Shortlisted for the George Washington Book Prize 2013. 'I am a warrior'. These were the uncompromising words that George Washington chose to describe himself in May 1779, at the height of the Revolutionary War against Britain. It's an image very different to the one that he's been assigned by posterity - the patriotic plantation owner who would become the dignified political leader of his country. Stephen Brumwell's new book focuses on a side of Washington that is often overlooked: the feisty young frontier officer and the tough forty-something commander of the revolutionaries' Continental Army. It examines Washington's long and chequered military career, tracing his evolution as a soldier, and his changing attitude to the waging of war. Brumwell shows how, ironically, Washington's reliance upon English models of 'gentlemanly' behaviour, and on British military organisation, was crucial in establishing his leadership of the fledgling Continental Army, and in forging it into the weapon that won American independence. George Washington is a vivid recounting of the formative years and military career of 'The Father of his Country', following his journey from brutal border skirmishes with the French and their Indian allies to his remarkable victory over the British Empire, an achievement that underpinned his selection as the first president of the United States of America. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including original archival research, Stephen Brumwell paints a compelling and challenging portrait of an extraordinary individual whose fusion of gentleman and warrior left an indelible imprint upon history.
| ISBN | 1849165467 | | DEWEY edition | DC23 | | ISBN13 | 9781849165464
(What's this?) | | Pages | 512 | | Publisher | Quercus Publishing Plc | | Published in | London | | Imprint | Quercus Publishing Plc | | Height (mm) | 234 | | Format | Hardback | | Width (mm) | 153 | | Publication date | 07 Jun 2012 | | Academic level | General | | DEWEY | 973.41092 | |
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Maps. List of illustrations. Introduction. Finding a Path. Hearing the Bullets Whistle. Defending the Frontier. Tarnished Victory. Between the Wars. His Excellency General Washington. The Times That Try Men's Souls. Victory or Death. Treason of the Blackest Dye. The World Turned Upside Down. Notes. Acknowledgments. Index.
'The journey of George Washington from warrior to politician makes for an engrossing read, especially with a talented guide to lead us through a lively narrative packed with incident and highly illuminating analysis' Warships. 'Extremely enjoyable reading' Good Book Guide. 'An exciting read with much background detail and good historical analysis' The American.
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