Journal of a Revolutionary War Woman (In Their Own Words)

Grade 6-9?This series entry offers annotated selections from a diary of a woman who was purported to have lived on Long Island during the American Revolution, but the authors frankly admit in their introduction that its authenticity is disputed. It was probably more of a collection of "diaries, letters, family recollections, (and) church records." The "Revolutionary War Woman" was actually Mary Titus Post, the grandmother of Lydia Minturn Post, who wrote the "diary" in the mid 1800s in a decidedly Victorian style. Still, there is much to be learned here about actual day to day life during the War for Independence. Tales of roving bands of robbers, quartered Hessians, and wounded enemies who became friends are exciting and touching. Greenberg and McKeever have arranged excerpts from the diary by subject, and have added explanatory material in each chapter. The back-and-forth chronology could be confusing, especially if the introduction isn't read. Black-and-white reproductions appear throughout. While this book will be fascinating to those with a keen interest in and basic knowledge of the period, it is definitely not for everyone.?Anne Parker, Milton Public Library, MA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 6^-10. Although some historians attribute this journal to Mary Titus Post, Greenberg and McKeever have concluded that it is really the work of Post's granddaughter Lydia. The material is organized by topic rather than date, a technique that emphasizes the subject but results in Mary's feelings becoming diluted as the war continues. The most affecting entries concern the death of a British soldier being cared for by Mary and the frightening experiences of some of Mary's neighbors who faced the enemy. Notes interspersed with the diary passages set scenes, explain references, and summarize key events. Choppiness and the flowery, albeit authentic language of the diarist keep the text from being highly readable, but the book, the newest volume in the In Their Own Words series, will be a good source for reports. Susan Dove Lempke