About the Book:

Spirit of the Sycamore follows four years in the colonial life of Isaak Greenhart. Isaak’s serendipitous meeting with two brothers on the battlefield outside Bennington sparks an enduring friendship that inextricably connects and influences the lives of all three men.

Isaak’s personal search for independence and truth plays out in the self-proclaimed independent Republic of Vermont, where he is compelled to confront his dedication to the cause when he becomes involved in the political intrigues of this territory as it battles for its very right to exist. After the deaths of his parents and brother, Isaak maintains, and refuses to sacrifice, the valued friendship he shares with his mentor and fellow passionate angler, William Aldrich, a wealthy merchant and eventual Loyalist supporter. Although a true believer in independence for both America and Vermont, Isaak’s association with perceived enemies is ultimately responsible for a love compromised, a senseless killing, and the unjust implementation of a just law. 

Isaak is able to find comfort and purpose in resurrecting and pursuing a dream he shared with his brother . . . one that represents, for him, the value of individual passions over intolerant positions and the personal agendas of political leaders.

About the Author:

James Hurley taught fretted instruments for thirty-seven years at his music studio in Northampton Massachusetts. A self-taught artist, he combined art and his passion for fly fishing into a series of watercolors entitled Trout with Flies, which now appear in galleries and on a line of casual clothing. His articles, essays and sketches have appeared in sporting publications in New England and New York, as well as in several national magazines. Spirit of the Sycamore is his first novel.