I'm completing a book about the 20,000 or more Americans taken prisoner by the British during the Revolutionary War. The vast majority were detained in and around New York City under conditions of almost unimaginable squalor. Half of them died of malnutrition, disease, or physical abuse -- almost twice as many as died in combat. Their stories offer a wealth of detail about how ordinary people experienced the Revolution. They also provide revealing insights into how the Revolution would be remembered in years to come. In July 2006, the New York Times published my Op-Ed essay on the subject.

I am also gathering materials for books on the history of historical writing about New York City as well as the history of political corruption in the United States.