Students, faculty and administrators gathered in Shapiro Atrium last Tuesday to begin the first of the "Meet the Author" lecture and discussion series, sponsored by the Office of Communications and the Brandeis bookstore, which coordinated the book sale and signing.The first of this series featured Prof. David Hackett Fischer (HIST) who discussed his latest release on the pivotal Delaware River crossing by George Washington's army during the American Revolution, entitled Washington's Crossing.

Fischer said that his story of George Washington's river crossing introduced the idea of debunking myths that have developed about historical events.

"This story is better that it can be told," Fischer said.

He said that his story is constructed around contingency, the idea of people making choices that make a difference.

He said his work connects the idea of elitist, authoritative history and social history as one interconnecting story.

"It is about telling stories and building bridges between two ideas," Fischer said.

Fischer said he placed emphasis in his book on Washington's battered army, which, after defeats in New York and New England, was on the brink of losing the war.

But Fischer said Washington felt that with the uprisings against the British army in New Jersey, there was an opportunity to attack these forces while they were weak.

"[The attacks] put a huge strain on that system and created an opportunity for George Washington," Fischer said.

Fischer also clarified that the Hessians-German soldiers fighting with the British-were not drunkenly celebrating Christmas at the time of Washington's attack, but were actually a very professional and disciplined corps of mercenaries.

Fischer said that their spies knew about an impending attack and that they were fully prepared for the possibility of Washington attacking their encampments.

Fischer also pointed to the depth of primary materials written by the British, Americans and Hessian troops that he found during his research.

He said he believed this further emphasized the significance of the event.

"I was amazed as to how much had been written by the actors," Fischer said.

His next book, scheduled to be released in September, is titled Liberty and Freedom. Fisher said it will focus on more cultural and intellectual history.