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Washington: A Life

4.2 of 5 stars 4.20 · rating details · 5,786 ratings · 506 reviews

From Pulitzer-prize winner Ron Chernow, a landmark biography of George Washington.

In Washington: A Life celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation. With a breadth and depth matched by no other one-volume life of Washington, this crisply paced narrative carries the reader through his troubled boyhood, his precocious f...more From Pulitzer-prize winner Ron Chernow, a landmark biography of George Washington.

In Washington: A Life celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation. With a breadth and depth matched by no other one-volume life of Washington, this crisply paced narrative carries the reader through his troubled boyhood, his precocious feats in the French and Indian War, his creation of Mount Vernon, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America's first president.

Despite the reverence his name inspires, Washington remains a lifeless waxwork for many Americans, worthy but dull. A laconic man of granite self-control, he often arouses more respect than affection. In this groundbreaking work, based on massive research, Chernow dashes forever the stereotype of a stolid, unemotional man. A strapping six feet, Washington was a celebrated horseman, elegant dancer, and tireless hunter, with a fiercely guarded emotional life. Chernow brings to vivid life a dashing, passionate man of fiery opinions and many moods. Probing his private life, he explores his fraught relationship with his crusty mother, his youthful infatuation with the married Sally Fairfax, and his often conflicted feelings toward his adopted children and grandchildren. He also provides a lavishly detailed portrait of his marriage to Martha and his complex behavior as a slave master.

At the same time, Washington is an astute and surprising portrait of a canny political genius who knew how to inspire people. Not only did Washington gather around himself the foremost figures of the age, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, but he also brilliantly orchestrated their actions to shape the new federal government, define the separation of powers, and establish the office of the presidency.

In this unique biography, Ron Chernow takes us on a page-turning journey through all the formative events of America's founding. With a dramatic sweep worthy of its giant subject, Washington is a magisterial work from one of our most elegant storytellers.(less)

Hardcover, 928 pages

Published October 5th 2010 by The Penguin Press (first published January 1st 2010)

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Jan 28, 2012 Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 18th-century-america, politics

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. It's slow moving at times and it took me a little while to get traction, but I found that the pace picked up around the time that the Revolution got underway. Very well researched, and a lot of depth. Chernow covers Washington the farmer, the soldier, the general, the President, and the patriar...more 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. It's slow moving at times and it took me a little while to get traction, but I found that the pace picked up around the time that the Revolution got underway. Very well researched, and a lot of depth. Chernow covers Washington the farmer, the soldier, the general, the President, and the patriarch. (Although Washington was childless, he ended up as a surrogate grandfather for a variety of kids.)

I wish that the book included maps, which are always helpful when reading about battles and troop movements, etc. even though I'm pretty familiar with the geography of the area between Virginia and Boston, which is where most of the book takes place. I also wish that there were more illustrations. Chernow seems to describe almost every portrait sitting that Washington endured and it would have been good to be able to see the paintings alongside Chernow's descriptions of them.

I think the best biographies not only cover the life of the subject, but also give us a sense of the time and place in which he or she lived. Chernow doesn't really do that here and I suppose this is one of the times when it might be okay since the book, with its laser focus on George Washington, already fills 817 pages and this book doesn't need to be any fatter. If you want a more accessible, and shorter, biography of Washington, try Washington: The Indispensable Man by James Flexner.

What works particularly well in this book is Chernow's look at the character of Washington. Washington was very concerned about what others thought of him, and fortunately in most cases this led him to show wisdom and restraint, which proved to be important in that Washington set many precedents that are still followed today. Washington is shown to be conflicted about slavery; he thought it was something that should end, but he put his own financial interest ahead of any abolitionist feelings he may have had. And his efforts, in one example, to squeeze as much work as he could from an 83-year-old slave certainly don't put him in a good light.

On a lighter note, I had never before realized how much of a "metrosexual" (to use a modern phrase) George Washington was.

Finally, ever since I read The Guns of August about ten years ago, I've been sensitive to the use of the phrase "must have" when reading history, and Chernow used more "must haves" than in any book I can recall reading. I don't know why this passage from Barbara Tuchman's introduction has stayed with me like it has, but here it is: I have tried to avoid spontaneous attribution or the "he must have" style of historical writing: "As he watched the coast·line of France disappear, Napoleon must have thought back over the long ..." All conditions of weather, thoughts or feelings, and states of mind public or private, in the following pages have documentary support. I thought of this quote each time I encountered one of the many "must haves" Chernow used. He's clearly not a disciple of Barbara Tuchman.(less)

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Dec 09, 2011 Curtis Haderlie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This reading has enabled me to become more intimately acquainted with this larger-than-life hero of mine. I am able to more fully appreciate the drudgery of war that Washington endured over the months and years. His ability to deal with the paradox of his situation is what in my mind makes him the true hero. It becomes clear that he was conforming to a divinely appointed roll. As he himself believed, providence worked in his and the new counties behalf.

As the new government works out the details...more

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Jan 04, 2013 Chad Sayban rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: recommended

The name George Washington conjures up many images for Americans – heroic general, father of the nation, impeccable honesty, stoic demeanor, first president. However, there was much more to this complicated man. He was also a land speculator, elegant dancer, slaveholder, fiery taskmaster and someone who would hold a grudge to his grave. Washington was a far more complex man than what you learned in school…and no, he never had wooden teeth!

“By the time of his death, Washington had poured his last...more The name George Washington conjures up many images for Americans – heroic general, father of the nation, impeccable honesty, stoic demeanor, first president. However, there was much more to this complicated man. He was also a land speculator, elegant dancer, slaveholder, fiery taskmaster and someone who would hold a grudge to his grave. Washington was a far more complex man than what you learned in school…and no, he never had wooden teeth!

“By the time of his death, Washington had poured his last ounce of passion into the creation of his country. Never a perfect man, he always had a normal quota of human frailty, including a craving for money, status, and fame. Ambitious and self-promoting in his formative years, he had remained a tightfisted, sharp-elbowed businessman and a hard-driving slave master. But over the years, this man of deep emotions and strong opinions had learned to subordinate his personal dreams and aspirations to the service of a larger cause, evolving into a statesman with a prodigious mastery of political skills and an unwavering sense of America’s future greatness. In the things that matter most for his country, he had shown himself capable of constant growth and self-improvement.”-page 812.

