George Washington

A concise biography traces the subject's family origins and youth, marriage and plantation life, and his rise to national leadership through military command in the struggle for independence, including campaigns, foreign assistance, and internal betrayals. It follows his return to private life, his efforts to weld a fragile union, service as the nation's first president, and final retirement. The author relies on extensive personal letters to illuminate motives and character, seeks to correct myths and embellished anecdotes, and organizes the narrative into thematic chapters balancing public achievements with private conduct and statesmanship.