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A Wartime Marriage: A glorious, romantic wartime adventure - the perfect dose of escapism
by Mary Jane StaplesFor fans of Katie Flynn & Fiona Valpy, this is an exhilarating romantic journey across war-torn Europe from the multi-million copy seller Mary Jane Staples.READERS ARE LOVING A WARTIME MARRIAGE!"Couldn't put it down." -- 5 STARS"Once again she had me hooked." -- 5 STARS"Each page kept you guessing to the end." -- 5 STARS"An excellent read for a cold damp day in front of the fire." -- 5 STARS****************************************************WILL THEY FIND HAPPINESS?1918: the Kaiser's empire is about to fall and Captain Harry Phillips, a prisoner of war in a Romanian hospital, has had a very hard time of it. Then, out of the blue, comes an offer he can't refuse: a ticket home to his beloved England and to the arms of his much missed fiancée Elizabeth.But this ticket comes with a heavy price to pay; Harry must marry beautiful, headstrong Princess Irena of Moldova, who's only hope of survival is to leave the country and he must risk both their lives by escorting her back to England.As they set off on their long and treacherous journey with enemies at every turn, Harry begins to realise that Irena is not only dangerous but extremely precious cargo.
Wartime Mission in Spain, 1942-1945
by Carlton J. H. HayesThis book, first published in 1945, is a fascinating personal account of the late U.S. Ambassador to Spain Carlton J. H. Hayes' diplomatic mission in Spain during World War II, from May 1942 to January 1945. Whilst briefly touching on Spain's internal affairs, the principal focus is firmly on American policy toward Spain during those three wartime years, and Spain's response thereto. Hayes provides the reader with a candid and factual record of this period, gleaned from firsthand eyewitness accounts and sensitive information he was privy to during his tenure. He draws in detail on excerpts from his personal diary kept for those three years, as well as various conversations, documents and correspondence from and with President Roosevelt and others. A fantastic historical record.
Wartime on Sanctuary Lane: The first novel in a brand new WWI saga series (Sanctuary Lane #1)
by Kirsty DougalCall the Midwife meets All Creatures Great and Small in this brand-new saga series set in a WWI East End Animal Clinic. 'I was hooked from the start. The meticulous period detail and true-to-life characters had me immersed in the action, and I didn’t want the story to end. A joy to read' Vicki Beeby, author of The Ops Room Girls 'Superbly plotted ... a heartwarming and engrossing read' Maisie Thomas, author of Christmas with the Railway Girls'Tremendously written with buckets of heart' ***** Reader Review --- In the carnage of war can one woman's courage be the light in the dark? As the Great War rages across Europe, twenty-one-year-old Ruby Archer decides to ‘do her bit’ at an East End munitions factory. The work is relentless and deafening, but the camaraderie of the other girls carries her through. As London continues to be ravaged by German bombs, Ruby can’t ignore the abandoned animals scavenging the local streets. Mustering all of her courage, she decides to take action and open a weekly animal clinic. But opposition quickly closes in, when there is a war to win surely all efforts must be for the troops. With the help of her friends, can this East End girl show everyone that in wartime every life matters?--- Readers love Wartime on Sanctuary Lane: ‘A wonderful wartime family saga not to be put down’ ***** Reader Review ‘Beautiful... [I] loved it’ ***** Reader Review‘This book was BRILLIANT! I loved the characters - especially Ruby and Leah - both very interesting young women in very different ways’ ***** Reader Review‘I cannot wait to find out what happens next. I'm definitely keen to read more books by Kirsty!’ ***** Reader Review ‘Wow what can I say what a brilliant book… [I] loved it’ ***** Reader Review
A Wartime Princess (My Story)
by Valerie WildingIn 1939, on a royal tour of Dartmouth Naval College, Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) meets the dashing Prince Philip of Greece. Immediately they begin a correspondence, as war breaks out across Europe, where Philip is sent to serve in the Navy. Elizabeth convinces her father the King, despite his reservations, to allow her to sign up to the war effort and joins the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service. Serving her country, driving trucks and fixing cars, Elizabeth wonders, will she ever see her prince again...?
