In March 1793 Gilbert Stuart crossed the North Atlantic for the express purpose of painting President George Washington, the supreme prize of the age for any ambitious portrait artist. With the swift insight of artistic genius, Stuart grew convinced that Washington was not the placid and composed figure he presented to the world. Now I know that he wasn't always this god that we think he was. Great book. Very well researched, and a lot of depth. First Ron Chernow book that I have read. For a figure as ubiquitous and recognizable as George Washington, one may not initially feel the sufficient curiosity to read a 900 page biography of the Father of the Nation, however, such indifference would cause one to miss out on a truly scholarly treat. "His temper was naturally high-toned [that is, high-strung], but reflection and resolution had obtained a firm and habitual ascendency over it," wrote Thomas Jefferson. I've had it for a few weeks and as a not-so-avid reader I've barely put a dent in it, but I can not recommend it more. Donate this book to the Internet Archive library. That ‘Ideal Image” is Here March 15, 2021. 1365 Tignall Rd (467.83 mi) Washington, GA, GA 30673. EMBED (for wordpress.com hosted blogs and archive.org item tags) Want more? Februar 1732 auf dem Gutshof Wakefield (auch „Pope’s Plantation“ genannt) im Westmoreland County, Kolonie Virginia; † 14. Now I know that he wasn't always this god that we think he was. He seems to lack the folksy appeal of an Abraham Lincoln, the robust vigor of a Teddy Roosevelt, or the charming finesse of a Franklin Roosevelt. Washington lived grandly throughout his life and his wealth was essential to his career: it gave him prestige and placed him above corruption. Instead, he wanted the public to know him as a public man, concerned with the public weal and transcending egotistical needs. This great biography of George Washington deserves its critical and popular praise. Chernow accomplishes this on many levels and makes the story one of both education and pure entertainment. George Washington is no simple man, which Chernow accentuates effectively while presenting his findings from years of research. Washington: A Life Ron Chernow No preview available - 2010. I can’t recommend it highly enough—as history, as epic, and, not least, as entertainment. Other pieces span volumes and are likely too dense or detailed to be of much use to the general public. Learned so much about George Washington. Historiography tells us to beware of biographies, as they tend to be tainted by the prejudices of the author. (Although Washington was childless, he ended up as a surrogate grandfather for a variety of kids.). Just when you think you know all there is to know about Washington, along comes this wonderful book to set me straight. Starting with the book's epigraph -- … In Washington: A Life celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A 21-year-old Florida man faces life in prison following his conviction on charges of armed robbery at a gun shop in 2018, … "He had great self-command… but to preserve so much equanimity as he did required a great capacity. . The tome highlights numerous aspects of Washington's life, as Chernow presents a man in six periods of his life, generally told in a chronology easy to digest. Is there anything in here about how Washington was a failed war general who lost almost every battle he was ever in? In recent decades, many fine short biographies of Washington have appeared as well as perceptive studies of particular events, themes, or periods in his life. The hardships and obstacles that he overcame seem humanly impossible today. In the taciturn George Washington, a man of granite self-control and a stranger to spontaneity, Gilbert Stuart met his match. Very well researched, and a lot of depth. This imperfect human, however, helped build a country. This was the fourth (and thickest) book I've read about George Washington, and the third book I've read by Chernow (I previously read his Rockefeller and Hamilton books) so I knew what to expect going in. Something went wrong. He stalked Washington's trusted friend Chief Justice John Jay and rendered a brilliant portrait of him, seated in the full majesty of his judicial robes. This book changed that for me. The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance, The Warburgs: The Twentieth-Century Odyssey of a Remarkable Jewish Family, Washington: A Life - Ron Chernow - 4 Stars, WEEK TEN - SPOTLIGHT - Presidential Series - WASHINGTON, A LIFE - November 28th - December 4th - Chapters FIFTY-FOUR through Chapters SIXTY - 656 - 739 - No Spoilers, Please, WEEK SIX - SPOTLIGHT - Presidential Series - WASHINGTON, A LIFE - October 31st - November 6th - Chapters THIRTY through Chapters THIRTY-FOUR - 358 - 423 - No Spoilers, Please, SPOTLIGHT - Presidential Series - WASHINGTON, A LIFE - December 12th - December 18th -- BOOK AS A WHOLE - Spoiler Thread, WEEK ELEVEN - SPOTLIGHT - Presidential Series - WASHINGTON, A LIFE - December 5th - December 11th - Chapters SIXTY-ONE through Chapters SIXTY-SEVEN - 740 - 817 - No Spoilers, Please, Readers’ Top Histories and Biographies of the Last 5 Years. Jesus, this book is a long read. Like Jefferson he was a hypocrite and a racist, misogynist bigot. