A young George Washington hungers for fame and prestige as an officer in the British military. Sent by the British royal governor to deliver an ultimatum to the French in the West, the inexperienced young Washington learns a hard lesson about leadership when his failures in the field inadvertently kick off a world war. Washington emerges from this conflict as America's first folk hero, just as he begins to grow disenchanted with the empire he once aspired to serve. And with a wealthy new wife at his side and a lucrative business at Mount Vernon, Washington has put himself at the center of this country's story--chosen to lead the coming revolution.

The British are no longer coming; they're here. And as the American colonies make their final break from the British empire, their newly minted commander-in-chief George Washington realizes he's been handed a nearly impossible task--fighting the most powerful and seasoned armed forces in the world with a ragtag group of soldiers that is undisciplined, inexperienced, and underfunded. With no formal military training or major victory to his name, Washington sets the course for achieving the unimaginable through cunning, ingenuity, and sheer force of will. And he is transformed in the process, from a man driven by personal ambition and animus for the British, to a man called to lead a cause far larger--the cause of liberty.

The Revolution has been won, but for Washington, the problems, even within his own army, are just beginning. With the fate of the young republic at stake, Washington once again rises to the moment, becoming the inevitable, though reluctant, hero his country needs. Having evolved from soldier to commander to victor, Washington does what no revolutionary leader has ever done before. He wills the power to the people. While warring nations attack America's borders and uprisings threaten from within, Washington builds the new United States up with his bare hands--enduring treachery and personal attacks--while setting the country on a course that still dictates much of the American experience to this day.

The George Washington we all know is larger than life, an icon of mythic proportions. But before becoming "Father" of his country, he was a soldier. This unique, in-depth portrait of the Washington we don't always think about begins in 1753, when the 21-year-old obtained an officer's commission in the Virginia militia. While serving alongside British regulars, did brash and sometimes reckless decisions help ignite the French and Indian War? Washington retired from the militia in 1758, but continued to hone his leadership skills. Managing his vast Mount Vernon estate required many of the same talents as commanding soldiers in the field. When America declared independence, Washington was the consensus choice to lead the Continental Army. This is the epic story of Washington's journey to greatness--propelled by intense, often painful, transformation. The man who emerged was a warrior of the purest sort...a man who preferred liberty to power and justice to glory.