Born in New York City in 1928, author James Lincoln Collier is beloved by young readers in particular for the award-winning historical novels he has written with his brother, historian Christopher Collier. A graduate of Hamilton College, Collier served in the U.S. Army after college and then worked as a magazine editor for several years. Collier always intended to be a writer, however, considering it to be “the family business.” Though he began his career writing for adults, in 1965 Collier published his first book for children, the nonfiction Battleground: The United States Army in World War II . He branched out into fiction for young readers with the adventure story The Teddy Bear Habit: or, How I Became a Winner in 1967. Perhaps his most famous children's book, however, is the Newbery Honor Book he wrote with his brother, the popular Revolutionary War story My Brother Sam Is Dead . The father of two children, Collier is also an accomplished trombone player. He lives in New York City, where he continues to write and play jazz music. This award-winning author graduated from Clark University and earned a Ph.D. at Columbia University in History. Born in 1930 in New York City, Collier is an active member in many organizations such as the Connecticut Historical Commission and the State Museum Advisory Board. His honors include the Kidger Prize for Teaching, the Jane Addams Peace Prize, and the Newbery Honor. He previously worked as a junior high school teacher. Collier enjoys writing for children because he wants to show them that history is both interesting and important. His specialty is in the Revolutionary Era and New England. Christopher Collier lives with his wife in Orange, Connecticut and is the father of three. He is currently Professor Emeritus of American History at the University of Connecticut.
Features & Highlights
The classic story of one family torn apart by the Revolutionary War
All his life, Tim Meeker has looked up to his brother Sam. Sam's smart and brave -- and is now a part of the American Revolution. Not everyone in town wants to be a part of the rebellion. Most are supporters of the British -- including Tim and Sam's father. With the war soon raging, Tim know he'll have to make a choice -- between the Revolutionaries and the Redcoats . . . and between his brother and his father.
Customer Reviews
Rating Breakdown
★★★★★
60%
(975)
★★★★
25%
(406)
★★★
15%
(244)
★★
7%
(114)
★
-7%
(-114)
Most Helpful Reviews
★★★★★
1.0
AHKMZ5EFDLHDUYH55VGT...
✓ Verified Purchase
Socio-political propaganda for the left
No, I'm not a raving crazy conservative. But seriously, it's quite obvious that the point of this book is to teach kids that the revolutionaries were bad too. That may be true, but kids should be learning the rules, not the exceptions. Let them learn the nuances and the exceptions later. On the other hand, if you are of the crowd that thinks that bad Americans was, and is, the rule (e.g. the NEA), than you will love this book. If you want your kids to think the American cause was basically good and noble, let them read this book when they're older.
21 people found this helpful
★★★★★
1.0
AF6P37NOD7QQT6CASCFL...
✓ Verified Purchase
"the Patriots massacred the British troops"
This is a perfectly splendid book -- if your objective is to raise a child who thinks that American history consists of one criminal act after another and who is convinced that absolutely nothing is worth fighting for. A couple of highlights from the text:
"Of course there were battles. There was a battle at Bunker Hill where the Patriots massacred the British troops before they were driven off, and the Rebels also took Fort Ticonderoga without much of a fight. But these battles all seemed far away -- they were just things we read about in the . . . newspapers. Sometimes Father brought home a Tory paper and he wasn't supposed to have it; it was illegal, so he kept it hidden. It made me wonder how the war was going to make us freer if you couldn't read any paper you wanted anymore."
"He hit the ground on his belly and flopped over on his back. He wasn't dead yet. He lay there shaking and thrashing about, his knees jerking up and down. They had shot him so close that his clothes were on fire. He went on jerking with flames on his chest until another soldier shot him again. Then he stopped jerking." [The End -- really].
* * *
This is the kind of tripe that wins awards these days and gets gushing praise from adults who've never quite grown up themselves. And people wonder why kids prefer Harry Potter to this liberal mush? Maybe it's because the Potter books have actual heroes, good humor, and a fierce fight against real evil.
20 people found this helpful
★★★★★
1.0
AFIELP65JBADJF2M4NG7...