George Washington has had literally thousands of biographies written about him in the more than two hundred years since his death. What Ron Chernow delivers is a highly readable single-volume account of who Washington was, rather than just what he did. The emphasis of Washington: A Life is really more about the person who became the father of a nation instead of a dull rundown of his accomplishments. Chernow brings us into the troubled boyhood and arrogant early adulthood that defined Washington’s early life and could have left him out of the history books altogether. What makes Chernow’s biography something better is it doesn’t whitewash Washington’s foibles – it embraces them – showing how he was able to rise above his doubts and weaknesses and help bring the world into a new age.

And foibles Washington had. Washington: A Life doesn’t pull any punches when Chernow hammers him for his hypocritical – at times brutal – treatment of his own slaves while fighting for the inalienable rights of other Americans. Washington even admitted to the hope that it was an institution that would “quietly fade away” in the hands of future generations. Still, Chernow places Washington’s questionable personal positions in context – neither sugar-coating them nor over-emphasizing them – next to his astounding accomplishments. Between single-handedly holding the Continental Army together, being the rock the Constitutional Convention presided around and his unprecedented presidency, Washington’s contributions to human history are covered in depth.

Just like the man, Washington: A Life is not perfect. Chernow spends too much time grinding through Washington’s preoccupation on the finest clothes and furnishings – to the point that is became distracting later in the book. And while Chernow does a splendid job documenting the schoolyard policy squabbles in Washington’s presidential administration, the text is light on the events that were driving those decisions, especially in Washington’s second term. When documenting the final years of Washington’s presidency, Chernow seems more interested in Washington’s troubles with his household staff than with his efforts to avert another war with England.

In spite of those shortcomings, Washington: A Life certainly delivers on its promise to present a complete portrayal of the most beloved founding father – warts and all. Chernow’s approach succeeds on all fronts and makes Washington more accessible than any biography before it. If you are going to read about the American Revolution or the development of the presidency, Washington: A Life is an excellent place to begin.
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Nov 24, 2012 Andy Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars

This great biography of George Washington deserves its critical and popular praise. At the end I felt that I knew both the man and the country he helped create.

Chernow does a better job than any other book I've read in depicting Washington's courage during battles and how his presence and leadership stopped many American retreats and inspired many American advances during key moments in the Revolutionary War. However, this is not a fawning biography, Chernow discusses strategic mistakes by Washi...more This great biography of George Washington deserves its critical and popular praise. At the end I felt that I knew both the man and the country he helped create.

Chernow does a better job than any other book I've read in depicting Washington's courage during battles and how his presence and leadership stopped many American retreats and inspired many American advances during key moments in the Revolutionary War. However, this is not a fawning biography, Chernow discusses strategic mistakes by Washington, how he sometimes did not protect flanks during battle leading to defeat and how he sometimes he did not adapt to changing battlefield conditions as other great generals have done.However, Chernow leaves the Revolutionary War chapters leaving little doubt that it was Washington's leadership that made the difference in the War.

Chernow also shows that Washington did not just believe that it was the battlefields that were the key to the war, he also shows Washington's preoccupation with financing of the war and the need for a country to develop credit and a strong financial system. Chernow neatly ties this war time issue with Washington's later actions as President during the disputes between Hamilton and Jefferson/Madison over financial controversies such as debt assumption, national credit and central bank

The book is strongest in its analysis of Washington and slavery. Too often books look at our founding father's attitudes and actions toward slavery by either the easy hindsight of today's standards or by excusing all actions as a product of the times. Chernow does not. He acknowledges Washington's growing personal discomfort and eventual opposition to slavery and that Washington's treatment of slavery was better than most(such as reluctance of breaking up slave families) and of course discusses Washington's emancipation of his own slaves at the time of his death. However, Chernow points to incidents that show that Washington knew or should have known better the effects of slavery. During the war the English were at one time at Mt Vernon and offered freedom to any of Washington's slaves. 17 accepted and Washington sought their return after the war. Also after the war, Washington pressed the English for return of all slaves who fought for the British in exchange for their independence, even when the British pointed out that many slaves would commit suicide before being forced to return. More poignant was at the end of his Presidency when two of Washington's household slaves escaped as opposed to returning to Mt Vernon. Washington and his wife felt betrayed at the escapes and tried mightily to have them captured and returned(fortunately, he was unsuccessful) Chernow's treatment of the slavery issue was the most honest and balanced I have seen with the exception of Annette Gordon-Reed's books on Jefferson and slavery

Chernow also did an excellent job in intertwining Washington's personal life with Washington's military and political leadership. His treatment of the friendship and possible intimate relationship with Sally Fairfax shows the human side of Washington. Chernow quotes a letter to her at the end of their lives when Washington said his happiest and best moments in his life were his times with her and Chernow comments that this was significant from a man who built up personal wealth, defeated England in a war, and founded a country--but still considered his time as a young man infatuated with Fairfax as the happiest time of his life

This is a great book and well worth the read(less)

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Feb 12, 2012 Shellys♥ Journal rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, biography, history, non-fiction, colonial, library

This is the story of George Washington's life - from the cradle to the grave, his family, his country, his story. Chernow has created a passionate volume of the personage that was Washington.

First of all, I give it 4.5 stars, not a perfect 5 as I think the one downfall to this story is that it is not something that every American will read (and in this day and age, we all need to read this story) - full of intellectual vocabulary (thank goodness for reading the ebook version), and the relative...more This is the story of George Washington's life - from the cradle to the grave, his family, his country, his story. Chernow has created a passionate volume of the personage that was Washington.

First of all, I give it 4.5 stars, not a perfect 5 as I think the one downfall to this story is that it is not something that every American will read (and in this day and age, we all need to read this story) - full of intellectual vocabulary (thank goodness for reading the ebook version), and the relative length will scare the average American from tackling this tale. Some of the bulk could have been trimmed as the author hammered on Washington's plight with his finances and with slavery.

