A vivid; insightful; essential new account of the formative years that shaped a callow George Washington into an extraordinary leader; from the Bancroft Prize winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist Robert Middlekauff.George Washington was famously unknowable; a man of deep passions hidden behind a facade of rigid self-control. Yet before he was a great general and president; Washington was a young man prone to peevishness and a volcanic temper. His greatness as a leader evolved over time; the product of experience and maturity but also a willed effort to restrain his wilder impulses.Focusing on Washington’s early years; Robert Middlekauff penetrates his mystique; revealing his all-too-human fears; values; and passions. Rich in psychological detail regarding Washington’s temperament; idiosyncrasies; and experiences; this book shows a self-conscious Washington who grew in confidence and experience as a young soldier; businessman; and Virginia gentleman; and who was transformed into a patriot by the revolutionary ferment of the 1760s and ’70s. Taking command of an army in constant dire need—of adequate food; weapons; and; at times; even clothing and shoes—Washington displayed incredible persistence and resourcefulness; growing into a leader who both understood and defined the crucial role of the army in the formation of a new American society.Middlekauff makes clear that Washington was at the heart of not just the revolution’s course and outcome but also the success of the nation it produced. This is an indispensable book for truly understanding one of America’s great figures.
2015-05 #File Name: 0993277209396 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. The most original book I've read in a long time.By CustomerThis is a historical novel of England towards the end of the Napoleonic Wars. Unlike most historical novels (and most history); *The Road to Waterloo* revolves around the thoughts and feelings of a few members of the rural working class. It does so by exhibiting small-scale detail. An example: the rigid class system is so overpowering that none of the characters can see it at all; except when one of them quotes from the books of Tom Paine.The book didn't take over my emotions in the way that Dumas does; but I did care about and sympathize (*pace* Vladimir Nabokov; the stuck-up idiot) with the characters.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. I have to admit; I did not finish this ...By Debi AlexanderI have to admit; I did not finish this book; which is very unusual for me. It plodded. I just could never get into it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Slow tedious read.By Norman A YeagerA slow tedious read! If you have anything else to read; read it before reading this book.
