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April Morning
A day in the life of a young man who joins the fight for American Independence April 19, 1775. A story of almost unbearable tension, the American dream coming alive in battle.
184 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1961
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1540 people want to read
About the author
Howard Fast
304 books254 followersHoward Fast was one of the most prolific American writers of the twentieth century. He was a bestselling author of more than eighty works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and screenplays. The son of immigrants, Fast grew up in New York City and published his first novel upon finishing high school in 1933. In 1950, his refusal to provide the United States Congress with a list of possible Communist associates earned him a three-month prison sentence. During his incarceration, Fast wrote one of his best-known novels, Spartacus (1951). Throughout his long career, Fast matched his commitment to championing social justice in his writing with a deft, lively storytelling style.
Pseudonyms: Walter Ericson, E.V. Cunningham
Pseudonyms: Walter Ericson, E.V. Cunningham
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April 4, 2024
Somehow we never read this in high school, so I was interested in the Netgalley offering for the new Open Road digital edition. It seems to be a nice edition, apart from a few odd typos ('"We'd never sleep a peaceful night again – not ever again, no V"'); the cover art is stark and attractive.
April Morning is the story of about thirty-six hours in the life of fifteen-year-old Adam Cooper, a farm boy in Massachusetts living a placid life with his domineering father, Moses, and his sweet mother, sharp grandmother, and typical-pain little brother. (His grandmother was terrific.) What is not really obvious from the text until a little ways in (and which I was ignorant of going in, for whatever reason) is that this isn't just 18th century Massachusetts – it is Lexington, as in Lexington and Concord, and the April morning is April 18-19, 1776.
By the end of the brief novel Adam's entire life has changed, and his future as well. It's easy to slip into the old habit of thinking about the men who fought the Revolution as … only that, the plucky militia, confounding the Redcoats with guerilla tactics. It's easy to forget about the fact that the war came on them with a force and suddenness they did not expect. Many knew it might come; the leadership in particular was a well-informed group. They didn't know how and exactly when. They didn't expect to see friends and neighbors and family cut down, or to see the entire course of their lives redirected. Or terminated. The tidy, uncomplicated path Adam has always seen for his life – probably marry within the village, perhaps to Ruth, eventually inherit the farm, care for his grandmother and parents until they die, raise a family of his own, take up a position on the Committee in his father's wake – is obliterated. By the end of the brief time covered by the book, it is all still possible – but not nearly as obvious, as safe and sure, as it has been all his life. His life, his future – the world has changed.
By the end of the story I was rather fond of Adam, who is engaging despite his teenaged-boy-ness. I've come across surprisingly little fiction centered on the Revolution (there's my beloved Sherwood Ring, and I need to read Johnny Tremaine again one day), and I'm glad of a story that illuminates a corner of a period of history I know less about than I'd like to. I had, for example, no idea that that was how the whole thing started. This account certainly differs from the general impression of the Minutemen, every one loaded for bear (literally) and more than willing to defend their homes with no discussion. The Committee was so very much a committee, a panel of men of all opinions who spoke much and accomplished, apparently, little; this is not the popular image of the clear-minded forefather…
The brutality of the battle – battles – was startling, as was the frankness about the various reactions. There are no real heroes here, not as the history books would like us to see them; in fact, Adam notes himself that some of the greatest heroism shown that morning was by the British soldiers who walked into Colonial gunfire – and kept walking.
My eyebrows went up at the casual discussion of investment into slave ships, often profitable enough to be worth bucking public opinion despite an obscene percentage of ships – or was it just cargo? - lost. It's another thing I've never thought much about, the 18th century attitude toward slavery.
I was also surprised by the opinions expressed of Sam Adams and John Hancock?. Here are these (to overuse the word) heroes of the Revolution, and the denizens of Lexington are not happy about a visit from these worthies. I knew shamefully little about Sam Adams, who, it appears, was seen as an atheist (Wikipedia lists him as Congregational) and a radical (true enough). They seem to both be considered stormcrows.
I like this sort of detail – I love to see a little deeper or from a slightly different angle than usual.
The book is from Adam's first-person point of view, and the language is colloquial without, happily, being unreadably young or "farm-boy" – the local color is not blinding. For a short work, there is a lot of strong characterization here – I finished it feeling I knew several of the characters quite well, and had known them a long time, something far too many much longer books fail to achieve. The quote I added above about Adams and Hancock is a good example of the skill with which this was managed: succinct and expressive without needing the narrator stepping in to fill in the blanks. It grew on me, and continued the effect after I finished it. I've found that I knock off a star from some books in the course of working up a review. Here, if anything, I might add one.
April Morning is the story of about thirty-six hours in the life of fifteen-year-old Adam Cooper, a farm boy in Massachusetts living a placid life with his domineering father, Moses, and his sweet mother, sharp grandmother, and typical-pain little brother. (His grandmother was terrific.) What is not really obvious from the text until a little ways in (and which I was ignorant of going in, for whatever reason) is that this isn't just 18th century Massachusetts – it is Lexington, as in Lexington and Concord, and the April morning is April 18-19, 1776.
By the end of the brief novel Adam's entire life has changed, and his future as well. It's easy to slip into the old habit of thinking about the men who fought the Revolution as … only that, the plucky militia, confounding the Redcoats with guerilla tactics. It's easy to forget about the fact that the war came on them with a force and suddenness they did not expect. Many knew it might come; the leadership in particular was a well-informed group. They didn't know how and exactly when. They didn't expect to see friends and neighbors and family cut down, or to see the entire course of their lives redirected. Or terminated. The tidy, uncomplicated path Adam has always seen for his life – probably marry within the village, perhaps to Ruth, eventually inherit the farm, care for his grandmother and parents until they die, raise a family of his own, take up a position on the Committee in his father's wake – is obliterated. By the end of the brief time covered by the book, it is all still possible – but not nearly as obvious, as safe and sure, as it has been all his life. His life, his future – the world has changed.
