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George Washington: A Life in Books
When it comes to the Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Hamilton are generally considered the great minds of early America. George Washington, instead, is toasted with accolades regarding his solid common sense and strength in battle. Indeed, John Adams once snobbishly dismissed him as "too illiterate, unlearned, unread for his station and reputation." Yet Adams, as well as the majority of the men who knew Washington in his life, were unaware of his singular devotion to self-improvement. Based on a comprehensive amount of research at the Library of Congress, the collections at Mount Vernon, and rare book archives scattered across the country, Kevin J. Hayes corrects this misconception and reconstructs in vivid detail the active intellectual life that has gone largely unnoticed in conventional narratives of Washington. Despite being a lifelong reader, Washington felt an acute sense of embarrassment about his relative lack of formal education and cultural sophistication, and in this sparkling literary biography, Hayes illustrates just how tirelessly Washington worked to improve. Beginning with the primers, forgotten periodicals, conduct books, and classic eighteenth-century novels such as Tom Jones that shaped Washington's early life, Hayes studies Washington's letters and journals, charting the many ways the books of his upbringing affected decisions before and during the Revolutionary War. The final section of the book covers the voluminous reading that occurred during Washington's presidency and his retirement at Mount Vernon. Throughout, Hayes examines Washington's writing as well as his reading, from The Journal of Major George Washington through his Farewell Address. The sheer breadth of titles under review here allow readers to glimpse Washington's views on foreign policy, economics, the law, art, slavery, marriage, and religion-and how those views shaped the young nation.. Ultimately, this sharply written biography offers a fresh perspective on America's Father, uncovering the ideas that shaped his intellectual journey and, subsequently, the development of America.
408 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2017
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596 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 12, 2024
“George Washington understood the power of books.” 📚☕
Not your typical Colonial American nonfiction book, I was grabbed by the unique intro story the author told in the preface.
He says that while on a trip to Australia , a couple noticed his accent. Knowing he must be an American, they confessed that the only American person they could call by name was George Washington. They asked him to tell them a little about the “Father” of America.
Hayes says he played it off by reciting the few facts he could remember about Revolutionary America from eighth grade with the crossing of the Delaware and the winter at Valley Forge.
And then his mind was blank.
He knew this was not acceptable, so this book is his 2nd attempt to give an explanation that George Washington deserves.. But unlike the scores of books that showcase Washington’s life only as a soldier and statesman, he wanted to share George’s intellectual life in the books that he read, owned, and wrote.
Contrary to what most scholars believe (and the hints that many writers give that George wasn’t very intellectual), Washington did amass a nice library of his own. Although it wasn’t an overtly extensive one like Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin’s, George started at an early age to acquire them.
George also wrote notes, scribbles within the margin of books in his library, and penned his own diaries, correspondence, and published writings.
Each chapter goes through the stages of George Washington’s life, and shows how writing and books were a tremendous part of it, and how many of them shaped him into the man he became.
***The chapters I enjoyed the most were the initial ones in which little boy George chose (at 9-years-old), his religious readings, military books, and the writing of his own pen.
If you are a word and book nerd, PLUS a history buff, you might enjoy this author (who, by the way, has a good writing style). 💙😁
I highly recommend this book in whatever format you can manage, but the audiobook is good.
My rating is based on accuracy of the text and enjoyment for me…
MY RATING 🌟🌟🌟
There will be an in-depth review of this book (and other reviews & recs) in an upcoming reading wrap up video on my ‘Clean Reads’ YouTube channel. 💙
Not your typical Colonial American nonfiction book, I was grabbed by the unique intro story the author told in the preface.
He says that while on a trip to Australia , a couple noticed his accent. Knowing he must be an American, they confessed that the only American person they could call by name was George Washington. They asked him to tell them a little about the “Father” of America.
Hayes says he played it off by reciting the few facts he could remember about Revolutionary America from eighth grade with the crossing of the Delaware and the winter at Valley Forge.
And then his mind was blank.
He knew this was not acceptable, so this book is his 2nd attempt to give an explanation that George Washington deserves.. But unlike the scores of books that showcase Washington’s life only as a soldier and statesman, he wanted to share George’s intellectual life in the books that he read, owned, and wrote.
