In the Hurricane's Eye

The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown

By: Nathaniel Philbrick

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

New York Times best seller

"Nathaniel Philbrick is a masterly storyteller. Here he seeks to elevate the naval battles between the French and British to a central place in the history of the American Revolution. He succeeds, marvelously." (The New York Times Book Review)

The thrilling story of the year that won the Revolutionary War from the New York Times best-selling author of In the Heart of the Sea and Mayflower.

In the concluding volume of his acclaimed American Revolution series, Nathaniel Philbrick tells the thrilling story of the year that won the Revolutionary War.

In the fall of 1780, after five frustrating years of war, George Washington had come to realize that the only way to defeat the British Empire was with the help of the French navy. But as he had learned after two years of trying, coordinating his army's movements with those of a fleet of warships based thousands of miles away was next to impossible. And then, on September 5, 1781, the impossible happened. Recognized today as one of the most important naval engagements in the history of the world, the Battle of the Chesapeake - fought without a single American ship - made the subsequent victory of the Americans at Yorktown a virtual inevitability.

In a narrative that moves from Washington's headquarters on the Hudson River, to the wooded hillside in North Carolina where Nathanael Greene fought Lord Cornwallis to a vicious draw, to Lafayette's brilliant series of maneuvers across Tidewater Virginia, Philbrick details the epic and suspenseful year through to its triumphant conclusion. A riveting and wide-ranging story, full of dramatic, unexpected turns, In the Hurricane's Eye reveals that the fate of the American Revolution depended, in the end, on Washington and the sea.

©2018 Nathaniel Philbrick (P)2018 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"A tension-filled and riveting account of the alliance that assured American independence.... Philbrick is a master of narrative, and he does not disappoint as he provides a meticulous and often hair-raising account of a naval war between France and England." (The Washington Post)

"A tense, richly detailed narrative of the American Revolution...Philbrick reprises the protagonists of his last history of the War of Independence in a meticulously researched recounting of the events leading up to the colonists' victory at the Battle of Yorktown.... Philbrick, a sailor himself, recounts the strategic maneuvering involved in the many naval encounters: ships' positions, wind direction and strength, and the 'disorienting cloud of fire and smoke' that often imperiled the fleet." (Kirkus Reviews)

"[Philbrick], an accomplished popular historian...excels when writing about sailors and the ocean. He vividly renders the interplay of skill and chaos in naval combat by massive fleets, as well as the fury of hurricanes.... In the Hurricane’s Eye delivers on the author’s promise to 'put the sea where it properly belongs: at the center of the story.'" (Wall Street Journal)

"Another insightful and accessible account…This thought-provoking history will deepen readers’ understanding of how the US achieved its independence.” (Publishers Weekly, starred review)

Not as much Hurricane as hoped

As a person interested in history of ships and navy battlesI I Thought this would focus more on the hurricane and details of naval battles. It was a good history of the later years of the Revolution so I ended up enjoying it despite the misleading title.

Simply fabulous.

Riveting account of the final phase of the American revolution with a focus on Washington. Brilliant. Well narrated. Gripping.

thank you Tides of History podcast

Thank You Tides of History podcast for turning me on to this part of history that probably few have ever known about or at least they never put it together like this. It must have been hard to stop writing this book. So many tangents and relationships to other parts of history.

Effortless narrative……..

I continue to be jealous of writers that can write like this and keep the readers interest with little apparent effort.

A must read

A must read to fully appreciate the man and the challenges that created this larger than life figure.

sailing warships and marching men

one imagines a researcher combing Captains logs recreating these accounts of 18th century naval exploits.

Hurricane’s Eye

Excellent from any perspective. Provides clear explanations of the complexities of the Revolutionary War. A treat!

Wonderfully Written

Wonderfully written & narrated. A fantastic account of America's struggle for Liberty and Freedom.

Even-handed, yet dramatic!

Nathaniel Philbrick gives a fresh view of George Washington. It feels more real than many other accounts of the great man. Weather patterns in the war's final years were often keys to outcomes, same as in the early war years, only on an immense scale, namely, the many hurricanes that destroyed excellent naval fleets.

I think Philbrick selected the best facts to liven up the story and avoid getting bogged down at any point. I liked Scott Brick's pacing, pronunciation and tone. If there's one thing I'd like to change, it's how the story speeds up after the siege of Yorktown. This part of the story interested me; I wanted to go deeper into this short and momentous period.

loved it!

love love love love lived it!!!! loved loved loved loved loved. Make America great again