A Wartime Promise: A gripping and heartbreaking World War 2 family saga
by Ruby ReynoldsA gripping and poignant wartime saga following the highs and lows of the young, courageous members of the Women's Army. January 1941. Peggy Collins has learned a lot during her time as a Spark Girl. Posted to Swansea, as a driver to the squadron leader, she often hears things she shouldn't and she knows to be discreet, understanding how serious the phrase loose lips sink ships really is. Peggy meets and falls in love with pilot Jim Hudson, but her heart is broken when he becomes missing in action and Peggy is left fearing the worst. That isn't the end of the shocks in store for Peggy and she is forced to remember a promise made long ago. But can she keep her word while the bombs fall?Full of wartime adventure, romance and heartbreak, A Wartime Promise is perfect for fans of Daisy Styles, Kate Thompson and Ellie Dean.Praise for The Spark Girl, Ruby's heart-warming debut (published as Fiona Ford):'A fabulous debut from an immensely talented author' Annie Groves'A compelling first novel which I promise you won't be able to put down' Daisy Styles 'Ford gets to the heart of what it was like to live through the dangerous war years in this warm, captivating, down-to-earth story which is brimming with engaging characters, adventure, romance and heartbreak.' Lancashire Post
A Wartime Promise: A gripping and heartbreaking World War 2 family saga
by Ruby ReynoldsA gripping and poignant wartime saga following the highs and lows of the young, courageous members of the Women's Army. January 1941. Peggy Collins has learned a lot during her time as a Spark Girl. Posted to Swansea, as a driver to the squadron leader, she often hears things she shouldn't and she knows to be discreet, understanding how serious the phrase loose lips sink ships really is. Peggy meets and falls in love with pilot Jim Hudson, but her heart is broken when he becomes missing in action and Peggy is left fearing the worst. That isn't the end of the shocks in store for Peggy and she is forced to remember a promise made long ago. But can she keep her word while the bombs fall?Full of wartime adventure, romance and heartbreak, A Wartime Promise is perfect for fans of Daisy Styles, Kate Thompson and Ellie Dean.Praise for The Spark Girl, Ruby's heart-warming debut (published as Fiona Ford):'A fabulous debut from an immensely talented author' Annie Groves'A compelling first novel which I promise you won't be able to put down' Daisy Styles 'Ford gets to the heart of what it was like to live through the dangerous war years in this warm, captivating, down-to-earth story which is brimming with engaging characters, adventure, romance and heartbreak.' Lancashire Post Read by Emma Powell(p) Orion Publishing Group 2018
Wartime Racketeers
by Harry Lever Joseph YoungWartime Racketeers, first published in 1945 by newspaper reporters Harry Lever and Joseph Young, is a fascinating look at the multitude of schemes, scams, frauds, and rackets used in World War II to swindle the government, soldiers, and private citizens. The authors, using records from the FBI, U.S. Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission, the Better Business Bureau, and other sources, have complied a highly readable account of the many ways the racketeers operated, and the methods used to combat them. From simple scams to multimillion-dollar white collar crime rings, Wartime Racketeers provides a unique insight into this little-known aspect of the War, and as the author's state in their Introduction, “There are people in America who hope that the war will never end. The longer it lasts, the more money will line their pockets...”
