The Revolutionary Paul Revere
Joel J Miller

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Joel J Miller’s „The Revolutionary Paul Revere“ does not begin with that luminary’s famous ride to warn the colonists that the Red Coats were coming, rather, Miller offers a peek into the people who shaped the lad who would become one of the leaders of the events leading to the colonists rebellion and ultimate founding of the notion that American is what those early folk to our eastern shore had become.

In the prologue Miller sets the tone for the work as Revere takes pen in hand to send his thoughts regarding those early days of our nation to one Jeremy Belknap the secretary of the Massachusetts Historical Society.

Among 1716 arrivals to the eastern shore was Apollos Rivoire. The ragtag Boston settlement which exported 300,000 dried and salted cod to England in 1640 was now prosperous coastal city having a population of 15,000 persons. Apollos was a son of a determined Huguenot who baptized his son in secret and sent his son on the journey which would lead to Boston where religious freedom was promised. Indentured to goldsmith John Coney the teen was assured a future livelihood, it was the one which he would pass to his son Paul.

Revere's adventures began in childhood when he overthrew the constraints of rigid Puritan upbringing to form with a group of his fellows a Bell ringing guild wherein the lads would ring the bells, and lend an ear to the preaching at the local Calvinist led congregation.

His father’s death in 1754 found Paul in possession of a functioning smithy filled with customers, molds, designs and tools. He was too young to take advantage of the inheritance, the law exempted widows from apprenticeship rules, thus Deborah Revere became the shop keeper while sons Paul and Thomas did the crafting.

It was a time of much commotion, turmoil and disorder including French and Indian Wars; prerevolutionary monetary problems filled with taxation, confiscation along with tumult and riots. The upheaval in the colony was quickly followed by military occupation of Boston.

Revere’s part in infamous Boston Massacre trial; as well as his role in the Boston Tea Party were detailed in engravings Revere undertook to record the activities of that era. He married, continued his work as a gold and silver smith, became an express rider for the Massachusetts patriots; became a father, marched into battle, served as a waterfront spy, and mourned the death of his wife Sarah.

Few are not aware of the silver tankards crafted by this early patriot, I found most interesting that much of his daily wealth came not from large plate items or engravings, but rather from the thimbles, needles, buttons, buckles and the like he also crafted.

Revere’s life is a rich portrait of a man who made little secret for aspiration to attain affluence and social standing. He made significant contributions to the events leading to the colonists’ revolt against the British and served with the Massachusetts militia during the war. He faced the rigors of the times, be it threat of war, invasion, death of children or spouse or an outbreak of smallpox with the same grim determination and succeeded in overcoming each of them in turn to ultimately move from his role as silversmith plying his trade to an early manufacturing magnate.

Writer Miller presents an enjoyable peek into the man who was a soldier, husband of 2 wives, father of 16 children, few of whom outlived him, was a businessman, patriot who had a hand in the Massachusetts ratification of the US Constitution and left a legacy filled with engravings of times, places and people as well as items crafted for Freemasons, households and military. From jewelry to thimbles to cannon Revere was an integral part of the early days of the American nation.

Long a student of history who knows most of the 1860 era than I do of the Revolutionary period; I like chapter set up; short, easily read in a sitting, begun with a word title offered in an example of that early day script along with a quote to set the scene. The prologue leads into the tale, 26 pages of foot notes flesh details, and table of contents and index help lead readers to specifics.

Happy to recommend Joel J Miller’s „The Revolutionary Paul Revere“.

Enjoy Your Money!: How to Make It, Save It, Invest It and Give It
J. Steve Miller
Wisdom Creek Press

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J. Steve Miller’s - "Enjoy Your Money!: How to Make It, Save It, Invest It and Give It" presents readers occasion for learning to Invest, Save, Make and Enjoy Money. One of the first declarations set down in the work caught my eye, Miller wrote: I strove to be one of those exceptions by basing my advice not just upon years of personal experience, but upon the knowledge and experiences of well over one hundred wise people.

Now THAT sounds hard to beat.

Attaining acumen, learning, knowledge, living below ones means, investing habitually and serving others all are keys to triumph.

Miller tenders a manuscript penned in an stirring and satisfying arrangement proposed to keep the reader occupied and turning the page. Each sheet is overflowing with appealing and agreeably structured information existing as coursework, conversation materials and motivation packed notations.

Particularly supportive for those who may have modest to no appreciative perception of personal finance; J. Steve Miller’s - "Enjoy Your Money!: How to Make It, Save It, Invest It and Give It" can leverage as a jumping off point, or a road map to direct the neophyte toward proficiency when it comes to understanding money, and what can be done with it in order to give surety toward a more advantageous future.

Part One: Investing Money presents readers with important information for discovering the basics, catching the vision and how to not lose money in stocks. Miller furnishes information for how to go about making money in Mutual Funds, along with advice for how to diversify with Real Estate. Scattered throughout this section are sidebars, set apart boxes, colored headings and lots of information.

I found a note down on page 76 which seems to hold a wealth of well thought out realism and is it timely: Preparing for Hard Times in Case of Another Depression, Work: jobs will be scarce, so work hard and smart now. Make yourself indispensable by knowing more about your job than anyone else and getting along with everyone. I need to be the last mechanic my boss would ever let go.

Life Style:

1 GET OUT OF DEBT; try to pay off your mortgage as quickly as possible. Even if you hold onto your employment during a dire market; it is likely you will earn less money for the reason that companies will be hurting. Ask yourself, -if my income were cut in half, could I still make my payments?

2 LIVE WAY BENEATH YOUR MEANS. Those living beyond their means will be in financial disarray. Lots of money will be lost should need arise forcing the selling of cars and houses at a massive loss.

3 Put more funds into your emergency account. In some locales, half the population were without work during the Great Depression. Consider how long could you last without an income?

Miller changes course in Part Two: SAVING MONEY and the writer yet again points out Live Way Beneath Your Means. He suggests ideas for how to save on food and clothes cost, on purchase of cars as well as how to save when buying houses. I found stimulating Miller’s list of ten ways to lose a lot of money. He calls them Ten Popular Ways, meaning these are the ways many people bring into play to shoot themselves in the foot so to say when it comes to money.

Part Three: Making Money is concise and to the point filled with notes for how to locate those dream jobs, how to go about to do extremely well at your job and how to empower in your mind. Seems trouble-free enough, however, most of us have heard many co workers, or others bemoaning the job they have, and don’t want, while doing little to nothing to change the situation.

Part four Enjoying Money makes available sagacious matter-of-fact suggestions for how to go about looking for happiness in the right places which Miller notes necessitates some learning, includes some philanthropic giving of self to others, and considering religion and other centered activity.

Appendices incorporate an adult spending sheet or budget as well as one for 17 year olds.

Writer Miller has created a nicely penned, well-ordered manuscript intended to assist anyone at any phase of earning, saving, investing and enjoying their money.

Text is chatty filled with witticisms and packed with plenty of practical and constructive data. Coursework and assignments are designed to give support to the reader toward making constructive changes toward, or continuing good money management.

Happy to recommend J. Steve Miller’s - "Enjoy Your Money!: How to Make It, Save It, Invest It and Give It"