George S. Patton evoked wildly contradictory appraisals, but he also embodied contradiction: a cavalryman steeped in romantic military tradition, he nevertheless pulled a reluctant American military into the most advanced realms of highly mobile armored warfare. An autocratic snob, Patton created unparalleled rapport and loyalty with the lowliest private in his command; an outspoken racist, he led the only racially integrated U.S. military unit in World War II; an exuberantly profane man, he prayed daily and believed God had destined him to military greatness; a profoundly insecure individual, he made his Third Army the most self-confident and consistently victorious fighting force in the European theatre. This revealing biography illuminates the man behind the legend who modernized the U.S. army and developed the leadership strategies that have inspired generations.