This book was a departure from the biographical or historical tomes I had been reading lately. Mr O'Brien writes what could easily be an opinion piece in a political magazine. This book focuses primarily on George Washington's deft handling of a horribly complicated French Revolution, his Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, whom he did not agree with and the burgeoning American government. Roll in turmoil with the Whiskey Rebellion as well as the Jay Treaty of Pres. Washington's second term and it is clear George Washington was an underestimated politician and tactician.

It is clear, Conor Cruise O'Brien is a well studied scholar and passionate about George Washington and Thomas Jefferson; he not only forwards his own opinions, but takes on generations of Washington biographers to "set the record straight." Even more interestingly, Mr O'Brien, as introduced by Christopher Hitchens, is most commonly aligned with the far Left. Mr O'Brien, a former Irish politician and diplomat, goes to lengths not typical of an anti-colonialist to defend a Founding Father, by doing so, the author works so practically to prove George Washington stood correct in his suspicions of the French Revolution.

A very interesting book which will shed some suspicion on Thomas Jefferson, enlighten those who believe that politics has never been so vicious as they are now, and spark interest in learning more about the French Revolution and its influence on America. ( )