Heroes of Ohio: 23 True Tales of Courage and Character

by Rick Sowash

This book features the true stories of 23 Ohioans who defied the odds. They are men and women, young and old, of many races. Some live long ago and some are still in the news today. They are pioneers, our defenders, our inventors, our angels of mercy. When they were told "it couldn't be done," they did it, anyway--showing us all how courage and character really do count. This inspiring and fun-to-read book profiles 23 Ohioans who have exhibited outstanding character and courage. Some are quite famous, others not at all. Among the famous are the Wright Brothers, Tecumseh, Harriett Beecher Stowe, Toni Morrison, and Jesse Owens, Thomas Edison, Neil Armstrong & others. Among the not-so-famous, but should be, are Jacob Parrott, Mary Ann Bickerdyke and Janarius MacGahan. Each hero's story is told in such a way that it is interesting and fun to read. For the reader who would like to learn additional information, a list of suggested reading is included at the end of each chapter. There are photos throughout the book.

Genres: History

148 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1998

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I found this book at the used bookstore, I thought it would be a great addition to our Morning Time, and I was right. Each of these mini-biographies are only a few pages long, but interesting and informative (and sometimes a bit intense, so be forewarned!). The heroes range from very well-known (Tecumseh and the Wright brothers), to those I’ve heard of but didn’t know much about (Toni Morrison and Henry Heimlich), and then some I’d never heard of but whose stories are well worth knowing (Januarius MacGahan and Roger Young). And there are book and place (museums, monuments, etc.) recommendations at the end of each story for further research and field trips.

[John Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, fast reading book that lets the bookworm who consumes the book know a little more about a couple dozen Ohioans. The stories are interesting and, equally important, short. The collection of Ohioans is interesting in that there is far more diversity than most Ohio history books. Many were famous Ohioans – Johnny Appleseed, Oliver Perry, General Grant, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Thomas Edison, the Wright brothers (plus their sister, Katherine), Annie Oakley, Jesse Owens, Neil Armstrong, and Toni Morrison. The stories are interesting and capture their importance.

More importantly – and interesting – were the Ohioans who had an impact we might know little or nothing about. Kudos to Sowash for presenting a more diverse group of people. Mary Ann Bickerdyke, a nurse on the Civil War battlefield, Grandville Woods, the “Black Edison” who invented so many interesting products, and Januarius MacGahan, perhaps the most interesting story. MacGahan was viewed as the “Liberator of Bulgaria” and the book reviewed an interesting slice of the country’s fight for liberation and this Ohioan’s role as a reporter during their war.

It was also fun to see my friend and union brother, Baldemar Velasquez, covered in this book. Brother Velasquez has made a major contribution to the standard of living and dignity of work for many farmworkers in our state.

One nice aspect of this book is mentioning various small museums that are sprinkled around the state where one could learn more about these Ohioans or other books. Sowash did a good job offering more educational ideas.

[Ethan Nichols · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know Mr. Sowash personally (he is my french teacher) and I have to say, with a non-biased lens, all of his books are EXCELLENT.
This book is very historically accurate and tells a lot of facts that are not commonly taught, or known.

Good job Mr. Sowash!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun book about famous Ohioans. Very Charlotte Mason friendly for CM homeschoolers living in Ohio.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I use this book every year in my 4th grade classroom to teach famous Ohioans and never get tired of the stories. I especially love the ones about Mary Ann Bickerdyke, Katherine Wright, Thomas Edison, and Henry Heimlech. Fascinating short stories that really hold a kid's interest.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

YA collection of brief biographies of famous Ohioans. Some I knew about, (Annie Oakley) and some were new to me (Dr. Heimlich of the Heimlich Maneuver). A quick and easy read.

[Joann Glasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

fascinating to learn some of the history of ohio and who helped make the state what it is today. some i knew and some i didn't know