One January 31 at 7pm, Joel Farkas will be joining the library to give a presentation on George Washington, New Jersey, and the Revolutionary War.  Here are some books to get you into the revolutionary spirit!

• The Indian World of George Washington : The First President, the First Americans, and the Birth of the Nation by Colin G. Calloway

This biography of the nation’s first president describes George Washington’s relationship with the Native American tribes, and how the formation of our new nation impacted upon them. The book was a finalist for the National Book Award.

• George Washington’s Secret Six : The Spy Ring That Saved the American Revolution by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger  

When George Washington hastily retreated from New York City in August 1776, many thought the American Revolution might soon be over. Instead, Washington rallied—thanks in large part to a little-known, top-secret group called the Culper Spy Ring. He realized that he couldn’t defeat the British with military might, so he recruited a sophisticated and deeply secretive intelligence network to conduct covert operations against the British Army and to keep an eye on their movements in New York City, Long Island, and Connecticut.

• In the Hurricane’s Eye : The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown  by  Nathaniel Philbrick

The thrilling story of the year that won the Revolutionary War. When, by the summer of 1781, it looked like the American Revolution had failed, the naval battles between the French and British, especially the most important one – the Battle of the Chesapeake, largely determined the outcome of the war. In the Hurricane’s Eye reveals that in the end, the fate of the American Revolution depended on Washington and the sea.

• Valiant Ambition : George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution by Nathaniel Philbrick

The author contends that Benedict Arnold and George Washington were actually quite similar. Both were up-and-comers who craved fame and fortune.He illustrates what he considers were Washington’s weaknesses as a military commander and is sympathetic to Benedict Arnold  even though he betrayed his command of West Point to the British.

• The First Conspiracy : The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch

This is a riveting and little known story about treacherous soldiers who tried to do in our first president.

• Washington: A Life  by Ron Chernow

This book won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for biography. It covers Washington’s leadership as a general in the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and his role in bringing about the U.S. Constitution.

• The Return of George Washington: 1783-1789 by Edward J. Larson

After leading the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War, George Washington shocked the world by retiring in in December 1783. He then returned to private life at Mount Vernon. The new country was operating under the Articles of Confederation, When the 55 delegates met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles, Washington reluctantly rode to Philadelphia in the summer of 1787 to preside over the Constitutional Convention. The end result was the Constitution of the United States.

• The First Congress: How James Madison, George Washington, and a Group of Extraordinary Men Invented the Government  by Fergus Bordewich

In this book the author tells how the first Congress created the Bill of Rights, which are the first ten amendments to the Constitution. The first Congress admitted North Carolina and Rhode Island to the union, chose the site of the national capital, then admitted two new states, Kentucky and Vermont; chose the site of the national capital, created a national bank, created the first cabinet positions and the federal court system; and many other achievements.

–Christine Demidowich, Adult Services Librarian