You Never Forget Your First

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AN NPR CONCIERGE BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR ΓÇ£In her form-shattering and myth-crushing bookΓǪ.Coe examines myths with mirth,and writes history with humorΓǪ [You Never Forget Your First] is an accessible look at a president who always finishes in the first ranks of our leaders.ΓÇ¥ ΓÇöBoston Globe Alexis Coe takes a closer look at our first–and finds he is not quite the man we remember Young George Washington was raised by a struggling single motherdemanded military promotionscaused an international incidentand never backed down–even when his dysentery got so bad he had to ride with a cushion on his saddle. But after he married Marthaeverything changed. Washington became the kind of man who named his dog Sweetlips and hated to leave home. He took up arms against the British only when there was no other waythough he lost more battles than he won. After an unlikely victory in the Revolutionary War cast him as the nation’s herohe was desperate to retirebut the founders pressured him into the presidency–twice. When he retired years laterno one talked him out of it. He left the highest office heartbroken over the partisan nightmare his backstabbing cabinet had created. Back on his plantationthe man who fought for liberty must confront his greatest hypocrisy–what to do with the menwomenand children he owns–before he succumbs to death. With irresistible style and warm humorYou Never Forget Your First combines rigorous research and lively storytelling that will have readers–including those who thought presidential biographies were just for dads–inhaling every page.