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His Excellency: George Washington

3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 · rating details · 10,383 ratings · 731 reviews

National Bestseller

To this landmark biography of our first president, Joseph J. Ellis brings the exacting scholarship, shrewd analysis, and lyric prose that have made him one of the premier historians of the Revolutionary era. Training his lens on a figure who sometimes seems as remote as his effigy on Mount Rushmore, Ellis assesses George Washington as a military and poli...more

Paperback, 352 pages

Published November 8th 2005 by Vintage (first published October 26th 2004)

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Feb 07, 2008 Nate Cooley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-read-in-2007

In "His Excellency," Joseph Ellis has written a very readable and concise synopsis on the life of George Washington. Though more recognizable for his works "Founding Brothers" and "American Sphinx" (about Thomas Jefferson), Ellis successfully undertakes the task of illuminating probably the most important figure in American history.

Probably the most apparent burden struck by Ellis, and a theme readily illusive throughout his book, is the author's effort to avoid what he terms a certain "hyperbo...more In "His Excellency," Joseph Ellis has written a very readable and concise synopsis on the life of George Washington. Though more recognizable for his works "Founding Brothers" and "American Sphinx" (about Thomas Jefferson), Ellis successfully undertakes the task of illuminating probably the most important figure in American history.

Probably the most apparent burden struck by Ellis, and a theme readily illusive throughout his book, is the author's effort to avoid what he terms a certain "hyperbolic syndrome" that is usually associated with any critical discussion of George Washington. In his introduction, Ellis rhetorically asks how we can "accurately map the terrain" of Washington's life "without imposing the impossible expectations." Ellis appropriately warns that when examining Washington, "if we find ourselves being merely celebratory, or its judgmental twin, dismissive, we should rub our eyes and look again."

Ellis thereby begins with the premise that, as a biographer, anyone ought to begin their quest "looking for a man rather than a statute, and any statutes that are encountered should be quickly knocked off their pedestals." Ellis effectively wipes the Washington-slate clean; he begins tabla rasa and ultimately does a great job at painting a portrait of Washington that, not-coincidentally, is akin to other statutesque conclusions previosuly concluded by others.

My one complaint with the book involves the author's style. Often times, Ellis will draw conclusions about Washington's character and/or ideology which are based on statements to the effect of "... all of the evidence points to thus." In coming across these repeated affirmations, I found myself wanting to know the details; wanting for Ellis to specifically delineate the evidence. Overall though, the author does a great job of inserting Washington's own words and the words of his peers and the book is adequately footnoted.

On a positive note, Ellis, as with every good biography, deviates from the comfortable, all-too-common, historical-narrative-chronology (i.e., 'X' happened, then 'Y' happened, and after that 'Z' happened). Instead, at appropriate times, Ellis grasps certain themes throughout the book and interesting weaves them into the narrative coming back to them repeatedly.

For example (and probably most importantly), one prominent topic throughout the book involved Washington's philosophy regarding slavery. At certain points in the book, Ellis illuminates Washington's then-current view on the topic, or more appropriately Washington's wrestle with and evolving view on the institution. Though anyone with a rudimentary knowledge of Washington knows that he ulitmately emancipated his slaves upon Martha's death via his will, Ellis does an outstanding job in ellucidating the nuances of Washington's ever-evolving philosophy.

"His Excellency" is a great starting point for any study of the life of George Washington. Again Joseph Ellis has demonstrated his ability to bring a larger-than-life historical figures to a wide audience. I would highly recommend this book. (less)

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Mar 20, 2008 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: history-and-biography, american-history

I just returned from a visit to Washington, D.C. and Mount Vernon, so I'm in a patriotic mood. This is a very readable, enjoyable biography that attempts to explain Washington's character and motivations and to describe the influences which shaped his decisions.

The book is fairly short and is written at a bird's-eye view, mostly lacking in the kind of human detail that I usually enjoy in a biography. It left me hungry for more details: I wanted to know more about his personal experience during t...more

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Jan 11, 2010 Sara added it

First response: Ellis pontificates beyond my comfort level. I enjoy grand sentences, but this is way to much. His flourishing, over-bloated style does little to represent Washington (who, Ellis admits, was not a high intellectual.)

