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Overview / 简介: |
When his brother is conscripted into the Union Army, young Hewitt sets out to rescue him, armed only with courage, luck, and his gift for tall tales. Starred Review, Publishers Weekly. From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. Philbrick (Freak the Mighty) offers rip-roaring adventure in this Civil War-era novel featuring a mistreated orphan who doesn't let truth stand in the way of spinning a good yarn. When his guardian, Uncle Squinton-the meanest man in the entire state of Maine-sells off Homer P. Figg's older brother, Harold, to take a rich man's son's place in the Union army, Homer can't just stand around doing nothing. Determined to alert the authorities (and his brother) that Harold is too young to be a soldier, the plucky narrator traces the path of the regiment. He faces many dangers, including an abduction or two, and being robbed and thrown in with the pigs, and joining the Caravan of Miracles before landing smack in the middle of the Battle of Gettysburg, where he reunites with his brother and more or less drives the Confederates away. The book wouldn't be nearly as much fun without Homer's tall tales, but there are serious moments, too, and the horror of war and injustice of slavery ring clearly above the din of playful exaggerations. Ages 9-12. (Jan.) Copyright ? Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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Foreign Customer Review / 国外客户评价: |
| "I say my 'true' adventures because I told a fib to a writer once, who went and put it in the newspapers about me and my big brother, Harold, winning the battle of Gettysburg, and how we shot each other dead but lived to tell the tale. That's partly true, about winning the battle, but most ways it's a lie.
Telling the truth don't come easy to me, but I will try, even if old Truth ain't nearly as useful as a fib sometimes."
- Homer Pierce Figg (p.7)
The year is 1863 and the American Civil War is raging. This story is about the unbelievable adventures (and outlandish prevarications) of 12-year-old Homer P. Figg during June and July of that year. After suffering hunger and abuse inflicted on him and his brother by his nasty uncle Squinton Leach in Pine Swamp, Maine, who assumed guardianship and then mistreated both Homer and his older brother Harold following their mother's death, he runs away from the farm to look for, find, and rescue his big brother Harold...illegally "sold" to the U S Army by their mean uncle Squint. While following the trail of Harold, Homer meets up with an unusual array of people. Some are good, some are foolish, some are scalawags, and some are downright evil. Among the many interesting things that happen to him during his entertaining odyssey: Homer finds himself involved with runaway slaves and slave catchers, rides on a train to Portland and then sails to New York aboard a steamship for the very first time, is featured as an attraction while traveling with a Medicine Show, is accused of being a spy, has a close encounter with a hot air balloon, and witnesses the above mentioned battle of Gettysburg. These and other wild adventures await the reader of this humorous book. I highly recommend THE "MOSTLY" TRUE ADVENTURES OF HOMER P. FIGG to young adults and to "old folks" who, like myself, enjoy reading YA literature. I'd give it 6 stars if I could. Rodman Philbrick is a terrific storyteller.
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About the Author / 作者介绍: |
| Rodman Philbrick grew up on the New England coast, where he worked as a longshoreman and boat builder. For many years he wrote mysteries and detective novels for adults. Inspired by the life of a boy who lived a few blocks away, he wrote 'Freak The Mighty', the award-winning young-adult novel, which has been translated into numerous languages and is now read in schools throughout the world. The book was adapted to the screen as 'The Mighty', starring Sharon Stone, Gillian Anderson, James Gandolfini, Kieran Culkin, and Elden Henson, with original music provided by Sting.
Rodman Philbrick's novels for young readers include 'The Fire Pony', 'Max the Mighty', 'REM World', 'The Last Book In The Universe', 'The Journal of Douglas Allen Deeds', 'The Young Man And The Sea', and 'The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg', a 2010 Newbery Honor book.
The Private Eye Writers of America nominated two of his T.D.Stash series as best detective novel, and then selected Philbrick's 'Brothers & Sinners' as Best Novel in 1993. A gothic tale of slavery and sea captains, 'Coffins' was published in 2002. Writing under the pen name 'William R. Dantz' he has explored the near |
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