Jim Murphy wrote nonfiction that brought history to young readers. His books include The Great Fire, Blizzard! The Storm That Changed America, and An American Plague. His work received two Newbery Honors, the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award, the Margaret A. Edwards Award, and recognition as a National Book Award finalist.
Titles5
Editions6
Media3
Years covered1995–2003
Works on Favedom.com
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The Great Fire of 1871 was one of most colossal disasters in American history. Overnight, the flourshing city of Chicago was transformed into a smoldering wasteland. The damage was so profound that few people believed the city could ever rise again.By weaving personal accounts of actual survivors together with the carefully researched history of Chicago and the disaster, Jim Murphy constructs a riveting narrative that recreates the event with drama and immediacy. And finally, he reveals how, even in a time of deepest dispair, the human spirit triumphed, as the people of Chicago found the courage and strength to build their city once again.
Using personal accounts and newspaper reporting, the book reconstructs the enormous blizzard that struck the northeastern United States in 1888. It focuses particularly on New York City, where deep snow, wind, and disrupted transportation transformed ordinary streets into dangerous terrain. The narrative follows how people experienced the storm and responded to its consequences, showing why one severe weather event changed public expectations about urban infrastructure, communication, and preparedness.
Describes the events of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 as seen through the eyes of two actual participants, nineteen-year-old Confederate lieutenant John Dooley and seventeen-year-old Union soldier Thomas Galway. Also discusses Lincoln's famous speech delivered at the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg.