By the end of the story I was rather fond of Adam, who is engaging despite his teenaged-boy-ness. I've come across surprisingly little fiction centered on the Revolution (there's my beloved Sherwood Ring, and I need to read Johnny Tremaine again one day), and I'm glad of a story that illuminates a corner of a period of history I know less about than I'd like to. I had, for example, no idea that that was how the whole thing started. This account certainly differs from the general impression of the Minutemen, every one loaded for bear (literally) and more than willing to defend their homes with no discussion. The Committee was so very much a committee, a panel of men of all opinions who spoke much and accomplished, apparently, little; this is not the popular image of the clear-minded forefather…
The brutality of the battle – battles – was startling, as was the frankness about the various reactions. There are no real heroes here, not as the history books would like us to see them; in fact, Adam notes himself that some of the greatest heroism shown that morning was by the British soldiers who walked into Colonial gunfire – and kept walking.
My eyebrows went up at the casual discussion of investment into slave ships, often profitable enough to be worth bucking public opinion despite an obscene percentage of ships – or was it just cargo? - lost. It's another thing I've never thought much about, the 18th century attitude toward slavery.
I was also surprised by the opinions expressed of Sam Adams and John Hancock?. Here are these (to overuse the word) heroes of the Revolution, and the denizens of Lexington are not happy about a visit from these worthies. I knew shamefully little about Sam Adams, who, it appears, was seen as an atheist (Wikipedia lists him as Congregational) and a radical (true enough). They seem to both be considered stormcrows.
"They were here tonight."
"Who?"
"Sam Adams and John Hancock."
"Oh, no," Father said. "Now what in heaven's name were they doing here?"
I like this sort of detail – I love to see a little deeper or from a slightly different angle than usual.
The book is from Adam's first-person point of view, and the language is colloquial without, happily, being unreadably young or "farm-boy" – the local color is not blinding. For a short work, there is a lot of strong characterization here – I finished it feeling I knew several of the characters quite well, and had known them a long time, something far too many much longer books fail to achieve. The quote I added above about Adams and Hancock is a good example of the skill with which this was managed: succinct and expressive without needing the narrator stepping in to fill in the blanks. It grew on me, and continued the effect after I finished it. I've found that I knock off a star from some books in the course of working up a review. Here, if anything, I might add one.
April 10, 2020
April 19, 1775.
During the course of this day, fifteen year old Adam Cooper takes a giant step towards manhood.
And a country takes its first violent step towards independence.
Divided into chapters titled for their time frame (The Afternoon, The Evening, etc.) this book gives the reader a ringside seat to the moment in history renowned for producing 'the shot heard 'round the world'.
By the next evening our story is over. and yet of course it is just beginning, for the country and Adam Cooper both.
The back cover warns the reader "....you will see the British redcoats marching in a solid column along the road through your town. Your hands will be sweating and you will shake a little as you grip your musket because never before have you shot with the idea of killing a man...."
Certainly once the author got to the actual conflict, the book became intimately intense. I confess that for the first couple of chapters it felt more like a typical Gee, Poor Me When Is Pa Going To See I Am A Man He Must Hate Me type of thing and just a tad dull.
Howard Fast wrote the novel Spartacus. After reading the Kirk Douglas book about the making of the movie of the same name, I decided I wanted to re-read the book and also try some of the author's other work. I ordered his autobiography, a replacement copy of Spartacus (mine had fallen apart years ago) and two of his Revolutionary War-era historical novels.
I was not sure what to expect from this book, and I have mixed feelings about it. Interesting and moving, but it took a bit to get there, and once or twice I wondered if I would even keep going. But I do think it is worth hanging onto and re-reading Someday.
(Oh, and a little trivia. This is an paperback edition from 1964. The original print date was 1962. There are 202 pages and guess what the cover price was? Fifty cents! Boy, those were the days. The Betty White book I finished just before this one was printed in 1995 and had a cover price of 6.99! What a difference thirty years make, no?)
During the course of this day, fifteen year old Adam Cooper takes a giant step towards manhood.
And a country takes its first violent step towards independence.
Divided into chapters titled for their time frame (The Afternoon, The Evening, etc.) this book gives the reader a ringside seat to the moment in history renowned for producing 'the shot heard 'round the world'.
By the next evening our story is over. and yet of course it is just beginning, for the country and Adam Cooper both.
The back cover warns the reader "....you will see the British redcoats marching in a solid column along the road through your town. Your hands will be sweating and you will shake a little as you grip your musket because never before have you shot with the idea of killing a man...."
Certainly once the author got to the actual conflict, the book became intimately intense. I confess that for the first couple of chapters it felt more like a typical Gee, Poor Me When Is Pa Going To See I Am A Man He Must Hate Me type of thing and just a tad dull.
Howard Fast wrote the novel Spartacus. After reading the Kirk Douglas book about the making of the movie of the same name, I decided I wanted to re-read the book and also try some of the author's other work. I ordered his autobiography, a replacement copy of Spartacus (mine had fallen apart years ago) and two of his Revolutionary War-era historical novels.
I was not sure what to expect from this book, and I have mixed feelings about it. Interesting and moving, but it took a bit to get there, and once or twice I wondered if I would even keep going. But I do think it is worth hanging onto and re-reading Someday.
