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.