That being said, I will add that I did enjoy the book. As a youth growing up in the Midwest, we learned little of Washington's true life. Now as a resident of Virginia, I see the General not only as the First Father, but a first son of our state. The man was truly amazing in his honor, courage, attention to detail, integrity, ingenuity and fortitude. Without any formal education, Washington's life shows us the possibilities for any of us who believe in ourselves and take the high road. Chernow leaves no stone unturned in his pursuit of a full and complete biography. While at times, I feel he speculated on Washington's thoughts and feelings, this book still stands as an honorable tribute of one so wrapped in honor.

There is also a number of details on the lives of other Colonial characters including Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and Lafayette. It also promotes an understanding of what our country was going through as it struggled to make the transition from colony to Republic. And honestly, things have not changed all that much in the world of politics - maybe the medium, but not the back biting, the connivance and the lies. Even the state of France after the Revolution brings thoughts of today and trying to deal with unstable countries. Amazing.

My life will never be the same for having read it. I'd like to recommend it to everyone who lives in and loves America, but I understand that this story is not for the average reader. But I will say, it is truly a worthwhile read for those who love history and the truth.(less)

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Aug 24, 2011 Ronald rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: my daughters

Recommended to Ronald by: I heard and interview

I am up to the point of Washington's first Presidency. I am especially enjoying the way Chernow has presented the very human side of GW and the people with whom he associated. Makes one realize that human nature has not changed over generations. Too bad we do not have leaders such as GW today. I doubt that he would have survived the brutal political process that modern day Presidents must run the gauntlet. I sense that GW suffered in his presidential role. I believe that he may have been introve...more I am up to the point of Washington's first Presidency. I am especially enjoying the way Chernow has presented the very human side of GW and the people with whom he associated. Makes one realize that human nature has not changed over generations. Too bad we do not have leaders such as GW today. I doubt that he would have survived the brutal political process that modern day Presidents must run the gauntlet. I sense that GW suffered in his presidential role. I believe that he may have been introverted, sensing, thinking, judging on the MBTI. He seems to be a very introspective and not quick to make decisions. Very unlike most US leaders today. Very aware of his environment and what is going on around him but not too visionary or philosophical. I have not seen where his decision were frought with concerns for people though he does express concern for the welfare of his slaves and his family. He takes care of both. He is a task master and has a high control need but he manages his temper well to preserve his image. He seeks counsel of trusted others. Read on.

Update
I have now completed GWs presidency and he has returned to Mount Vernon. His greatness continues to shine through what must have been a very difficult period of his life. He did not want to be president but was compelled to the job by the necessity. He was the only character who could unify the new country but he paid for it both personally and professionally. Under Federalist influence he was accused and preceived by the Democratic-Republicans (anti federalist) as wanting to establish a monarchy. While not true, he did believe in a strong central government. The political battles of the time seem to parallel the current Republican/Tea Party movement with the Republican/Tea Party cast as anti federalist. The political tactics are similar. He suffered the role as president and wanted to return to Mount Vernon. I am now reading about his retirement to Mount Vernon. GW is a very human person given his greatness.(less)

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Dec 03, 2010 Grumpus rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: audiobook, biography

Even if you've read all the Washington books, you'll still get some great, new information. I chuckled to learn that he would count the number of women at events and log it into his diary. I previously knew of his personal sacrifices to his country and how he longed to be settled in Mt. Vernon with Martha but did not know of his pecuniary situation. By then end, I came away with a new impression to add to that of hero and father of the country, pity. He was a tired man who felt he missed out on...more

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Oct 28, 2010 Bryn Dunham rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned-books

Simply an amazing biography of George Washington! Comparable to James Flexner's bio, this is far more detailed in the fact that Chernow not so much breaks down the mythical ediface of Washington but explains him in such detail that the reader can actually get a sense of who he really was. Chernow digs deep into Washington's mind by citing the facts and primary sources that make him far more human than mythical. Though critcal of Washington on many issues, he is fair in reavealing that GW was dri...more

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Jan 07, 2012 Ben Galbraith rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the book, especially the revolutionary war bits, but as the book went on, and on, and on, my enjoyment waned. Still, I feel I learned a few useful things, such as the sour relationship between Jefferson, Adams, and Washington as time went on, and his post-farewell change of attitude towards party--or at least, his embracing of the Federalist Party as a matter of practical opposition to the Republican party's ideals.

I was also a touch surprised to learn that...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Peter Fortune rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography

Washington was a poor military man--one of his French and Indian War battles was essentially a shoot-out between his own troops; his leadership in the Revolution was flawed by, among other things, abysmal failure to know the terrain and British flanking opportunities; his victory at Jamestown was largely due to French engineers who tunneled close to British lines. But his ability to keep his army alive in spite of little support from the Continental Congress and individual states was a remarkabl...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Michael Redmond rated it 5 of 5 stars

Probably the best one-volume biography out there on "The Father of Our Country." An enigmatic man, in so many ways, a very complex man, and a figure who has always fascinated me.

Anybody who thinks today's politics is a blood sport ought to read about the conflict between Washington and Hamilton, on one side, and Jefferson and Madison on the other, in the early federal period. Vicious stuff, lots of slander and double-dealing.

The shadow side to the brilliant and inspiring story of the conquering...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Joe rated it 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads reveals that there are far more books about George Washington than any person could ever be expected to read in a lifetime, but I doubt there are any as exhaustively researched and as eloquently executed as this book by historian Ron Chernow. The audiobook version required over 40 hours of audio. 40 hours!!

Chernow elucidates broad themes about Washington's character and significance:
Washington spent an incredible amount of time and energy worrying about what people thought about him wh...more Goodreads reveals that there are far more books about George Washington than any person could ever be expected to read in a lifetime, but I doubt there are any as exhaustively researched and as eloquently executed as this book by historian Ron Chernow. The audiobook version required over 40 hours of audio. 40 hours!!

