Valley Forge

In To Try Men's Souls, New York Times bestselling authors Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen cast a new light on the year 1776 and the man who would become the father of our nation, George Washington. Valley Forge picks up the narrative a year after Washingtons triumphant surprise attack on Trenton, and much has changed since then.

Its the winter of 1777, and Washingtons battered, demoralized army retreats from Philadelphia. Arriving at Valley Forge, they discover that their repeated requests for a stockpile of food, winter clothing, and building tools have been ignored by Congress. With no other options available, the men settle down for a season of agony. For weeks the dwindling army freezes under tents in the bitter cold. Food runs out. Disease festers. The men are on the point of collapse, while in Philadelphia the British, joined by Allen van Dorn, the Loyalist brother of the dead patriot, Jonathan van Dorn, live in luxury.

In spite of the suffering and deceit, Washington endures all, joined at last by a volunteer from Germany, Baron Friederich von Steuben. With precious few supplies and even less time, von Steuben begins the hard task of recasting the army as a professional fighting force capable of facing the British head-on—something it has never accomplished before—and in the process he changing the course of history.   

Valley Forge is a compelling, meticulously researched tour-de-force novel about endurance, survival, transformation, and rebirth. It chronicles the unique crucible of time and place where Washington and his Continental Army, against all odds, were forged into a fighting force that would win a revolution and found the United States of America.

Praise for the works of Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen:

"This second title in the George Washington series (after To Try Men's Souls) offers an energetic dramatization of the Continental Army's grim winter bivouac at Valley Forge, Pa., in 1777.… Gingrich and Forstchen recreate the sights and smells of the Continental Army's hand-to-mouth camp life and the battlefield action around Valley Forge with a brisk panache that should bode well for future entries." --Publishers Weekly on Valley Forge

“Masterful storytelling.” --William E. Butterworth IV, New York Times bestselling author of The Saboteurs

“Creative, clever, and fascinating.” --James Carville

“Compelling narrative force and meticulous detail.” --The Atlanta Journal Constitution

“Gingrich and Forschten write with authority and with sensitivity.” --St. Louis Post Dispatch

“Grim, gritty, realistic, accurate, and splendid, this is a soaring epic of triumph over almost unimaginable odds.”  --Library Journal on To Try Mens Souls

“With each book… Gingrich and Forstchen have gone from strength to strength as storytellers.” --William Trotter, The Charlotte Observer

“The authors research shines in accurate accounts of diplomatic maneuvering as well as the nuts-and-bolts of military action.” --Publishers Weekly

“The writing is vivid and clear.” --Washington Times

A riveting, personal look at one of our country's first heroes in the second captivating novel of the George Washington series by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen, the New York Times bestselling authors of To Try Men's Souls

Its the winter of 1777, a year after Washingtons triumphant surprise attack on Trenton, and the battered, demoralized Continental Army retreats from Philadelphia. At Valley Forge, they discover that their requests for supplies have been ignored by Congress. With no other options, for weeks the army freezes under tents in the bitter cold. The men are on the point of collapse, while in Philadelphia the British live in luxury. In spite of the suffering, Washington endures, joined by a volunteer from Germany, Baron Friederich von Steuben. With precious little time, von Steuben begins recasting the army as a professional corps capable of facing the British head-on—something it has never accomplished before—in the process changing the course of history.   

Valley Forge is a compelling, painstakingly researched tour-de-force novel about survival, transformation, and rebirth. It chronicles the unique crucible of time and place where Washington and his army, against all odds, were forged into the force that would win a revolution and found the United States of America.

NEWT GINGRICH, former Speaker of the House, is the bestselling author of Gettysburg and Pearl Harbor and the longest serving teacher of the Joint War Fighting course for Major Generals.  He is the founder of the Center for Health Transformation, Chairman of American Solutions and a commentator for Fox News Channel. He resides in Virginia with his wife, Callista, with whom he hosts and produces documentaries, including their latest, Nine Days that Changed the World.

WILLIAM R. FORSTCHEN, Ph.D., is a Faculty Fellow at Montreat College in Montreat, North Carolina. He received his doctorate from Purdue University and is the author of more than forty books.  He resides near Asheville, North Carolina, with his daughter, Meghan.

Callista Gingrich is the wife of former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and the president of Gingrich Productions, a performance and production company focusing on audio, video, and photographic production. She has narrated several audiobooks, including To Try Men's Souls and Valley Forge for Macmillan Audio. She lives with her husband in McLean, Virginia.