There are a plethora of resources for you to find out the plot of this book out on the web and in the bookstores (eg. Cliffs Notes!!). Many contain "spoilers". And this is OK - after all it's a classic. Moreover, the book is good even if you know what is going to happen. I had the enjoyable luxury of reading this book without having run across the spoilers and with no real knowledge of the plot. I was not required to read it in school - oh happy fault.

The story is about slavery in America. It follows the lives of two slaves in detail, Eliza and Uncle Tom, and introduces us to a great many more slaves and masters and their stories. The two belong to the same master in Kentucky. When the master falls on hard times (from his own inability to manage his estate) he ends up making a deal to sell these two - despite the fact that both of them are rather dear to him and his family. Getting wind of this Eliza decides to run for safety with her son while Uncle Tom allows himself to be taken away from his wife and young children. Eliza risks her life to save her child - running across the ice floes of a partially frozen Ohio river to escape - then finds her way along an underground network. (I won't tell you how her story comes out.) Uncle Tom is sold and resold. He is steadfast in his faith throughout - though not unchanging. Moreover, he affects those who he meets along the way.

This book is written in a very foreign style. - at least to the modern reader. Chronologically Mrs. Stowe's style fits somewhere between that of the crafters of the Constitution and that of Mark Twain. But it is not so easy to put it into any other category. Her own narration is a bit archaic, overtly Christian, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes patronizing, and yet very broad minded. She calls you "gentle reader". She says "now don't you think that is fair?" when she expects you to come to the opposite conclusion. And yet she sees clearly through all the haze of the issue - i.e. the "shades of grey" everyone loves to talk about when they can't bear to say right vs. wrong. And she does more - she presents us with characters who take various positions on the slavery issue. Not just "it's right" and "it's wrong" - but a wide variety of views. She allows them ample voice and reason to discourse their whole argument; she does not make them straw men; she does not mitigate or twist their ideas; she lays out the best cases for and against - and from several different angles. In the midst of this she demonstrates the effects on the PEOPLE who are subjected to the system - those who are the masters as well as those who are the slaves. It is incredibly revealing to have the whole gamut - the entire conversation - all in one accessable story. And it is incredibly convincing!!! Which is why, as legend has it, Abe Lincoln, when introduced to her for the first time declared, "So you're the little lady responsible for this big war."

This book ought to be read for a lot of different reasons.

1) Arguments aren't just fights. When properly done they are tools to get at the truth. This book shows how to argue in the best sense. Reasonable people may have views that are wrong - and can be changed by convincing. (Admittedly, most of those in this book are not, ultimately, convinced - but some are - it's good to see).

2) Style! You have to get a taste of this style of hers. It is a peculiar dish that we rarely see set before us these days (how much early 19th century do you typically read!!).

3) Faith. Uncle Tom has faith in God. It grows stronger and better through his trials. And, it has effects on those he meets and deals with to different degrees and in different ways. (That's realistic.)

4) It shows us that a story can be an extremely convincing form of persuasion.

5) There is a lot revealed about the fundamental nature of man and his free will by exploring the effects of stifling that free will via enslavement. Her characters vary wildly in their reaction to the invisible wall between master and slave. The slaves will react, contort and re-form (or de-form) themselves to this unnatural order. The slave owners must likewise be ignorant or somehow justify their actions. To the author's credit we see that the justification is sometimes wicked or perverted and sometimes just well-meaning but ultimately flawed reasoning.

6) One thing that kind of percolates up from 5) is that there is a difference between the will and the intellect. Philosophers have argued about this for millenia. Many people believe that if someone knows what the good thing is they will naturally want to do it. But knowing and doing ARE different. And some may know what is good but not do it. Some may even want to do what is not good and through an underhanded twist of the will convince themselves (and really THINK they know) that the bad is good. The sooner a person can grasp the difference between the intellect and the will the more they will be able to direct their own thoughts and actions maturely, profitably and honorably.

7) Believe it or Not! This book has some incredible (as in not believable) events. However, Mrs. Stowe, it turns out had done a lot or research. Most of the events were gathered from real events. Even the more incredible ones such as Eliza crossing the river. - Don't try that at home!!!

