Book review- His Excellency: George Washington

Matt thought he’d offer up some modest reviews of the books he’s reading, in case anyone is interested in some recommendations or warnings. Plus, it’s always nice to have a post-book discussion, right Oprah?
First up: His Excellency: George Washington, by Joseph J. Ellis, 275 pages.

Sometime during the last election, I set a life goal to read a book about every president. I had just finished reading Barack Obama’s Socialist Manifesto, Dreams From My Father, and realized that reading a book on each president’s would give me an interesting look at U.S. history. (A bit of personality-driven, I realize, but fun.)
I don’t remember picking His Excellency: George Washington for any particular reason – maybe I read a review in a newspaper or something. But whatever lead me to it, I found the right book.
Like Lincoln , Washington has become more symbol than human being. His life is so epic that it’s sometimes hard to believe he walked on solid Earth. The book works to chip away at that feeling. Washington is shown as person who had faults (including a nasty temper and a cheap streak) and amazing vision - he was a man who consciously shaped his times.
The book is agonizingly sparse in two areas I desperately wanted to know more about: Why did Washington break away from the British Army, where he was a decorated and respected soldier, to join up with the American revolutionaries? And, second, what were his thoughts during the Constitutional Convention, as the very foundations of this nation’s political and judicial systems were being negotiated?
I’m not going to hold those as strikes against His Excellency. In fact, the premise of the book is that you can only go so far into Washington ’s psyche because he prided himself on his reserve. He was not Ben Franklin or Thomas Jefferson and we’re all probably better off for it. Washington knew his place in history, even at the time, and he went so far as to ask that his letters to Martha Washington be burned and other personal correspondence be destroyed.
So, the great insights we get into John Adams’ tumultuous feelings about America ’s beginnings (used for David McCullough’s biography) are muted in here. I suppose there’s just an upper limit to how much we’ll ever know about Washington ’s feelings on issues that were both personal and historic. And that probably says something about the guy.
Anyhow, the book is a fast read (that’s a compliment) with crisp writing that covers Washington’s days fighting the Indians for the British up to his last days in Mount Vernon. As the author notes, the book is not meant to be an exhaustive scholarly history of Washington – other books do that – but rather a readable, biography of a fascinating person. The book accomplishes that goal. It touches on the “fun” parts of Washington (the cherry tree, the silver dollar), but gives its real weight to the wash of U.S. history that was happening around, and because of, the man.
I thought the best part of the book was the chapters on the Revolutionary War, probably because that was Washington ’s finest hour. He was leader and soldier. Truly, the world would never be the same.
My only other criticism is that I think the book went out of its way to finesse Washington ’s position on slavery. But overall, I highly recommend this one.
So, for me it’s two presidents down and 41 to go. (I don’t think I’ll read about Grover Cleveland twice.) William Henry Harrison may only be a pamphlet. I’m not sure if I should continue on in order or jump all over. What do you think?
And after I read 5,001 Things to Know About Rutherford B. Hayes Before You Die, Luke says he’ll learn me how to throw a curveball.
One last note: I never realized that Washington had no children of his own with Martha, who was a widower. Father of our country, indeed.

Good book for: People who want to learn more about Washington the man, not Washington the furniture. History fans.
Avoid this book if: You’re not interested in George Washington. You’re looking for an in-depth scholarly evaluation of President No. 1.