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. In Washington: A Life celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation. Chernow covers Washington the farmer, the soldier, the general, the President, and the patriarch. His contemporaries admired him not because he was a plaster saint or an empty uniform but because they sensed his unseen power. Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. From boyhood, Washington had struggled to master and conceal his deep emotions. It is primarily an intellectual biography, though he hits the high points of Washington's private and public life as well. I can't recommend it highly enough--as history, as epic, and, not least, as entertainment. Lying in the northwest corner of the 48 conterminous states, it is bounded by Canada to the north, Idaho to the east, Oregon to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. In a self-portrait daubed years earlier, Stuart presented himself as a restless soul, with tousled reddish-brown hair, keen blue eyes, a strongly marked nose, and a pugnacious chin. Thorough, but never tedious, Chernow did a masterful job shedding… The information in this book will help you to understand . Where Franklin, Hamilton, or Adams always sparkled in print or in person, the laconic Washington had no need to flaunt his virtues or fill conversational silences. I realized, however, that outside of the presidents in my lifetime, I have little or no knowledge of the earlier presidents. … Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Linkedin Vimeo. Life and career 1986–2005: Early life. OWN BRIEF HISTORY OF HIS LIFE . He was a fascinating person who dealt with many personal losses. He was that rare general who was great between battles and not just during them.”, Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography (2011). When the wife of the British ambassador later told him that his face showed pleasure at his forthcoming departure from the presidency, Washington grew indignant: "You are wrong. At the end I felt that I knew both the man and the country he helped create. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2018. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Going off the rave reviews I've seen, I chose Ron Chernow's, "Washington: A Life" and I was not disappointed. Best Presidential Biographies (nonfiction). Editor’s Picks. Equitable Life Insurance Washington Dc - If you are looking for the best life insurance quotes then look no further than our convenient service. I realised that I didn't really know anything about Washington the man and I wasn't inspired by those doughy-faced portraits of him. We could sure use a guy like him right now. Life for Jakobe "Kobe" Washington changed drastically roughly seven months ago on August 10. A piece not only deserving of attention for its detail, but its presentation that permits the general public to digest with ease. WASHINGTON: An Interactive Timeline of His Life Without this man, America as we know it would not exist. It is the image of Washington taking his place, sitting or standing, before a portrait painter, an act that he performed literally hundreds of times in his life. His first book, The House of Morgan, won the National Book Award, Washington: A Life won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography, and Alexander Hamilton— the inspiration for the Broadway musical—won the George Washington Book Prize. Did I say it was long? Advanced embedding details, examples, and help! Opens … Young Life in Washington Township has a rich heritage, dating back to 1982. How to breathe life into this man, already eulogized, mythologized, stamped on currency and sculpted into marble? Well, I was wrong. Although social life conducted under the cloud of war was much more restrained than social life at Mount Vernon, Washington’s headquarters was known as a haven of warmth, good food, and lively conversation. So, historians have suffered (or invented). Unlike some of the other Founding Fathers, he lacked a… George Washington, American general and commander-in-chief of the colonial armies in the American Revolution (1775–83) and subsequently first president of the United States (1789–97). The volume also contains 5 of the more important writings of Washington, including his First Inaugural Adress and his Farewell Address. This amazingly comprehensive and entertaining single volume biography by Ron Chernow is the best. To which Washington retorted drily that Mr. Stuart need not forget So adept was Washington at masking these turbulent emotions behind his fabled reserve that he ranks as the most famously elusive figure in American history, a remote, enigmatic personage more revered than truly loved. John Adams concurred. 1 check-in. I started with this one.. Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow. Absolutely smashing biography!!!! In Fort Worth. