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Sterling Biographies
George Washington: An American Life
“First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen”—and first in the minds of schoolchildren, who learn about George Washington as soon as they begin studying American history. From Washington’s Virginia childhood, through his days as a soldier and general, to his inauguration as the first President of the brand-new United States, and into retirement, this biography captures the full breadth and achievements of his life. It covers both the personal and the private, reveals his views on everything from governmental power to the abolition of slavery, and separates fascinating truth from well-worn legend—including that infamous, but false, tale about chopping down the cherry tree.
128 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 8, 2021
4 start! 😊
•At dawn, Washington led the surprise attack. He did not know it at the time, but these were the first shots in a war that would last seven years.
•We are either a united people, or we are not.
•This book was great and very interesting and yes it wasn't the most funniest book in the world, but a book is a book! Let's just say I have a lot more respect for George Washington and all he did for this country and ALL he sacrificed.
•This book keep my attention whole time (Unlike history books 😆) it was very well laid out and written.
Thank you for thanking your time to read my review its very much appreciated.😊
•At dawn, Washington led the surprise attack. He did not know it at the time, but these were the first shots in a war that would last seven years.
•We are either a united people, or we are not.
•This book was great and very interesting and yes it wasn't the most funniest book in the world, but a book is a book! Let's just say I have a lot more respect for George Washington and all he did for this country and ALL he sacrificed.
•This book keep my attention whole time (Unlike history books 😆) it was very well laid out and written.
Thank you for thanking your time to read my review its very much appreciated.😊
February 11, 2019
In the book titled, George Washington An American Life, it talks about George Washington's childhood and his history on the contribution to the many battles with the French and British. This book was very interesting and I was fascinated by the many cool facts about George Washington that I had never known about. Not only does this book talk about Washington and his role in making history, but it also talks about his home life. Washington lived at a place called Mount Vernon for a big part of his adulthood. During this time he was married to a lady named Martha Dandridge Custis. She married Washington with two kids from her previous marriage. This book also carries many interesting fun facts about Washington. In chapter thirteen, it talks about how Washington had a set of fake teeth and did not like giving speeches to the public because of his teeth. He had a set of fake teeth that had springs and made it hard to talk as well. I would highly recommend using this book in a school project and simply just reading for fun!
September 7, 2017
Not really that in-depth. I believe this is a YA book.
December 29, 2018
Fast and fascinating.
July 2, 2020
A great overview of the birth of our country. Not sugar coated. Simple.
December 10, 2008
The kids and I have been reviewing the Presidents of the United States. My seven year old read "George Washington: An American Life" a few months ago, and I just found it again (good thing, as it is a library book!). It was a quick read, but very well written and highly enjoyable.
The biography covers George Washington's life in full, starting with a brief family history (did you know Washington was a fourth generation American?) and extending to his death. It talks about his roles as surveyor, general, president, and husband. It briefly explores possible reasons as to why he continued to own slaves despite his fight for the freedom of other Americans. What I really liked about that portion was that it was not an all-or-nothing thing; the author tried to show how Washington grew up when slavery was commonplace, but that by the end of his life had changed his perspective. The point was made that, during the formation of the United States, a final decision on slavery could well have put an end to the early nation, which seems to be why the decision was left to each individual state.
I also enjoyed the various blurbs situated throughout the book. They were not directly connected to the text which they appeared next to, but they did have a connection. Some are only a line or two long; others are a full page. All provide interesting insights into Washington's life.
The illustrations, paintings, and images were also well done and enjoyable. They broke up the text nicely, and provided an interesting visual treat for the eyes.
This book is obviously meant for children, so the details of Revolutionary War battles are necessarily brief. However, it might have been nice at some point closer to the beginning to provide a map of the early country to further illuminate some of the troop movement. It was very difficult for me to hold in my head the locations of the various British, American, and French troops through the French and Indian War and through the fight for freedom. I pulled out an atlas to help me figure some parts of the battles out, but it would have been nice to have a supplement.
I also found the description of the two parties a bit vague, as well as the process of electing Washington. Both raised several questions in my mind that will need a bit more study to determine. The one that really made me scratch my head is - did Washington have anyone running against him? He received the electoral votes of all thirteen colonies, but it was never made clear if he had any competition. I realize, too, that this is a children's book, but I would like to have seen the opinions of the two parties spelled out a bit more clearly - perhaps in another interesting sidebar. It seemed to me that, given what the author defined as each party's role, her definitions do not quite match up. Whether that is due to my not receiving enough information or a simple political mix-up is uncertain. Still, it has prompted me to look further.