He definitely covers the highs and lows, but he offers an incredible amount of personal opinion and unsubstantiated analysis, and even second-guesses motives. I am glad to know about Washington's life, and to have insight about him, but I have enjoyed very little of t...more

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Feb 03, 2009 Scott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Not only a great biography, but it was a fairly quick read, too. Great insight into a truly great man who understood his place in history, and, according to National Treasure 2, had some sweet tunnels on his property. ;)

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Dec 05, 2010 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: amer-presidents, xx-2010-xx

I'm glad I read this book, but I'm glad I'm finished it too. I'm not sure if I'll read any others by this author. He interjects too much of his own opinions and spent lots of time denigrating his subject! Although I learned a lot, it was pretty dry and did not include enough flesh on the bones of history for me. No comparison to Walter Isaacson's conversational style, which I read just prior to this. Had I not, I may have enjoyed this one a whole lot more.

Now on to John Adams! May the force be...more

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Apr 30, 2013 David Williams rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There is little doubt that the most important historical figure in the United States is George Washington. This was recognized in his own time and remains true today. Born to a Virginia planter he went on to become a war hero, wealthy landowner, representative, a war hero again, and the first President of the United States. Any study of Washington has to take his character into consideration. After all, few men in a position of such power have ever been able to surrender that power and walk in t...more

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Jan 27, 2009 Derek rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, history, u-s-history, non-fiction

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 w...more

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Dec 27, 2008 Jeff added it

Shelves: history, biography

I listened to Ellis' excellent biography of George Washington on CD in my car during my commutes over a period of about a week, saturating my mind in early American lives and times. Ellis' contribution in Founding Brothers was to remind us that the 'founding fathers' were not a group of stodgy old men who worked in harmony. Rather, they were a shifting mass of young men with monumental egos, petty rivalries, fickle alliances, and intense hatreds. He continued in this vein with His Excellency, fo...more I listened to Ellis' excellent biography of George Washington on CD in my car during my commutes over a period of about a week, saturating my mind in early American lives and times. Ellis' contribution in Founding Brothers was to remind us that the 'founding fathers' were not a group of stodgy old men who worked in harmony. Rather, they were a shifting mass of young men with monumental egos, petty rivalries, fickle alliances, and intense hatreds. He continued in this vein with His Excellency, focusing on the relationships between these principal figures in American history, as well as their foibles. I especially enjoyed learning more about Washington and his protégés (Lafayette and Hamilton), tensions with Jefferson (who, despite his status as a demigod at the University of Virginia, where I went to medical school, seems to have been quite manipulative and two-faced). Since I listened to this book while detoxing from two-party politics of the 2008 presidential elections, I was intrigued to learn that the two-party system had it's roots in Jefferson's resistance of Hamilton and Washington's vision of federal authority and in the interest of southerners 'state's rights' (i.e. to preserve slave labor). Washington's attitudes about his own slaves, understood in historical context, are fascinating. Clearly, he considered them chattel, but also refused to sell them if this meant breaking up families. Accordingly, he retired to Mount Vernon responsible for a growing, in-bread 'family' of almost 300 slaves who remained dependent on him until freed in his will. History will probably never record what became of them.

Washington’s relationship with Martha was hardly described at all, perhaps because she destroyed their letters just prior to her own death.

As a physician, I was surprised to be on the edge of my seat while learning of Washington's death to epiglottis (and of the ignorant attempts of the time's best doctors to treat it with successive bleedings).

I guess it's time to re-read McCulloch's John Adams...
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Feb 28, 2013 Jamie rated it 4 of 5 stars

After reading Courting Cate, I became inspired to read a biography on each of our Presidents. I’m kind of embarrassed that I don’t know a majority of the Presidents who have served our nation. But that shall change! So here’s the first review in a series that will take probably two years to complete, but I’m ready for the challenge!

First thought: Who know George Washington was tall and buff? And apparently kinda handsome or “physically majestic” as the book quoted. Say wha??? I’m just sayin the...more After reading Courting Cate, I became inspired to read a biography on each of our Presidents. I’m kind of embarrassed that I don’t know a majority of the Presidents who have served our nation. But that shall change! So here’s the first review in a series that will take probably two years to complete, but I’m ready for the challenge!

First thought: Who know George Washington was tall and buff? And apparently kinda handsome or “physically majestic” as the book quoted. Say wha??? I’m just sayin the pictures I remember from grade school don’t scream Henry Cavill status.