Wartime Standard Ships
by Nick RobinsIn both World Wars there arose a pressing need for merchant tonnage both to supplement existing ships but, more importantly, to replace ships that had been sunk by enemy action, and the key to the Allied strategy in both wars was a massive programme of merchant shipbuilding. This need gave rise to a series of standard designs with increasing emphasis on prefabrication and a progression towards welded hulls.This new book tells the remarkable story of the design and construction of the many types that not only contributed to their countrys war efforts, but were also responsible for a cultural change in world shipbuilding that would lay the foundations for the post-war industry. The story begins in the First World War with the National type cargo ships which were the first examples of prefabricated construction. The best known of all types of wartime standard ships, of course, were the Liberty ships and their successor, the better equipped Victory ships, both built in the United States. Some 2,700 Liberty ships were built and this incredible achievement undoubtedly saved the Allies from losing the War. In Canada, the Ocean and Park ships made a further major contribution. Germany and Japan also introduced standard merchant shipbuilding programmes during the Second World War and these are covered in detail. The many different types and designs are all reviewed and their roles explained, while the design criteria, innovative building techniques and the human element of their successful operation is covered.Some of the story has been told piecemeal in a range of diverse books and articles, a few with extensive fleet lists. However, the complete history of the twentieth century wartime-built standard merchant ship has not previously been written, so this new volume recording that history within its appropriate technical, political and military background will be hugely welcomed.
Warum wir sterben (The World At War)
by Alejandro LipschützEine philosophische Abhandlung über das Sterben
Warwick in the Great War (Your Towns & Cities in the Great War)
by Graham SutherlandWarwick in the Great War is a detailed account of how the experiences of war impacted on the garrison town from the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, to the long-awaited Armistice in 1918, and its immediate aftermath. The troops went off to war, cheered and supported by their friends and family, all in a high holiday mood, but underneath this jovial faade, their loved ones knew that some of the men would never return. Yet life went on, albeit with progressive and totally new experiences. As the war stagnated, Warwick`s citizens offered practical support for troops both at home and abroad. How did they cope with returning wounded troops, and where did they go? Tribunals decided who should be given exemption from military service: difficult decisions, especially when food economies and the conscription of farm labourers were involved. Rationing was inevitable, but how was it enforced? What happened after the Army Pay Corps moved to Warwick? And then there is the question of the treatment of Prisoners of War, both in Germany and at home.Using contemporary accounts, the author explores a little-known piece of Warwick`s history. Mainly looking at life on the home front, included are some extracts from the letters serving soldiers sent home, allowing these heroic men who lived through these momentous events, to tell their stories in their own words.
Wase Time!: A Teen's Memoir of Gila River Internment Camp
by Kenneth Tashiro"Wase Time!" is an autobiography of my teen age years in Gila River Internment Center, Arizona. I tell my story in the first person and I include much of the humor and conversation that was popular at that time. My story begins with the aftermath of Sunday, December 7, 1941. On Monday, the 8th, I was relieved of my 6th grade job raising the American flag. On March 28, 1942, my family and I moved to Del Rey, California, which was in the "Free Zone." In July, we were told all those of Japanese ancestry would have to leave California. On August 6, we were evacuated to Gila, except for my mom who was 8 months pregnant. Gila was a big center made up of two camps: camp 1 (Canal), and camp 2 (Butte). We lived briefly in Canal, then moved to Butte because of my dad's job. I made friends with my neighbors, and Hank introduced me to many youth who were from the French Camp/Stockton area. I became a member of the Ramblers, a team which played may sports, and we won the championship of the Southwestern Football League in 1943-44. Other happy memories were my mom and sister's arrival from Fresno Assembly Center, movie night, the warehouse gang, the Boy Scouts, and my getting a response to a fan letter that I wrote to Maureen O'Hara. Sad memories include Hank's departure to Tule Lake Relocation Center, my being called a "nigger," and what I did with the letter and photos of Maureen O'Hara. On March 28, 1945, my grandfather and I left Gila to go to Chicago, Illinois, to visit relatives. I was send out of camp for being an unsavory character, according to my mom. On the train ride, I thought of all my experiences in camp. Was being in camp "wase time"?