✓ Verified Purchase
Dreadful Dull Read
There aren't that many novels about the American Revolution, so I started this book with anticipation. Anticipation quickly turned to boredom. Although the novel does try to shed some light on the complex issues of the revolution, it is so dark, depressing and dull that it was a chore even to finish. I find it unfortunate that this book gets read as part of unit studies on the American Revolution. I wouldn't want to have anything to do with history ever again if I had been ofrced to read this in the classroom.
4 people found this helpful
★★★★★
2.0
AGV3MA5YZ7FXYDWP6POD...
✓ Verified Purchase
My Brother Sam is Dead
Although very historical and informative, My Brother Sam is Dead is definatly not a good read. First off, the book jumps around way too much. For about a chapter it's 1776 then the next two chapters take place in 1777. Or, the author's describe one event through three chapters and then use a paragraph for have the year. The book could have at least been longer. The next mark for for the book is the fact that the title gave it all away. I know that lot's of people, including myself, enjoy letting the story unfold instead of waiting for a single event that we expect to occur. Lastly is the way the characters act and speak. Foe instance, When the main character, Tim, and his dad go to visit their cousins, Tim calls his cousin Mr. Platt. who in te world no matter what century they hail from would adress a relative with Mr.? And when the characters talk, you don't sense that they are from the 18th century. if I read a period book, it better be authentic. If you want a good historacal novel don't pick up My Brother Sam is Dead.
3 people found this helpful
★★★★★
3.0
AHNHRZ3LT4ZI5WL4ZRYM...
✓ Verified Purchase
From the P.O.V. of a twenty-something
I never read this story in grade school, but recently came across a free copy at a garage sale, so spent the afternoon reading it.
As historical young adult lit, it's decent. Seemed similar to "My Friend Flicka" and several of the other older young adult novels. Young boy (12) grows into manhood by learning tough life lessons, stern father and kind mother, no fully-developed or interesting female characters. I'm glad that Y.A. novels have improved since then.
Still, an interesting and quick read. The authors did a LOT of research into the revolutionary war, and most of the characters (other than the Meeker family) were real, so that was interesting.
3 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
AG76OVGQCSS6CJ5ZZG3R...
✓ Verified Purchase
Written by a 11 Year Old Boy- Great Book!
Tim is just an average boy from the revolutionary war period who works with his father and mother in their tavern and goes to school. His brother, Sam (who Tim looks up to as the perfect brother) has been at college for a year and occasionally comes home for a visit. One day Sam shows up on their doorstep in uniform and announces that he has joined the Patriots in the fight for freedom and needs his fathers' gun to fight. Sam's father is a Loyalist who will not help the war against his mother country. He refuses Sam's request for his gun. Sam chooses to take his fathers' gun without permission and then runs away to the rebel army, not to come home for the next 3 years. Tim is now forced to choose which side he is on. This is a war between father and son, between country and people and Tim is in the middle of it. Tim will have to become a man fast, face the cruelties of the world and fight like a man for his family and country.
This book has you hanging on the edge every second. It is a great book because it has battles (which I loved); both oral and physical. I think both types are just as harmful. If you like war books this is the book for you. I give this book five stars. It has great historical value and is beautifully written; an exciting historical war book that can be read by children 10 years of age and up. No other revolutionary war book even comes close to topping this!
3 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
AG76OVGQCSS6CJ5ZZG3R...
✓ Verified Purchase
Written by a 11 Year Old Boy- Great Book!
Tim is just an average boy from the revolutionary war period who works with his father and mother in their tavern and goes to school. His brother, Sam (who Tim looks up to as the perfect brother) has been at college for a year and occasionally comes home for a visit. One day Sam shows up on their doorstep in uniform and announces that he has joined the Patriots in the fight for freedom and needs his fathers' gun to fight. Sam's father is a Loyalist who will not help the war against his mother country. He refuses Sam's request for his gun. Sam chooses to take his fathers' gun without permission and then runs away to the rebel army, not to come home for the next 3 years. Tim is now forced to choose which side he is on. This is a war between father and son, between country and people and Tim is in the middle of it. Tim will have to become a man fast, face the cruelties of the world and fight like a man for his family and country.
