George Washington: A Life in Books
- ISBN-10
- 0190456698
- ISBN-13
- 9780190456696
- Series
- George Washington
- Category
- History
- Pages
- 544
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2017-04-03
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Author
- Kevin J. Hayes
Description
When it comes to the Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Hamilton are generally considered the great minds of early America. George Washington, instead, is toasted with accolades regarding his solid common sense and strength in battle. Indeed, John Adams once snobbishly dismissed him as "too illiterate, unlearned, unread for his station and reputation." Yet Adams, as well as the majority of the men who knew Washington in his life, were unaware of his singular devotion to self-improvement. Based on a comprehensive amount of research at the Library of Congress, the collections at Mount Vernon, and rare book archives scattered across the country, Kevin J. Hayes corrects this misconception and reconstructs in vivid detail the active intellectual life that has gone largely unnoticed in conventional narratives of Washington. Despite being a lifelong reader, Washington felt an acute sense of embarrassment about his relative lack of formal education and cultural sophistication, and in this sparkling literary biography, Hayes illustrates just how tirelessly Washington worked to improve. Beginning with the primers, forgotten periodicals, conduct books, and classic eighteenth-century novels such as Tom Jones that shaped Washington's early life, Hayes studies Washington's letters and journals, charting the many ways the books of his upbringing affected decisions before and during the Revolutionary War. The final section of the book covers the voluminous reading that occurred during Washington's presidency and his retirement at Mount Vernon. Throughout, Hayes examines Washington's writing as well as his reading, from The Journal of Major George Washington through his Farewell Address. The sheer breadth of titles under review here allow readers to glimpse Washington's views on foreign policy, economics, the law, art, slavery, marriage, and religion-and how those views shaped the young nation.. Ultimately, this sharply written biography offers a fresh perspective on America's Father, uncovering the ideas that shaped his intellectual journey and, subsequently, the development of America.
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2022-02-08
- 576 pages
- Paperback
- Penguin
Similar books
-
The Real George Washington: The Truth Behind the Legend
By Eric Mark BraunGeorge Washington did not throw a silver dollar across a mile-wide river, but he did suppress the first rebellion against the government of his newly formed nation. In Washington's case, the true stories are more interesting than the myths.
-
George Washington Day by Day
George Washington Day by Day
-
LIFE OF GEORGE WASHINGTON (Illustrated Edition): Biography of the first President of the United States, the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental...
By Washington IrvingHe is best known for his short stories "Rip Van Winkle" and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.
-
The Life of George Washington: Volume I
By Washington IrvingReproduction of the original: The Life of George Washington by Washington Irving
-
The Life of George Washington
By Washington IrvingHere is an intimate portrait of Washington the man, from Virginia youth to colonial commander to commander-in-chief of the patriot army to first president and great guiding force of the American federation.
-
The Life of George Washington, Commander in Chief of the American Army Through the Revolutionary War, and the First President...
By Aaron BancroftThis 1807 biography of George Washington (1732-1799) written for a general audience, focuses on his military achievements.
-
George Washington: America's First Progressive
By William Barclay AllenWashington's political philosophy - radical for his time - was a commitment to the belief that law can never make just what is in its nature unjust.
-
His Excellency: George Washington
By Joseph J. Ellis"His Excellency is a full, glorious, and multifaceted portrait of the man behind our country's genesis, sure to become the authoritative biography of George Washington for many decades. "From the Hardcover edition.
-
The Diaries of George Washington
By George WashingtonThe Diaries of George Washington