Washington: The Indispensable Man (The\illustrated Editions Ser.)
by James Thomas FlexnerThis &“perceptive&” and &“satisfying&” biography of George Washington by an award-winning historian &“deserves a place on every American&’s bookshelf&” (The New York Times Book Review). James Thomas Flexner&’s masterful four-volume biography of America&’s first president, which received a special Pulitzer Prize citation and a National Book Award for its concluding installment, is the definitive chronicle of Washington&’s life and a classic work of American history. In this single-volume edition, Flexner brilliantly distills his sweeping study to offer readers &“the most convincing evocation of the man and his deeds written within the compass of one book&” (Los Angeles Times). In graceful and dramatic prose, Flexner peels back the myths surrounding Washington to reveal the true complexity of his character. The only founding father from Virginia to free all his slaves, Washington was a faithful husband who harbored deep romantic feelings for his best friend&’s wife. An amateur soldier, he prepared for his role as commander in chief of the Continental army by sending out to Philadelphia bookshops for treatises on military strategy. As president, he set many democratic precedents—including the two-term limit and the appointment of an advisory cabinet—yet routinely excluded his vice president, John Adams, from important decisions. The George Washington that emerges in these pages is a shrewd statesman, a wise commander, a brave patriot, and above all, &“an ordinary man pushed to greatness by the extraordinary times in which he lived&” (The Christian Science Monitor). In tracing Washington&’s evolution from privileged son of the landed gentry to &“the indispensable man&” without whom the United States as we know it would not exist, Flexner presents a hero worthy of admiration not only for his remarkable strengths, but also for his all-too-human weaknesses.
Washington and Caesar
by Christian CameronInspired by a little-known historical fact--that American slaves fought alongside the British in the Revolutionary War--this epic novel tells of a Mount Vernon slave who joins a Loyalist black regiment charged with defeating his former master on the battlefield.The year is 1773. A new slave arrives at George Washington's Virginia estate and is given the name Caesar. But the war for independence will soon bring a turn of events neither master nor slave could have predicted. Within months they will be fighting on opposite sides: Washington as commander of the Continental Army, Caesar as a soldier in the legendary Loyalist corps made up of former slaves. In this captivating tour de force brimming with spectacular battle scenes and gripping historical detail, Caesar's perilous rise through the British ranks is deftly interwoven with the story of Washington's war years, leading to the day when they come face-to-face again--this time in uniform.From the Hardcover edition.
Washington and Caesar
by Christian CameronInspired by a little-known historical fact--that American slaves fought alongside the British in the Revolutionary War--this epic novel tells of a Mount Vernon slave who joins a Loyalist black regiment charged with defeating his former master on the battlefield. The year is 1773. A new slave arrives at George Washington's Virginia estate and is given the name Caesar. But the war for independence will soon bring a turn of events neither master nor slave could have predicted. Within months they will be fighting on opposite sides: Washington as commander of the Continental Army, Caesar as a soldier in the legendary Loyalist corps made up of former slaves. In this captivating tour de force brimming with spectacular battle scenes and gripping historical detail, Caesar's perilous rise through the British ranks is deftly interwoven with the story of Washington's war years, leading to the day when they come face-to-face again--this time in uniform. "From the Hardcover edition. "
The Washington Conference, 1921-22: Naval Rivalry, East Asian Stability and the Road to Pearl Harbor
by Erik Goldstein John MaurerThe Washington Conference regulated the inter-war naval race between the world powers. In the era when it was still believed that battleships were the epitome of naval power and a sign of a country's strength, this conference led to limitations on the building of such weapons by the naval powers of Britain, the USA and Japan. This collection of essays deals with many aspects of the conference; the factors that caused it, the interests of the participating nations both present and future, and the results.
