What's Your Revolutionary War Experience?

I've heard my Sister-in-law talk about the "You Choose" books, the type of book where you pick your own adventure.  She loves them, admitting that when she was younger she always managed to die.  I've always been curious, but not curious enough to buy a book to try out.

Then late last week, while visiting Costco, I found a set of You Choose books featuring the American Revolution, Civil War, and two different WWII.

The books are AMAZING!  Sure, the writing level is Young Reader-ish, but the material gives you a feel of the times.  The pictures and maps are fantastic.

It's more fun to interact with history then read it through a text book.

With this being 4th of July week, I've been focusing on the Revolution book.  So far I've experienced the Boston Massacre through the eyes of John Hancock's maid, a British Soldier, and a 13 year old apprentice.  Fought on both sides of the battle of Bunker Hill, and both sides during the Revolution.

When we think of early America, we think, at least I do, that everyone must have been a Patriot.  But that's not the case at all.  There were a great many loyalist as well, and this book does a great job showing what it must have been like to live then, and why some people followed one path verses another.

For instance, I didn't know that after the war many loyalist fled to Canada and East Florida, a British colony.  When I played/read through as a loyalist, I choose East Florida, which, in a couple years was traded with Spain for the Bahama's, so I ended up living the rest of my days in the Bahamas.

These books are also really good at showing how a simple choice and action can drastically change our life.

Really interesting and fun.

In other news I'm getting over influenza!!  It suddenly attacked me Thursday, and by 10:00 pm that night I had a 104 fever!  I was feeling well enough last night to eat and watch street fireworks.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to help volunteer with the parade this year, it was a blast last year, but my Dad brought me back an American Freedom Festival Volunteer shirt, which I'm wearing now.

You want to know what else I'm doing now, besides writing this?  Watching the FIFA World Cup.  Argentina vs Belgium.  Argentina up one point!  I'm cheering them on.

Another random thought: Why do we need another Hercules movie this year?  Having to endure the first incarnation was bad enough.  (Just saw a commercial.)

Heh, and with all the randomness, none of my family warned my Grandpa what the 4th is like in Utah.  We have surrounding neighbors who love to buy the expensive aerials, and it's 2 + hours of bangs and whatnot.  Heh, so it'll be interesting to see  if he has anything to say about it! He's not in California anymore!!!

(There were a few years in Porterville where sparklers were made illegal.)

Half time is almost done!!  Back to the game :0)