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Newt Gingrich
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To Try Men's Souls: A Novel of George Washington and the Fight for American Freedom (George Washington Series) Audio CD – CD, October 20, 2009

by Newt Gingrich (Author), William R. Forstchen (Author), William Dufris (Reader),
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 471 ratings
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After two bestselling series examining the Civil War and WWII, Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen have turned their sharp eye for detail on the Revolutionary War. Their story follows three men with three very different roles to play in history: General George Washington, Thomas Paine, and Jonathan Van Dorn, a private in Washington's army.

The action focuses on one of the most iconic events in American history: Washington crossing the Delaware. Unlike the bold, courageous General in Emanuel Leutze's painting, Washington is full of doubt on the night of December 25, 1776. After five months of defeat, morale is dangerously low. Each morning muster shows that hundreds have deserted in the night. While Washington prepares his weary troops for the attack on Trenton, Thomas Paine is in Philadelphia, overseeing the printing of his newest pamphlet, The Crisis. And Jonathan Van Dorn is about to bring the war to his own doorstep. In the heat of battle, he must decide between staying loyal to the cause and sparing his brother who has joined up with the British.

Through the thoughts and private fears of these three men, Gingrich and Forstchen illuminate the darkest days of the Revolution. With detailed research and an incredible depth of military insight, To Try Men's Souls is a novel that provides a rare and personal perspective of the men who fought for, and founded the United States of America.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    12 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Macmillan Audio
  4. Publication date
    October 20, 2009
  5. Dimensions
    5.3 x 1.12 x 5.94 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1427207755
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1427207753
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“This fictionalized account of the crossing of the Delaware River during the Revolutionary War goes way beyond the textbook versions. William Dufris, as the main narrator, traces the journeys of three very different men―George Washington, Thomas Paine, and Jonathon Van Dorn―portraying the distinct manner of each character.” ―AudioFile

“Narrators William Dufris, Callista Gingrich, and Eric Conger are excellent in their conveying of emotion and accents, making us privy to these characters' thoughts and fears, their courage and determination.” ―Library Journal

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Macmillan Audio; Unabridged edition (October 20, 2009)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Audio CD ‏ : ‎ 12 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1427207755
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1427207753
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.3 x 1.12 x 5.94 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 471 ratings

About the author

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Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich

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NEWT GINGRICH is the former House Speaker and 2012 Presidential Candidate. Gettysburg, Pearl Harbor and To Save America: Stopping Obama's Secular-Socialist Machine are three of his 14 New York Times bestsellers. He is a regular guest on national political shows.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
471 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you Newt
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2011
Verified Purchase
I have always refused to read any of Gingrich's historical fiction because I was assuming he would write with at least a bit of political bias. I am sure many others feel the same way, but check your political views at the door and don't miss out on this amazing piece of narrative history.

Good historical fiction is difficult to find, especially relating to the Revolutionary War. If you are looking for a way to bring the classic text book and fact only approach to American history alive, this is your tool. I found myself sharing many excerpts with my history class.

What Gingrich and Forstchen do well:
1. The narrative format is engrossing. From page 1 on I truly could not put this book down.
2. They don't introduce any alternate events that change the outcome of the Battle of Trenton. (They inform the reader of this in the Preface so as not leading us to believe it follows the traditional style of their "Alternative HIstory")
3. The fictional characters truly add to the human and social component of experiencing this event.
4. They focus on the perspective of two real characters, General Washington and Thomas Paine. Paine's chapters are enlightening and accurately depict the process he undertook in writing The Crisis.

What Gingrich and Forstchen could improve:
1. I know this historical fiction, but some parts of this book are far fetched. Most obviously was Washington's speech he gave the troops after crossing the Delaware. Everyone knows Washington was not an orator, and he certainly did not rouse the troops with a lengthy speech on the importance of dedication and citizenship. I just found this portion of the book to be awkward and out of place.