Chernow elucidates broad themes about Washington's character and significance:
Washington spent an incredible amount of time and energy worrying about what people thought about him while perpetually striving to adopt a character of greater humility.
Washington spent an incredible amount of time and energy worrying about finances.
He was, in Chernow's words, a comparatively benevolent slave owner.
In addition to developing broad themes like those listed briefly above, Chernow leaves no stone unturned in his exhaustive portrait of Washington, including descriptions of the carpeting in the various rooms of Mount Vernon, the make-up of innumerable meals the General consumed, and the details of his dress on given days.
The Washington that emerges is both grand in scope - arguably the greatest and most indispensable American of all time, while seeming a completely human man of common personal weaknesses and even vices.

While the book confirmed much of what I already knew or suspected about Washington, the book also contained quite a few surprises. I was most intrigued by the extent to which Washington was paradoxically worshipped and reviled during his lifetime. Chernow spends considerable ink to demonstrating how Washington was practically deified during his time - he could not visit a town without meeting adoring throngs of people; countless children and places were named after him during his life, portraits of him came to be seen in every home, and after his death many churches wanted to include the text of his writings in new editions of the Bible. Meanwhile, the Republicans, Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin Beach (Ben Franklin III) slandered him endlessly in the press in a manner that might even cause Roger Ailes to blush. Beach even insinuated that Washington secretly did not want to win the Revolutionary War and worked against its success. (The first Swiftboating?)
Furthermore, the considerable space given to Washington's mercurial views and contradictory behavior on slavery was tremendously interesting.
I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Washington - provided they are willing to put in the necessary months it may take to read it!(less)

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Oct 26, 2012 Andrew Toy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-books

Chernow does a superb job at bringing this dusty historical hero to life. He doesn’t linger long on the president’s ancestry or childhood, which has proven to be quite sluggish in other biographies. The majority of the book centers around Washington’s generalship in the Revolutionary War. With the way Washington constantly carried himself, it’s no wonder people thought of him as a god. He struck fear and admiration in the hearts of men, sort of like an 18th century William Wallace. Having a deep...more

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Sep 26, 2012 Mark Hamilton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ok. So it turns out I'm not the first to embark on this project of reading one book on each president chronologically. Browsing the reviews of Chernow's very thorough Washington book I notice that a number of folks have set off on the same journey. I wonder how many of us will actually find our way to Mr. Obama.

On to the topic at hand. I loved this book and this wonderful character! As many a reviewer here has noted, Chernow's stated goal was to demythologize our country's father and excavate, t

...more

On to the topic at hand. I loved this book and this wonderful character! As many a reviewer here has noted, Chernow's stated goal was to demythologize our country's father and excavate, to the extent possible, the true Washington, false teeth and all. Of course Washington did not make that task easy. Keeping his mouth tightly sealed served to hide both his frightful dental work as well as his true thoughts and intentions. He seemed to understand that he was always in the limelight and, above all else, he understood his greater importance as a symbol more than as a man. In this way, he was the savviest of the politicians of his day. He had a brilliant understanding of human psychology before there was such a thing, a quality which Chernow demonstrates repeatedly throughout this work and which Washington uses to further his ambitions throughout his extraordinary life.

Some of the more fascinating and moving passages of this biography come in the descriptions of the few relationship in which Washington let his guard down. His close bond with the Marquis de Lafayette, who becomes almost a surrogate son for the general who produced no heirs, is built over the course of the most astounding events and seems all the more genuine for Washington's reluctance to allow so many others to know his true feelings. The long arc of the storied relationships with Lafayette as well as Alexander Hamilton, whom he looked to increasingly for advice throughout his presidency at the same time that Jefferson and Madison were scheming against him, allow this biography to read almost like an epic victorian novel.

However, it is his relationship with the Virginia aristocrat, Sally Fairfax, that surprised and moved me most. Chernow demostrates that prior to meeting Martha Custis, whom he marries more out of prudence than romance, Washington fell in love with the wife of the wealthy George William Fairfax. Their frequent letters are all the more fun to read because of the coded language they must employ to express their feelings. They both understood well the dangers in displaying their feelings freely. One senses that it may be the forbidden nature of their love that made it so powerful. But then again even toward the end of his life he seems to pine over what might have been in an amazing letter to Sally. Chernow lays this out in a section guaranteed to make any woman swoon:

He acknowledged the many extraordinary events he had lived through, then abruptly declared that none of these events, "not all of them together, have been able to eradicate from my mind the recollection of those happy moments--the happiest of my life--which I have enjoyed in your company." This unexpected line offered the ultimate romantic compliment: Washington had won a long war, founded a country, and created a new government, but such accomplishments paled beside the faded recollections of a youthful love affair.

sigh

Occasionally, Chernow comes across as a little too 21st century in his efforts to understand the unconscious fears and motivations of Washington and his peers. This desire to entertain risks the rigorous academic nature of his work. This is true particularly when it comes to Washington's strained relationship with his mother. Chernow's theories on the effect this relationship has on Washington's psyche sometimes come across more as freudian pronouncements. That said, Chernow's book is an achievement worthy of its subject and that's saying quite a lot.

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Aug 19, 2012 Russell Stoewe rated it 5 of 5 stars

With a military history minor and plans for a masters degree arond the corner, I devote an inordinate amount of my time to reading history books and biographies. Chernow's take on Alexander Hamilton has been on my 'to read' list for some time, but he released this Washington bio before I could get to Hamilton.

And, I had to grab the George Washington piece first. As an avid fan of the legendary American figure, I absorb any and all information on him as I can. And, Chernow does a fantastic job de...more

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Aug 14, 2012 Randy Auxier rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: general-non-fiction

Ron Chernow is the sort of writer one finds only rarely in the 21st century – someone who can make a living (an increasingly good one) at writing about what really happened. I don’t mean to sound cynical, but when I hear the word “journalist,” I reach for my revolver (or I would, if I didn’t think they should be banned). Chernow started out as a high-end yankee journalist, after the standard Ivy-to-England-and-back-again pedigree. With a literary training and a historical turn of mind, with an u...more Ron Chernow is the sort of writer one finds only rarely in the 21st century – someone who can make a living (an increasingly good one) at writing about what really happened. I don’t mean to sound cynical, but when I hear the word “journalist,” I reach for my revolver (or I would, if I didn’t think they should be banned). Chernow started out as a high-end yankee journalist, after the standard Ivy-to-England-and-back-again pedigree. With a literary training and a historical turn of mind, with an unaccountable predilection for the inner workings of complex finance, he had the perfect combination of curses to land him in the psychiatrist’s chair (if not the bread line). But (to his mother’s undoubted surprise and delight) instead, he won every prize short of the Pulitzer and the Nobel known to the civilized world, and I have no doubt that at least the Pulitzer is on the near horizon. All this succeeding has gone down amidst the decline and disappearance of the book-publishing industry. Will wonders cease?