Yes, I retain all the important facts from history books.

The author kicked off with this intro (and one that definitely grabbed my interest).

It seemed to me that Benjamin Franklin was wiser than Washington; Alexander Hamilton was more brilliant; John Adams was better read; Thomas Jefferson was more intellectually sophisticated; James Madison was more politically astute. Yet each and all of these prominent figures acknowledged that Washington was their unquestioned superior. Within the gallery of greats so often mythologized and capitalized as Founding Fathers, Washington was recognized as primus inter pares, the Foundingest Father of them all. Why was that? In the pages that follow I have looked for an answer, which lies buried within the folds of the most ambitious, determined and potent personality of an age not lacking for worthy rivals. How he became that way, and what he then did with it, is the story I try to tell.

First, here’s debbie downers I learned: He was supposedly in love with his BFF’s wife before her married Martha. Oh the drama! He had no descendants or children of his own. And both his step children died young :( . I also feel it necessary to inform you that he never admitted to a cherry tree chop to his Dad (instead he didn’t really have a relationship with his dad, who died relatively young). So rude to lie to young children in school ;) !

It’s interesting to read his thoughts on slavery (he did eventually free his slaves), his reluctance in taking the Presidency, but even with his legitimate doubts, he agreed to be “the chosen instrument of history” and he also knew that “Unlike Julius Caesar and Oliver Cromwell before him, and Napoleon, Lenin and Mao after him, he understood that the greater glory resided in posterity’s judgment” not falling to the “illusion that he transcended his human nature.”

I will admit, these books take me a bit longer to finish and depending how long the book is, I’ll “break” halfway through and read a quick fiction piece. But that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy them. Ellis researched well (of course I know no history book is completely objective), is enthusiastic and loves history, all of which are evident throughout the pages of the book.

Without sounding too much like a National Treasure cheese ball, men like Washington spoke with a passion that is rare these days. Take one of his earliest Revolutionary pieces: “At a time when our Lordly masters in Great Britain will be satisfied with nothing less than the deprivation of American freedom, It seems highly necessary that something should be done to avert the stroke and maintain the liberty which we have derived from our ancestors.”

Holler for history, folks!

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Oct 08, 2012 John McNeilly rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was the first of two books I'm currently reading about George Washington. As part of my 2-year quest to read the top two biographies of each of our 43 U.S. Presidents, I began with this and Ron Chernow's behemoth "Washington: A Life," a far more comprehensive treatment.

Initially I preferred Chernow's book, but as I started to compare the two for interpretation, Ellis's gorgeous narrative writing quickly won me over. While no where near the depth of Chernow's tome, Ellis covers all the main...more This was the first of two books I'm currently reading about George Washington. As part of my 2-year quest to read the top two biographies of each of our 43 U.S. Presidents, I began with this and Ron Chernow's behemoth "Washington: A Life," a far more comprehensive treatment.

Initially I preferred Chernow's book, but as I started to compare the two for interpretation, Ellis's gorgeous narrative writing quickly won me over. While no where near the depth of Chernow's tome, Ellis covers all the main themes of Washington's life from youth, to bumbling but ambitious officer in the French and Indians wars, to much-maligned, beleaguered Revolutionary war hero, to his service as President -- and truly father of his new nation -- for the first two terms of the new federal government (whose survival was by no means guaranteed).

It's impossible to not be in awe of Washington, who, unlike many great men throughout history, failed to control ambition and its interaction with the achievement of great power. He truly was a man of disciplined self-control who understood throughout his life that his place in history would be solely judged by how he responded to guiding the post-British new nation. It is quite obvious that had Washington chosen to serve as an enlightened King (of which many understood there was no such thing), he could have with widespread support. The new nation had no tradition of democracy and would have gladly welcomed their war hero -- our first true national celebrity -- as a welcomed benign sovereign chastened by a revolutionary re-definition of the relationship of power between ruler and ruled.

Yet Washington understood the historic moment and his place in it and seized it for the better, much to our nation's historic benefit. He also understood the blot of human bondage and was determined to free his slaves upon his death, much to the chagrin of his family and fellow Virginia planters. (In fact, even the liberty obsessed Jefferson failed to match Washington's intellectual acknowledgement of the fundamental contradiction of slavery and democracy.)

