fun I went a reread the first 10 pages, seeing all off the characters back together and it was honestly crazy seeing how it all panned out.
I used to think that valley forge was at the very least better than dying, but this book has changed my opinion. Recommend for anyone who like historical fictions or war novels, though this book is a tad bit depressing by the end.
I used to think that valley forge was at the very least better than dying, but this book has changed my opinion. Recommend for anyone who like historical fictions or war novels, though this book is a tad bit depressing by the end.
January 30, 2026
It always amazes me to read about what the people of our nation went through so that we could have our independence. If only they could see where we are today and how far we have strayed from the vision. It’s shameful. Men fought with no shoes, no pay, no clothes… it’s a great fictional story of actual events. The writing style is just not one that I’m used to. You can tell it’s an older book. Overall though it’s a great story to read.
April 16, 2018
A probably realistic portrayal of Valley Forge and life in a Revolutionary War camp that winter. Bleak, harsh, difficult. Old school, male-oriented historical fiction.
December 18, 2019
All too real and it is a despairing look at the coldest winter in forever. How they survived and how they died.
June 14, 2016
The winter spent at Valley Forge by the fledgling American army is an episode in Revolutionary War history that is often glossed over. Conceived in Liberty is a stark, fictionalized first-person narrative of the brutality, depravity, and tremendous suffering experienced by the remnants of a New York regiment. Author Howard Fast pulls no punches in describing the debilitating effects of starvation, disease and death had on the soldiers encamped during the winter of 1777-78. A depressing tale, if even only close to the truth this novel will lead to a greater appreciation of what early American men and women were willing to suffer through for their ideals.
January 12, 2015
Compact, quick-reading tale of the 1777 winter for Washington's troops at Valley Forge. Describes the horrendous effects of cold and starvation, with a healthy dose of class warfare to place the situation in context. Also gives you an idea of what life in general was like at that time, as well as the bizarre situation for the women of the day, and especially the ones who became - in order to survive - camp followers.
Provides a view into our national history that I certainly never got in elementary school, which is probably the last time anyone studies American History in any depth.
Provides a view into our national history that I certainly never got in elementary school, which is probably the last time anyone studies American History in any depth.
March 8, 2015
An American Classic
Why this isn't required reading for all American high school students, I will never understand. My heart ached from the descriptions of the lives lost, the utter wretchedness of conditions in that long, horrible winter at Valley Forge. Fast's writing brought it all alive, the birth of a nation, the fight for freedom that we still battle to this very day, nearly 300 years later. I cried.
A MUST READ FOR ALL AMERICANS.
Why this isn't required reading for all American high school students, I will never understand. My heart ached from the descriptions of the lives lost, the utter wretchedness of conditions in that long, horrible winter at Valley Forge. Fast's writing brought it all alive, the birth of a nation, the fight for freedom that we still battle to this very day, nearly 300 years later. I cried.
A MUST READ FOR ALL AMERICANS.
May 23, 2017
Inspiring
This is one of the most inspiring books I have read. Forget that the topic is the American Revolution at Valley Forge. Remember that the story is about everyday-men suffering for a vision, a dream, of a new world where ability, not title, matters. This is a great work.
This is one of the most inspiring books I have read. Forget that the topic is the American Revolution at Valley Forge. Remember that the story is about everyday-men suffering for a vision, a dream, of a new world where ability, not title, matters. This is a great work.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews