Total Page : 352
Publisher : Faber Faber Ltd
Publication Date : 2005 08 30
>> The intriguing character of the man who would not be king
This book was a bit different from what I expected when I received it as a gift I enjoy reading American history and thought this would be a historical examination of the Washington years i e the Revolutionary War and his two terms in office While it did obviously cover those events it was far less of a history book and much more a biography Indeed some key historical events like the battles at Lexington and Concord are barely mentioned and then only to provide some historical context for the biographical discussion In other words this is a high level view of America in the second half of 18th century with Washington at the center and other people or events coming into focus only as necessary to shed light on his actions and attitudes
The great value of this book is to offer the reader a deeper look into the character of a person who has been elevated nearly to demigod status in the minds of so many Americans The author takes us past the Adonis like sculpture that so many of us have seen in the Smithsonian and into the mind of this singular figure whose importance to the birth of the country is both undeniable and somewhat accidental We get to take a warts and all look at the real Washington with his intriguing blend of ambition ego self interest commitment service and resolve On one hand is the aristrocratic slave owning squire obsessively amassing an ever larger personal estate On the other is the revolutionary leader willing to put that life on hold for years on end and endure severe hardship to advance the greater common good From ambitious young soldier to marginally competent general to stateman and president and finally to the retired gentleman manipulated by the scheming Hamilton Washington s successes and failures are treated with equal fairness by the author
Particularly intriguing was the insight into Washington s growing internal conflict between his idealism the realization that slavery was inconsistent with his revolutionary principles and his intense realism and pragmatism the knowledge that immediate action toward emancipation was not practical either for the country or his personal affairs His willingness to compromise on the issue for the sake of holding the country together during its formative years is understandable as we consider Washington the statesman His vacillation at the personal level particularly the moral inconsistencies on the slavery issue his willingness to own slaves to secure his financial interests while feeling a moral revulsion to selling them give us a look at the internal struggles of Washington the private man Much has been said by historians about his decision to free his slaves in his will but the intellectual and moral gyrations that led him to that point tell us much more about Washington than that final act
Overall I was very pleased with the insights offered in this volume and found it a very enjoyable and quick read I would recommend it for anyone who wants to get an unvarnished look at the real Washington A great man Definitely But this book reminds us that in the final analysis he was just a man at a unique place and time in history and he played his role well
>> I ll take the authors word for it
I had a problem with the tone of this book from the start Ellis makes definitive conclusory statements consistently This would be great if substantiated except his assertions are frequently without clear citation After a few paragraphs you re lead to an endnote that cites dozens of pages of another book or lumps two or three of Washington s letters together This is especially concerning regarding Ellis s treatment of slavery which incidentally seems to get more time than any other topic and was the most rewarding portion to read With such a charged topic I would think perfect citing is a must
The other aspect of the book that is troubling of the repetition of themes almost as if Ellis is anticipating chapters are going to be read separately or photocopies and handed out to a class He reasserts the same point Cinncinattus and Fabian thinking in an odd way especially considering the short length of the book and the cursory nature he treats topics worth more time
Because Washington is worth reading about this book is worth reading But I ll be looking for a more complete biography that I can put a little more faith in regarding the sources I d recommend His Excellency for someone who is looking for a new perspective on Washington not someone looking to read their first biography on our first president As for Ellis s attempt to read Washington s mind from marrying Martha to freeing his slaves in his will the reader has to take the authors word for it There aren t enough hard facts cited to make a convincing case for many of Ellis s conclusions
>> Don t bother with this one
So after the first chapter I have found out Washington was a liar a mass murderer and a coward I have tried to read this book on several occasions as it has been in my library since I foolishly purchased it shortly after it came out Now that I am two chapters into it I will put it down and not waste anymore time on this revisionist history
Joseph Ellis has been proven a liar and was put on leave from Mt Holyoke for dishonesty Look it up It s not surprising that a dishonest man like Ellis would seek to tear down the image of a man who had so much to do with shaping the ideals and values of the founding of country
I would recommend the Flexner volume over this or The Real George Washington The title of this book His Excellency should have given Ellis s intent to besmirch the character of Washington away