Chernow’s latest offering is a truly colossal biography of the father of our country. If you set the books on this subject, one after the other, on a single long shelf, you could cross the Delaware yourself on the bridge they would build. (Watch out for the neighborhood on the other side, more dangerous than drunk Hessians these days. By the way, Chernow says they weren’t drunk.) So why do we need another biography of Washington? Believe it or not, only now is everything that documents his life (and I mean everything) assembled, collated, annotated, catalogued, and hung out on the clothesline of history for absolutely anyone with 50 spare years to examine. Seeing that no one had attempted a truly comprehensive biography since Douglas Southall Freeman’s seven volume study (1948-57), Chernow believed the changes in the scholarly situation (not to mention the research tools themselves) warranted a new look. The result is, I am pleased to say, not seven volumes long, but it is still long enough to pucker the privates on any tight-assed present day publisher.

While academic historians drone on very academically, and journalists keep lying as they always have, a space is cleared for something in between: serious history well written. I have often thought that the economic viability of this liminal discipline is the spawn of Ken Burns. It almost gives me hope for America. Just kidding. Chernow decides in this book to go after the common picture of Washington as the unapproachable and thoroughly stoic, enigmatic buddha sitting in half-lotus atop his own Masonic monument. Washington, in Chernow’s narrative, turns out to be not only unstoic, but is instead the very embodiment of roiling passions, barely containable by anything short of divine restraint. Chernow is so heavy-handed in asserting this claim early in the book that I believed the opposite after 150 pages just on principle – the principle that the gentleman protesteth too much. But a judicious use of letters and journals from a tremendous variety of observers, not to mention Washington’s own observations of Washington, convinced me by page 500 or so that Chernow has to be right. George Washington was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but not with the Washington monument up his ass.

The description of Washington’s early life contains many surprises for those unfamiliar with his rise to wealth and authority. The constant engine of ambition and meticulous cultivation of appearances will seem to some to be unWashingtonian. That perception may be the cruelest cut of all because we are so much in the habit of thinking that being Washington did not involve becoming Washington. But it did. We all know that. We just don’t like it. Washington was constantly seeking both responsibility and recognition that was beyond his actual achievements, and his early failures were spectacular. Chernow doesn’t mollycoddle the merchandise. Another feature of Washington’s rise that Chernow demythologizes is the idea that Lady Destiny is the dominatrix of the tale, when in truth, Lady Luck, not to mention the fickle Angel of Death, had Destiny smell the glove, at least until Washington became president and Destiny spit out the ball gag.

This is great reading, if you have the time to savor a physical book read with physical eyes as illuminated by physical light. If, on the other hand, you have my schedule, it may make more sense to buy the 33 disc audiobook read by Scott Brick. I can attest that this recording will drive you to Boston and back with a Whiskey Rebellion to spare. It is important, however, to buy the book so that you can resell the audio, since it costs more than anyone is willing to spend on you for Christmas, unless your loved one pulls down a salary like Rita Cheng’s.
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Jul 12, 2012 Eric Paulsen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Whew! I am finished! After a grueling 43 days of reading about the remarkable life of George Washington, I am ready to embark on the next stage of my project, John Adams. The remarkable writing style of David McCullough will surely make Adams a bit easier to digest, but I am by no means not excited to read about our second president. Today, I am taking a break, and hoping to start tackling Adams in the next day or two. I came across an amazing affirmation a few days ago. During a lunchtime conve...more Whew! I am finished! After a grueling 43 days of reading about the remarkable life of George Washington, I am ready to embark on the next stage of my project, John Adams. The remarkable writing style of David McCullough will surely make Adams a bit easier to digest, but I am by no means not excited to read about our second president. Today, I am taking a break, and hoping to start tackling Adams in the next day or two. I came across an amazing affirmation a few days ago. During a lunchtime conversation with a dear friend and mentor of mine, I discovered that he has read several presidential biographies, including Washington and Adams. I feel that Dean, Jaymes(with whom I am partaking this project) and I are really part of an elite club of nerdy intellectuals. I am by no means vain in this epiphany, it just makes it feel much more intriguing as I go through each president. It allows me to learn not only about presidential lives, but I feel a part of a very particular discourse. It is my desire that as a reader of this blog, you will feel a certain amount of desire to be part of that discourse as well. :)

I may or may not write reviews per se on every president, as it is a ridiculously impossible venture to summarize an entire person's life, much less a president of the United States. As for Washington, his life expands much further than having wooden teeth(a myth) and chopping down a cherry tree(also a myth. Fun fact: most of the myths about Washington were fabricated by one Parson Wheems. See, you're learning already!). His life was one of brilliance in his military and political endeavors despite a complete lack of an education. He was also a very stoic and hidden man. How many of you knew that he was burdened by debt for literally his entire life? In fact most of his famous temper stewed from the financial problems burgeoning his personal life. An amiable if not loving relationship with his wife created a strong fellowship and allowed him a sense of peace. A relentlessly flirtatious man, he was famous with the ladies his entire life, both before and after his demigodlike career. Although he never participated in an affair, he took careful note and even recorded numbers of the beautiful women in any and every event in which he participated. Amicable, honest, forlorn and an amazing mind was Pres. Washington, whom created the democracy in which we now enjoy today. The Father of His Country has a refreshing and important fluency in my mind. I am excited to build on the country that he created by discovering presidents following. Chernow is an amazingly prolific author; his words drastically changed the mindset I have ever had on Washington, and it is a book that I sincerely, HIGHLY recommend to anyone with the desire to learn more about this amazing, greatest of the Founding Fathers.(less)