(Oh, and a little trivia. This is an paperback edition from 1964. The original print date was 1962. There are 202 pages and guess what the cover price was? Fifty cents! Boy, those were the days. The Betty White book I finished just before this one was printed in 1995 and had a cover price of 6.99! What a difference thirty years make, no?)
August 26, 2018
In this coming of age story, fifteen year-old Adam Cooper has to grow up overnight. Adam lives in Lexington, MA and it’s April 18, 1775. It’s the eve of the Revolutionary War and the British Army is on the march to Concord to seize the munition stores of the colonists.
Having been warned of the impending arrival of the Redcoats, the town committeemen call all able-bodied men to town to make a stand. No one in Lexington believes that there will be a battle as they have 75 men, at most, vs 1,000+ Redcoats. They just want to show the British Army that they are not to be trifled with and that Lexington is their home and they will protect it. However, all those rational thoughts are thrown away, when the British open fire. From there, the reader follows Adam as he joins the rest of the men in harassing the British column as it marches from Concord back to Boston.
This story gives puts you in the thoughts of a young man who until this day had a quiet life where his biggest problems were trying not to disappoint his father and dealing with his annoying little brother. That all changes in an instant when the first shot rings out…
Very well-written, a quick and easy read but interesting as the reader learns of the initial hours of the Revolutionary War. I recommend this to anyone interested in the Revolutionary War or even simply as a coming of age story.
Rating: 3.75 stars
Having been warned of the impending arrival of the Redcoats, the town committeemen call all able-bodied men to town to make a stand. No one in Lexington believes that there will be a battle as they have 75 men, at most, vs 1,000+ Redcoats. They just want to show the British Army that they are not to be trifled with and that Lexington is their home and they will protect it. However, all those rational thoughts are thrown away, when the British open fire. From there, the reader follows Adam as he joins the rest of the men in harassing the British column as it marches from Concord back to Boston.
This story gives puts you in the thoughts of a young man who until this day had a quiet life where his biggest problems were trying not to disappoint his father and dealing with his annoying little brother. That all changes in an instant when the first shot rings out…
Very well-written, a quick and easy read but interesting as the reader learns of the initial hours of the Revolutionary War. I recommend this to anyone interested in the Revolutionary War or even simply as a coming of age story.
Rating: 3.75 stars
February 20, 2018
Gut wrenching events leading to the raw revolutionary war.
April 10, 2015
Once I got past all of the necessary character building of teenage angst and adults being jerky and not understanding of those darn kids, it got better. I think the history of the initial battle scene may have been slightly altered for a more dramatic telling, but not in a horrible, I can't believe the author did that way.
I think the author did a very good job showing how so much can change in just one 24 hour day. To go from regular teenage pouting and railing against parents, to deadly conflict and the start of the fight for America's independence, and the growth of a boy into a man by necessity. It was powerful and definitely leads one to think, today seems normal, but to what will it lead? Will it become different, vital, important in a way I never anticipated? Am I prepared for what may come?
Thought provoking book. I'm glad I read it as an adult. The beginning got under my skin with the teenager behavior, but it was true to life and did a good job to set the stage of the main characters in the book. I'm not sure how I would have reacted to this if I had to read it in school.
I think the author did a very good job showing how so much can change in just one 24 hour day. To go from regular teenage pouting and railing against parents, to deadly conflict and the start of the fight for America's independence, and the growth of a boy into a man by necessity. It was powerful and definitely leads one to think, today seems normal, but to what will it lead? Will it become different, vital, important in a way I never anticipated? Am I prepared for what may come?
Thought provoking book. I'm glad I read it as an adult. The beginning got under my skin with the teenager behavior, but it was true to life and did a good job to set the stage of the main characters in the book. I'm not sure how I would have reacted to this if I had to read it in school.
December 8, 2014
Literally the worst book I have ever read. But still a better love story than Twilight.
November 30, 2025
Top notch. This is a quintessential young adult (early high school) historical novel that deals with a very brief moment in American history: the "battle" of Lexington and its aftermath. But while it presents a vivid account of that action, the book is at least equally about the development of the 15-year-old protagonist: his interactions with his father, mother, grandmother, and younger brother; his place in his community (both that of children and of adults); his romantic stirrings; and his involvement in a pivotal event of the American Revolution.
There are some elements of the dialogue and the inner thoughts that are probably not entirely accurate in a historical sense, but I did not find these off-putting. The book rings true in terms of young Adam Cooper's thinking and his confusion about so many things. It is perhaps best read by audiences of a similar age, who might start to appreciate how this boy, with whom they share so much, is forced in one day to become a man.
Fast is able to accomplish all of this in well under 200 pages. For decades this has been well-respected and oft-assigned - most deservedly so.
There are some elements of the dialogue and the inner thoughts that are probably not entirely accurate in a historical sense, but I did not find these off-putting. The book rings true in terms of young Adam Cooper's thinking and his confusion about so many things. It is perhaps best read by audiences of a similar age, who might start to appreciate how this boy, with whom they share so much, is forced in one day to become a man.
Fast is able to accomplish all of this in well under 200 pages. For decades this has been well-respected and oft-assigned - most deservedly so.
July 17, 2019
“Yesterday, he was a boy. Tonight, he’s not.” “Now what kind of thing is that to say? That’s exactly the kind of thing a man says. I don’t understand that kind of talk. A boy doesn’t turn into a man overnight. It takes learning and growing and hurting. And most of all it takes time.” “Sometimes,” Father said slowly, “we don’t have time.”
The opening of the American War of Independence through the eyes and emotions of a Lexington teen. Outstanding depth of consciousness. The reader is dragged along as Adam Cooper is yanked out of his very conventional colonial New England childhood into a frightening and blood-soaked adulthood on the day world history changed.