Overall, this truly is one of the most fascinating reads of recent memory. These authors really produced a gem that deserves to be read by all Americans.
5 people found this helpful
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E. Baxter
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Patriotic Story
Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2010
Verified Purchase
While eagerly awaiting the third installment of their Pearl Harbor series I picked up Gingrich and Forstchen's To Try Mens' Souls. The book does a very good job of making the reader feel the blizzard storm, the icing Delaware, and the terrible morale of Washington's troops as he sets his sight on springing a surprise attack on the Hessian troops occupying Trenton, NJ. The story is told from three principle perspectives: that of a young man whose hometown he is about to attack, Thomas Paine as he struggles to write The American Crisis, and the Gentleman General Washington himself largely through his own thoughts. The young man, Jonathan, struggles with the effects of war on the common soldier, fighting on his own soil in very harsh conditions. He wrestles with keeping his morale up as deserters and retreat pit his faithful confidence against betrayal and hardship. Thomas Paine's story is largely told through flashbacks to the months just previous to the battle. Having come to America from England, he has become famous for publishing Commmon Sense and faces the pressure to perform a literary miracle to boost morale in one of the darkest times of the American Revolution. He seeks inspiration in the common soldiers of Washington's Continental Army. His travels give the reader and interesting view of the wider historical events immediately preceding the Battle of Trenton. Most intriguingly, General Washinton's story consists of him taking his men across the Delaware river in a soaking, then freezing, snow storm overnight. The reader is privy to Washington's thoughts as his plan to surprise the Hessians before dawn falls hopelessly behind schedule, the terrible condition of his men marching through the night, and interruptions which threaten his element of surprise. Washington's recollections of Monongahela during the French and Indian war along with his periodic entreaties to God during the moment create a well-drawn human character, one simultaneously full of courage and doubt, worrying about the outcome for his country and his men. While reading, I felt an increasing sense of anxiety for the men to arrive and begin attacking. The tension steadily mounts as Washington and his men race the sun to Trenton, not knowing what they'll find. The General is driven by a determination that they must either stand now or very quickly lose the war. Time is of the essence. Most of the men's enlistments will expire with the new year and falling morale cannot fall forever. The only hope for the Americans is one desperate thrust at the seasoned, well armed, fully-fed, warm and dry Hessian force. The courage and audacity shown by the Americans on the night of December 26, 1776 is rapturously captured in here. A highly enjoyable and highly recommended read. I will buy the next book in the series, Valley Forge (same authors) on the day it is released.
5 people found this helpful
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cookingMaven
4.0 out of 5 stars mixed feelings
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2011
Verified Purchase
I have mixed feelings about this book...is it a 3 or a 4?

I personally have little knowledge of American History. I knew Washington crossed the Delaware, but I didn't know what that meant. I didn't know the Continental Army had been beaten and in retreat for months, that they were nearly starving, often bootless, in raggedy clothes barely worthy of the name clothes in freezing sleet and rain. I gained an appreciation for what a great leader Washington was, and the book really opened my eyes to how hard-won our freedom was.

The prose is engaging and kept me interested. The downsides are 2:

The book is very repetitive. It's like it is written in real time. If the army marches for an hour in the conditions described above, then we read about the misery, cold, bleeding feet, valor, etc. for an hour. I felt like, "I got it already." I ended up skipping ahead, reading a sentence per page until I found a plot changing point.

The other downside relates to another book I'm reading called "Stealing from America: A History of Corruption from Jamestown to Whitewater." Much of the misery of the Revolution was caused by greedy speculators and swindlers who held back provisions in order to drive the prices up. The Continental Congress made officer appointments based on nepotism and patronage with the usual results. This is a patriotic book, so I guess I can see why the authors did not mention this aspect of the war. I only hope the fighting patriots did not know their suffering was partly caused by the greed of their fellow citizens and government, the same impulses that are currently driving "Occupy Wall Street."
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