George Washington is perhaps the best known figure in American history. His contribution to his country's struggle through the years of the American Revolution has given him a place of honor on everything from Mount Rushmore to the dollar bill. But what was George Washington really like?

New York Times bestselling historian Thomas Fleming discovered that finding the truth was no simple task. Opinions of Washington varied sharply. Some historians portrayed him as superhuman, while others made up stories about him.

Fleming decided that the best way to discover the real George Washington was to read what the men and women who actually knew him said in their letters and journals. Fleming also read all he could find that Washington wrote to his friends and family. Slowly, the remarkable person behind the legend emerged.

In this fascinating book, filled with anecdotes from friends and enemies alike, Fleming provides us with a vivid portrait of Washington's character and life.