Major Washington [Hardcover]

Michael Kilian (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1998

Washington was not always an American icon; once he was merely an ambitious young man, unsure of what the future held for him and for his country. His adventures took him into the Allegheny wilderness and bloody battles. His passion led him into a torrid affair with the wife of his best friend. Illuminating a period of his life never before touched upon, impossible to put down, "Major Washington" is a novel not to be forgotten .

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

For a closer look at the legendary man who became our country's first president, Chicago Tribune columnist (and writer for the cartoon strip Dick Tracy) Kilian focuses on three critical years in the life of George Washington, 1753-1755. Seen through the eyes of fictional colleague Thomas Morley, young Washington is a charismatic, imposing figure whose fierce ambition and passion may have been the catalyst for the French and Indian War. We also get a glimpse of the individual behind the heroics, the man who suffers devastating bouts of "the flux," embarrassingly bad teeth and the heartache of loving Sally Fairfax, the wife of his close friend and supporter. By rather fussily attempting to replicate Colonial English in his first-person narrative, however, Kilian sometimes distracts from his plot and invites questions of historical authenticity. Since the story centers on three forays into and beyond the Appalachian Mountains, Kilian is hard pressed to differentiate the first two trips. He is at his best in the third trek, describing Washington's harrowing experience as a major aide-de-camp to British General Edward Braddock. Without any clear rationale, the author telescopes nearly two decades into the final two chapters rather than end the book in the 1750s. Still, the novel is full of amusing tidbits, including a recipe for milk punch alongside the symptoms of Ben Franklin's eczema.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-Young Captain "Tick" Morley, a ship owner involved in coastal trading, narrates this story. One of the captain's first encounters with George Washington is when he agrees to carry the major's letters to Virginia's Governor Dinwiddie and to Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia. Franklin sees leadership qualities in Washington and solicits Morley to spy on him. Washington, meanwhile, is spying on the French for Governor Dinwiddie. From 1753-1755, Major Washington makes three journeys into the Allegheny wilderness. On one mission, his troops ambush a French party led by Ensign de Jumonville-an act said by some to bring on the French and Indian War. Washington serves as the principal aide-de-camp to British General Edward Braddock on his last foray into the wilderness. Tick's story does much to humanize the father of our country. The young Washington is described as an ambitious yet naive man with an imposing physical appearance and, even then, a strong sense of nationalism. During this time he has an affair with Sally Fairfax, the wife of his best friend. Apparently, Washington learns from his mistakes and later fulfills the leadership qualities seen earlier by Franklin. A good choice for historical-novel requirements.
Carol Clark, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; 1st edition (February 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312181310
• ISBN-13: 978-0312181314
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,261,573 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's historical fiction., October 31, 2009

By 

GeorgiaWriter (GA. USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Major Washington (Hardcover)

I found this novel entertaining in the extreme. Of course, I wouldn't cite it in a college term paper or in a serious historical work, but I'm certain that the author didn't intend for it to be used for that reason. It's historical fiction, with the emphasis on the word, fiction. I rate a novel on how enjoyable it was to read and, since I read historical fiction to escape from the world of today, I also rate it on whether or not it made me feel as if I were there? This one did. I would recommend it to any historical fiction buff. A good writer of historical fiction throws in just enough of the facts to make it believable to that time period, nothing more. Mr. Killian certainly did this. Read it. It's a very good story.
It is a tradegy that Mr. Killian's pen has been silenced, he was an accomplished writer.

For those who like to read historical fiction set in the French and Indian War era, I would also recommed the following books. Red Morning, Red MorningMidwife of the Blueridge, Midwife of the Blue RidgeLoving Lynn Celia, Loving Lynn Celia: A Novel Of The French And Indian Warand Savage Wilderness Savage Wildernessjust to name a few.

1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars HISTORICALLY INACCURATE, June 16, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Major Washington (Hardcover)

Washington's feelngs notwithstanding to state that his love for Sally Faifax was the cause of the affair resulting in the death of Jumonville is ridiculous. If one is not a bit of a history buff he might find it to be a good read. However, it is littered with errors stated as fact. I doubt not that Mr. Killian did copious research but he took a much to liberal license with the facts. Sure, Washington had many faults, but he deserves better treatment than given in this work! M. W. Askew ([e-mail])