"Telling the truth don't come easy to me"

I finally decided that The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick was a good book, even though it wasn't what I expected.  Homer and his brother Harold are orphans being raised by their nasty uncle, Squinton Leach.  After Squinton illegally sells Harold to the Union Army, Homer runs away from home to save Harold from having to fight in the Civil War.  He encounters slave hunters, the Underground Railroad, scoundrels, a traveling medicine show, and more as his adventures take him closer and closer to his brother and the enemy lines. Homer's outrageous lies often add a touch of humor to the story, but his bravery, cleverness, and determination are impressive, too.  The author provides an authentic sense of the times, including the unfairness of slavery and the realities of war.  An excellent read for fans of historical fiction.