A highly pleasurable read and the perfect introduction to the life and times of George Washington. Highly recommend it.(less)

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May 06, 2012 Ob-jonny rated it 4 of 5 stars

George Washington has always been such a well-known yet mysterious figure to me. I knew he was the father of the nation but I never knew what he actually did. This book explains it in detail and makes the man seem more believable and real. You learn about his strengths and weaknesses and it helps the reader identify with him. Instead of forming opinions and ideas from scratch, he liked to listen to other people and make decisions on what made the most sense. It turns out he was almost always rig...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Gary Hoggatt rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography, all-non-fiction, audiobooks, american-revolution-era, history-bio-18th-century

Ellis does an excellent job of getting you into Washington's head by focusing on his personality and providing insightful excerpts from Washington's voluminous correspondence. Rather than focusing on names, dates, troop movements or legislation signed, Ellis concerns himself with Washington's own experience as he marched into history. You really get a good idea of how he felt about fighting a war without a real national government to support the army, the splintering of his Cabinet and the early...more

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Mar 09, 2012 Joy H. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio-version, history, non-fiction

Added 3/9/12.
I listened to the audio version of this book. Below is a copy of a post I made at my group about this book and another book about GW:
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Jim wrote: "Joy, did you see a big difference between Ellis' view of Washington & Ferling's? One of the more interesting things about history is how much it changes depending on the author. ..."

Jim, I would say that, as far as I can remember, Ferling's book, The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political ...more Added 3/9/12.
I listened to the audio version of this book. Below is a copy of a post I made at my group about this book and another book about GW:
=====================================
Jim wrote: "Joy, did you see a big difference between Ellis' view of Washington & Ferling's? One of the more interesting things about history is how much it changes depending on the author. ..."

Jim, I would say that, as far as I can remember, Ferling's book, The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon, seemed to tell more about Washington's shortcomings than did Ellis's book, His Excellency: George Washington. If I had read your question before I listened to the books, I would have paid more attention to the differences between the books. As it was, I was going back and forth between them since one listening device was in the living room and the other was in the kitchen. So my listening was interspersed between the books.

Ferling's book was interesting because it told about the disagreements and animosities between the historical figures of the time. It also told about the friendships. One relationship that was especially interesting was GW's friendship with Hamilton, who was capable but was also a rogue at the same time. I'll bet his life would be an interesting one to read about.

It was interesting to read the details of GW's early life as a backwoods explorer and also as a soldier, with descriptions of the battles and their outcomes.

GW was tall and impressive in his uniform and on his white horse. He had a commanding demeanor. He was fearless in battle. Quite the hero even though credit must be given to the officers under him, something Ferling said GW didn't do all the time. Instead he took the credit himself. IIRC, Ferling pointed out a time when GW didn't tell the truth! :)

I think that much of Ferling's info came from letters and writings of the important people of the time who made comments to each other about GW.
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In another post about this book, I wrote:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was interesting getting to know the details of Washington's life including his character and his personality. He was quite an operator! :) One interesting aspect of his personality was the fact that he often found scapegoats to blame for some of his failures. He married a rich woman. He invested in wilderness property in order to be able to sell it and make money. He's credited with guiding the new union through its infancy, following policies which helped it grow and become strong.
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Mar 09, 2012 J. Green rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: early-american-history

"Benjamin Franklin was wiser than Washington; Alexander Hamilton was more brilliant; John Adams was better read; Thomas Jefferson was more intellectually sophisticated; James Madison was more politically astute. Yet each and all of these prominent figures acknowledged that Washington was their unquestioned superior." (pg xiv) And in this "modest-sized book about a massive historical subject," Joseph Ellis looks at why Washington was so highly regarded, both by his contemporaries and by history....more "Benjamin Franklin was wiser than Washington; Alexander Hamilton was more brilliant; John Adams was better read; Thomas Jefferson was more intellectually sophisticated; James Madison was more politically astute. Yet each and all of these prominent figures acknowledged that Washington was their unquestioned superior." (pg xiv) And in this "modest-sized book about a massive historical subject," Joseph Ellis looks at why Washington was so highly regarded, both by his contemporaries and by history.

