Perfect for fans of Doris Kearns Goodwin, Brian Kilmeade and Jon Meacham.

For five years George Washington led the fledging thirteen colonies against the overwhelming might of Great Britain, he helped shaped the foundations of the country at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia and served as the first president of the United States for two terms.

Although some of his generals urged him to take up a crown and install himself as king of the new nation, he looked upon such ideas with abhorrence, calling the very thought "painful". George Washington: First in War, First in Peace reveals a leader whose outward simplicity concealed a quick, analytic mind, capable of learning from mistakes, and who made decisions with the forethought of how they would impact the young nation he was helping to build.

As well as exploring many of Washington's phenomenal achievements James A. Crutchfield's work also uncovers some of the lesser-known periods of his life: his years as the leader of the Virginia Colony's militia during the early years of the French and Indian War; his day to day service as commander of the Continental Army; and the relatively short periods of personal time that he stayed at his plantation, Mt. Vernon, when he achieved his life-long dream of being a gentleman farmer.

"An insightful look at the great man" Col. Walter J. Boyne, USAF (Ret.)