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

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, this novel provides a rare and personal perspective of the men who fought for the United States of America.