Contrary to what most scholars believe (and the hints that many writers give that George wasn’t very intellectual), Washington did amass a nice library of his own. Although it wasn’t an overtly extensive one like Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin’s, George started at an early age to acquire them.
George also wrote notes, scribbles within the margin of books in his library, and penned his own diaries, correspondence, and published writings.
Each chapter goes through the stages of George Washington’s life, and shows how writing and books were a tremendous part of it, and how many of them shaped him into the man he became.
***The chapters I enjoyed the most were the initial ones in which little boy George chose (at 9-years-old), his religious readings, military books, and the writing of his own pen.
If you are a word and book nerd, PLUS a history buff, you might enjoy this author (who, by the way, has a good writing style). 💙😁
I highly recommend this book in whatever format you can manage, but the audiobook is good.
My rating is based on accuracy of the text and enjoyment for me…
MY RATING 🌟🌟🌟
There will be an in-depth review of this book (and other reviews & recs) in an upcoming reading wrap up video on my ‘Clean Reads’ YouTube channel. 💙
June 2, 2018
In George Washington: A Life in Books, Kevin Hayes elucidates the often forgotten scholastic life of our first president, tracing Washington's pursuits of reading and learning from his youth to post-presidency retirement. Both an intellectual history of George Washington and brief study of eighteenth-century book and reading culture, Hayes's work highlights Washington's reading interests, his motivations for expanding his library, the style and content of the works Washington penned, and the literary networks of scholars, book sellers, and public figures in which Washington participated. Ultimately, Washington is presented as an ardent consumer of the printed word throughout his life, reading and collecting books to demonstrate and bolster his social status, for personal and professional growth, and to participate in the construction of the history of the American Revolution and founding of the United States. His reading style was decidedly practical, aimed at improving himself and his country. In concluding his work, Hayes characterizes Washington's intellectual life as one of forward looking progress, stating that the works he enjoyed "project[ed] a vision for the future." (315)
In writing this work, it seems that Hayes hoped George Washington: A Life in Books would serve as a corrective work, challenging understandings of Washington as unlearned. He ends the preface by saying that "the image of George Washington as a man of letters is much different from the accepted image of George Washington as a man of action," (xiii) but the Washington readers encounter in Hayes' work does not differ greatly from the Washington in the biographies by Joseph Ellis or Ron Chernow. Hayes' work, instead, better serves as a necessary accompaniment to the larger collection of works on Washington, bringing needed focus to an aspect of Washington's life that further nuances our understanding of the man while remaining in overall harmony with past understandings. In this book, Washington stands at the nexus of intellectual endeavor and action. Rarely does Washington seem to support scholasticism because of the innate value of intellectual desires but because it could be used for moral, religious, professional, or social improvement. As Hayes acknowledges, "Washington's library reflects his practical bent." (314) This is a noteworthy point to make, nonetheless. Because it serves to further nuance the already established literature on Washington, it understandably does not spend much time really diving into the context of the time. There are a few times in the book, particularly when Hayes discusses Washington's military career in the 1750s and his interactions with Indigenous Americans, that the study could have more thoroughly discussed how Washington's intellectual life interacted with processes of colonialism and imperial expansion. While it seemed like sometimes the book breezed through periods too quickly, it is important to remember the purpose of the author and the point they are trying to make. Kevin Hayes succeeds at bringing to light the intellectual and learned aspect of Washington's character.
In writing this work, it seems that Hayes hoped George Washington: A Life in Books would serve as a corrective work, challenging understandings of Washington as unlearned. He ends the preface by saying that "the image of George Washington as a man of letters is much different from the accepted image of George Washington as a man of action," (xiii) but the Washington readers encounter in Hayes' work does not differ greatly from the Washington in the biographies by Joseph Ellis or Ron Chernow. Hayes' work, instead, better serves as a necessary accompaniment to the larger collection of works on Washington, bringing needed focus to an aspect of Washington's life that further nuances our understanding of the man while remaining in overall harmony with past understandings. In this book, Washington stands at the nexus of intellectual endeavor and action. Rarely does Washington seem to support scholasticism because of the innate value of intellectual desires but because it could be used for moral, religious, professional, or social improvement. As Hayes acknowledges, "Washington's library reflects his practical bent." (314) This is a noteworthy point to make, nonetheless. Because it serves to further nuance the already established literature on Washington, it understandably does not spend much time really diving into the context of the time. There are a few times in the book, particularly when Hayes discusses Washington's military career in the 1750s and his interactions with Indigenous Americans, that the study could have more thoroughly discussed how Washington's intellectual life interacted with processes of colonialism and imperial expansion. While it seemed like sometimes the book breezed through periods too quickly, it is important to remember the purpose of the author and the point they are trying to make. Kevin Hayes succeeds at bringing to light the intellectual and learned aspect of Washington's character.
