Washington: Lessons in Leadership

Great Generals

by Gerald M. Carbone

Before he became “the Father of our Country,” George Washington was the Father of the American Army. He took an army that had no experience, no tradition, and no training, and fought a protracted war against the best, most disciplined force in the world—the British Army. Deftly handling the political realm, Washington convinced Congress to keep his army supplied—a difficult task when the country was really just a loose confederation of states with no power to tax.

Washington influenced every phase of the Revolutionary war, from beginning to end. He left his mark with strategies and a vision of the Revolution as a war of attrition. His offenses were as brilliant as they were unpredictable, such as his legendary Christmas Day strike at Trenton, and a bold foray through the fog to nearly drive the British from the field at Germantown. It was an aggressive attack that helped convince the French that the American Army was worth supporting. In Washington, award-winning author Gerald M. Carbone argues that it is this sort of fearless but not reckless, spontaneous but calculated, offensive that Washington should be remembered for--as a leader not of infallibility but of greatness.

Genres: History, Biography

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not know very much about our first President of the United States, George Washington, and this book provided a good deal of information regarding his past. From reading the book, I have no idea other than God's intervention, how the revolutionists won the war. One thing I did not know was that the French played an important role in helping the Americans win the war so that was interesting to learn. Aside from Washington losing more battles than he won and clearly out foxed on most occasions, he showed great determination and a desire to overcome and stick with it even when the odds were against him. I rated the book a four star mostly because after a certain point in the book, it had become redundant but with different battles. I do not think it was the author's fault as much as it was just the nature of how the war played out. If you are looking for an interesting read and would like to learn a little more about our first president then I would recommend this book to you as it is an overall enjoyable read.

[Angelo Terminel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wasn't just another book over glamorizing the heroism of a historic military leader. Washington lost more battles than he won, but still kept an overall vision that won the revolutionary war. Carbone told the facts while at the same time doing a great job weaving in his philosophies regarding George Washington's leadership attributes.

[Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, but I was a little disappointed that the book ended when the war ended. I would have liked to have had more insight into his time as President and of his personal life. I guess I'll have to find another book to learn those things............

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A different view on the leadership of our greatest american