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May 10, 2012 John rated it 5 of 5 stars

The last history class I took was in high school, and I beyond the bits dealing with the American Revolution in Lies My Teacher Told Me and A People's History of the United States, I haven't done any reading that's touched on this period of history. Chernow writes early in this book something to the effect that he wants to rescue Washington from his status as the most famous, revered president that no one knows much about. That sounds about right, and I thought he did so successfully. What we ge...more

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May 08, 2012 Sandy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Chernow's introduction to his biography indicates that, through the availability of some new sources, this book will expose the reader to heretofore unexplored aspects of Washington’s character. Mission accomplished and maybe through a less complete education on this period or the author’s brilliant writing, I learned so much about the 1st President, his early development, his intellectual and personal growth, his family and contemporaries—our Founding Fathers. Chernow makes it clear that Washin...more

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May 08, 2012 Quinndara Woodworth rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book by Ron Chernow. He admires his subject and so do I. I have read other books about Washington but none has been as detailed as this richly enhanced portrait by biographer Ron Chernow. In one book we get all the intimate and historical details of Washington's life, actions, conduct, as he served his county. Washington had a high vision for America and was principled in establishing precedence and procedures for the executive office and for how the new Federal Government should wo...more

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Feb 28, 2012 K rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography

I started reading this large book (817 pages not including notes, bibliography and index) in June and I came to the part about the Declaration of Independence on the 4th of July holiday. And I am glad I did – by following George Washington’s life this book was tremendously informative on much of our country’s early history!

I know, we all learned about Washington in grade school – how honest he was (the old Cherry Tree episode) and all about his false teeth made of wood. How he was the general in...more I started reading this large book (817 pages not including notes, bibliography and index) in June and I came to the part about the Declaration of Independence on the 4th of July holiday. And I am glad I did – by following George Washington’s life this book was tremendously informative on much of our country’s early history!

I know, we all learned about Washington in grade school – how honest he was (the old Cherry Tree episode) and all about his false teeth made of wood. How he was the general in the Revolutionary War crossing the Delaware on Christmas Eve, and our first President. What else is there to know? There is quite a bit more as I found when I started reading this well researched book.

Washington’s family came from the gentry in England. Family funds (through his grandfather’s line) made him financially comfortably for much of his life. Like many other families in the 18th century death came often and quickly to the Washington family both before and during his early life, including the death of his father while Washington was just a child. And family deaths would continue to play a big part of Washington’s life.

At age 15 Washington left education behind and became a surveyor. This formed him into a man who loved the physical outdoor world, a trait which would become very useful as a military leader. It was his hard work and financial luck (again, mostly due to deaths of various family members) that allowed him to become a landowner and planter at an early age.

Chernow does a fabulous job of giving the details in a readable format of Washington’s rise as a soldier, starting with the French and Indian War, through the command of the Continental army during the Revolutionary War. This book should be read if one wants a history lesson on the battles and military strategies of both of the wars. While Chernow does an excellent job on the detail of the soldier’s life and the army movements during the Revolutionary War it sometimes bogs down the story. But the overall effect left me amazed at what was accomplished and wondering how in the world we even won that war.

This book goes into great depth over the founding of our country’s government and how Washington was a great part of it both behind the scenes and as a leader of the delegates. But we don’t get a varnished Washington. While Chernow shows us a Washington who was a master manipulator of men he also gives us a vain and almost egotistical man. One minute we see a “financially broke” Washington and the next minute we see him ordering fancy uniforms and costly household furnishings to keep up appearances. And throughout his life Washington is shown as only giving lip service to abolishing slavery – both as a planter and as a leader of a young nation.

As I said before, this is a well researched book and it is heavily footnoted. The pictures for the most part are portraits of Washington in various stages of his career though there are a few of his family, friends and colleagues. I was left wishing for pictures or other visuals of Mount Vernon when the plantation kept coming up in the book. But the end result is a very readable book and it should interest anyone who loves American history, military history and biographies. I am glad to have read this book as I ended up knowing Washington as a real person, not a school lesson.(less)

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Jan 03, 2012 Jim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

How many biographies can offer a fresh, three-dimensional portait of an historical icon who has been dead more than two centuries? Ron Chernow has done just that with this masterful work on George Washington. Thanks in large part to an immense, one-of-a-kind Washington archive at the University of Virginia, Chernow brings to life the stoic figure we all think we know from the many paintings and sculptures of our most important founding father. He was vain, an incurable perfectionist, and even a...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Chandler rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

History is my weak point. So when I found out the country club book club was reading this book, I signed on eagerly!! Fascinating to read about his military campaigns and his desire to better himself in so many arenas. This book is clearly written although I found parts of it redundant. How times do you have to say that George Washington was humble? However written between the lines is that George was always working to get ahead socially, financially and politically. All are trappings of power.

N...more

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Nov 05, 2011 Kelley Ridings rated it 5 of 5 stars

What a spectacular biography! Chernow wanted to write a comprehensive book about George Washington's life, and he certainly did accomplish that. This book goes well beyond the myth of Washington and delves deeply into what made him the greatest American of his age. A man of phenomenal stature (militarily and politically), who was one of the first superstars of his era, he was also a man who was deeply flawed (owning hundreds of slaves and consistently in debt). Yet, he was also a man who was dee...more

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Sep 13, 2011 Chad rated it 4 of 5 stars

Chernow's biography of Washington is more thorough and comprehensive than Joseph Ellis's His Excellency, and I would certainly recommend it over that slimmer account. It was interesting to compare them, however, and Chernow wasn't above quoting Ellis here and there to expand his discussion of America's first president. A Life is far more detailed in its coverage of Washington's family, friendships, and possible romantic involvements (which included Sally Fairfax and Elizabeth Powell). Chernow co...more Chernow's biography of Washington is more thorough and comprehensive than Joseph Ellis's His Excellency, and I would certainly recommend it over that slimmer account. It was interesting to compare them, however, and Chernow wasn't above quoting Ellis here and there to expand his discussion of America's first president. A Life is far more detailed in its coverage of Washington's family, friendships, and possible romantic involvements (which included Sally Fairfax and Elizabeth Powell). Chernow covers all of the first president's life with attention to detail and an eye for significance.

