Watson masterfully weaves together how Washington’s many life experiences shaped his ideas on self-government, nationhood, and the power of perception. Truly, Washington’s trials and tribulations prepared him for one of his most overlooked accomplishments—the building of the nation’s capital.

Matthew Costello, Assistant Director of the David M. Rubenstein National Center for White House History at the White House Historical Association

Richmond's Libby Prison has long been described as "notorious"--the Abu Ghraib of the Confederacy. This deeply researched, well written page-turner at last helps us understand why, offering gruesome details about mistreatment, abusive and sadistic staff, and hideous conditions. Robert Watson has added to this a compelling story about an extraordinary breach of Libby's equally notorious security, and the result is an important contribution to Civil War literature that manages to unfold like a thriller.

Harold Holzer, Winner of the Lincoln Prize, former vice president of the Met, former chair of the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission