George Washington: First in War, First in Peace (American Heroes (Forge Paperback))

Washington’s rise from anonymity as a minor land-owner and surveyor to become America’s first national hero is recreated by veteran historical writer James Crutchfield. The author draws a vivid picture of a man with no military training who led the 13 fledgling colonies through five years of grueling war against formidable British forces, steered the proceedings of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, and served two terms as the first president of the United States.

Washington’s accomplishments were so stunning and he was so revered that by the end of the war some of his generals urged him to install himself as king, an idea he looked upon with "abhorrence," calling the very thought "painful." Nor would he consider standing for a third term as president.

In this revealing book, James Crutchfield pictures Washington as an enigmatic man whose outward commonness concealed a quick, analytic mind, capable of learning from mistakes, gauging his successes not on winning battles but on the effect his decisions would have on the future of his country.

"Washington remains an American hero, in every definition of the word," Crutchfield says. "He was a man who rose above the political uncertainty of the infant United States to chart its destiny for two centuries into the future."