Washington Confidential
by Jack Lait Lee MortimerScandalous, shocking, cheeky, impudent are words that will be used to describe this account of the hidden side of our glamorous, riotous capital city.For Lait and Mortimer, famous newspapermen, mince no words, pull no punches, tell their story in their own bold way. They have found out the truth and they tell the facts and name the names—which no one dared write or publish before. They deglamorize Washington and reveal it with its spats off and its morning coat unbuttoned. They tear the Velvet Curtain and show the behind-the-scenes intrigue, the sub-rosa night life, the shady side of sex, the sin side, the crime side. The amazing things they report will shock millions, arouse citizens all over the country as their previous book Chicago Confidential did…“P-S-S-S-T!“Here we go again—Confidential.“We turned New York inside out; but we both live there. We turned Chicago upside down; but we were both raised there. We descended on Washington not quite like Stanley invaded Africa, because in our combined 75 years of newspaper work we had been in the capital hundreds of times. It intrigued us because we never could understand it. So we decided brashly to do a Lait-Mortimer operation on it from scratch. Our principal discovery was that nobody understands Washington—the city, not the nation’s nerve-center.[…]“That’s why we were born—to tell you what you couldn’t find out without us—Confidential!”—Jack Lait and Lee Mortimer
The Washington Decree
by Jussi Adler-OlsenThe New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of the Department Q series is back, with a terrifyingly relevant stand-alone novel about an America in chaos. THE NO. 1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR24 MILLION BOOKS SOLDWINNER OF THE GLASS KEY AWARD"The president has gone way too far. . . . These are practically dictatorial methods we're talking about." When Democratic Senator Bruce Jansen is elected president of the United States, it is a personal victory for Dorothy "Dottie" Rogers. She has secured a job in the White House, has proved to her Republican father that she was right to support Jansen, and is proud to see the rise of an intelligent, inspiring leader who shares her ideals. But the triumph is short-lived: Jansen's pregnant wife is assassinated on election night, and the alleged mastermind behind the shooting is none other than Dottie's own father. When Jansen ascends to the White House, he is a changed man, determined to end gun violence by any means necessary. Rights are taken away as quickly as weapons. Checkpoints and roadblocks destroy infrastructure. The media is censored. Militias declare civil war on the government. The country is in chaos, and Dottie's finds herself fighting for the life of her father, who just may be innocent.
The Washington Decree
by Jussi Adler-OlsenThe New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of the Department Q series is back, with a terrifyingly relevant stand-alone novel about an America in chaos. THE NO. 1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR24 MILLION BOOKS SOLDWINNER OF THE GLASS KEY AWARD"The president has gone way too far. . . . These are practically dictatorial methods we're talking about." When Democratic Senator Bruce Jansen is elected president of the United States, it is a personal victory for Dorothy "Dottie" Rogers. She has secured a job in the White House, has proved to her Republican father that she was right to support Jansen, and is proud to see the rise of an intelligent, inspiring leader who shares her ideals. But the triumph is short-lived: Jansen's pregnant wife is assassinated on election night, and the alleged mastermind behind the shooting is none other than Dottie's own father. When Jansen ascends to the White House, he is a changed man, determined to end gun violence by any means necessary. Rights are taken away as quickly as weapons. Checkpoints and roadblocks destroy infrastructure. The media is censored. Militias declare civil war on the government. The country is in chaos, and Dottie's finds herself fighting for the life of her father, who just may be innocent.
Washington in the Great War: 'Whisht Lads' (Your Towns & Cities in the Great War)
by Peter WelshHow the experience of war impacted on the town, from the initial enthusiasm for sorting out the German Kaiser in time for Christmas 1914, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Washington were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. A record of the growing disillusion of the people, their tragedies and hardships and a determination to see it through. The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Meanwhile, men serving in the armed forces were scattered far and wide. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions.
The Washington Navy Yard
by The Washington Navy Yard Edward J. MaroldaDuring much of the 19th and 20th centuries, the Washington Navy Yard was the most recognizable symbol of the United States Navy in the nation’s capital. The shipyard built a number of the Navy’s first warships and repaired, refitted, and provisioned most of the frigates, sloops, and other combatants of the fledgling naval service. The masts and rigging of USS Constitution were a common site on the banks of the Anacostia River. Booming cannon became a routine sound in southeast Washington during the mid-19th century as Commander John A. Dahlgren, “father of American naval ordnance,” test-fired new guns for the fleet. The Naval Gun Factory’s fire and smoke-belching blast furnaces, foundries, and mills gave birth to many of the fleet’s weapons, from small boat howitzers to the enormous 14-inch and 16-inch rifles that armed the naval railway batteries in World War I and the Iowa-class battleships in World War II and the Cold War. Rear-Admiral David W. Taylor inaugurated a new era in ship development when he used scientific measurements in his Experimental Model Basin to test the properties of prototype hulls. Before and after World War I, the pioneers of naval aviation experimented in the Anacostia and navy yard facilities with various seaplane types, shipboard catapults, and other equipment that would soon revolutionize warfare at sea.
