In the Hurricane's Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown

摘要

For many Americans, there is a common perception of George Washington as a great military leader, an intelligent statesman, and the "father of his country." As the first president of the United States, he is widely acknowledged, among other things, as having played a key role in the survival of the young nation during the volatile and unpredictable years of the late 18th century. Perhaps not surprisingly, Nathaniel Philbrick presents Washington as a more complex character than the man we studied in history class. My daughter and I attended a lecture given by Philbrick in February at the North Carolina Museum of History, in which the best-selling author shared his experiences as he began researching the life and times of the legendary leader. Philbrick said, "As I really started to dig into the sources and records, I discovered that this was not the Washington I had learned about in school. This was a Washington who struggled with doubt, who often lacked the charisma and confidence we've come to associate with him."