Choice Read Post #2

The Harder The Conflict Book Cover

Last month I created my first post on my choice read book, The Harder The Conflict, by Joseph H. Dempsey.  I have actually just completed the novel on Friday (November 18).  I really enjoyed the historically accurate story about young boy Jimmy Stiles and his role in the American Revolution. 

When I left off last, Jimmy had just returned home after working as an assistant to the Colonial Army.  Soon after his return home, Jimmy enrolls in the Morris Militia (as I predicted that he would).  However, his first task as a soldier isn't on the battlefield.  Jimmy and the other members of the militia were asked to transport supplies and food from the next town over to the soldiers located in Morristown.  The trip took several days because there was so much snow and ice that travel was slow.  The men made it back just in time to save the troops from starvation and frostbite. 



George Washington

While still stationed in Morristown, General George Washington asks Jimmy and his friend Aaron to listen in on a court hearing, and then report back to him after.  When they arrived General Benedict Arnold was being the one being accused of assisting the British forces.  The boys report back to Washington who absorbs the information and sends them on their way.  After looking into the trial deeper, Washington discovers that what Jimmy says is exactly what was said in court.  He wonders whether Jimmy just remembered well or has an amazing memory. 

After some time, Jimmy has his first experience on the battlefield.   The Patriot forces and the British were separated by a river.  The Patriot forces were given the task of waiting until the British fired and began to charge before they shot.  Once the British charged one began to run right toward Jimmy.  Jimmy took aim at the soldier, but missed.  Not having time to re-load his gun, Jimmy charged at the British soldier and they got into a duel with their bayonets.  Using the skills that he copied from the pamphlet, Jimmy pins him on the ground.  Jimmy rises up the bayonet, set to stab the man, but before he does the soldier says he will run away if he doesn't stab him.  Jimmy lets him go and later says that he doesn't think that he could have stabbed him.  I personally find that it is incredible on Jimmy's part being able to apply something that he copied and never practiced.

Rifle with Bayonet

Later on in the story Jimmy meets up again with General Washington who said that he has been very impressed with what he has been hearing about him.  Washington stated that he heard about the bayonet experience and was impressed with Jimmy's skills.  He goes on to say that he wants to use Jimmy’s amazing memory as a way to communicate with the French forces because their notes keep getting intercepted by the British.  So for months Jimmy travels caring messages in his head back and forth between the two sides.  Finally the two sides agree on a big move.  They want to trap the British at Yorktown.  The French send their ships around behind the British so they cannot escape by sea.  Then Washington leads the troops on land (including Jimmy) and they attack the British on land.  After a few days, the British surrender and the war has been won.

Jimmy returns home for the first time in months where his mother has not yet heard that the war has been won.  Even though she is happy about the war, she was happier to see Jimmy.  She gives Jimmy some soup and gathers the rest of the family to see Jimmy.

Soldiers during battle

I really like the book The Harder The Conflict.  I like that it was historical based and accurate, it made it much more interesting.  I really enjoyed reading the appendix of the book which talked about all the locations in the novel and the characters.  In the characters section it explained which ones were real and fictional.  Only five of the characters in the novel were fictional which is a credit to Mr. Dempsey's researching.  But just because the character is real doesn't mean their actions are.  That was the case with Jimmy.  Jimmy was a boy who grew up in Morristown, New Jersey, who was in the Morris Militia, but the story of his involvement in the war was fictional.  The one thing that I didn't get about the story was the title's relevance to the story.  It is a quote said by Thomas Paine, but doesn't relate well to Jimmy or the story.  Personally I feel that Dempsey could have chosen a better title for the novel.  Overall I felt that it was a pretty good book and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a story about the American Revolution. 

Rating (out of 10): 8.5

Choice Read Post #1

The Harder The Conflict book cover

For the past month and a half I have been reading The Harder The Conflict as my choice read book in English class.  Currently I am half way through the novel written by Joseph H. Dempsey.  Ironically, Joseph actually was a history teacher at Morristown High School before retiring, and I currently attend Morristown High School.  Joseph did extensive research before writing the book as the places and most of the characters are historically based.