One interesting difference between Ellis and Chernow is observable in how both authors cover Washington's death. Ellis spends time resolving the first president's often contested height (the undertaker provides some physical measurements after all). Ellis also explores the implications of Washington not calling a minister to his death bed, suggesting a lack of religious devotion on Washington’s part. Chernow, on the other hand, suggests that this could have been due to the suddenness of Washington’s death and the possibility that the doctors did not initially expect him to die. Either possibility might be considered by a historian, but Chernow’s biography also does a better job explaining Washington’s stated faith, which would make Ellis’s suggestion less likely.

Despite Ellis’s stated desire to reveal the man behind the marble bust, Chernow actually does this better (perhaps as well as can be done without the help of fiction). Still, Chernow’s writing cannot make the distant figure of Washington all that accessible, who unlike Adams, is not preserved through personal letters to his wife (or the same kind of transparency we see in Adam’s early journal writing). The primary source materials for this biography are the more public and official correspondences of a very professional man who was entirely conscious of the way he wanted to be perceived by history. This is not a biography that lets us understand the humanity of Washington, although there are certainly hints of the man's passions and obsessions throughout this book.

And I still couldn't help but yearn for the more narrative style of David McCullough. Ron Chernow's prose, while clear and exhibiting a robust vocabulary, does not tell a story as well as McCullough's writing. The writing here is more expository and editorial, whereas McCullough's John Adams is brought to life in vivid scenes.

At a different level, this biography was also useful to compare with McCullough's John Adams, as Chernow provides a much less flattering portrait of Adams and his roles as Washington's vice president and as Hamilton's nemesis. Chernow offers a more sympathetic portrayal of Hamilton, which is no doubt due in part to his work on Hamilton’s own biography.

In the end, Chernow does a fine job of conveying a thorough, if not exhaustive account of Washington which should be read by any history sleuth wanting an updated account of the founding fathers and the history surrounding the Revolutionary War.
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Aug 24, 2011 Courtney rated it 5 of 5 stars

Since I began this book, and it took me a few weeks to read, I have talked about it countless times to anyone who will listen. It was extremely well-written and read like a story, almost historical fiction. Chernow incorporates a huge amount of primary texts, both from Washington, who was a prolific letter writer, and from his contemporaries - friends and random admirers and critics. He begins the book with a prologue about Gilbert Stuart's very staid portrait of Washington, about how Americans...more Since I began this book, and it took me a few weeks to read, I have talked about it countless times to anyone who will listen. It was extremely well-written and read like a story, almost historical fiction. Chernow incorporates a huge amount of primary texts, both from Washington, who was a prolific letter writer, and from his contemporaries - friends and random admirers and critics. He begins the book with a prologue about Gilbert Stuart's very staid portrait of Washington, about how Americans have come to know very little about him and to see him as a stone figure, monumental but cold, hard and lifeless. From the moment he died, Washington was eulogized in such a way that he became both larger than life, and somehow less alive. Eventually, this father of his nation came to be thought of as a figurehead for the Revolution and the new government. Chernow sets out to prove this notion wrong and he succeeds magnificently.

I feel extremely proud to be an American, after reading this. Not only because of Chernow's adept portrayal of Washington, but because of his ability to paint a tangible picture of the Revolution and early government, with its variety of important figures -- Washington was so highly involved from the beginning to the end that any biography of him is necessarily to some extent a biography of the American Revolution. Chernow doesn't shy away from Washington's flaws or the criticisms pointed at him during his life, which make him all the more human and all the more impressive in his single minded determination and selflessness, but he is also not set on making Washington out to be a truly flawed character. Rather, it is a balancing act wherein Chernow tries for the truth and unearths a real, three dimensional person. The book didn't make me wish I was Washington's friend - in one sense I thought that his fame and unique position necessarily made his life a lonely one - but it made me have an incredible amount of respect for him and for the future presidents of the US. Because of his personality and his understanding of what the nascent government needed, he defined the executive seat in a lasting way - a way not dictated by the Constitution but instead by the precedents he very consciously set. I love that Washington was an old fashioned hero. In battle, he was on the front line, rallying his men, courting bullets from the opposing line, riding a white horse, always a gentleman (after Germantown, he found a dog belonging to General Howe and returned it to him with an ironically kind note).

After understanding everything that Washington sacrificed, some passages truly moved me to tears - On his way to Philadelphia after being unanimously elected president: "As Washington approached the bridge over Assunpink Creek in Trenton, the spot where he had stood off the British and Hessians, he saw that the townsfolk had erected a magnificent floral arch in his honor with the words “December 26, 1776” sewn from leaves and flowers...." (He was received with adulation everywhere, to his own chagrin).

"Many contemporaries professed to discern heavenly influence in Washington’s childless state—God’s tacit way of protecting America. As Gouverneur Morris stated in his eulogy for Washington, “AMERICANS! he had no child BUT YOU and HE WAS ALL YOUR OWN.”"

I imagine that very few people in our history have loved America as Washington did. (less)

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Aug 17, 2011 Sario Lawrence rated it 5 of 5 stars

You mean, the leaders of our country have never gotten along? You mean, we've been bickering and criticizing each other since day one? You mean, our Founding Fathers were just as flawed and conflicted as our current leaders are? Hu! Who would have ever known?!