Ellis astutely points out that many others (such as Cromwell, Napoleon, Lenin, Mao, and Castro) were pivotal in orchestrating successful revolutions but only Washington declined to assume power in a military dictatorship (pg 139). And perhaps Washington's greatest trait was understanding that stepping aside would enhance the way he was viewed by posterity far greater than simply assuming power. He was always ambitious, looking for ways to integrate himself into Virginia society as a younger man, but he also knew when to exercise restraint and keep himself above the fray.

As the key figure of the American Revolution he kept up the struggle even when all odds were against him - flagging support among the populace, poor condition of the Continental Army, lack of support from Congress, the supremacy of British strategy and control of the seas, French reluctance to provide assistance. And yet such experience taught him the importance of a strong federal government and guided his role as President of the new nation. There were no prior examples to draw from or precedent to follow, and although his own lack of a formal education was a constant embarrassment to him, he intuitively knew how to utilize the strengths of others and manage the competing ambitions of those around him in setting the nation on a path to stability.

Ellis hasn't exactly written a biography in the classic sense, although he does chronicle Washington's life, but it's enhanced by a deep character study of this important man. And few are as adept at bringing history's characters to life in such an insightful way and putting the reader into their shoes. It was in strong contrast to John Ferling's The Ascent of George Washington. Where Ferling looks at a events with a critical eye enhanced with 200 years of historical hindsight, Ellis sees beyond the failings to the motivations and greater social customs of the day and makes the history personal in a way no one else does. Although the book was a little slow starting it was so packed with valuable insight that it merits a close reading. I highly recommend it. (less)

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Nov 10, 2011 ***Dave Hill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, audiobook

(Original review from Sep 2005)

A methodical and well-crafted biography of Washington, portraying him neither as demigod nor demagogue, but as a strong, heroic man with occasional feet of clay, someone who well deserves to be considered the Hero of the Revolutionary War and the Father of His Country, but who was also possessed of both a temper and an aggrieved sense of slights from others, as well as a fear of ridicule and poor reputation that drove him as much as any noble commitment to revoluti...more

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Oct 12, 2011 Jason Beil rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I purchased this book because I was curious to learn more about the man behind the legend. Sadly, I am woefully ignorant of much of the history of my country, other than the broad overview I learned during those long-gone days I was but a youthful schoolboy. Since those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it, I thought I'd better start reading up.

I was afraid that the book would would be dry and boring, but I shouldn't have worried. Author Joseph J. Ellis has produced a book that is bot...more

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Oct 05, 2011 Joseph McBee rated it 3 of 5 stars

A couple of weeks ago I decided that I wanted to read a major biography about each of the US presidents and so of course I started at the beginning with George Washington.

In HIS EXCELLECY: GEORGE WASHINGTON, Joseph Ellis mixes scholarship with admiration and ends up creating an honest but respectful picture of our nation's first president. Ellis cuts through the legend surrounding Washington and goes deeper than the surface level information to create a more robust understanding of the man, not...more A couple of weeks ago I decided that I wanted to read a major biography about each of the US presidents and so of course I started at the beginning with George Washington.

In HIS EXCELLECY: GEORGE WASHINGTON, Joseph Ellis mixes scholarship with admiration and ends up creating an honest but respectful picture of our nation's first president. Ellis cuts through the legend surrounding Washington and goes deeper than the surface level information to create a more robust understanding of the man, not the icon.

Ellis begins his journey through Washington's life with the explanation that there were many more qualified, smarter, more sophisticated, strategic, and wealthier men of his time but that without question, all of his peers saw Washington as their superior. Ellis posits that this had to be because of Washington's character. He then spends the rest of the book describing that character by examining the events of Washington's life and his responses to those events.

Through the pages of this book, a fascinating picture emerges. In Washington we see a man of passion and ambition. Far different from the stoic and self-controlled white wash he was given by his earlier biographers.

We also see a man that was obsessed with his legacy and with his nearly prophetic understanding that his life would be scrutinized and studied by scholars and citizens alike for as long as our nation existed. He was therefore determined to create a legacy that would stand the test of time for since he had no real belief in God or in the eternal existence of the soul, immortality was to be found only in the memory of others and he wanted to ensure that his would last forever.

Because of that obsession, Washington became a man on a mission of self-improvement and a desire to create a carfefully crafted persona that would become the way we understand him today: the stoic, self-controlled, and humble Father of the Nation.

