Author Talk: The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America
TORRINGTON, CONN. – The Torrington Historical Society will present New York Times Bestselling Author Kostya Kennedy to discuss his new book The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America (USA Today Bestseller) on Wednesday, May 13th at 6:30 pm. This is one of a year long series of FREE 2026 programs hosted by Torrington Historical Society, an America 250 / CT Commission Affiliate.
On April 18, 1775, a Boston-based silversmith, engraver, and anti-British political operative named Paul Revere set out on a borrowed horse to fulfill a dangerous but crucial mission: to alert American colonists of advancing British troops. Revere was not the only rider that night, and indeed, he had completed at least 18 previous rides across New England and other colonies, disseminating intelligence about British movements. But this ride was like no other, and its consequences in the months and years to come—as the American Revolution morphed from isolated skirmishes to a full-fledged war—became one of our founding legends.
In this presentation Kennedy will discuss his book in which he presents a dramatic new narrative of the events of April 18 and 19, 1775, informed by fresh primary and secondary sources researched in archives, family letters and diaries, contemporary accounts, and more. Kennedy reveals Revere’s ride to be more complex than it is usually portrayed—a loosely coordinated series of rides by numerous men, near-disaster, capture by British forces, and finally success.
Kostya Kennedy is the Editor in Chief of Premium Publishing at Dotdash Meredith, overseeing special editions under People, LIFE, Eating Well, Real Simple, Health, TIME and others. He was former assistant managing editor and senior writer at Sports Illustrated, staff writer at Newsday and has written for numerous outlets including The New York Times, Time, and The New Yorker. Along with The Ride, Kennedy has written True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson and the NYT’s bestsellers 56: Joe DiMaggio and the Last Magic Number in Sports, and Pete Rose: An American Dilemma. His television work includes appearances as a contributing analyst and commentator on the MLB network, as well as appearances on Late Night with Seth Meyers and Morning Joe. He has an M.S. from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, from which he received a Pulitzer Fellowship and an undergraduate degree in Philosophy from Stony Brook University.
This free event will be held at the Torrington Historical Society at 192 Main Street at 6:30 pm and all are welcome. Links below or through Society website: www.torringtonhistoricalsociety.org
