Review: What So Proudly We Hailed: Francis Scott Key, A Life By: Marc Leepson

What So Proudly We Hailed: Francis Scott Key, A Life by Marc Leepson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

*****This is A First Reads, Thank You Goodreads*****

A well researched biography of Francis Scott Key. The author touches on Key's life and accomplishments. Key's life was complicated in some ways, and yet can be summed up as religious, patriotic, and conservative. One of the first lawyers to provide free legal services to to enslaved and belonged to American Colonization Society, he also owned slaves. He belonged to the American Bible Society, helped begin the Lancaster Society for the Christian system of education. Key in an earlier life decided not to join the priesthood and to go into law, yet the the love of religion and God was forever present in his life til his death.
The information of Dr Beanes and the dangerous assignment that lead Key to write The Star Spangled Banner and it's rather immediate publication is visited in the book. Also included briefly is the poet Key and that interesting fact that he was tone deaf and the Star Spangled Banner was put to a song that was being sung in pubs, "To High Anacreon in Heaven".
The book jumps a bit and filled with facts and dates and can be a bit tedious at times to get through, some interesting things that you, the reader, might have noted will have gone by the wayside, for the author felt it more important to tell the tale of Key, slaves, and the roles they played in each other's lives, which makes you miss the whole picture of the man him himself - although I am glad I got a glimpse.

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