By James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier

Introduction		Summary	Book Review
Setting and Characters		Will – 6 November 12, 2004 Language Arts	Author Info
	*www.mybrothersamisdead.com*

Introduction:

My Brother Sam Is Dead recreates the first years of the American Revolutionary War from the point of view of a fourteen year old, Tim Meeker, who lives in the Tory town of Redding, Connecticut. Tim’s brother Sam, a student at Yale, brings home news of the rebel Patriots to his family. Although this book is written as historical fiction, it is mainly the growing up story of a boy who idolizes his older brother and how the American Revolutionary War changed life for everyone.

Summary

When Sam Meeker announces he’s going to enlist in the rebel army, his parents say, “No!” So Sam runs away, taking the family gun with him. The Meekers try to survive the war. Mr. Meeker is kidnapped by men who try to steal his cattle, and later the family finds out that he was killed. Tim matures quickly and runs the family tavern. The British army moves into Redding and treat the people of the town ruthlessly. Sam unexpectedly returns home, and wants Tim to kill their cows and hide the meat to avoid the cattle thieves. But it is too late. The cattle thieves come and when Sam tries to stop them, the thieves fram Sam for stealing the cattle and General Putnam decides to make an example of Sam to discourage theft. Tim and his mother try to get the General to see that the charge is illogical. Sam would never steal his family’s cattle, but no one will listen. On February 16, 1779, Tim sees Sam’s public execution. Although, after the war, Tim prospers in America, he never forgets his borther Sam or the injustice of war.

Characters:

Tim Meeker is the fourteen-year-old narrator of the story,

who is trying to grow up and find his own values and beliefs in difficult times.

Sam Meeker is Tim’s older brother and a student at Yale,

who becomes a minuteman and is publicly executed.

Eliphalet Meeker is the father of Tim and Sam,

who tries to protect his family by having no political opinions.

Susannah Meeker is the mother of Tim and Sam,

who is very religious and never forgives the Continental Army

for murdering her son.

Betsy Read is Sam’s girlfriend, who is loyal to Sam

and the rebel cause.

Setting:

This story takes place in Redding, Connecticut in April, 1775. It begins the day after the Battle of Lexington and Concord at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.

Author:

James Lincoln Collier was born on June 27, 1928 in New York City, New York. Mr. Collier worked a number of jobs, including jazz musician and magazine editor as well as writer.

He wrote many highly respected award-winning books, including

Which Musical Instrument Shall I Play? , Practical Music Theory: How Music Is Put Together From Bach To Rock, as well as

Danny Goes To The Hospital . However, he is best known for the historical fiction he wrote in collaboration with his brother Christopher Collier, a well-known historian.

Evaluation:

I liked this book because it made the American Revolution seem real. The story took many of the facts I knew from history and put them into the personal context of a boy about my age showing how he would feel. It also showed that there is a cost to war, so you can’t judge a war as good just because you win because you have to think about those who die as heroes and those, like Tim’s brother Sam, who die for no good reason. This book showed that wars are painful, and we must never forget the sacrifices war requires of everyone.

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