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. He really did have the best interests in mind for our country. Washington loved the landed gentry's life of horseback riding, fox hunts, fishing and cotillions. So I was always going to read Chernow's Washington. Change A Life. People felt the inner force of his nature, even if they didn't exactly hear it or see it; they sensed his moods without being told. In the enduring image that Stuart captured and that ended up on the one-dollar bill—a magnificent statement of Washington's moral stature and sublime, visionary nature—he also recorded something hard and suspicious in the wary eyes with their penetrating gaze and hooded lids. All the same BS that goes on today, went on back then, just without videos and Twitter. Chernow's extensive research and his wonderful writing made Washington come alive for me. It is a tome.. over 800 pages but I am so happy I stuck with it.Outside of the folklore, I realized I knew nothing of the person who was George Washington. Chernow is thorough and objective. It was then he was diagnosed with a rare disease – acute lymphoblastic leukemia.Now, Communities in Florida and Dallas are hoping to find the eight-year-old a blood stem cell donor match to help save his life. His real passions and often fiery opinions were typically confined to private letters rather than public utterances. It was very intriguing and impressive to think that Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote a script on it. “It is the child of avarice, the brother of inequity, and father of mischief. Change A Life. I only knew all the stuff they teach to little kids: He couldn't tell a lie, chopped down a cherry tree, threw something across a river at some point (I guess), wooden teeth and something about Valley Forge. Pulitzer Prize, Biography/Autobiography, 2011. The upshot, I hope, will be that readers, instead of having a frosty respect for Washington, will experience a visceral appreciation of this foremost American who scaled the highest peak of political greatness. Chernow's. This growth went on subtly, at times imperceptibly, beneath the surface, making Washington the most interior of the founders. At 817 pages, this book isn't for everyone, but having read Chernow's Hamilton, Vidal's Burr, Gordon-Reed's The Hemingses of Monticello, Ambrose's Undaunted Courage, I chose to fill in this chasm in my knowledge of the early republic. Epic - highly recommended but a couple of issues. It was long. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Please try again. In fact, George Washington has receded so much in our collective memory that he has become an impossibly stiff and inflexible figure, composed of too much marble to be quite human. Did I say it was long? Ron Chernow's huge (900 pages) Washington: A Life, which I've just finished, does all that and more. Wow, fascinating. Unable to add item to List. Before reading this, I knew the basic things everyone knows about George Washington. If you own this book, you can mail it to our address below. October 5th 2010 He tried to govern his tongue as much as his face: "With me it has always been a maxim rather to let my designs appear from my works than by my expressions. Ron Chernow, the author, has attempted to tell George Washington's complete and complicated life story in … Forgot account? High-five, George. I feel like I have been reading this book forever although I see it has only been about three weeks. This one was a beast at 928 pages but well worth it. Chernow posits that many short and superficial biographies have been written, which offer only a sh. Create New Account. A man capable of constant self-improvement, Washington grew in stature throughout his life. While Washington was a life-long and avid dancer, it is unlikely he attended any such “victory ball” or “peace ball” traditionally said to have taken place in Fredericksburg after the British defeat at Yorktown. [a] well-researched, well-written and absolutely definitive biography” —Andrew Roberts, The Wall Street Journal“Until recently, I’d never believed that there could be such a thing as a truly gripping biography of George Washington . It was really long. There is a tendency in this country to venerate the Founding Fathers as some kind of noble savants but really they were just people. Anyway, Washington: A Life is very inspirational. Washington: A Life is a comprehensive biography of George Washington. It's still sinking in. He learned how to exploit his bottled-up emotions to exert his will and inspire and motivate people. A strapping six feet, Washington was a celebrated horseman, elegant dancer, and tireless hunter, with a fiercely guarded emotional life. If scientists really want to find out if life exists on distant Earth-like planets, they’ll eventually need LUVOIR—or something very much like it. All his features, [Stuart] observed, were indicative of the strongest and most ungovernable passions, and had he been born in the forests, it was his opinion that [Washington] would have been the fiercest man among the savage tribes." Ron Chernow, the author, has attempted to tell George Washington's complete and complicated life story in a remarkable