Age level: High School Freshman +/- a year. Kleenex required.

This is an extensive reading list, from a Catholic perspective, on materials relating to or taking place at the same time as the American Revolution. The extensive introduction gives tips and ideas for studying the revolution, choosing books, and how to proceed. The list is broken up into the following categories: Grades K-3 Series, Grades K-3 Individual Titles, Grades 3-6 Series, Grades 3-6, Individual Titles, Grades 5-Up Series, Grades 5-Up Individual Titles, Grades 7-Up Series, Grades 7-Up Individual Titles and Grades 10-Up Individual Titles. Many of the titles include short descriptions and hundreds of books are covered. This resource also includes a Timeline of the American Revolution, books about contemporary figures (such as Blessed Junipero Serra), a list of "Prominent Catholics in the American Revolution" an essay about Catholicism during the American Revolution, and a listing of good Catholic textbooks and Reference books that cover the American Revolution. The Appendix lists companies that sell those books (currently in print) that are recommended in this resource.

This is a somewhat unusual, but highly rewarding story of a half-wild woodsman (who "lived by the woods. He had no trade, he couldn't farm a lick or keep a store or run a tavern. All he knew to do was follow the bear and deer through the woods and sleep in caves and hollow trees.") and his eleven year old son Caje. Caje and his father travel through the wilderness - living off the land and escaping from unfriendly Indians. Although Caje would love to settle down in a real house among civilized people, his father is happier in the woods and frets about being "beholden to others". In the past Caje traveled with both of his parents throughout the warmer seasons and they all settled down in an abandoned house or with relatives during the winter. Now that Caje's mother has died, though, his father wants to stick to the wilds, even through the winter. They begin seeing signs, though, that the winter will be particularly bad and decide to go stay with Caje's aunt and uncle. Disgusted with "soft" living and feeling out of place, Caje's father leaves to spend the winter on his own. Now Caje is in an awkward position - he has the home and company he has so long desired, but lacks the skills to earn his keep (as he sees it). The winter gets really harsh as record cold spells and lack of good hunting take their toll on the family. The situation becomes more desperate when the family cow is killed by a hungry panther and Caje's uncle is seriously injured in a fall. Caje worries more and more that he is taking food away from the family, until he finally discovers how he can help the family out. Even after this great help he provides, he comes to realize that it isn't tallying up what we do for each other that really matters.

As an adventure and historical tale, this is a great read, but it offers a deeper level too. The story touches upon some very essential points about the purpose of civilization, family and loving one's neighbor. This is a fairly easy read for 2nd or 3rd grade and up but would also make a great read-aloud.

Will he survive? Although the day started pleasant enough, larks singing and the grass turning a pale gold, the redcoats were forming below, forming a formidable line to overtake their small band of New England militia in the battle of Breed’s Hill. The Treegate saga continues with Peter Treegate’s War. In this second book, the story opens with the battle of Breed’s Hill about to commence, better known as the battle of Bunker Hill. Peter is caught between two conflicts, the war between the British and the emerging American nation and the conflict between his father, John Treegate, and his foster father, Maclaren of Spey. Both men demand his love and loyalty. Both men despise each other. Peter wants to please both, but soon finds out he has to make a choice. Will he make the right one? As the plot develops, the story follows several pivotal scenes in the War for Independence and includes an unforgettable cast of characters. Like his conflict with his father and foster father, Peter must choose. What does it mean to be loyal? As he goes from one exciting adventure or misadventure to another, including capture, imprisonment, and escape, Peter seems to be a magnet for trouble. Along the way, he learns that people and situations are not always what they appear to be, especially with the surprise ending. What will Peter Treegate learn in the end? Wibberley captures the intensity and drama of war. We can feel the tension mount as the redcoats relentlessly bear down on the ragtag group of militia, their powder running low, fear gripping them as they hold their muskets ready to fire. More than an exciting tale of the American Revolution or realistic story about conflict and resolution in a family, Wibberley shows that even in the midst of evil the courageous soul is willing to risk all out of love, kindness, and compassion for others.