A fascinating portrait of the president of the United States. Though his personal diaries were burned after his death, there is documentation that sheds some light on the life of a very private man. ( )

While on vacation, I read (via audio book) Jonathan Ellis’ biography His Excellency, George Washington.

I confess that I really didn’t have much interest in George Washington; it was simply one of the better audiobooks available at the Duluth Public Library – and I was going on a long trip. I thoroughly enjoyed – and benefited from – this book.

Ellis doesn’t merely describe the deeds of the first president – he works hard to really understand the man. Famous for his silences and private with his thoughts, Washington did not make it easy for biographers. Ellis is careful to provide the data from which he is working, and then to present his understanding.

The biography stands out, too for its attention to connecting the dots. When considering why Washington did something later in his life, Ellis goes back to earlier events: what might he have learned from them? Would they give him confidence – or anxiety – about one course of action over another? How had they formed his character?

It is Ellis’ ability to capture the uncertainty of the first years of the American nation that made this book particularly valuable. Viewed in hindsight, it looks as though the patriots of 1776 had a plan that unfolded with just a few glitches. Washington had just one of many sometimes conflicting ideas of what the American colonies were seeking, and what the final result would be. It would not even be accurate to say they were building a nation on a new model: there was no model, just a variety of principles.

The true greatness of Washington comes through in many ways: a general who truly realized the tremendous sacrifices and suffering of his troops, a leader who was able both to set aside the reins of power when it was called for and also to recognize when his skills and persona were needed. It’s not clear whether the United States would have survived the many political shenanigans of the early years without Washington’s stature, sense of service, and stability.

If the only Washington you know is the sainted public servant, it’s well worth the time to find out about the man behind the portrait. ( )

I like this book and found it easy to read. I enjoyed getting to know the General a bit better and getting a glimpse of his life "behind the scenes". ( )

I found this book to be less informative then others that I had read about our founding fathers (Adams, Hamilton, etc.). Perhaps there was less information available about George Washington than the others.

I found the author's style frustrating, at times. He seemed to pick up on a theme and then reiterate it over and over again until I wanted to just skip to the next chapter. Otherwise, I found the book easy and enjoyable to read. ( )

This is my first introduction to Washington's motivation, his hopes and dreams as he led the rag-tag Continental Army against the strongest nation on earth. Washington was a fervent believer in the Enlightenment ideals of the rights of man, and led a nation to throw over its colonizer, and then with just as much conviction, retired to country life.

One of Washington's basic urges was to own and develop some trans-Appalachian land. To this end he worked for decades on a canal from what is now Tennessee and Kentucky to the Potomac River. He saw the Revolution not only as an assertion of liberty for him and his countrymen, but as a tremendous personal opportunity.

"His Excellency" takes us from Washington's early days as a suveyor (which made him familiar with the land west of Virginia), through his days as a colonial officer in the British Army (at whose hands his mistreatment made for a durable grievance). The Great Man's motivations and abilities come into high focus in this excellent, highly readable account. No less an expert than King George III said that if someone were to lead the American Colonies to freedom, and then retire without a thought to dynasty, he truly would be a great man. Yep. That's right. ( )

I guess I'm the dissenting view, but I found this book dry. It was informative, but I did not find it an easy read, often choppy and too much conjecture and assumptions.

http://ktleyed.blogspot.com/2009/03/h... ( )

Outstanding!

Joseph Ellis has done a wonderful job giving real life to the man who won American independence in the Revolutionary War and who then went on to invent and sustain America’s emerging nationhood. George Washington’s early years on the Virginia frontier, to his role in the French and Indian War are fascinating enough. However, this early part of the book (and his life) serve to illustrate the crucible that these early days were to the creation of his iron will and the leadership qualities that brought him to lead the Continental Army throughout the Revolutionary War.

His role as General convinced him of the need for Federal power to raise money for, among other things, an army. The details of the Continental Army’s condition during the war further illustrate the amazing nature of America’s defeat of what was then the world’s preeminent military power. For example, during the winter of 1776-1777, many soldiers went without shoes and fought a well equipped British Army. It is interesting to learn more about the relationship between Washington and his chief aid in the war and as President; Alexander Hamilton. Moreover, Ellis draws some interesting contrasts between Washington and Jefferson (both of whom he has now devoted a book each) and their personal relationship. Washington emerges from this the more influential character.

Galvanized by these prior experiences, Washington’s influence on moving the confederation of states to the Constitutional Convention and ultimately the Constitution itself is crystal clear. No other Founding Father had such a realistic view of how to implement the new American ideals and, indeed, as Henry Lee expressed in Washington’s eulogy; “First in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen.”

His Excellency does an outstanding job of giving the reader a perspective on Washington, the person and, thus, takes a little bit of the stone like statue away from his persona. Here we also learn of Washington’s obsession with managing the affairs of Mt Vernon and his considerable real estate empire while also being a General and a President. We get a sense that Washington’s famous aloofness and ability to remain silent in a storm were as Ellis puts it “protective tactics developed to prevent detection of the combustible materials simmering inside.”

This is an outstanding book. I’d read it again and likely will someday. ( )

An excellant view into the thoughts and history of George Washington. This would be an excellent business choice for how to lead. ( )

I learned many things about George Washington and his contmeporaries. Mr. Washington is not deified in this book and the author makes our first President seem human. ( )

We see him almost everyday. He's on the quarter, the dollar bill, Mount Rushmore and has the most famous phallic monument named after him. Somewhat appropriate the he was called the Father of Our Country with that in mind, don't you think?