Washington Rules: America's Path to Permanent War
by Andrew J. BacevichThe bestselling author of The Limits of Power critically examines the Washington consensus on national security and why it must change. For the last half century, as administrations have come and gone, the fundamental assumptions about America's military policy have remained unchanged: American security requires the United States (and us alone) to maintain a permanent armed presence around the globe, to prepare our forces for military operations in far-flung regions, and to be ready to intervene anywhere at any time. In the Obama era, just as in the Bush years, these beliefs remain unquestioned gospel. In a vivid, incisive analysis, Andrew J. Bacevich succinctly presents the origins of this consensus, forged at a moment when American power was at its height. He exposes the preconceptions, biases, and habits that underlie our pervasive faith in military might, especially the notion that overwhelming superiority will oblige others to accommodate America's needs and desires; whether for cheap oil, cheap credit, or cheap consumer goods. And he challenges the usefulness of our militarism as it has become both unaffordable and increasingly dangerous. Though our politicians deny it, American global might is faltering. This is the moment, Bacevich argues, to reconsider the principles which shape American policy in the world; to acknowledge that fixing Afghanistan should not take precedence over fixing Detroit. Replacing this Washington consensus is crucial to America's future, and may yet offer the key to the country's salvation.
The Washington War: FDR's Inner Circle and the Politics of Power That Won World War II
by James LaceyA Team of Rivals for World War II—the inside story of how FDR and the towering personalities around him waged war in the corridors of Washington, D.C., to secure ultimate victory on the battlefields of Europe and the Pacific. The Washington War is the story of how the Second World War was fought and won in the capital’s halls of power—and how the United States, which in December 1941 had a nominal army and a decimated naval fleet, was able in only thirty months to fling huge forces onto the European continent and shortly thereafter shatter Imperial Japan’s Pacific strongholds. Three quarters of a century after the overwhelming defeat of the totalitarian Axis forces, the terrifying, razor-thin calculus on which so many critical decisions turned has been forgotten—but had any of these debates gone the other way, the outcome of the war could have been far different: The army in August 1941, about to be disbanded, saved by a single vote. Production plans that would have delayed adequate war matériel for years after Pearl Harbor, circumvented by one uncompromising man’s courage and drive. The delicate ballet that precluded a separate peace between Stalin and Hitler. The almost-adopted strategy to stage D-Day at a fatally different time and place. It was all a breathtakingly close-run thing, again and again. Renowned historian James Lacey takes readers behind the scenes in the cabinet rooms, the Pentagon, the Oval Office, and Hyde Park, and at the pivotal conferences—Campobello Island, Casablanca, Tehran—as these disputes raged. Here are colorful portraits of the great figures—and forgotten geniuses—of the day: New Dealers versus industrialists, political power brokers versus the generals, Churchill and the British high command versus the U.S. chiefs of staff, innovators versus entrenched bureaucrats . . . with the master manipulator, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, at the center, setting his brawling patriots one against the other and promoting and capitalizing on the furious turf wars. Based on years of research and extensive, previously untapped archival resources, The Washington War is the first integrated, comprehensive chronicle of how all these elements—and towering personalities—clashed and ultimately coalesced at each vital turning point, the definitive account of Washington at real war and the titanic political and bureaucratic infighting that miraculously led to final victory.
