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This week, America celebrates its independence. But how much of what we commonly believe about our country's creation is actually mythology?

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Atkinson's new book "The British are Coming" masterfully brings the Revolutionary War to life. He writes about the big personalities in the war, from King George to George Washington, and paints in vivid detail what life was really like both for colonists and for the British Redcoats — properly referred to as Regulars — sent to suppress the rebellion. 

In doing so he dispels many commonly held beliefs about the war — Paul Revere never said, "The British are coming," for example. And he connects the dots from America's combative past to its challenging present.

Atkinson joined MPR News host Kerri Miller to talk about his book, the Revolutionary War and what a well-rounded understanding of history can teach us about today.

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.

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Author Rick Atkinson brings America's war for independence to life with "The British Are Coming," the first book in his new trilogy about the Revolutionary War.

What do you really know about the Revolutionary War?

Rick Atkinson is the author of the new book “The British Are Coming"

What do you really know about the Revolutionary War?

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