First in Their Hearts: The Life of George Washington (The Thomas Fleming Library)

For many people, George Washington is the most legendary figure in American history.  His contribution to his country’s struggle through years of revolution has given him a place of honor on everything from Mount Rushmore to the dollar bill.  But who was George Washington?  What was the man behind the legend really like?

New York Times bestselling author Thomas Fleming discovered that finding the truth was no simple matter.  Opinions of the man varied sharply.  Some historians made him seem more like a god than a man.  And there were writers who made up moralistic fables about him, such as the cannot-tell-a-lie tale of chopping down the cherry tree.

Fleming decided that the best way to discover the real George Washington was to read what the men and women who knew him said in their letters and journals.  Fleming also read all he could find that Washington wrote to his friends and relatives.  Slowly, the remarkable person behind the legend emerged.

In this book, anecdotes from friends and enemies alike give a firsthand vision of Washington’s character.  Little-known and colorful incidents – from Washington as an untutored boy of eleven to the seasoned general and statesman he grew to be – make First in Their Hearts fascinating and memorable reading.