Washington Wife: Journal of Ellen Maury Slayden from 1897-1919
by Ellen Maury SlaydenThis unique account, written by the wife of a Congressman from Texas and just brought to light, is a tart, lively, and enormously diverting firsthand report about people and events in a fascinating period of American history.In 1897 Ellen Maury Slayden accompanied her newly elected Congressman husband to Washington. James Luther Slayden served as a member of the House of Representatives for the next twenty-two years. His wife, an inveterate diarist, a discerning and socially aware woman, made a record of the social, political, and historical events of her time.Beginning with the drafty, inept receptions of the McKinleys, she has re-created official White House entertaining under four Presidents, as well as lavish embassy parties, salon soirees, and intimate dinners with Congressional friends and many famous people outside political circles. But Ellen Slayden's interests were not limited to the social scene. She was involved in the woman's suffrage movement, and both she and her husband gave much of their lives to the cause of international peace.There also were trips back to Texas every year, sometimes for campaigning, which afford a rich lore of Texas humor. Mrs. Slayden writes movingly about a Confederate reunion, waspishly about Woodrow Wilson's pedagogical approach to the Presidency, and disparagingly about Prohibition. She re-creates political conventions, dramatic sessions of Congress, and the climate of Washington during wars and threats of war.In his introduction, Walter Prescott Webb, the distinguished historian, says:"Washington Wife is among the best contemporaneous records of the period between the Spanish-American War—which announced that the United States was a world power—and World War I, which defined the duties and fixed the cost of holding first place."
Washington's Crossing
by David Hackett FischerSix months after the Declaration of Independence, the American Revolution was all but lost. A powerful British force had routed the Americans at New York, occupied three colonies, and advanced within sight of Philadelphia.<P><P> Yet, as David Hackett Fischer recounts in this riveting history, George Washington--and many other Americans--refused to let the Revolution die. On Christmas night, as a howling nor'easter struck the Delaware Valley, he led his men across the river and attacked the exhausted Hessian garrison at Trenton, killing or capturing nearly a thousand men. A second battle of Trenton followed within days. The Americans held off a counterattack by Lord Cornwallis's best troops, then were almost trapped by the British force. Under cover of night, Washington's men stole behind the enemy and struck them again, defeating a brigade at Princeton. The British were badly shaken. In twelve weeks of winter fighting, their army suffered severe damage, their hold on New Jersey was broken, and their strategy was ruined.<P> Fischer's richly textured narrative reveals the crucial role of contingency in these events. We see how the campaign unfolded in a sequence of difficult choices by many actors, from generals to civilians, on both sides. While British and German forces remained rigid and hierarchical, Americans evolved an open and flexible system that was fundamental to their success. The startling success of Washington and his compatriots not only saved the faltering American Revolution, but helped to give it new meaning.<P> Pulitzer Prize Winner
Washington's Farewell: The Founding Father's Warning to Future Generations
by John Avlon“A vivid portrait…A thoughtful consideration of Washington’s wisdom that couldn’t be timelier.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) George Washington’s Farewell Address was a prophetic letter from a “parting friend” to his fellow citizens about the forces he feared could destroy our democracy: hyper-partisanship, excessive debt, and foreign wars.Once celebrated as civic scripture, more widely reprinted than the Declaration of Independence, the Farewell Address is now almost forgotten. Its message remains starkly relevant. In Washington’s Farewell, John Avlon offers a stunning portrait of our first president and his battle to save America from self-destruction. At the end of his second term, Washington surprised Americans by publishing his Farewell message in a newspaper. The President called for unity among “citizens by birth or choice,” advocated moderation, defended religious pluralism, proposed a foreign policy of independence (not isolation), and proposed that education is essential to democracy. He established the precedent for the peaceful transfer of power. Washington’s urgent message was adopted by Jefferson after years of opposition and quoted by Lincoln in defense of the Union. Woodrow Wilson invoked it for nation-building; Eisenhower for Cold War; Reagan for religion. Now the Farewell Address may inspire a new generation to re-center our politics and reunite our nation through the lessons rooted in Washington’s experience. As John Avlon describes the perilous state of the new nation that Washington was preparing to leave as its leader, with enduring wisdom, he reveals him to be the indispensable Founding Father.