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The Remarkable Cause
A Novel of James Lovell and
the Crucible of the Revolution

by Jean C. O'Connor

The Remarkable Cause: A Novel of James Lovell and the Crucible of the Revolution is a historical fiction novel based on primary source research. It tells a true story of James Lovell, a teacher at the Boston Latin School during the years leading up to the first armed conflicts of the Revolutionary War. 

When James Lovell becomes a teacher at the Boston Latin School alongside his father, he realizes he will never agree with his father’s views about the growing British and American conflict. James desperately wants to help the American cause, but when he is arrested for spying, alone in a dark, cold cell of the Boston Stone Jail, his dreams seem a faint illusion.
          
​In icy March winds, pounded by the Americans’ cannon, General Howe evacuates British troops and Loyalists from Boston. James is forced into a ship bound for Halifax, while his father and family take passage for the British stronghold in the ship’s upper berth. In jail in Halifax, James can only write letters and pray for release, hoping General George Washington will hear his appeal.

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Jean C. O'Connor

Author, Speaker, Literacy Coach, Teacher
National Council of Teachers of English High School Teacher of Excellence

Praise

I enjoyed the characters and historical accuracy of the story. You’ve made the events ‘come alive’ through your excellent writing. Through the descriptive language, I could see, hear, and feel the excitement and tension of the era.”

Beverly Ann Chin, Ph. D., Past President, National Council of Teachers of English, Chair, Department of English, the University of Montana

Reviews
Harvard Houghton

Primary

Research

Great Historical Fiction Demands Authenticity

Through primary source research at institutions such as Harvard Houghton Library, the Massachusetts Historical Society, the Nova Scotia Archives, and Cornell University Rare Manuscripts, the author has brought the story of James Lovell alive.

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