To Try Mens Souls, Newt Gingrich
To Try Mens Souls, Newt Gingrich
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To Try Men's Souls
A Novel of George Washington and the Fight for American Freedom

Author: Newt Gingrich, William R. Forstchen

Narrator: William Dufris, Callista Gingrich, Eric Conger

Unabridged: 12 hr 29 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/20/2009

Synopsis

After two bestselling series examining the Civil War and WWII, Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen have turned their sharp eye for detail on the Revolutionary War with To Try Men's Souls.

The story follows three men with three very different roles to play in history: General George Washington, Thomas Paine, and Jonathan Van Dorn, a private in Washington's army.

The action focuses on one of the most iconic events in American history: Washington crossing the Delaware. Unlike the bold, courageous General in Emanuel Leutze's painting, Washington is full of doubt on the night of December 25, 1776. After five months of defeat, morale is dangerously low. Each morning muster shows that hundreds have deserted in the night. While Washington prepares his weary troops for the attack on Trenton, Thomas Paine is in Philadelphia, overseeing the printing of his newest pamphlet, The Crisis. And Jonathan Van Dorn is about to bring the war to his own doorstep. In the heat of battle, he must decide between staying loyal to the cause and sparing his brother who has joined up with the British.

Through the thoughts and private fears of these three men, Gingrich and Forstchen illuminate the darkest days of the Revolution. With detailed research and an incredible depth of military insight, To Try Men's Souls is a novel that provides a rare and personal perspective of the men who fought for, and founded the United States of America.

About Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, is the author of several bestselling books, including Valley Forge, To Try Men's Souls, Pearl Harbor and Gettysburg (all with William R. Forstchen). He is a member of the Defense Policy Board and co-chair of the UN Task Force, is the longest-serving teacher of the Joint War Fighting course for Major Generals, and served in Congress for twenty years. He is also the founder of the Center for Health Transformation.

About William R. Forstchen

William R. Forstchen is the author of the New York Times bestseller One Second After and We Look Like Men of War, among numerous other books in diverse subjects ranging from history to science fiction. He has co-authored several books with Newt Gingrich, including Gettysburg: A Novel of the Civil War, Pearl Harbor, Days of Infamy, To Try Men’s Souls and Valley Forge. Forstchen holds a Ph.D. in History from Purdue University, with specializations in military history and the history of technology. He is currently a Faculty Fellow and Professor of History at Montreat College, near Asheville North Carolina. He is a pilot and flies an original WWII recon "warbird." He resides near Asheville with his daughter Meghan.

About William Dufris

William Dufris began his audio career in London, England. He co-found the audio production company The Story Circle, Ltd in the UK. In the US, he founded Mind’s Eye Productions and co-founded Rocky Coast Radio Theatre in addition to The AudioComics Company, for which he is producer, director, actor and engineer. Durfis was nominated six times as a finalist for the APA's prestigious Audie Awards. He garnered eighteen Golden Earphones Awards through AudioFile magazine, which honored him as one of The Best Voices at the End of the Century. Of his work, AudioFile said, "William Dufris commands a dazzling array of voices that bring to life the dozens of audiobooks he’s narrated." His audiobook credits include many of Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen, Ph.D.'s works, such as Days of Infamy and Pearl Harbor, in addition to George McGovern’s Abraham Lincoln, Neal Stephenson’s Cryptonomicon and John Scalzi’s The Ghost Bridges.Dufris acted on stage and in television and is best known as the original North American voice of the cartoon character Bob in Nickelodeon's popular children's show, Bob the Builder. Additionally, he worked with legendary director Dirk Maggs on his audio drama productions of Spider-Man.

About Callista Gingrich

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.

About Eric Conger

Eric Conger has narrated more than 80 audiobooks, and AudioFile magazine has called him "...simply the best. With no self-consciousness or discernable vocal flaws, his energy and emotional investment are consistent start to finish."  Conger has worked on a number of audiobooks that have garnered Earphones Awards, including William D. Novelli and Boe Workman's 50+ and Frederick Forsyth's Avenger, both published by Macmillan Audio.  Eric is a graduate of Wesleyan University and the University of Paris.  He's appeared in over 50 plays and has also translated plays of Moliere and Feydeau for regional theaters.  His voiceover work is extensive, and he's produced over 5,200 narrations for commercial ventures. He works primarily from his home studio in Weehawken, NJ, where he lives with his wife Gayle and two children.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Brad on October 13, 2012

When I discovered a copy of this book tossed into a sale bin, I considered it no great risk to invest in it. After a cursory review of the jacket, I fully expected a well-researched setting for an interesting story. I got that and more. What I did not expect was that this reader, who is hyper-critic......more

Goodreads review by Corey on September 14, 2011

I've always been fascinated by Revolutionary American History and with a story about Washington crossing the Delaware River on Christmas Night before retaking the town of Trenton, New Jersey it sounded perfect. I wanted to LOVE it...... but didn't. I was half-way through it and still hadn't hit upon......more

Goodreads review by Carol on December 06, 2016

A Patriotic epic of Revolutionary Combat -- what's not to like? Well, there's no combat to speak of, till the last fifty pages. About three quarters of the book is Washington crossing the Delaware -- but it's all men tripping, falling, cursing, muddy trails, snow down the back of the neck, endless p......more

Goodreads review by Ray on March 29, 2010

This book describes Washington's crossing of the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton, along with the writings of Thomas Paine and the common Revolutionary War soldier. The basic facts involving Washington's crossing of the Delaware are fairly well known, and this book attempts to fill in some of the......more

Goodreads review by John on August 10, 2017

I've read several books about Washington crossing the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton, but this is the best. The style is similar to the writings of Michael Shaara. The story told from the viewpoint of the participants, American and Hessian. It really does a great job of portraiting the hardships......more

Quotes

“This fictionalized account of the crossing of the Delaware River during the Revolutionary War goes way beyond the textbook versions. William Dufris, as the main narrator, traces the journeys of three very different men—George Washington, Thomas Paine, and Jonathon Van Dorn—portraying the distinct manner of each character.” —AudioFile

“Narrators William Dufris, Callista Gingrich, and Eric Conger are excellent in their conveying of emotion and accents, making us privy to these characters' thoughts and fears, their courage and determination.” —Library Journal

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