Winner of the 2011 OHS Donald Grant Creighton Award

This book is about Major General Sir Isaac Brock (1769 - October 13, 1812). It tells of his life, his career and legacy, particularly in the Canadas, and of the context within which he lived. One of the most enduring legacies of the War of 1812 on both the United States and Canadian sides was the creation of heroes and heroines. The earliest of those heroic individuals was Isaac Brock who in some ways was the most unlikely of heroes. For one thing, he was admired by his American foes almost as much as by his own people. Even more striking is how a British general whose military role in that two-and-a-half-year war lasted less than five months became the best known hero and one revered far and wide. Wesley B. Turner finds this outcome astonishing and approaches the subject from that point of view.

One of the most enduring legacies of the War of 1812 was the creation of heroes and heroines. The earliest of those heroic individuals was Isaac Brock. It's striking how a British general whose military role in that two-and-a-half-year war lasted less than five months became the best known hero, and one revered far and wide.

"Turner brings decades of scholarship to The Astonishing General and the result is a nuanced appraisal of Brocks experiences in Upper and Lower Canada, his military success and his fatal failure at the Battle of Queenston Heights."