The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington Kindle Edition

This was a great read. I remember reading the poison pea story in grade school. This book tells the true tail of the Tory plots in NYC.

I picked this book up after finishing the Lincoln Conspiracy, which is by far the better of the two. The authors are upfront about the paucity of source material, and much is left to speculation. I enjoyed reading the book over a 3-day vacation. The underlying story and history is quite interesting. However, the book suffers from a few drawbacks. First is simply the manner of prose. The book reads like a script for a history channel show with obvious cliffhangers written in, foreshadowing, and needless emphasis of and explanation of basic concepts. "What Washington needs is COUNTERintelligence"--ad naseum. There are constant shifts from present to past tense in the prose and a lots of time jumps in the chapters (Six months later; 5 years earlier, etc.) . Lots of "recap" of what was just said in a previous chapter--almost as if being reminded of the last 10 minutes of a show after a commercial break. Language used is at about an 8th grade reading level. Some chapters are only a few pages long, and there are frequent 1 sentence paragraphs. There is also a ton of filler material strewn throughout. The basic story could have been told in about half as many pages. The structure is also odd, leading to repetition. The book provides a historical narrative of the events leading up to the conspiracy, the conspiracy, and then how it is thwarted, only to then provide a play-by-play of the same events through the various witness testimonies.Thus, while the story was interesting and an easy read, I had a hard time getting into the book because the writing style was so odd and mundane. Again, it really reads like a screenplay for a 2 hour television show on the History Channel, rather than a proper historical narrative.

I found this to be an easy, fascinating read. It definitely took the "glory" out of life as a soldier in the revolutionary war. And, the insight into how some things are in place today created more than a few "interesting" moments for me.

Life is tuff and then you become a leader. This book gives the background on the early stages of the American fight for independence. It shows betrayal and success in the face of military defeat. It gave me hope. Even in our current fight to keep our American experiment, perseverance can win!

This story is more important than it is sexy. I had a great time reading it once I realized it was more textbook than anything else. What President Washington had to do to lead the Colomies is remarkable. This book was written for those who love a detailed "what if?" Story. But simply put, the plot against Washington could be wrapped up in three pages max.

"This book started as a detective story.Nearly a decade ago, I found my first clues where all the best clues are found, in the footnotes" That line is the very first sentence in BRAD MELTZER'S newest book: THE FIRST CONSPIRACY THE SECRET PLOT TO KILL GEORGE WASHING. Mr. Meltzer, along with noted historian,Josh Mensch uncover and write about the one of the most important footnotes in history: the plot to kill George Washington. From the moment our great country is formed by a group of men to the start of the WAR FOR OUR INDEPENDENCE, we get a vivid picture of Washington and his literally ragtag group of men who want freedom for our nation. We hear of the starvation, the disease and yes the plot by the Loyalists to not only kill Washington but to sabotage the battle for New York . We meet the principal players in the plot. We learn, from a man jailed for counterfeiting the beginnings of the plot. We meet the good guys and the bad. Washington, the Commander in Chief of our army to Governor Tyron the man in the shadows plotting and planning against Washington.What a huge piece of history Mr.Meltzer and Mr Mensch have written about in this book. I loved every minute and the authors put the reader right there. Whether its Washington writing to the Continental Congress or the soldiers drinking in the taverns and making deals with the devil, this book takes you there. It gives you not only history but it gives you such a story that I could not put it down.

Very interesting read. Well written. Meltzer is always a good read.

Excellent book and a great read, you won’t want to put the book down.

Non sono stato attento, pensavo fosse in italiano, ma era in inglese . tutto ok.

The book was for general reading but oh my god what a fantastically written and researched book a must read for everyone

enjoyed the read