Overall, I really enjoyed the clear and vivid writing found in "George Washington: An American Life." The novel looks to be one of several biographies, and I intend to read other books in the series and other books by this author, as this one was both educational and intriguing. I think it provides excellent details for adults as well as children, albeit on a very basic level.
The biography covers George Washington's life in full, starting with a brief family history (did you know Washington was a fourth generation American?) and extending to his death. It talks about his roles as surveyor, general, president, and husband. It briefly explores possible reasons as to why he continued to own slaves despite his fight for the freedom of other Americans. What I really liked about that portion was that it was not an all-or-nothing thing; the author tried to show how Washington grew up when slavery was commonplace, but that by the end of his life had changed his perspective. The point was made that, during the formation of the United States, a final decision on slavery could well have put an end to the early nation, which seems to be why the decision was left to each individual state.
I also enjoyed the various blurbs situated throughout the book. They were not directly connected to the text which they appeared next to, but they did have a connection. Some are only a line or two long; others are a full page. All provide interesting insights into Washington's life.
The illustrations, paintings, and images were also well done and enjoyable. They broke up the text nicely, and provided an interesting visual treat for the eyes.
This book is obviously meant for children, so the details of Revolutionary War battles are necessarily brief. However, it might have been nice at some point closer to the beginning to provide a map of the early country to further illuminate some of the troop movement. It was very difficult for me to hold in my head the locations of the various British, American, and French troops through the French and Indian War and through the fight for freedom. I pulled out an atlas to help me figure some parts of the battles out, but it would have been nice to have a supplement.
I also found the description of the two parties a bit vague, as well as the process of electing Washington. Both raised several questions in my mind that will need a bit more study to determine. The one that really made me scratch my head is - did Washington have anyone running against him? He received the electoral votes of all thirteen colonies, but it was never made clear if he had any competition. I realize, too, that this is a children's book, but I would like to have seen the opinions of the two parties spelled out a bit more clearly - perhaps in another interesting sidebar. It seemed to me that, given what the author defined as each party's role, her definitions do not quite match up. Whether that is due to my not receiving enough information or a simple political mix-up is uncertain. Still, it has prompted me to look further.
Overall, I really enjoyed the clear and vivid writing found in "George Washington: An American Life." The novel looks to be one of several biographies, and I intend to read other books in the series and other books by this author, as this one was both educational and intriguing. I think it provides excellent details for adults as well as children, albeit on a very basic level.
October 6, 2010
I'm on a History Kick as of late. I don't know about the rest of you but school seems like yesterday and yet so
many years ago things I learned are beginning to dim! I found this in the children's section of the library with
my kids and was intrigued! It was just what I've been looking for. So many interesting facts I have forgotten I highly recommend this easy fun read! I told my husband Washington is now on my list of people I'd love to meet! I think we'd be instant friends! I think he's just brilliant! I also googled how American got her name and it's rather interesting so if any of you are curious look it up!
many years ago things I learned are beginning to dim! I found this in the children's section of the library with
my kids and was intrigued! It was just what I've been looking for. So many interesting facts I have forgotten I highly recommend this easy fun read! I told my husband Washington is now on my list of people I'd love to meet! I think we'd be instant friends! I think he's just brilliant! I also googled how American got her name and it's rather interesting so if any of you are curious look it up!
March 8, 2013
This is a nice, concise biography for anyone wanting a simple introduction to Washington's life. The book introduced many points of interest that I plan to read into further. For instance, his relationship with his mother. If you are looking for a very detailed account of his life I would not recommend this book to you.
November 10, 2008
It's amazing to me how much more information I retain and find fascinating about history when I read this stuff as an adult. History is really cool!
January 25, 2010
It is kind of interesting. I hate biographies.
August 31, 2013
I was more interested in his life and presidency than the wars...But in fairness, wars are part of history..
October 18, 2013
I think that it was difficult for me to finish reading. However this book tells us what he did in his history.
October 21, 2014
Funny how I soak up history as an adult. A simple yet detailed history of the Father of our Country.
September 20, 2015
Surprisingly entertaining and comprehensive, though it did leave a few holes open. I also appreciated their approach to discussing Washington's slaves.
March 9, 2016
A nice, short biography on one of our country's greatest presidents.
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December 6, 2016This is my biography book.
I loved reading this book. I thought it was well paced and had good pictures, facts, and stories.
I loved reading this book. I thought it was well paced and had good pictures, facts, and stories.
January 23, 2012
Great short biographies. Second one to read and I enjoyed them both.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews