Based on real historical events and people – including the Catskills’ own Levi Hanford – the novel depicts the lives of Patriot POWs at the brutal Sugar House Prison in NYC
Purple Mountain Press is proud to announce the publication of Escape From The Sugar House, a historical novel by Timothy J. Duerden. The story offers a harrowing, deeply personal look at the American Revolution through the eyes of a young soldier who survives a stint as a prisoner of war at the infamous Sugar House Prison in New York City.
The year is 1775. Levi Hanford’s quiet childhood on a family farm is violently upended when revolution ignites. Just days after turning sixteen, Levi enlists in the Connecticut militia, eager to defend his homeland. Instead, he faces the ultimate test of survival when he is captured and cast into the brutal depths of a British prison. He clings to a desperate yearning for home—and for Mary, the girl he left behind.
Based on true historical events, this powerful coming-of-age adventure is set against the volatile backdrop of America’s struggle for independence. Levi spent his final years in New York’s Catskill Mountains, where his story lives on, and where it captured the author’s imagination.
To learn more, click here to read a Q&A with the author.
Publication Details
- Publication Date: September 2026
- Format: Paperback; Illustrations by Amy Silberkleit
- Page Count: 212
- Price: $24.95
About the Author
Timothy J. Duerden is the Director of the Delaware County Historical Association in Delhi, New York. He He is an adjunct history instructor at SUNY Oneonta and the author of a number of non-fiction books, including A History of Delaware County (Purple Mountain Press, 2007) and, most recently, the critically praised biography, Lewis Hine: Photographer and American Progressive (McFarland & Co.). Born and raised in the UK, he now lives with his family in the Catskill Mountains of New York.
Upcoming Events
- September 12 @ 1:00 pm (official launch) at Delaware County Historical Association in Delhi, NY
- October 15 @ 6:30 pm (talk and signing) at the Ogden Free Library in Walton, NY
- October 28 @ 11:00 am (virtual program) with the New York State Library
