John E. Ferling - Böcker

Written by John Ferling, one of America's leading historians of the Revolutionary era, The First of Men offers an illuminating portrait of George Washington's life, with emphasis on his military and political career.Here is a riveting account that captures Washington in all his complexity, recounting not only Washington's familiar sterling qualities--courage, industry, ability to make difficult decisions, ceaseless striving for self-improvement, love of his family and loyalty to friends--but also his less well known character flaws. Indeed, as Ferling shows, Washington had to overcome many negative traits as he matured into a leader. The young Washington was accused of ingratitude and certain of his letters from this period read as if they were written by "a pompous martinet and a whining, petulant brat." As commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, he lost his temper more than once and indulged flatterers. Aaron Burr found him "a boring, colorless person." As president, he often believed the worst about individual officials. Ferling concludes that Washington's personality and temperament were those of "a self-centered and self-absorbed man, one who since youth had exhibited a fragile self-esteem." And yet he managed to realize virtually every grand design he ever conceived. Ferling's Washington is driven, fired by ambition, envy, and dreams of fame and fortune. Yet his leadership and character galvanized the American Revolution--probably no one else could have kept the war going until the master stroke at Yorktown--and helped the fledgling nation take, and survive, its first unsteady steps. This superb paperback makes available once again an unflinchingly honest and compelling biography of the father of our country.

The World Turned Upside Down is a collection of original essays dealing with various aspects of the American victory in the War of Independence. Each contributor, through examination of a particular topic, attempts to explain why the American colonists won the war, or why Great Britain lost. Reflecting the benefits of the impressive scholarship of the past fifty years, the objective of the essays is not only to synthesize the disparate strands within earlier studies, but, through fresh research, to offer new insights into the outcome of this conflict. Virtually every facet is considered, from the leaders to the common soldiers, from land warfare to naval engagements, from the eastern theater to the western frontier fighting, from logistical considerations to political matters, and from domestic concerns to the international ramifications of the war.This is the first collection published in the last twenty five years that focuses on the one paramount question: Why did the colonists win the War of Independence? It enriches our understanding not only of the complexities of the worldwide struggle that erupted in 1775, but of the many factors which led the diplomats in Paris in 1782-83 to recognize the reality of the American victory. This book will be of particular interest to those engaged in the study of American history, U.S. military history, and the American Revolution.