Book Review

His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis

This is the first book in my attempt to read a biography of each President. The book takes the reader through what little is known of Washington’s childhood and young adulthood, through his war involvement and reluctant presidency, up to his death. About half of the book is focused on his involvement in the wars against the French and Indians and the Revolutionary War against England. The rest of the book focuses on his presidency and his legacy. It is written in such a way that it was very easy to read. I didn’t get bogged down by lots of dates and statistics.

I found it interesting that Washington seemed to select which items remain to reveal his character and which items disappeared. For example, all the letters he wrote to his wife, Martha, were burned when he died, yet all the communication between him and his generals, advisors, etc. remain. Washington was an interesting person yet not the kind of person you’d expect to have been the first president of the country. The presidency has certainly changed from when Washington held the post to the modern day Bush presidency. I also found it interesting that there were constant struggles and backstabbing amongst his most trusted friends and members of his cabinet. Jefferson and Madison were at the same time his wisest advisors and his greatest threats.

The adventure that was the birth of this nation was a strange one. Washington resisted a leadership role after the war with England because he wanted to retire and enjoy his house at Mount Vernon. Fortunately he recognized the need for his role in another, much more important leadership role. He was a very private man and seems to have been very successful in separating the public George from the private George. The private George continues to be mostly a mystery while the public George will live on in history.

Next up: The Good Mother by Sue Miller. (Not a biography, but it’s what I’m reading now.)