This biography of George Washington was fascinating and incredibly thorough. I learned so many details - like his teeth weren't really wooden, they were human possibly bought from the slaves that George Washington reluctantly owned! Beyond...more

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

Ron Chernow, known for his epic and exhaustive biographies has found the perfect epic subject for his talents: George Washington. The result is a spectacular portrait of a great man rendered more human than ever before. Chernow's goal is not new: to recover the man from the myth, but never has it been done with greater success. Here we meet the many George Washingtons: the young, brash, 20-year old up-start, the devoted family man, the canny political leader, the businessman, the indomitable com...more Ron Chernow, known for his epic and exhaustive biographies has found the perfect epic subject for his talents: George Washington. The result is a spectacular portrait of a great man rendered more human than ever before. Chernow's goal is not new: to recover the man from the myth, but never has it been done with greater success. Here we meet the many George Washingtons: the young, brash, 20-year old up-start, the devoted family man, the canny political leader, the businessman, the indomitable commander, the ambivalent slave holder, and ultimately, the reluctant statesman - all woven into one.
It is difficult to accuse Chernow of hagiography, as Washington's human flaws are out in the open: his life-long status as a slave holder, his insatiable ambition, and his, at times, avaricious hunger for land. At times we cringe at Washington's unreasonable treatment of slaves, or his business practices. Yet, the George Washington that is ultimately revealed is of a visionary statesman and a dutiful servant of the American people. Chernow's sections on Washington's service as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and as president of the young republic are a tour-de-force. In both sections we more fully understand the unprecedented nature of Washington's historical achievement: As commander, George Washington took a rag-tag army of colonists, surviving through constant threat of dissolution, weak-minded politicians, and personal betrayal, all the while constrained by a heavily-ingrained fear of standing armies among the population - a combination never experienced by a military commander - to defeat the most powerful empire in the world. As president, Washington faced similar circumstances, entering into office determined to bring order out of chaos, with a fragile, embryonic republic, surrounded by predatory colonial superpowers, in dire need of political and financial institutions, and time to grow and develop into a stable, nation-state. Again, Chernow shows us how Washington magnificently succeeded in this great historical assignment, setting America on a course to becoming a superpower, with a conduct marked by moderation, virtue, and decisiveness. Chernow brilliantly recounts the tragedies and great costs Washington experienced in the process: venomous criticism that disheartened and wounded Washington as never before, the betrayal and the loss of his friendships with Henry Knox, Jefferson, Madison, Randolph, Paine, and others. Chernow reminds us of the greats costs Washington experienced in service to our nation, rendering his contributions all the more poignant and profound.
Chernow makes wonderful use of anecdotal evidence as well: we find George Washington struggling to remain a dutiful son to his mercurial mother, doting over his adopted granddaughters, meting advice to his indolent nephews, and suffering through countless ceremonies and orations on his behalf. Although large, the book reads rather quickly as Chernow has divided the book into brief, fast-flowing chapters with an easy-to-read prose.
Chernow tackles a subject of considerable controversy - Washington's faith - with the latest research culled from Mary V. Thompson and others. In it, Chernow presents not the traditional, deistic Washington that has been portrayed, but a man who likely had a quiet faith that drove his dutiful approach to public service.
The greatest lesson from this latest study on the life of George Washington is that greatness is very human, often very flawed, but able to rise beyond human frailties.
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Jun 16, 2011 Ryan rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've never read anything about the Revolutionary War or this time period in the U.S. The story of Washington's command of the Revolutionary War is certainly a good yarn, spanning the entire first half of the book. Washington really wasn't a great war strategist, but he kept his cool. It's amazing to learn how close we came to losing to the British (in the Battle of New York, for example). Throughout the book, the author speaks to the slavery question, which Washington was never able to satisfact...more

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Mar 14, 2011 Alan Kaplan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Superb book. An interesting biography of our best known, but least understood founding father. George Washington is probably one of the greatest leaders of any country in history. He willingly gave up power on multiple occasions. He resigned as general of the Continental Army at the end of the Revolutionary War, and he left office after two terms of the presidency. Peaceful transitions of power did not occur then and they do not happen today. Even today, leaders all across the globe refuse to do...more

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About Ron Chernow

Ron Chernow was born in 1949 in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating with honors from Yale College and Cambridge University with degrees in English Literature, he began a prolific career as a freelance journalist. Between 1973 and 1982, Chernow published over sixty articles in national publications, including numerous cover stories. In the mid-80s Chernow went to work at the Twentieth Century Fund...more Ron Chernow was born in 1949 in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating with honors from Yale College and Cambridge University with degrees in English Literature, he began a prolific career as a freelance journalist. Between 1973 and 1982, Chernow published over sixty articles in national publications, including numerous cover stories. In the mid-80s Chernow went to work at the Twentieth Century Fund, a prestigious New York think tank, where he served as director of financial policy studies and received what he described as “a crash course in economics and financial history.”

Chernow’s journalistic talents combined with his experience studying financial policy culminated in the writing of his extraordinary first book, The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance (1990). Winner of the 1990 National Book Award for Nonfiction, The House of Morgan traces the amazing history of four generations of the J.P. Morgan empire. The New York Times Book Review wrote, “As a portrait of finance, politics and the world of avarice and ambition on Wall Street, the book has the movement and tension of an epic novel. It is, quite simply, a tour de force.” Chernow continued his exploration of famous financial dynasties with his second book, The Warburgs (1994), the story of a remarkable Jewish family. The book traces Hamburg’s most influential banking family of the 18th century from their successful beginnings to when Hitler’s Third Reich forced them to give up their business, and ultimately to their regained prosperity in America on Wall Street.

Described by Time as “one of the great American biographies,” Chernow’s Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. (1998) brilliantly reveals the complexities of America’s first billionaire. Rockefeller was known as a Robber Baron, whose Standard Oil Company monopolized an entire industry before it was broken up by the famous Supreme Court anti-trust decision in 1911. At the same time, Rockefeller was one of the century’s greatest philanthropists donating enormous sums to universities and medical institutions. Chernow is the Secretary of PEN American Center, the country’s most prominent writers’ organization, and is currently at work on a biography of Alexander Hamilton. He lives in Brooklyn Heights, New York.

In addition to writing biographies, Chernow is a book reviewer, essayist, and radio commentator. His book reviews and op-ed articles appear frequently in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. He comments regularly on business and finance for National Public Radio and for many shows on CNBC, CNN, and the Fox News Channel. In addition, he served as the principal expert on the A&E biography of J.P. Morgan and will be featured as the key Rockefeller expert on an upcoming CNBC documentary.
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Books by Ron Chernow

Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

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

The Death of the Banker: The Decline and Fall of the Great Financial Dynasties and the Triumph of the Small Investor

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