“Then I realized that at this range, even if some of the bird shot did reach the redcoats, it would sting no harder than a mosquito. It was a great relief to find some sensible reason not to go on shooting.”
So much better than other fiction by Fast. Is this the normal or an aberration? Fast captures the feel of the times in the syntax and the ideas the permeate this story. As an eyewitness, Adam doesn’t see or know everything—especially not who fired that shot—but he does filter the action through a realistic, immersive point of view.
“Nobody fights in God’s cause,” the Reverend replied sharply. “Isn’t it enough to kill in freedom’s name? No one kills in God’s cause. He can only ask God’s forgiveness.”
Quibble: Modernity creeps in at the edges. Words like “subconscious” are jarringly out of place. The treatment of native American and women is noticeably better than the norm of those days, but plausible given the family ethic portrayed. Occasional typos mar the text.
“It doesn’t make one bit of sense that the British are coming up with a real army. I mean, what for? I mean, why on earth would they want to start a war? You always read about wars. But no one ever explains why a war starts. They just start.”
What was General Gates thinking? By all accounts, he was trying to subdue or seduce the colonists back into the imperial fold, despite hawkish subordinates. How then could he imagine that an armed incursion into the Massachusetts country would not trigger a fight? (When Goivernor Dunmore stole the Virginia militia’s powder the very next day (which was too coincidental to be coincidence), “the shot heard ‘round the world” had already been fired. And he almost got a fight, too.) Once the sword of war is pulled, for whatever reason, it’s hard to scabbard.
“The April morning when I departed properly belonged in a past so distant and different that it could hardly be evoked. Even if all the scars were healed, nothing would ever be the same again.”
The opening of the American War of Independence through the eyes and emotions of a Lexington teen. Outstanding depth of consciousness. The reader is dragged along as Adam Cooper is yanked out of his very conventional colonial New England childhood into a frightening and blood-soaked adulthood on the day world history changed.
“Then I realized that at this range, even if some of the bird shot did reach the redcoats, it would sting no harder than a mosquito. It was a great relief to find some sensible reason not to go on shooting.”
So much better than other fiction by Fast. Is this the normal or an aberration? Fast captures the feel of the times in the syntax and the ideas the permeate this story. As an eyewitness, Adam doesn’t see or know everything—especially not who fired that shot—but he does filter the action through a realistic, immersive point of view.
“Nobody fights in God’s cause,” the Reverend replied sharply. “Isn’t it enough to kill in freedom’s name? No one kills in God’s cause. He can only ask God’s forgiveness.”
Quibble: Modernity creeps in at the edges. Words like “subconscious” are jarringly out of place. The treatment of native American and women is noticeably better than the norm of those days, but plausible given the family ethic portrayed. Occasional typos mar the text.
“It doesn’t make one bit of sense that the British are coming up with a real army. I mean, what for? I mean, why on earth would they want to start a war? You always read about wars. But no one ever explains why a war starts. They just start.”
What was General Gates thinking? By all accounts, he was trying to subdue or seduce the colonists back into the imperial fold, despite hawkish subordinates. How then could he imagine that an armed incursion into the Massachusetts country would not trigger a fight? (When Goivernor Dunmore stole the Virginia militia’s powder the very next day (which was too coincidental to be coincidence), “the shot heard ‘round the world” had already been fired. And he almost got a fight, too.) Once the sword of war is pulled, for whatever reason, it’s hard to scabbard.
“The April morning when I departed properly belonged in a past so distant and different that it could hardly be evoked. Even if all the scars were healed, nothing would ever be the same again.”
December 8, 2014
My class had to read this book for Academic Strategies, and at first, my friend and I thought it would be a good book, but after reading the first few pages, we realized we were sorely mistaken. Talk about "Don't judge a book by its cover". The story was impossible to follow, and at times, I wanted to just give up on the book, but since we were forced to, my friend and I had no choice but to keep reading. The book got better at one part, and then got worse almost instantly. Howard Fast had one problem with this book: Character development. Adam became a man in around 24 hours, which makes it almost unrealistic, given the circumstances he was put in. I don't know how it could be an all-time bestseller, unless people gave up in the middle of the book and decided to give it this award. The book was confusing overall.
May 3, 2016
This was at least my second, perhaps my third time reading this novel and once again I found it very informative. Historically it recounts the morning of April 18-19, 1775 and the first battle of the Revolutionary war. The story is told through the eyes of Adam Cooper, a boy of 15. We have the teenage angst of a boy feeling unloved by his father, who is a strict disciplinarian. Adam is confused by his feeling and his desire for independence from his father. Adam also is interested in a young girl who lives nearby. Word has come down that the British are coming and men and boys run to sign up to stand against the redcoats. Adam's father allows him to sign up and in the course of one day the boy grows into a man after encountering war and loss.
November 16, 2017
April Morning by Howard Fast is a historical fiction book with 202 pages. Adam Cooper, a 15 year old boy lives in Lexington, Massachusetts in the 1770s when tensions with the British are heating up. one night a lone rider comes to town and warns the people of Lexington that British forces are coming. The town reverend and the townsmen decide to sign a muster that lets people volunteer to fight the British if it comes to that. The muster gathers about 70 people including Adam and his father Moses. What will happen next? Read to find out.
I honestly do not like this book at all. The characters are boring and emotionless. The book drags on for so long that it takes them 10 pages just to finish a small dinner. The action scenes in this book are dull and uninteresting, so much so that Adam literally falls asleep during one! Further so, that when he actually fights Redcoats the fighting is extremely fast and hard to follow. Adam's girlfriend, who is also his second cousin once removed, is a very cliche and cheesy character. His relationship with her goes nowhere the entire book. Overall I would never recommend this book to anyone.
