'How We Lost America' Book Launch

Please join us to celebrate the launch of 'How We Lost America: A New Perspective on American Independence' published by Aurora Metro Books Thanks to contributions from historians, journalists and artists, this book explores the events leading up to the American War of Independence, and its aftermath. This new perspective on the fight for independence delves into the hidden histories of underrepresented individuals. From British politicians and dissenters to enslaved people and women revolutionaries, everyone played a role in setting this democratic precedence. Our event will be hosted by a panel of our historians including: Leanne O’Boyle contributed the chapter entitled ‘Thomas Paine (1737-1809): The British Founding Father’. Leanne is a historian, broadcaster, and author of Patriots, Radicals & Revolutionaries (2026). She is Founding Director of Thomas Paine: Legacy, a not-for-profit based at Paine’s former home, Bull House, in Lewes, and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. She has worked in cultural heritage and public engagement for almost 20 years and established Bull House as a museum and Centre for Democracy, welcoming academics and supporting research into Paine and his legacy. She has appeared in programmes for the BBC, PBS, CBS, and ZDF, including Lucy Worsley Investigates: The American Revolution. Dr. Tom Cutterham contributed the chapter entitled 'British Friends of the American Revolution'. Tom teaches the history of the United States and the British Atlantic world at the University of Birmingham. His first book was Gentlemen Revolutionaries: Power and Justice in the New American Republic (Princeton, 2017) and his second was Empire Ablaze: The American Revolution and the Atlantic Working Class (Verso, 2026). Becca Palmer contributed the chapter entitled 'The Role of Print in the American Revolution'. Becca is a postdoctoral Research Officer at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her work centres on the political thought of the American Revolution. Becca’s PhD at University College London focused on ideas of corruption during the American Revolution. She is about to begin a new project on concepts of popular democracy amongst the Anti-Federalists, as part of an ERC-funded project at LSE. 'How We Lost America: A New Perspective on American Independence' includes chapter contributions by Dr. Jon Chandler, Becca Palmer, Dr. Tom Cutterham, Leanne O'Boyle, Sarah Tucker and John U Rees. As well as interviews from artists Selena Scott and Sejel Bodereau. This book was introduced by Amie Brian and edited by Mark Gunn. Aurora Metro Publications is a leading independent publisher in London, helmed by owner-publisher Cheryl Robson. Established for over 30 years, the stable of companies and imprints includes Supernova Books, Amber Lane Press and a new imprint, River Light Press. With over 300 titles in print, Aurora Metro has published numerous award-winning authors, two Nobel prize winners and even the King of England