His Excellency is less a comprehensive biography about George Washington (which has been superseded by Chernow's recent work) and more a lengthy character essay.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 buried three days after his death because he may have thought Jesus Himself was buried alive. Regardless of what one's views are of Washington's faith, this is an absolutely bogus assumption with absolutely no evidence to corroborate it. Additionally, Ellis at times condescendingly criticizes Washington for exaggerating the strength of his army or its performance during battle. What Ellis fails to note (and what Chernow explains more objectively) is that Washington's army lived in the constant danger of disintegration. Had the truth of the strength of his army been exposed, he could have lost troops to mutiny or have been left vulnerable to attack by the British (wanting to pounce at such an opportunity). Although Ellis writes in an engaging style, do not be fooled by his prejudices and condescensions.