Valley Forge by Bob Drury and Tom Glavin is the story of Washington’s efforts to keep the Continental Army together during the winter of 1777-78, starting a few months earlier with the frustrating defeat at Brandywine Creek and concluding with the narrow American victory at Monmouth in June 1778.
I picked this book up at Ollie’s in Morgantown for 5 dollars and really didn’t have high hopes for it; however, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the writing. The authors have crafted a riveting story with well-fleshed out characters. It is non-fiction, but it reads like a good novel.
The portrait of Washington is impressive, and he, his various subordinates, and his rivals come alive as real and interesting people. The description of garrison life in the Valley Forge encampment is harrowing. It is amazing that so many managed to survive and triumph over such wretched conditions.
At a time like this, when our country is so divided and so many seem to have lost appreciation for what we have here, a book like this reminds us what freedom-loving people are willing to go through for their beliefs. I recommend this book. It is available from Amazon and other sellers.