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.
Author
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name Thomas James Fleming was an historian and historical novelist, with a special interest in the American Revolution. He was born in 1927 in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of a World War I hero who was a leader in Jersey City politics for three decades. Before her marriage, his mother, Katherine Dolan Fleming, was a teacher in the Jersey City Public School System. After graduating from St. Peter's Preparatory School in Jersey City, Fleming spent a year in the United States Navy. He received a Bachelor's degree, with honors, from Fordham University in 1950. After brief stints as a newspaperman and magazine editor, he became a full-time writer in 1960. His first history book, Now We Are Enemies, an account of the Battle of Bunker Hill, was published that same year. It was a best-seller, reviewed in more than 75 newspapers and featured as a main selection of the Literary Guild. Fleming published books about various events and figures of the Revolutionary era. He also wrote about other periods of American history and wrote over a dozen well-received novels set against various historical backgrounds. He said, "I never wanted to be an Irish American writer, my whole idea was to get across that bridge and be an American writer". Fleming died at his home in New York City on July 23, 2017, at the age of 90.