But what do you really know about Washington, beyond the Parson Weems legend about the cherry tree. We all know that it's a legend and not true. We know he had wooden teeth. Or did he? What do any of us know about our First President?

This is the angle that Ellis brings to the table with this well written and researched biography. It's written in the more popular history/biography style that holds your interest. It gives enough facts that you get a real sense of the man and his times, but not so much that you fall asleep or skip pages. Or worse yet, put the book away before you've finished it.

Ellis' writing style is simple, almost lyrical in places. He has some notes at the back, but he keeps his audience in mind and keeps them to a minimum. This is an outstanding biography, and a great place to start to get to know the enigma that is George Washington. Washington, like all of us, was a complex man. He had his faults and foibles like all of us do. Ellis draws that out, puts some things in context and lets the reader make his own conclusions about others. He doesn't pass judgment. This book is highly recommended. ( )

Ellis writes in an easy, flowing style. Almost conversational in tone, Washington's life comes alive as the pages turn. While not a great deal of evidence of Washington's personal life has survived, Ellis does a fantastic job filling in the gaps with Washington's military career and political rise to power.
I liked this book. It is very easy to read and mostly everyone can enjoy it. I am not too much about history but this book made me realize how important this man was and is to our society.
I would use this book in a history class and have the children write a report on the importance of one of our founding fathers. I would also use this book and have the children to a skit or play over his life.

This was a very enjoyable biography. Washington comes across as an ambitious, but not self-serving, man. Not a particularly good general, and sometimes too slow to realize he could no longer trust former friends.

Ellis writes in an easygoing style that brings Washington and his world to life. ( )

http://shelfandstuff.blogspot.com/200... ( )

Reviewed Dec. 2005

Wow, what a man! I knew so very little about this man or time, it was overwhelming at every page I would turn to held something new. I purchased and scanned sereval books on the American Revolution which helped clear up many areas for me. My visit to Mt. Vernon this summer really helped for me to visualize this time period. I had never really thought much about America’s beginnings, never thought about the time before. It seemed like people threw tea into the bay, they fought for awhile and became a Nation. History is so much more than that. Without knowing the results gives way more insight into history. I was also amazed to know how much Caspian knew about this time, and I have so much more to learn. I made many notes and underlined much in this book. I know I will be using this for reference. I need to know read about some of the other players, Hamilton, Franklin, Adams ect.... From the beginning I was puzzled why Martha burned all the letters between her and George. Until the end is she barely mentioned and only then barely. How much more interesting this would have been if her thoughts and ideas could be included. Alas!

21-2005 ( )

An excellent biography of an excellent man.

I really admire George Washington's ability to be able to walk away from power as well as his feelings about negotiating with nations (Nations cannot be counted on to act morally. They will only do that if it coincidentally in their best interest)

I don't know if Joe Ellis intentionally characterizes Thomas Jefferson as a jerk or whether that's historical fact... ( )

Ellis writes in an easy, flowing style. Almost conversational in tone, Washington's life comes alive as the pages turn. While not a great deal of evidence of Washington's personal life has survived, Ellis does a fantastic job filling in the gaps with Washington's military career and political rise to power. The text is supplemented by a few pages of photographs - mostly portraits Washington had commissioned of himself ( )

This book by Ellis, his best that I've read, is a great examination of the life of this most revered and yet most enigmatic President. Despite a dearth of personal primary sources, Ellis does a fine job looking behind the mask to see the character off Washington. A man of great passions and ambition, Washington had a keen understanding of the role of perception, and carefully crafted the regal public persona so remarkable. As a tactician, he does not rank among the greatest military minds, nor was he the brilliant political philosopher of so many of the "Founding Fathers." But this book helped me understand how his very character helped him to play a major factor in the survival of the Continental Army, prolonging the war to the point where the British could not politically afford to sustain the effort; and that Washington deserves more credit than I had realized in establishing the role of an elected, temporary, and limited executive--a role for which there was virtually no historical precedent. ( )

American History, Biography

An insightful and humanizing biography of our first president. ( )

- I was emotionally moved with the chapters regarding GW's retirement from the military and then from the Presidency
- With the slew of good books on GW (Adopted Son, Washington's Secret War, GW and Benedict Arnold, and Washington's Crossing) this is a must read to fully gain a understanding of the breath and depth of GW leadership and life experience
- All the important figures of the revolutionaly war, Franklin, Hamilton, Adams, Jefferson and Madison, recognized GW was the most critical and oustanding hero in support of our new nation ( )

This is a great biography of George Washington and everyone should read it at least once. Joseph J. Ellis is a great historian and his writign is easy to follow. ( )

Ellis composes a very succinct biography of the man and the myth that was and is George Washington. He gently coaxes Geo. Washington from the annals of history to adeptly illustrate a man who was driven by his ambition yet cloaked the said ambition in modesty. Which stemmed from his desire and belief that he would be judged by posterity. ( )

My first Joseph Ellis book was simply wonderful. Ellis avoids the sin of trying to tell us everything about Washington, and paints an understandable portrait of this most important founding father. ( )

Just reading now...

A well-done, short bio of Washington. ( )