First published 2019
George Washington begins as an ambitious young Virginian desperate for recognition from the British Empire. He craves a commission in the British army but finds himself stuck as a minor colonial aristocrat. His ego drives him to lead a catastrophic military expedition during the Seven Years War. The defeat forces Washington to mature and reconsider his place in the world. He enters Virginia politics through the House of Burgesses, where he witnesses firsthand the injustices of British rule. The paranoid atmosphere of the colonies awakens something in him. As tensions escalate toward war, Washington emerges as the only man capable of leading the American forces. He proves himself cunning and manipulative, a master at managing people and situations. His greatest achievement comes not through victory alone but through restraint. Washington uses his personality and self-control to break the cycle of violence that could have consumed the new nation. He becomes the living embodiment of American ideals, wrapping himself around the cause and tempering its excesses.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, military-history, american-history
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: America, Britain, Virginia
Period: 18th Century, Seven Years' War
400 pages · Hardcover · Random House