TIME George Washington

The father of our country remains too much a mystery to too many of us. Now TIME tells the full, fascinating story of the Virginia planter who fought for Britain in the French and Indian War, signed the Declaration of Independence, led a ragtag colonial army to victory over the British Empire -and then became the first President of the United States. With scores of illustrations and artifacts from the period, this lavish volume captures "the essential American" and brings his little-known life and his chaotic, revolutionary times into fresh focus.