Michael L. Cooper
HERO OF THE HIGH SEAS: JOHN PAUL JONES AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION The text you type here will appear directly below the image John Paul Jones' body lies in a marble crypt at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel in Annapolis, Maryland. In death, as in life, this American hero commands the deepest affection of his fellow countrymen. Veteran children's writer Michael Cooper takes a fresh look at one of the most colorful characters of the Revolutionary War period. The war is viewed from Jones's perspective and the reader lives out all the uncertainties, the risks, and the dangers faced by Jones with each dramatic battle at sea. A Scots immigrant, John Paul Jones arrived in America on the eve of the War for Independence, and went on to serve in the Continental Navy. The arc of his exciting life's narrative would lead him to deliver the sting of war to the British people. We follow Jones's seaborne odyssey until his fate is forged in the biggest naval battle of the American Revolution. Jones and his crew aboard the Bonhomme Richard engage the Royal Navy's Serapis and vanquish the world's greatest sea power. The name of John Paul Jones is thereafter etched into the imagination of generations of American schoolboys. Now, Hero of the High Seas gives our generation an original, accurate, and objective historical reference point for one of our country's earliest naval heroes. In Jones we meet a determined, commanding man who demanded perfection and constantly strove for improvement. Although he remained a well-respected inspirational figure to his men, Jones's fiery temper also led him into several clashes with authority. Michael Cooper tells the story of this hero of the high seas with an invigorating realism and eye for detail. This historical biography is generously illustrated with period artwork, and photographs of historical artifacts. Fine National Geographic cartography traces the voyages and ports of call of this American hero. 128 pages. Hardcover. 6 1/2'' x 8 1/2''. © 2006 RICHIE'S PICKS As Michael L. Cooper tells the tale of the Scottish gardener's son who became a revolutionary hero, the reader is treated to a wealth of action and gore on the high seas, along with a well-trimmed accounting of how Jones' life and career fit into the events preceeding, and events of, the American Revolution. HERO OF THE HIGH SEAS could well serve as a model for the exemplary trade informational text that is appropriate for a diversity of readers. Within its 121 pages there are a wealth of primary source materials, an abundance of illustrations and graphics, and clear explanations of the ships, the War, and all aspects of the man. In those portions of the tale that could especially be of great interest to the young history aficionado, such as the frequently amusing communications by, and about, the scoundrel, err...I mean naval hero, the story never once bogs down in a manner that would cause the more reluctant readers to lose interest. I picked up this book with no expectations that the life of John Paul Jones would be of interest to me. Thanks to Michael L. Cooper, I've soaked up an abundance of fascinating information about the life and times (and foibles) of this complex American revolutionary. Richie Partington SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL Gr 4-8–Cooper charts his subject’s life from a scandal-ridden Scottish captain on a trading ship to a man of self-invention who came to the American colonies to start a new life and became a naval hero. Jones is presented as a loyal captain, an arrogant leader, a determined sailor, and a flagrant social climber. The narrative style will appeal to reluctant readers, for it reads like a chronicle of thrilling naval adventures; facts about military strategy, weaponary, and sailing are cleverly interwoven into detailed descriptions of battles with enemy ships and incidents of mutiny. The text is clear and understandable, even in view of the possibly unfamiliar nautical terminology. No mention is made of Jones’s original livelihood as a third mate on a slave ship and his initial indifference toward the cruelties of chattel slavery. Archival reproductions, maps, naval antiques, and battle-plan diagrams appear throughout. Additionally, there is a foreword by Senator John McCain, a time line of Jones’s life and Colonial American history, a sailing glossary, and suggestions for further reading and places to visit. This is a solid purchase for libraries in need of exciting nonfiction titles as opposed to routine biographies for assignments.–Michael Santangelo, Brooklyn Public Library KIRKUS Kirkus, August 15, 2006 - Tracing the parallel stories of the colonies' road to independence and Jones's road to heroism, Cooper writes with clear and lively prose, effectively incorporating quotations for dramatic effect. Maps and photographs of period artwork and historical artifacts enliven the text. Source notes are solid, a suggestion for further reading includes a small but excellent set of works for young readers and a list of places to visit will support those who wish to learn more. Though the final pages compress many years and much history, this is an excellent portrait of a character with many flaws, demonstrating, as Senator John McCain says in the foreword, "the ability to achieve great things in spite of our weaknesses." (timeline, words and expressions from the historical era, index) (Nonfiction. 10+)  In 1607, when the 144 men and boys who had sailed 7,450 miles from England stepped onto the beach and breathed in the cool, sweet air of the country they called Virginia, it seemed like Paradise. They made the long journey hoping to discover gold and conquer a new land. But they were unprepared for the disease, starvation, brutal winters, and the fierce resistance from the many Indians who lived along the coast. The colony barely managed to survive that first winter. But, under the capable leadership of John Smith, it did survive, becoming the first permanent English colony in the New World. It was here that the Europeans began pushing the Indians ever further westward, imported the first African slaves, and established the first representative assembly in the Americas. From Booklist Despite the single-year purview suggested by its title, this well-designed book presents a history of Jamestown from late 1606, when the Discovery, the Susan Constant, and the Godspeed set sail from London to Virginia, to 1609, when John Smith's injuries forced his return to England. Based largely on the writings of those present, notably Smith, the book offers a very readable, detailed account of the settlers' exploration, deprivation, starvation, illness, and political infighting as well as their relations with Native Americans, which encompassed cordiality and kindness as well as great brutality. Large black-and-white reproductions of period paintings, engravings, drawings, maps, and documents illustrate the book. Back matter includes a time line, source notes for quotes and some statistics, short lists of recommended books and Internet sites, and a lengthy discussion of sources, in which Cooper notes the lack of primary documents about the Native Americans from any but the European point of view. Vivid and informative. Carolyn Phelan Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved From School Library Journal Grade 4–7—Cooper describes the settlement of Jamestown in a readable, uncluttered text. Although he provides some background with an introductory section outlining European colonialism in the 1400s and 1500s, the majority of the book presents the British perspective. Native Americans are described primarily in the context of their interactions with the settlers. Quotations from primary sources such as George Percy and John Smith are incorporated into the text in an effective manner. The illustrations are outstanding. Reproductions of period drawings and etchings, they are exceptionally clear and large, and often full page. Several illustrations of the Algonquin Indians, produced by "Lost Colonist" John White in the late 1500s, are included. As a result, many details of Native life are apparent even when they are not explicitly described in the text. Cooper does not break new ground; he presents a traditional interpretation of events, including John Smith's version of Pocahontas saving his (Smith's) life. Other theories are acknowledged only in the notes section. The author does not incorporate recent archaeological findings from the Jamestown site. However, he is a careful historian, and he includes an informative source list and chapter notes. Most of the books on this topic are for either a younger or older audience. This one fills a gap, and is useful for distilling several primary sources into a form that students will understand.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
|
