Stories We Tell Ourselves About the American Revolution

When he’s not “waking the dead” from his farmhouse and studio headquarters in Walpole, New Hampshire, or his condo in Brooklyn, Ken Burns is often screening films across the nation that for 44 years has been his muse. Burns and I spoke in early November, after he had just returned from barnstorming through old Revolutionary War battlegrounds and historical sites, small-town cinemas and local theaters. He and his production team were gearing up for the release of their new film, The American Revolution—a six-part, 12-hour documentary that debuted Sunday on PBS and will air through the end of the week.