I think the main theme of this book is how quickly things can be taken away from you. His father is shot in the chest at the beginning and this influences him throughout the whole book. I believe that the author wants us to not take anything for granted. That being said, Howard Fast barely does anything to emphasize this theme at all. This book is very historically accurate but that is what makes it boring, I would rate this book 1 out of 5 stars.
I honestly do not like this book at all. The characters are boring and emotionless. The book drags on for so long that it takes them 10 pages just to finish a small dinner. The action scenes in this book are dull and uninteresting, so much so that Adam literally falls asleep during one! Further so, that when he actually fights Redcoats the fighting is extremely fast and hard to follow. Adam's girlfriend, who is also his second cousin once removed, is a very cliche and cheesy character. His relationship with her goes nowhere the entire book. Overall I would never recommend this book to anyone.
I think the main theme of this book is how quickly things can be taken away from you. His father is shot in the chest at the beginning and this influences him throughout the whole book. I believe that the author wants us to not take anything for granted. That being said, Howard Fast barely does anything to emphasize this theme at all. This book is very historically accurate but that is what makes it boring, I would rate this book 1 out of 5 stars.
September 6, 2017
This book was okay for a piece of historical fiction but was not the best otherwise. In fact, I probably would not have read it if had it not been required reading. Howard Fast was a renowned author known for his novels and short stories including April Morning, The Crossing, and Spartacus. Fast writes in a style that is very easy to understand and follow along with. The characters are one of the few things I enjoyed about this book. The main character Adam is very relatable and I could actually see myself doing many of the things that he did throughout the book like going off to war with his dad and protecting his younger brother. The novel does give an interesting first person view of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and further illustrates many of the motivations the citizens of these towns had. Overall, I would suggest the book to history buffs who want a different view on the Revolutionary War but other than that I would avoid it.
November 1, 2014
Loved this book. It really helped me see the Revolution from the ground level, even though it was through a work of fiction.
June 4, 2025
This book is was written in 1961, the year I was born , and I know I have previously read it at some point in my youth, although I cannot recall if I was in elementary or high school when I last picked it up.The reason I sought it out again after forty five or fifty years is a rather odd and wildly random one: I saw a reference on social media to the meat pies known as donkers which are described in the book . Someone on reddit or nextdoor was looking for a donkers recipe and I was instantly transported back to that colonial kitchen in Massachusetts where the main character's grandmother explained to him that the fried meat and fruit pies known as donkers were Dutch food. I gather perhaps the person inquiring was also reading April Morning, and suddenly I wanted to read it again. This time around I'm a reader of mature years, and it's much more personal to me because my husband of thirty six years ( and therefore my three adult children too) are descendants of Captain John Parker, who led the American militia at the battle of Lexington and Concord. In fact, my husband's middle name is Parker which was his mother's maiden name. We used to tease him about the " don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" quote. So this time around I read the book with new awareness that my own children's ancestors had lived front and center through this particular nightmare. Still a beautiful beautiful coming of age book. Grateful to have randomly come across a stranger's recipe search for fried colonial meat pies and that it led me to a reread.As it happens I early voted in my local primary today and the whole day already feels like a convergence of American crisis, what with the current state of political flux in this country.The person looking still has not found a recipe, nor can I. Presumably it is something like a fried mincemeat hand pie? I found only a colonial mincemeat regular pie recipe. https://purecatskills.com/recipe/colo.... I must say I also enjoyed the little romance between Adam and Ruth. Some years ago we toured Boston's Old North Church as part of a family vacation to Boston and learned that a teenage Paul Revere had been a bell ringer there . It wasn't his family's church - the guide explained that they went to one on the other side of town of town, but when you're a teenage boy in colonial America, volunteering at church is pretty much the only way you're going to meet more girls. Lol!
April 4, 2024
I read this right after My Brother Sam Is Dead, which both books are well written. However, the amount of abuse dealt towards Adam is mind boggling. The parents are infuriating, especially the father, Moses. The subject itself was handled fairly well for a war book, the writing was good, but my god the parents are abusive and awful.
Set during the Lexington battle, this book promises my hands will shake and yeah they did. From the sheer amount of abuse heaped upon Adam. Spankings in the first chapter, and all because he wished the water in the well wouldn't have "evil spirits". I get that it's the time period, but I'm truly tired of parents spanking children.
There is a brief love interest in the book, but barely. Honestly, the romance wasn't much to write home about.
The battle was interesting, and well written. Fast paced enough to make up for the long winded beginning.
Overall, this wasn't my cup of tea, but I can see why it's required reading. (At least for most schools, I lucked out and this wasn't one of my required books growing up!)
Rated: 2 ⭐
Set during the Lexington battle, this book promises my hands will shake and yeah they did. From the sheer amount of abuse heaped upon Adam. Spankings in the first chapter, and all because he wished the water in the well wouldn't have "evil spirits". I get that it's the time period, but I'm truly tired of parents spanking children.
There is a brief love interest in the book, but barely. Honestly, the romance wasn't much to write home about.
The battle was interesting, and well written. Fast paced enough to make up for the long winded beginning.
Overall, this wasn't my cup of tea, but I can see why it's required reading. (At least for most schools, I lucked out and this wasn't one of my required books growing up!)
Rated: 2 ⭐
July 30, 2025
The story follows young Adam Cooper, son of the overbearing Moses, living in Lexington, MA. He feels his father doesn't love him or support him. But when the British march out to seize the colonists' powder and shot, Adam and his father step out to fight alongside their townspeople. Their shocking sacrifice cements the bond between them. The story feels a little along the lines of The Red Badge of Courage, as it examines where the line is when defending your home and your family.