In this book, we also see a man who was smart enough to know that he did not know everything. He was truly an excellent leader who had an uncanny talent for identifiying and drawing to himself, men of enormous talent, which he would then develop and utilize. He did this throughout the Revolutionary War and through both of his terms as president.

That Washington was a deeply flawed man is made obvious in this book. That he as also a great man and exactly the kind of man our country needed in its fledgling years is also made obvious.

I know that this book is an excellent read for anyone whose understanding of Washington does not extend beyond Middle School United States History (as was mine). Yet, I also imagine that this book would be an excellent read for anyone who is intimately familiar with Washington and his life.(less)

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Aug 08, 2011 Michael rated it 5 of 5 stars

I am one of the generation that faithfully quoted Henry Lee's eulogy: "First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen" on hearing the words George Washington. Ellis is to be commended in explaining how Washington fulfilled each of these historic achievements. He crystalizes Washington's greatness in the introduction. "It seemed to me that Benjamin Franklin was wiser; Alexander Hamilton was more brilliant; John Adams was better read; Thomas Jefferson was more intellectually s...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Richard Lim rated it 3 of 5 stars

His Excellency is less a comprehensive biography about George Washington (which has been superseded by Chernow's recent work) and more a lengthy character essay. Like most of Ellis' other works, His Excellency is fast-paced, flamboyant, and packed with irony and metaphor - all of which makes for a fun read. Ellis' major sin, in my opinion, is his tendency to draw conclusions out of mere speculation, sometimes out of bias. My greatest complaint is his assertion that Washington requested to be bur...more

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Apr 19, 2011 Brad rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ellis does a simply marvelous job of setting out his goals at the beginning and seeing them through. It is interesting how such a pivotal figure in history can remain so distant and aloof. Yet, seemingly, not because there is any big secret to hide, or huge skeleton in the closet. I was actually only disappointed that Washington didn't seem like the kind of person I would want to have dinner with (for fun, that is) even after reading it he seemed over-serious and reserved. But this is no shortco...more

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Aug 20, 2010 Edgar Cisneros rated it 5 of 5 stars

1. George Washington was the first military leader of a revolutionary army in history to voluntarily step down.
2. He not only guided the continental army to victory, he guided the nation in its infancy as an overwhelmingly (at least publicly) bi-partisan executive power. He was really a die-hard federalist.
3. He had an astute ability to judge any situation
4. He correctly identified that nations are inherently self-serving, hence his stance on isolationism.
5. Common sense and self-interests dire...more

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Aug 09, 2010 Nolan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The basic premise of this easily read and easily understood biography of George Washington is that we have come to put him so high on a pedestal that he is as distant and cold as the marble used to create his statue. Rather than tarnish the man’s image and knock him from the pedestal, this book attempts to help us understand why he holds such a high and preeminent place in the hearts of most Americans and to reduce some of that cold marble component such that we can recognize the presence of her...more The basic premise of this easily read and easily understood biography of George Washington is that we have come to put him so high on a pedestal that he is as distant and cold as the marble used to create his statue. Rather than tarnish the man’s image and knock him from the pedestal, this book attempts to help us understand why he holds such a high and preeminent place in the hearts of most Americans and to reduce some of that cold marble component such that we can recognize the presence of heroic sacrifice without needing to revise his history and tear him down.

The book begins with descriptions of his service in the French and Indian war. That service, as it turns out, will be pivotal in numerous areas. Because of it, Washington becomes convinced that America’s future and potential for wealth would lie in her ability to face west and carve a future in the western lands rather than focus on things European. Indeed, Washington acquired some western land that would be a source of his wealth in his later years. It would be part of the financial salvation that kept him from following the typical patterns of land owners in Virginia in his day—patterns that included indebtedness.

What struck me most about this book is its highly approachable writing style. Let’s face it, folks, a George Washington biography probably isn’t and hasn’t ever been real high on your reading list. After all, you want something that will keep you awake, right? The thing is, this book will keep you awake. It will reawaken within you a sense of appreciation for Washington the man. You’ll marvel anew at what seems to be his destiny. He lost more battles than most any other modern general, yet he was victorious when it became absolutely necessary for him to be so. You will marvel anew at the incredible odds against the rag-tag youthful unpaid under clothed American forces.