This book has you hanging on the edge every second. It is a great book because it has battles (which I loved); both oral and physical. I think both types are just as harmful. If you like war books this is the book for you. I give this book five stars. It has great historical value and is beautifully written; an exciting historical war book that can be read by children 10 years of age and up. No other revolutionary war book even comes close to topping this!
3 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
AG76OVGQCSS6CJ5ZZG3R...
✓ Verified Purchase
Written by a 11 Year Old Boy- Great Book!
Tim is just an average boy from the revolutionary war period who works with his father and mother in their tavern and goes to school. His brother, Sam (who Tim looks up to as the perfect brother) has been at college for a year and occasionally comes home for a visit. One day Sam shows up on their doorstep in uniform and announces that he has joined the Patriots in the fight for freedom and needs his fathers' gun to fight. Sam's father is a Loyalist who will not help the war against his mother country. He refuses Sam's request for his gun. Sam chooses to take his fathers' gun without permission and then runs away to the rebel army, not to come home for the next 3 years. Tim is now forced to choose which side he is on. This is a war between father and son, between country and people and Tim is in the middle of it. Tim will have to become a man fast, face the cruelties of the world and fight like a man for his family and country.
This book has you hanging on the edge every second. It is a great book because it has battles (which I loved); both oral and physical. I think both types are just as harmful. If you like war books this is the book for you. I give this book five stars. It has great historical value and is beautifully written; an exciting historical war book that can be read by children 10 years of age and up. No other revolutionary war book even comes close to topping this!
3 people found this helpful
★★★★★
4.0
AHNDP6TVNUV5DLWHYG3J...
✓ Verified Purchase
Great book!
This book tells the story of a young man named Sam Meeker who decides to go off to fight for the Patriots in the revolutionary war against the British troops, known as the Tories (or "Lobsterbacks," because they wear red). Sam is a lucky child; his family runs a successful tavern, attends Yale, and girls love him. Yet he fights for "freedom," and steals his fathers gun to fight in the war. His father, Eliphalet, is not a mean man, and loves him, yet is very disappointed that he is fighting the war, and that he's is fighting as a Rebel. Tim, Sam's brother, feels that his life is "on hold," because he can't go off to college until the war get over.
Meanwhile, he has to work hard at the tavern. He feels that it is unfair, but his father says that injustices are the way of God's world. Mrs. Meeker generally agrees with her husband, but loves Sam, and cares immensly about him. She says that "War turns men into animals." A character that I found very interesting was Jerry Sandford. He was the first person in the book to talk about the horror of children getting killed in the war ("You think that because you're only a child they won't hurt you, but they will. They've been killing children in this war. They don't care. They'll throw you on a prison ship and let you rot").
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Thank you for taking the time to read this and feel free to leave me a helpful/not helpful feedback.
3 people found this helpful
★★★★★
5.0
AGCLY4Z2CFS5FCR2JBVS...
✓ Verified Purchase
What i thought
Tim Meeker is a teenage boy with a lot to live up to. His older brother, Sam, is close to being a town idol. Sam Meeker has always been smart, brave, and knows what the right thing to do. Most of the town that they live in admires Sam, but especially Tim. One night Sam comes home from collage and tells all about the recent battle in the war of the revolution. His father is extremely unappreciative of the way Sam addresses the King and his troops. Sam doesn't feel that King George III should rule over the colonies. Therefore he joins the army to fight against the British.
In the mean time, Tim is going back and forth on whom to side with: Sam, who's always right, or father, who's the head of the family. Not only does he have them to side with, but also more than half the town is Tories (loyalists). Tim sees Sam once in a great while and only for a short time. Soon, his father is taken away by the British troops, a few of his friends are killed by the same men, and his brother is about to be killed because of a crime he didn't commit! Later on, Tim and his mother find out that his father had caught a disease while in a prison ship and died. Now all that Tim has left is Sam. He talks to some of the generals, but no one is willing to save Sam's life.