single volume. How this seemingly dull, phlegmatic man, in a stupendous act of nation building, presided over the victorious Continental Army and forged the office of the presidency is a mystery to most Americans. About See All. Once installed in New York, Stuart mapped out a path to Washington with the thoroughness of a military campaign. Chernow’s biography of GW, on the. I am giving it five stars because I enjoyed listening to it going to bed and felt that it gave a fairly balanced view of George Washington. Washington, constituent state of the U.S. The acquaintance confirmed that Washington's intimates thought him "by nature a man of fierce and irritable disposition, but that, like Socrates, his judgment and great self-command have always made him appear a man of a different cast in the eyes of the world. Washington by Ron Chernow, unknown edition, Donate ♥ Log in; Sign up; Add a Book; Sponsor a Book; Recent Community Edits ... Washington: A Life × Close. In the words of a mutual acquaintance, Stuart had insisted that "there are features in [Washington's] face totally different from what he ever observed in that of any other human being; the sockets of the eyes, for instance, are larger than he ever met with before, and the upper part of the nose broader. This one was a beast at 928 pages but well worth it. Exceptional biography of an exceptional life. Sharanda Jones — prisoner 33177-077 — struggled to describe the moment in 1999 when a federal judge sentenced her to life in prison after … Why Martha Washington’s Life Is So Elusive to Historians A gown worn by the first First Lady reveals a dimension of her nature that few have been aware of . I have had this book on my shelf for at least 8 years and kept putting it off because it looks daunting. If you want to truly know the real Washington, read this book. sanctuarychurch.us. or. George Washington, known for his exemplary self-discipline and mental composure, is a figure in whom many see the influence of Stoicism. . The history is brilliantly presented in a genuinely interesting way, making you feel as if you aren't trapped back in high school history again and instead making it feel as if you're reading a story book. He really did singularly forge our country into existence. He was ambivalent about slavery, made some fairly bad decisions, and spent much of his time dealing with his own insecurities (imposter syndrome?) Change A Life. As Washington sought to maintain his defenses, Stuart made the brilliant decision to capture the subtle interplay between his outward calm and his intense hidden emotions, a tension that defined the man. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, AMERICAN LION: Andrew Jackson in the White House. Chernow’s biography of GW, on the other hand, is highly objective and perfectly balanced, as he shows Washington’s strengths and weaknesses, warts and all. Can you help donate a copy? This is a great read, very absorbing and getting the right balance between historical detail and character description. Not Now. Megan Alexanda Washington was born on 7 January 1986 in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea to Australian parents. I wanted to immerse myself in Presidential history by selecting a good, well reviewed biography on each one. I generally don't like biographies, but, knowing little of Washington save for his French and Indian War and Revolutionary War exploits, and not having heard anything bad about Chernow's biography, I figured I might as well learn something. He is known as ‘the Father of His Country.’ Learn more about Washington’s life and career. ", When Washington swept into his first session with Stuart, the artist was awestruck by the tall, commanding president. Luxury Travel: Clean Your Mirror at Rosewood Mayakoba February 5, 2021. It is a tome.. over 800 pages but I am so happy I stuck with it.Outside of the folklore, I realized I knew nothing of the person who was George Washington. 275 people like this. Log In. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 10, 2017. This is book six (I think) in my "Joe reads at least one book about every President" challenge. His first book, The House of Morgan, won the National Book Award, Washington: A Life won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Biography, and Alexander Hamilton was the inspiration for the Broadway musical.His new biography, Grant, will be published in October 2017. The book is a "one-volume, cradle-to-grave narrative" that attempts to provide a fresh portrait of Washington as "real, credible, and charismatic in the same way he was perceived by his contemporaries". It made me think how certain craven personalities are found in politics over and over again. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. I have not read this, but the synopsis makes it sound like propaganda. Exemplary self-discipline and mental composure, is a comprehensive biography of every president ( if possible ) and I always. Human just like the rest of us the U.S.A. is the state ’ s Life and career subscription –. 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