This book focuses, too, on Washington’s evolution into someone who saw slavery as wrong, and the author points out that in his will, he dictated the freedom of his slaves, and he sat aside a certain amount of the inheritance to take care of those who were too young or too old to care for themselves. You’ll also learn about his careful and calculated efforts at equally distributing his legacy such that his heirs were equally provided for. By so doing, he avoided a situation in which there might have been a Washington dynasty that would have sought ongoing power in the fledgling government. It’s true that he had no children at the time of his death, but the equal distribution of his estate ensured that the name would live on in history but that there would not be a royal-like dynasty that could have done more harm than good.

Three things will happen to you as a result of your reading this book. First, you’ll be mildly surprised at how quickly it goes by. It’s just about the right length for a biography. Secondly, you’ll be pleased by how approachable and easy this book is to read. And finally, you’ll be touched by how well the author enables Washington to retain his high place while shedding some of the cold distance of secular sainthood and taking upon himself the passions and warmth of a remarkable man.
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Jul 29, 2010 Mike Stone rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book is disgraceful. Had there been an open window on the jet I was traveling on I would have opened it and tossed this piece of revisionist garbage out of it. This is yet another book written by yet another 'termite in the pillars of history'. If you have read history then you know well that George Washington was without a doubt one of the most outstanding great men of all time. His peers, even his 'enemies' named him, readily, as a giant among giants. Virtuous, selfless, wise, benevolent...more

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Jul 24, 2010 Sandra rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: american-civilization

Having just completed The Real George Washington, I thought it would be interesting to continue my study of the Founding Fathers with another book about Washington.

I have to admit I didn't get very far. I read the first few chapters and then scanned the rest of the book. The book is lacking in a number of ways.

First Ellis thinks that because he says it, it must be so. His references to primary materials is spotty at best. He is high on opinion, with little to back it up. For example, Ellis claim...more

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May 25, 2010 Zohar - ManOfLaBook.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

I felt the book is a fair portrayal of Washington as a human and gives the reader a new insight into the person. Mr. Ellis tries to take a man which has become a myth in his own time and deconstruct him to see what makes him tick. What did he find; Washington was a man like any of us, making his decisions based on what's good for his bank account, and putting in strategic moves for the future. We must remember that in that time people put in work to collect decades later, unlike today.

This is a...more

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Dec 23, 2009 Steven Peterson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Joseph Ellis' "His Excellency: George Washington" is a well done brief biography of George Washington. Washington, surely, could be the subject of one of those massive bios, such as Chernow's "Alexander Hamilton" or "Titan" or Nasaw's "Andrew Carnegie" or Cannadine's "Mellon." On the other hand, not all biographies need to be so massive. Ellis' work is insightful, provides a sense of Washington the person, and outlines the growth of his character, as he controls his ambitions. In 275 pages, we g...more Joseph Ellis' "His Excellency: George Washington" is a well done brief biography of George Washington. Washington, surely, could be the subject of one of those massive bios, such as Chernow's "Alexander Hamilton" or "Titan" or Nasaw's "Andrew Carnegie" or Cannadine's "Mellon." On the other hand, not all biographies need to be so massive. Ellis' work is insightful, provides a sense of Washington the person, and outlines the growth of his character, as he controls his ambitions. In 275 pages, we get a pretty good perspective on "the father of our country."

This biography tries to steer a middle course between two different approaches to Washington. As Ellis says (page xi): "In Washington's case the arc moves from Parson Weems' fabrications about a saintly lad who could not tell a lie to dismissive verdicts about the deadest, whitest male in American history." In placing him among other of the Founders, Ellis makes, I think, an insightful point (page xiv): "It seems to me that Benjamin Franklin was wiser than Washington; Alexander Hamilton was more brilliant; John Adams was better read; James Madison was more politically astute. Yet each and all of these prominent figures acknowledged that Washington was their unquestioned superior." By the way, lines such as these make me scratch my head as to the critics of this book who attack the author for denigrating Washington. Parson Weems and his fantasies should not guide our consideration of Washington. He was a human being, not a demigod. And this book demonstrates why we should hold him in high esteem (while also realizing his human foibles and weaknesses).