May 26, 2019
A short and captivating read. I enjoyed the inner thoughts of a boy coming of age through the beginning stages of the Revolutionary War. While it was fairly simple and not too in depth, I’m glad I read it since it only took a couple of days and I learned more about how the Revolutionary War began, through the eyes of a fictional fifteen year old boy.
April 13, 2025
Told from a 15 year old boy's perspective, the battle of Lexington during the American revolution. This is still interesting for adults but good for young adults.
May 15, 2016
April Morning was written by Howard Fast in 1961. The book is about a young man named Adam growing up in Revolutionary War time in Lexington Massachusetts in the year 1775. He joins the rebels against his father’s wishes. The theme of April Morning is growing up. April Morning was overall a great book.
The main characters of the book are Adam Cooper (protagonist), Moses Cooper (Adam’s father and a town leader), Sarah Cooper (Adam’s mother), Levi Cooper (Adam’s brother), Ruth Simmons (Adam’s girlfriend), and Solomon Chandler (a British soldier Adam meets along the way and befriends). The conflict of the book is Adam trying to survive the war and overcome his fear of killing an enemy. Another conflict is Adam trying to gain his father’s approval and prove to his father and himself that he is no longer a young boy. The book was very good and did not have many parts that were boring. I recommend this book to young men growing up that like a good action and adventure novel.
April Morning stood out to me among other books because teenagers like myself can relate to the protagonist. The book has taught me how to become a man just as the main character did. A defining moment for Adam growing up is his realization of the “real world.” As he returns home with his army to bury their dead, he says, “ We had won the battle, but there is less joy in winning than the history books tell you.” This quote taught Adam and myself that growing up may sound fun and exciting, but we must not lose sight of the responsibilities that come along with it.
The book is full of action, drama, and romance as the readers follow the 15 year old soldier through war times. He grows up from an ordinary town-boy to becoming a adult. He learns his most valuable lessons from his father, an ex-British soldier, and himself through his own experiences. I myself, have learned from this book about the responsibilities of growing up and what it entails.
At the end of reading this book, I was very satisfied on my decision to read it. I was not very interested by the name, but I was proved wrong by the content. April Morning was a great book that kept me reading to find out more. I would recommend it for young men wanting to pass time or just read a good book. April Morning is by far one of my favorite books.
The main characters of the book are Adam Cooper (protagonist), Moses Cooper (Adam’s father and a town leader), Sarah Cooper (Adam’s mother), Levi Cooper (Adam’s brother), Ruth Simmons (Adam’s girlfriend), and Solomon Chandler (a British soldier Adam meets along the way and befriends). The conflict of the book is Adam trying to survive the war and overcome his fear of killing an enemy. Another conflict is Adam trying to gain his father’s approval and prove to his father and himself that he is no longer a young boy. The book was very good and did not have many parts that were boring. I recommend this book to young men growing up that like a good action and adventure novel.
April Morning stood out to me among other books because teenagers like myself can relate to the protagonist. The book has taught me how to become a man just as the main character did. A defining moment for Adam growing up is his realization of the “real world.” As he returns home with his army to bury their dead, he says, “ We had won the battle, but there is less joy in winning than the history books tell you.” This quote taught Adam and myself that growing up may sound fun and exciting, but we must not lose sight of the responsibilities that come along with it.
The book is full of action, drama, and romance as the readers follow the 15 year old soldier through war times. He grows up from an ordinary town-boy to becoming a adult. He learns his most valuable lessons from his father, an ex-British soldier, and himself through his own experiences. I myself, have learned from this book about the responsibilities of growing up and what it entails.
At the end of reading this book, I was very satisfied on my decision to read it. I was not very interested by the name, but I was proved wrong by the content. April Morning was a great book that kept me reading to find out more. I would recommend it for young men wanting to pass time or just read a good book. April Morning is by far one of my favorite books.
February 10, 2017
The American Revolution was arguably one of the most important events to grace this world in modern times, and, thus is written about. Howard Fast’s April Morning is certainly an interesting take on it, written from the point of view of a teenager who finds himself at the center of the first fight of the war, at Lexington and Concord. Despite its flaws, I find it to be an interesting novel and would recommend it.
April Morning is about a fifteen-year-old named Adam who lives in the small town of Lexington just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Tensions are high between the colonists and their government, and militias known as “Committees” are popping up around the thirteen colonies. They organize resistance efforts and prepare for a war that will soon come. Adam’s father is an outspoken member of Lexington’s Committee, and Adam wants to join. However, his father will not allow him entry until he is sixteen. Eventually, British troops march on Lexington and Concord to seize the Committees arms, and the Committees take up arms and try to stop them.
The author, in my opinion, did an okay job with the story. The story is interesting, but at the end, there are many plot holes and questions we are left with, such as the mildly touched on romance between Adam and Ruth, his love interest throughout the book. There is no closure on what happens between them, and some characters act in illogical ways, like the person who first fires. No one wanted violence to erupt, and both sides of the conflict were trying to de-escalate the potential shootout that was about to happen.
I would recommend this book to people who are interested in history. Even though this is probably a less than stellar portrayal of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, and the aforementioned problems the novel has, the story makes up for it. Otherwise, the book may seem anticlimactic or boring for readers, and it may seem like a waste of time,
In conclusion, I personally enjoyed April Morning, but can easily see why many would not. The story is interesting, with likable protagonists and understandable and not absurd antagonists, if you get past the problems the novel has, I would happily recommend it to you. It’s not a book I could read over and over again, but a good novel that I read once and was happy about reading.
