Books
Military history written with an expert’s eye.
Award-winning scholarship that connects strategy and leadership with the human decisions that shape campaigns.
Oxford University Press · 2021
The Compleat Victory
Saratoga and the American Revolution
Kevin’s critically acclaimed and best-selling account of the Saratoga campaign examines events at strategic, operational and tactical levels, bringing together leadership, logistics, terrain and combat to explain why the campaign became a decisive turning point in the American Revolution.
Selected awards
- Gilder Lehrman Prize for Military History
- Society of the Cincinnati Prize
- Fraunces Tavern Museum Book Award
- Daughters of the American Revolution Excellence in American History Book Award
- New York Military Museum Book Award
- Oxford University Press Best Books of 2022 List
“The fullest, most accurate, and most readable account of this most decisive battle of the Revolutionary War.”Gordon S. Wood
“The Battle of Saratoga must be seen in the immediate context of the American Revolution, but Kevin Weddle’s book goes far beyond that, showing how it fits within the larger story of the British Empire, and why it was influenced by events that took place from London to Philadelphia to Montreal. . . . The book that emerges is nearly flawless, beautifully written, learned, and insightful – in one word, superb.”
Robert Middlekauff, author of The Glorious Cause: The American Revolution, 1763–1789
“Balanced in its analysis and critique of British and American strategic leadership, exhaustively researched, and vividly narrated.”New Books Network
“A gripping account of a campaign that was crucial in the struggle for American independence.”Jeremy Black, author of Fighting for America
“A significant contribution to the military history of the Revolutionary War.”Kirkus Reviews
“A reminder that the hard-learned lessons of today’s conflicts are eerily like the lessons taught more than two centuries ago.”The Strategy Bridge
“A suitable book for upper-division history courses on the American Revolution as well as military history buffs looking for a page-turner on an important campaign.”Matthew Vajda, Kent State University
“The most comprehensive telling of the campaign to date.”ARMY Magazine
“Mr. Weddle deftly recounts Britain’s deliberations at this key point.”The Wall Street Journal
“Kevin J. Weddle has written the authoritative account of the Saratoga campaign.”History: Reviews of New Books
University of Virginia Press · 2005
Lincoln’s Tragic Admiral
The Life of Samuel Francis Du Pont
Winner of the William E. Colby Award, Kevin’s first book traces the life, career and downfall of Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont, placing one of the Civil War Navy’s most important figures within the technological, political and strategic changes of his age.
Selected recognition
- William E. Colby Award
- First runner-up, Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt Naval History Prize
- Honorable mention, Peter Seaborg Award for Civil War Scholarship
- Association of American University Presses Outstanding Title
“Du Pont’s downfall after the failure to capture Charleston in 1863 was a true tragedy of classical proportions, chronicled here with greater sensitivity than ever before.”James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom
“A very human account, engagingly written, expertly researched, and well told.”Victor Davis Hanson, Hoover Institution, Stanford University
“This is essential reading for all students of the Civil War navies.”Craig L. Symonds, US Naval Academy
“Successfully argues that Du Pont was not anti-technology and that he was one of the Navy’s most influential Antebellum officers.”Civil War Book Review
“Well written and makes extensive use of the relevant primary and secondary sources.”Spencer Tucker, Journal of Military History
Book events
Lectures, festivals and discussions.
Kevin regularly speaks about his books for museums, universities, historical organizations and literary festivals in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Inquire about a book event →