The Enemy Harassed is about George Washington’s New Jersey campaign of 1777, and the author who will be speaking May 20 at the Old Baptist Church in Manahawkin was nominated for the James Fenimore Cooper Prize for a previous novel, Ablemarle.

That’s enough to compel history lovers to step out on that Saturday at 11 a.m., but read on.

Jim Stempel has authored a total of 10 books on history, spirituality and warfare. He is an authority on the Eastern Campaigns of the Civil War as well as the…