Tag Archives: American Revolutionary War

Audiobook Mini-Review: Book of Ages

26 Oct

unknownFrom one of our most accomplished and widely admired historians—a revelatory portrait of Benjamin Franklin’s youngest sister, Jane, whose obscurity and poverty were matched only by her brother’s fame and wealth but who, like him, was a passionate reader, a gifted writer, and an astonishingly shrewd political commentator.

Making use of an astonishing cache of little-studied material, including documents, objects, and portraits only just discovered, Jill Lepore brings Jane Franklin to life in a way that illuminates not only this one extraordinary woman but an entire world.

 

leopre-homepageJill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker. A prize-winning professor, she teaches classes in evidence, historical methods, humanistic inquiry, and American history. Much of her scholarship explores absences and asymmetries in the historical record, with a particular emphasis on the histories and technologies of evidence and of privacy. As a wide-ranging and prolific essayist, Lepore writes about American history, law, literature, and politics. She is the author of many award-winning books and is currently writing a history of the United States.

 

My Impressions:

My church book club, Page Turners, continues to stretch my reading habits. This month’s selection, Book of Ages: The Life And Opinions of Jane Franklin, broke my long-standing aversion to non-fiction. Give me a story, I say! Well, Jill Lepore accomplished that and more. Entertaining and illuminating, this book showed us things that we didn’t know. Even the history teacher in the group learned lots of new facts. More than a chronicle of Jane Franklin’s life, it explores the philosophy and culture of an important time in the American experience. I listened to the audio version of the book and was hard pressed to switch it off! The narration was excellent and the subject matter and beautiful writing kept me riveted. For fans of early American history, this one is a must-read. For those who want a story, Book of Ages will not disappoint.

Highly Recommended. 

Audience: older teens and adults.

(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Book Review: Patriots, Redcoats And Spies

3 Apr

748410When Revolutionary War Patriot Lamberton Clark is shot by British soldiers while on a mission for the Continental Army, he has only two hopes of getting the secret message he’s carrying to General George Washington: his 14-year-old twin boys John and Ambrose. Upon discovering that their father is a spy in the Culper Spy Ring, the boys accept their mission without a clue about what they may be up against. They set off from Connecticut to New Jersey to find General Washington, but the road to the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army is full of obstacles; including the man who shot their father who is hot on their trail.

 

 

robfullphotoAbout Author Robert J. Skead (from his website):

Fascinated by the creative process and all things inspirational, I love to craft stories and help others achieve their dreams. Nothing great happens alone—it takes a team and lots of encouragement (and hard work) for awesome things to happen.

In addition to writing, I run a basketball league for 320 kids in my area, coach my kids’ sports teams, and enjoy learning new things. In fact, each book I’ve written is the result of something in life that captured my attention and I decided to learn more about it or that I knew about—like Christmas elves and football-playing turkeys.

 

My Impressions:

If you are looking to encourage boys ages 10-14 to read, then you need to check out Patriots, Redcoats and Spies by Robert J. Skead. Filled with adventure, suspense and historical detail, this book follows twin brothers, Ambrose and John, on a mission critical to the success of the American patriots during the Revolutionary War. I think this book would be especially helpful to homeschool families.

Ambrose and John Clark are identical in looks, but nothing alike in temperament. John is quiet and cautious and Ambrose is boisterous and impetuous. But both boys want to help their father get a secret letter to General Washington. As they dodge Redcoats and borrow horses to achieve their goal, they draw closer and mature.

Skead uses information about the real Culper spy ring to create a story sure to appeal to boys (and girls for that matter). He also includes information on the history behind the novel, as well as historical figures and a glossary of sites and terms introduced in the book. Discussion questions also allow your child to go a little deeper in their own thoughts on being a patriot. When they finish the book, they will certainly want more, and they are in luck! There is a second book featuring the Clark twins — Submarines, Secrets And A Daring Rescue. So check this one out!

Recommended.

Audience: children ages 10-14.

(Thanks to Zonderkidz for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

To purchase this book, click HERE.

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