Twenty-One Heroes

by Sam Forman

At the site of George Washington’s crossing of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania lie twenty-one graves of unknown Continental soldiers who died at the encampment. These patriots never lived to realize America’s promise, the future they helped purchase with their lives. Much like their names, the stories of these real-life American heroes are unknown. Set amid the violent and passionate backdrop of revolutionary America, this young-adult novel tells the story of Katherine Mayhew, Joshua Spencer, and Ezra Wright—;three friends whose lives collide and overlap over the course of the book. Katherine Mayhew is a rebellious, impassioned daughter of a shopkeeper whose beauty can only be surpassed by her expansive mind and loyal patriotism. Joshua Spencer and Ezra Wright are friends and students at Harvard University. Ezra is a quiet and studious young man who plans to become a doctor; Joshua is charming, jovial, and carefree. A mutual attraction ignites between Katherine and Ezra, but when war separates them, Katherine and Joshua grow closer. Torn between "Ezra’s principled resolve and Joshua’s festive magnetism,” Katherine finds herself struggling to appease her desires and realize her true feelings. Blending historical facts with personal intimacies, Forman creates an engaging tale of young Americans becoming adults during a time of revolution and war. Readers will take a front seat to history as the Battles of Lexington, Concord, Bunker Hill, Quebec, and Trenton unfold on these pages. Legendary figures, such as George Washington, Benedict Arnold, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock, frame the story in a historical context, while giving insight into the thoughts and minds of Americans they may have inspired.

263 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 30, 2015

About the author

Sam Forman is an historian, Harvard University faculty member, and businessman. He is educated in history of the American Revolution and the history of science, as well as the practice of clinical and preventive medicine. Throughout his successful careers as physician, military officer and businessman, he has published and lectured on historical topics that inform current issues. He is a member of the Lexington Minutemen historical reenactors, public historians dedicated to the understanding of the American experience from the era of the nation’s founding.
A fortuitous confluence of capabilities – in history, medicine, business accounting, rigorous scholarship, and gut-level enthusiasm for the topic - led Dr. Forman to tackle a project that academic historians have shied away from. Making sense of opaque eighteenth century physician’s account books, a feat of both forensic analysis and medical historical scholarship, has turned out to be the elusive key to understanding Joseph Warren’s life experiences. Written for a popular audience on a base of all-new scholarship, "Dr. Joseph Warren – The Boston Tea Party, Bunker Hill, and the Birth of American Liberty" is an ambitious debut and a volume that is sure to become the definitive biography of a worthy national figure.

Reviews

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a good quick read. However, I wish that there had been more details about the battles. I guess I wanted it to be grittier. So cool to read about 2 cousins-Washington and Arnold. Also a family place-Kips Bay. And I hope that readers will look into Dr. Joseph Warren and the importance of his life. Dr. Sam Forman wrote about Dr. Warren in "DR. JOSEPH WARREN" or check out Lori Innes' "DREAMER" series. I am looking forward to the next book in this series (I want to see Joshua get want he deserves & see if Ezra & Katherine marry).