April Morning is about a fifteen-year-old named Adam who lives in the small town of Lexington just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. Tensions are high between the colonists and their government, and militias known as “Committees” are popping up around the thirteen colonies. They organize resistance efforts and prepare for a war that will soon come. Adam’s father is an outspoken member of Lexington’s Committee, and Adam wants to join. However, his father will not allow him entry until he is sixteen. Eventually, British troops march on Lexington and Concord to seize the Committees arms, and the Committees take up arms and try to stop them.
The author, in my opinion, did an okay job with the story. The story is interesting, but at the end, there are many plot holes and questions we are left with, such as the mildly touched on romance between Adam and Ruth, his love interest throughout the book. There is no closure on what happens between them, and some characters act in illogical ways, like the person who first fires. No one wanted violence to erupt, and both sides of the conflict were trying to de-escalate the potential shootout that was about to happen.
I would recommend this book to people who are interested in history. Even though this is probably a less than stellar portrayal of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, and the aforementioned problems the novel has, the story makes up for it. Otherwise, the book may seem anticlimactic or boring for readers, and it may seem like a waste of time,
In conclusion, I personally enjoyed April Morning, but can easily see why many would not. The story is interesting, with likable protagonists and understandable and not absurd antagonists, if you get past the problems the novel has, I would happily recommend it to you. It’s not a book I could read over and over again, but a good novel that I read once and was happy about reading.
December 27, 2018
“Here we stand with our arms in hand, but with no belligerence in our hearts” (p. 87).
The Reverend addresses his townsmen in Lexington as they await the British soldiers, who are marching from Boston to wipe out the revolutionary fervor in the countryside. The men are not in favor of war or fighting. They just want to assert their rights in negotiation"
http://www.novelguide.com/april-morni....
His eyes fixed on me, and I felt that they were boring inside of me and reading every thought. For myself, I had the feeling that I was looking at my father for the very first time, not seeing him as I had always seen him in the vague wholeness of age and distance, but looking at the face of a surprisingly young man, his wide, brown face serious and intent upon me, his dark eyes shadowed in their inquiry, his broad full-lipped mouth tight and thoughtful. How was it, I wondered, that I had never noticed before what a strikingly handsome man he was? How was it that I had seen in him only the strength of his overbearance and not the thewed strength of those massive brown arms spread on the desk with the white shirt sleeves rolled high and carelessly? It was no wonder that men listened to him and heeded his words. (68) http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/apr...
I found that this book gives the daily life and the arguments for & against separating from Great Britain prior to the writing of the Declaration of Independence.
I read this book in Middle school and later on in life and have re-read it for the 3rd or 4th time. It is a Classic!
Think of "Johnny Tremain" or "Light in the Forest" or "Daniel Boone" "Oliver Wistwell by Kenneth Roberts, "The Frontiersman" by Alan Eckert, Janice Holt Giles, "The Kentuckians" to name a few books.
The Reverend addresses his townsmen in Lexington as they await the British soldiers, who are marching from Boston to wipe out the revolutionary fervor in the countryside. The men are not in favor of war or fighting. They just want to assert their rights in negotiation"
http://www.novelguide.com/april-morni....
His eyes fixed on me, and I felt that they were boring inside of me and reading every thought. For myself, I had the feeling that I was looking at my father for the very first time, not seeing him as I had always seen him in the vague wholeness of age and distance, but looking at the face of a surprisingly young man, his wide, brown face serious and intent upon me, his dark eyes shadowed in their inquiry, his broad full-lipped mouth tight and thoughtful. How was it, I wondered, that I had never noticed before what a strikingly handsome man he was? How was it that I had seen in him only the strength of his overbearance and not the thewed strength of those massive brown arms spread on the desk with the white shirt sleeves rolled high and carelessly? It was no wonder that men listened to him and heeded his words. (68) http://thebestnotes.com/booknotes/apr...
I found that this book gives the daily life and the arguments for & against separating from Great Britain prior to the writing of the Declaration of Independence.
I read this book in Middle school and later on in life and have re-read it for the 3rd or 4th time. It is a Classic!
Think of "Johnny Tremain" or "Light in the Forest" or "Daniel Boone" "Oliver Wistwell by Kenneth Roberts, "The Frontiersman" by Alan Eckert, Janice Holt Giles, "The Kentuckians" to name a few books.
October 22, 2012
A quick, effective read about how quickly one's perspective can change; in this case, literally overnight.
Young Adam Cooper cannot seem to do anything that pleases his father. Like most 15-year-olds, he can't set a foot right, and feels awful about it. Then comes a rider in the night, telling of the army of redcoats who are marching toward Lexington.
This is an excellent young adult read, for anyone who thinks that war is glorious and would go with enthusiasm and joy. Fast tidies battle up considerably, but you still understand by the end that it is dirt and mud and death and gore, and should properly be feared and avoided if at all possible. In this series of events, it wasn't possible to avoid it, but fear is omnipresent.
I was not aware when I chose this book that it would be written from a young person's point of view. Initially, that disappointed me, but as I got further into the story, I found that it made sense. Who better to be awakened to the realities of battle than someone who had limited experience of life in general? As always, Fast is a brilliant storyteller, and because it is him telling the story, the pages fly by, but there is depth to this tale, and the images have stuck with me.
Young Adam Cooper cannot seem to do anything that pleases his father. Like most 15-year-olds, he can't set a foot right, and feels awful about it. Then comes a rider in the night, telling of the army of redcoats who are marching toward Lexington.
