NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER"An elegantly written account of leadership at the most pivotal moment in American history" (Philadelphia Inquirer): Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Edward J. Larson reveals how George Washington saved the United States by coming out of retirement to lead the Constitutional Convention and serve as our first president.After leading the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War; George Washington shocked the world: he retired. In December 1783; General Washington; the most powerful man in the country; stepped down as Commander in Chief and returned to private life at Mount Vernon. Yet as Washington contentedly grew his estate; the fledgling American experiment floundered. Under the Articles of Confederation; the weak central government was unable to raise revenue to pay its debts or reach a consensus on national policy. The states bickered and grew apart. When a Constitutional Convention was established to address these problems; its chances of success were slim. Jefferson; Madison; and the other Founding Fathers realized that only one man could unite the fractious states: George Washington. Reluctant; but duty-bound; Washington rode to Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 to preside over the Convention.Although Washington is often overlooked in most accounts of the period; this masterful new history from Pulitzer Prize-winner Edward J. Larson brilliantly uncovers Washington’s vital role in shaping the Convention—and shows how it was only with Washington’s support and his willingness to serve as President that the states were brought together and ratified the Constitution; thereby saving the country.
#404865 in Books Margalit Fox 2014-04-15 2014-04-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x .86 x 5.31l; .65 #File Name: 0062228862384 pagesThe Riddle of the Labyrinth
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Detective StoryBy Bob FallsLooking for a great mystery for summer reading? How about this one?"At its center was a set of tablets; buried for almost three thousand years and first unearthed only at the dawn of the twentieth century. Dating from the second millenium BC; the tablets were inscribed with a set of prehistoric symbols like no writing ever seen.""This is the true story of one of the most mesmerizing riddles in Western history and; in particular; of the unsung American woman who would have very likely have solved it had she only lived a little longer."The people who wrote on these tablets were not writing in code or trying to deceive others or us in the future. They kept records for each other and when we lost them as a people; we lost their language as well. This book tells the story of those people who dedicated themselves to solving the riddle of this language and establishing a connection with these people from three and four thousand years ago.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. chances are you will enjoy it. The decipherment of Egyptian Hieroglyphics was solvable ...By VampaThis is a book describing the decipherment of Linear B; a Bronze Age pre-Homeric script found originally on tablets in the Palace of Minos on Crete. If that is of interest to you; this book will reward. For me it was a quick and exciting read. If you are a Sherlock Holmes fan; chances are you will enjoy it.The decipherment of Egyptian Hieroglyphics was solvable once the Rosetta Stone was found; which contained a translation into Greek. However Linear B looking like stick figures or the runic alphabet; had no comparable Cliff Notes.But I also found the book an excellent guide for anyone interested in doing statistical research. The parallels between the two were uncanny. To decipher Linear B required pattern analysis; counting and frequency analysis before there were computers to make those tasks easier. We have computers to aid us now; but the process of creating a framework to do the research is the same: A lot of setup and then lots and lots of actual work.My only complaint is the author has an agenda of trying to give most credit to Alice Kober; the American who provided many of the necessary keys. However deserving Kober might have been; she published little and did not “break the finish line tape.†There is indeed a reason why we remember those who won gold medals; but not those who won silver. And there are some unnecessary copies of correspondence. But neither of my concerns would take away from the 5 stars this work deserves.7 of 7 people found the following review helpful. Better than fictionBy BargainhunterI discovered this amazing book from a New York Times book review; then read the sampler prologue. Hooked right from the start - and the rest of the book did not disappoint. Brilliantly; clearly written and accessible to a wide range of ages and tastes; this story is thrilling; intriguing; heartrendering and just a great read. Writer make a truly complex historical puzzle clear as she links history; language; real people from both today and 3;000 years ago come to life on the page.
