To Try Men's Souls: A Novel of George Washington and the Fight for American Freedom

Newt Gingrich, William R. Forstchen

St. Martin's Press, Sep 28, 2010 - Fiction - 368 pages

Bestselling authors Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen turn their sharp eye for detail on three men in the middle of the Revolutionary War and the birth of America.

It is the night before the crossing of the Delaware, one of the most iconic events in American history, and General Washington is full of doubt. The harsh winter and repeated defeats have dimmed his army's spirit. The revolution has come down to one desperate salvo as the freezing, hungry rebels slip across the river.

While Washington prepares, Thomas Paine, writing in Philadelphia, captures the army's grim reality in one line: "These are the times that try men's souls."

Private Jonathan Van Dorn is about to bring the war to his own doorstep. Jonathan must decide between staying loyal to the American cause and sparing his brother, who has joined the British.

Through these three men, Gingrich and Forstchen illuminate the Revolution's darkest days. They bring to life the thrilling Battle of Trenton, the victory that brought Americans the faith that they could win over insurmountable odds. With detailed research and incredible military insight, To Try Men's Souls is a novel that provides a rare and personal perspective of the men who fought for the United States of America.

What people are saying

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - SarahGraceGrzy - www.librarything.com

DNF Read the first chapter or so, and there was already more language than I am comfortable with, and being in George Washington's pov was really throwing me. ;) I *might* come back and give this a try someday, but I am just not feeling it right now.

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - utbw42 - LibraryThing

I was very aware of the gravity of the subject of this book as I dove into it, but that did not damper my amazement and astonishment of just what these brave men did on that Christmas night back in ...

About the author

NEWT GINGRICH, front-running Republican primary candidate for the 2012 Presidential Election, former Speaker of the House, bestselling author of Gettysburg and Pearl Harbor, the longest serving teacher of the Joint War Fighting Course for Major Generals at Air University, and an honorary Distinguished Visiting Scholar and Professor at the National Defense University. He resides in Virginia with his wife, Callista, with whom he hosts and produces documentaries, including their latest, "A City Upon A Hill".

WILLIAM R. FORSTCHEN, Ph.D., is a Faculty Fellow at Montreat College in Montreat, North Carolina. He received his doctorate from Purdue University and is the author of more than forty books. He is the New York Times best selling author of One Second After, published by Tor/Forge of St. Martin's Press. He resides near Asheville, North Carolina, with his daughter, Meghan.

Bibliographic information

• Title: To Try Men's Souls: A Novel of George Washington and the Fight for American Freedom; Volume 1 of George Washington Series
• Authors: Newt Gingrich, William R. Forstchen
• Contributor: Albert S. Hanser
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press, 2010
• ISBN: 0312592876, 9780312592875
• Length: 368 pages
• Subjects: Fiction / Biographical; Fiction / Historical / General; Fiction / War & Military