The novel is set during colonial times during the American Revolution.  The protagonist of the story is a young boy, Jimmy Stiles, who is 12 years old at the beginning of the story.  At the outset General Washington has some of the United States troops stationed near the "Green" in historic Morristown.  Jimmy works in a small store in Morristown and supports the patriot cause for going to war against Britain.  Throughout the story, he encounters many historical figures, for example, George Washington, Benedict Arnold, Lafayette, General Von Steuben, and Nathaniel Greene (who has the most contact with Jimmy throughout the story).

Nathaniel Greene

Jimmy's parents will not allow him to enlist in the army and become a soldier, however, they allow him to help Washington and the Colonial army in other ways.  Jimmy proves his worth and loyalty to the army as a spy when he catches a man steal important maps and papers from Nathaniel Greene.  This man tells everyone he is part of the colonial force, but is actually a loyalist.  Once Jimmy sees him take the papers, he reports back to General Greene who then has the man arrested.  Jimmy also helps General Von Steuben.  Von Steuben has trouble communicating with the American troops due to the fact he does not speak English because he is from what today is Germany.  So with the help of a translator, Jimmy copies information packets for the troops on how to use the bayonet.

Currently in the novel, Jimmy has just returned home after almost a year away from home coping the brochure as well as helping the army in other ways.  He has returned to work for the local store in Morristown when General Green approaches him.  The general asks Jimmy of a good place for the troops to stay for the winter in Morristown because General Washington wants them to find a place soon because the winter is quickly approaching and there is preparation that needs to be done before the soldiers come.  Jimmy brings Nathaniel to the location and tells him that it will probably be another tough winter.  General Green agrees with Jimmy, but says the army cannot take another harsh winter.

Patriot Soldiers

When the army moves in at the beginning of December, Jimmy sees his friend, Aaron, who he met when he was making the papers for Von Steuben.  Aaron is nearly frostbitten and Jimmy takes him to his house where Jimmy's family will care for him.

Even though I am only half way through the story, I am really into the story and find myself pretending to be in the situations that Jimmy is in.  To this point in the story Jimmy has proven himself to the colonial army and I predict that by the end of the story and war he will switch roles from a spy/helper to a soldier.

Reading Experiences

Going back to when I was only a few years old, my parents got me involved with books.  Even before I could read I remember sitting on the couch, staring at the pictures, as my parents read the words aloud.  I recall that they would read all the time and when we ran out of books, we took trips to the Morris Plains and Morris County Library.  Despite all the car rides, I still had one favorite book: The Three Little Pigs.  I loved that book so much.  We would get every version of the book made, which included the True Story of the Three Little Pigs and The Three Little Javelinas.  This positive experience of enjoying books even before I could read set the tone for when I could read.

By the time I could read, I realized how much I enjoyed reading.  I didn't have one favorite genre or author, however I did enjoy reading sport books.  I then moved up a level of reading to the Harry Potter science-fiction novels and the mystery Hardy Boys series.  I found books very interesting as I became absorbed in them and envisioned myself as the main character either trying to crack the case or getting the game winning hit.  This led me to continue reading up to this day.  Now I still enjoy mystery books, but I also enjoy reading historical novels.  It does not matter if they are historical fiction or actual accounts of what happened.  For one of summer reading novels I read The Man who Broke into Auschwitz which was about a man who fought during World War II.  He was then captured, and was made a prisoner of war.  Then he switched places with a Jewish man in Auschwitz, realized all the horrors of the camps, and lived to share his story.

Currently I see myself as a pretty good reader because I read often and enjoy it.  However, I still have some goals for myself.  I would like to read books that are more challenging to be a better reader and improve my vocabulary. In conclusion, I have had a very positive reading experiences in my life from the time my parents read to me to present day.