by Bret Baier
First published 2023
Bret Baier chronicles how George Washington rescued the American experiment at three critical moments. First, Washington leads the Continental Army to victory against the British in the Revolutionary War. Then, as the victorious colonies splinter into a fractious confederation, he sets aside retirement plans at Mount Vernon to attend the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia during summer 1787. Elected unanimously as convention president, Washington guides the creation of the Constitution through bitter debates and a contentious ratification process. Finally, he accepts unanimous election as the nation's first president, sacrificing his dream of private life to give the Constitution practical meaning through steady leadership. Baier reveals an early America far grittier and more divided than commonly portrayed, where states feuded as a loose confederation with no strong central authority. Without Washington's quiet but decisive interventions, the struggling young republic would have collapsed before it truly began.
Genres: biography, history, political-science, american-history
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: historical-figures, political-intrigue
Setting: America, Mount Vernon, Philadelphia
Period: 18th-century, revolutionary-war
384 pages · Hardcover · Mariner Books