Jim Murphy

Describes the fire that swept through Chicago in 1871 through the eyes of those survivors who wrote about their experiences in books, newspaper and magazine articles, or letters to friends.

This is the story of a killer that has been striking people down for thousands of years:

tuberculosis. After centuries of ineffective treatments, the microorganism that causes

TB was identified, and the cure was thought to be within reach—but drug-resistant

varieties continue to plague and panic the human race. The "biography" of this deadly

germ, an account of the diagnosis, treatment, and "cure" of the disease over time,

and the social

...

"In 1944 a groundbreaking operation repaired the congenital heart defect known as blue baby syndrome. The operation's success brought the surgeon Alfred Blalock international fame and paved the way for open-heart surgery. But the technique had been painstakingly developed by Vivien Thomas, Blalocks African American lab assistant, who stood behind Blalock in the operating room to give him step-by-step instructions. The stories of this medical and social...

While traveling in 1883 with her Italian American family (including a meddlesome little sister) and other immigrant pioneers to a utopian community in Idaho, fourteen-year-old Teresa keeps a diary of her experiences along the way.

An overview of the struggle between the Texan settlers and Mexico's General Santa Anna for control of Texas, with a detailed description of the 1836 siege of the Alamo. Includes biographical sketches and quotations of some of those involved.

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.

James Edmond, a sixteen-year-old orphan, keeps a journal of his experiences and those of "G" Company which he joined as a volunteer in the Union Army during the Civil War.

Includes diary entries, personal letters, and archival photographs to describe the experiences of boys, sixteen years old or younger, who fought in the Civil War.

Jimmy Murphy starts sixth grade determined to be a better student and impress the beautiful Kathy Guenther, but Sister Angelica has him and his friends pegged as troublemakers and they may just prove her right.