This is an excellent young adult read, for anyone who thinks that war is glorious and would go with enthusiasm and joy. Fast tidies battle up considerably, but you still understand by the end that it is dirt and mud and death and gore, and should properly be feared and avoided if at all possible. In this series of events, it wasn't possible to avoid it, but fear is omnipresent.
I was not aware when I chose this book that it would be written from a young person's point of view. Initially, that disappointed me, but as I got further into the story, I found that it made sense. Who better to be awakened to the realities of battle than someone who had limited experience of life in general? As always, Fast is a brilliant storyteller, and because it is him telling the story, the pages fly by, but there is depth to this tale, and the images have stuck with me.
May 10, 2012
I never read this book in high school and, in fact, never heard of it until I saw it on a discount bookshelf at a local book store. Being a lover of historical fiction, I decided the time was right for me to delve into the American Revolution. Up to that point, most of the books that I had read from that period had been straightforward history books about the prominent figures of that time. What I discovered within the pages of "April Morning" was a compelling story of a young, Massachusetts boy forced to come of age as a result of the British advancement on Lexington. Howard Fast coaxes the reader to care about Adam Cooper and the men who struggled to maintain their rights. The characters and dialogue are well developed. There are many things to be said for this short novel (it spans the time of one day and is just over 200 pages long) but perhaps the most compelling indicator of its worth is its readability. A reader can get through this book in one day. This fact has more to do with the story than the size of the novel. Howard Fast wrote a timeless book worthy of any reader's attention.
March 21, 2013
I liked April morning, but I thought it too sad when his father died, which was only a few days after Adam found out his father didn't hate him, and only hours after his father told his mother how impressed he was with Adam, signing up for the militia, and looking more like a man then ever. When the British officer got his brains all over the wall, I stopped reading for the night and was afraid I was gonna have nightmares, but I didn't. I wish some one would write a historical fiction book about the whole revolution, and not just the battle of Lexington and Concord. I give it three stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2009
I will always admit to being a slow reader. So it takes me a while to get into a book, especially when it is an actual book and not an audiobook. With this book, once I got into it, I really enjoyed it. This is American History in a very palatable way. The author takes me to a long ago time, a faraway place. I care about this family, this boy, these people. I am desolated when they begin the battle, but I can understand why it went that way. I am thrilled when help/support comes, and this boy is brought into manhood by several strong role models. I'm cheering at the end of the day, and crying with the community at the loss of so many good men.
The entire book takes place in only a 24-hour period. It's the beginnings of the American Revolution, 1775. Very exciting, educational and uplifting. It makes me think. I descend from people who survived that conflict. Now I begin to understand their struggle for my freedoms. Now I begin to appreciate them all the more.
The entire book takes place in only a 24-hour period. It's the beginnings of the American Revolution, 1775. Very exciting, educational and uplifting. It makes me think. I descend from people who survived that conflict. Now I begin to understand their struggle for my freedoms. Now I begin to appreciate them all the more.
November 4, 2015
The main character throughout this book's name is Adam Cooper; he is 15 years old. It takes place in around 1775 and in the colonies. I would honestly not recommend this book to anyone that I know; I say this because it was not really intriguing, it spent a lot of time on things that were not really worthy of spending as much time on as the author did. This book could have been great; the entire idea could have been really neat, but the author ruined it by adding all this romance and stories from at home that turned out to be insignificant towards the whole story. For example, in one scene it wasted a good three and a half pages and the description of a dead boy and what happened to him. Turns out he wasn't even relevant to the story. But what little time it spent on things that were barely even close to being relevant it wasn't half bad. But in the end; this was almost two months of my life I will never get back.
April 12, 2016
To all the students giving this book one star reviews because they didn't want to read it, I think you should reconsider your rating. This book was published in 1961so some of the language may be out of date now, but it is written in first person and not difficult to follow if you give it a chance. While this is fictionalized history, similar things actually happened to real people at the battles of Lexington and Concord. I think we owe it to all of the patriots who died fighting the British to take a few hours to read this book. You can then appreciate the sacrifices made by these first patriots that led to your safety and freedom to hate this book that you have today. The men and women who participated in the American Revolution were the bravest people our country has ever known, and this book is a memorial to them.
May 22, 2012
A boring, predictable story about a teenage boy fighting near the Battle of Lexington. He has disagreements with his rather unbelievably naive father, who is also unbelievably murdered outright on the village common by British soldiers. It demonized the British soldiers to an excessive degree and was fairly transparent as a coming-of-age story and as a patriotic portrait of an average colonial family. The plot basically follows Adam as he tries to regroup with other militiamen and takes part in a handful of road attacks. I especially enjoyed how Adam falls asleep during the climactic battle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2013
There's always that thing that happens to you when you have to read a book for school.
I mean, I bet I would have absolutely adored Ender's Game, if it hadn't been for school. I'm pretty sure that The Outsiders is the only reading for school that I did that I actually enjoyed.
I'm not going to do a review or whatever for this because, really? Who the actual fuck would?
It sucked.
I didn't even pay attention to the second half of this book because I was just reading to get rid of the pages.
So bye.
I mean, I bet I would have absolutely adored Ender's Game, if it hadn't been for school. I'm pretty sure that The Outsiders is the only reading for school that I did that I actually enjoyed.
I'm not going to do a review or whatever for this because, really? Who the actual fuck would?
It sucked.
I didn't even pay attention to the second half of this book because I was just reading to get rid of the pages.
So bye.
November 6, 2014
The worst war book I've ever read. I had to read this back in Middle School as an assignment in English. It didn't look that bad. But then I started reading it. It was terrible. Boring story, unlikable characters, I was about ready to toss this in the garbage bin before remembering it was the school's book.
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