In his death and afterwards, Washington also demonstrated why he stood apart from other Founders. Jefferson was uncomfortable with slavery, but did nothing about his discomfort. Washington was uncomfortable, and worked to free his slaves upon his death. His will represented (page 263) ". . .his personal rejection of slavery. As we have seen, he had been groping toward this position for many reasons and for more than thirty years, more gradually than we might prefer, more steadily than most of his fellow slave owners in Virginia. He was, in fact, the only politically prominent member of the Virginia dynasty to act on Jefferson's famous words in the Declaration of Independence by freeing his slaves."

The book provides a straightforward narrative of Washington's life. From the travails of his youth, to his efforts at developing a trade (e.g., as a surveyor), to his effort to becoming a military officer (culminating in both disaster and reputation in the French and Indian War), to his involvement in debates over independence in his own colony (Virginia), to his accession to general in the Continental Army, to his holding the army together under straitened circumstances, to his role in moving toward a Constitutional Convention, to his service as the first President. Noteworthy is the treatment of his learning to be the primary military commander during the Revolutionary War. Early on, his instincts told him to be aggressive; a number of defeats followed from this. Given the context of the war, this was not a winning strategy. He learned to be more careful and, following a more Fabian strategy, grew as commander and ended up triumphant at Yorktown.

In his conclusion, Ellis notes that Washington had a towering ambition, a foul temper, and, understanding this, Washington fought to contain both of these characteristics with his single minded strength. He left office after two terms as president when he could have stayed on. He stepped down as General after the Revolutionary War when he need not necessarily have behaved as Cincinnatus. As a result, he set an example that reverberated through the next century of American history.

This is a nice, although brief, rendering of Washington's life. The author makes nuanced judgments of Washington as a person and his legacy. As a result, he comes across as more than a cardboard caricature and as someone who genuinely deserves our respect and appreciation. As Ellis concludes (page 275), ". . .he understood that the greater glory resided in posterity's judgment." Unlike Napoleon, Caesar, Mao, and Cromwell, he did not hold on to the end, thus eroding his historical reputation and his ultimate effectiveness to the country that he had helped found.

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Nov 09, 2009 Jenn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2009, non-fiction

A quick and jaunty history of George Washington's life and major decisions. This is an easy-to-read, fast-paced biography by noted historian Joseph Ellis that seeks to answer basically one pressing question about America's Founding Father: was he really that good?

Ellis's answer is a qualified yes. He argues that it's almost always what Washington didn't do that made him such a great and laudable leader. His decision to leave the presidency after two terms instead of staying in office, for instan...more

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Feb 03, 2013 David Schwan rated it 4 of 5 stars

This as a concise book about the life and accomplishments of George Washington. What made this book interesting were a number of points. 1) Washington's experiences both before and during the the revolutionary war brought him to the conclusion that and future nation coming out the the American colonies needed to have a strong federal government in order for it's future to be assured. 2) That untrained militia were not of much value to the continental army. The real battles were won by regular tr...more

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Aug 17, 2009 Addie rated it 4 of 5 stars

"For the rest of his life, all arguments based on the principle of mutual trust devoid of mutal interest struck his as sentimental nonsense." Washington was an extremely smart man militarily, politically, and otherwise. Though uneducated, he proved that he could go far just by listening and observing. He took advice well and though sometimes unforgiving, really knew how to handle hard situations. He fought hard and thought ahead, usually making astoundingly correct predictions about where the fu...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Marvin Boswell rated it 3 of 5 stars

Although this is a decent short biography of George Washington, it in no way is as complete as Ron Chernow's "Washington: A Life". To me there are three major deficiencies in this book. First, Ellis makes several references without explaining them. You may not get the reference if you have not read other works about Washington. (Example: Washington’s desire to retire under his own vine and fig tree). Second, early on Ellis tosses out the analysis that Washington was not a religious man. He does...more

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About Joseph J. Ellis

Joseph J. Ellis, a professor of history at Mount Holyoke College, is a nationally recognized scholar of American history from colonial times through the early decades of the Republic. The author of seven books, he is recipient of the National Book Award in Nonfiction for American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson and the Pulitzer Prize for Founding Brothers. He lives in Massachusetts.

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Books by Joseph J. Ellis

Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation

American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson

American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic

Passionate Sage: The Character and Legacy of John Adams

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