October 16, 2020
Beautiful breakdown of Washington's body of books
I read this book to help update my own book on George Washington's Liberty Key. I found Hayes went way beyond what I had learned about George Washington's library in Harrison's "A Powerful Mind: The Self-Education of George Washington." Included were many interesting things of which I was not previously aware: eg, Washington set 19 April 1783, the eighth anniversary of Lexington and Concord, as the official end of hostilities with the British. I found it curious, though, that Hayes mentions Washington's "running" for president. Some historians insist Washington didn't "run for president," he "stood for president." I noted also that Hayes had Washington passing "toward eleven" (pm, 14 December 1799). Most authorities I've read have Washington passing "between ten and eleven pm," with Tobias Lear's letter implying Washington died close to 10:20 pm. Interestingly, this is the time registered on the "Death Clock" (provenance missing) at George Washington Masonic National Memorial. Bottom line, though, great book!
I read this book to help update my own book on George Washington's Liberty Key. I found Hayes went way beyond what I had learned about George Washington's library in Harrison's "A Powerful Mind: The Self-Education of George Washington." Included were many interesting things of which I was not previously aware: eg, Washington set 19 April 1783, the eighth anniversary of Lexington and Concord, as the official end of hostilities with the British. I found it curious, though, that Hayes mentions Washington's "running" for president. Some historians insist Washington didn't "run for president," he "stood for president." I noted also that Hayes had Washington passing "toward eleven" (pm, 14 December 1799). Most authorities I've read have Washington passing "between ten and eleven pm," with Tobias Lear's letter implying Washington died close to 10:20 pm. Interestingly, this is the time registered on the "Death Clock" (provenance missing) at George Washington Masonic National Memorial. Bottom line, though, great book!
August 2, 2017
So here you are, reading a book review about a book about the history of George Washington’s books. It’s hard to get more meta than that. In all seriousness, though, this was an interesting angle for a history/biography about the first president of the United States.
Working roughly in chronological order, Hayes takes us through the library at Mount Vernon. We start with Washington’s earliest books (collections of devotions by famous preachers), and move from there to travel guides, reference books, abolitionist tracts (though he regrettably never used his considerable political influence to address the injustice of slavery, in his personal dealings Washington was an abolitionist), popular fiction, and military books.
Hayes introduces us to a man born in the American colonies, and denied a “proper” English education. In order to compensate for an education he perceived as lacking, Washington would embark on a lifetime quest of self-improvement. He actively sought out books to deepen his understanding of the physical, spiritual, and literary worlds. His passion for books and for reading would remain undiminished throughout his life.
George Washington has deservedly been the subject of countless biographies. Approaching his life from the direction of his library is both refreshing and educational. While some of the conclusions the author draws based on the content of the Mount Vernon library shelves seems a bit reaching, on the whole this is a fascinating look at one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Working roughly in chronological order, Hayes takes us through the library at Mount Vernon. We start with Washington’s earliest books (collections of devotions by famous preachers), and move from there to travel guides, reference books, abolitionist tracts (though he regrettably never used his considerable political influence to address the injustice of slavery, in his personal dealings Washington was an abolitionist), popular fiction, and military books.
Hayes introduces us to a man born in the American colonies, and denied a “proper” English education. In order to compensate for an education he perceived as lacking, Washington would embark on a lifetime quest of self-improvement. He actively sought out books to deepen his understanding of the physical, spiritual, and literary worlds. His passion for books and for reading would remain undiminished throughout his life.
George Washington has deservedly been the subject of countless biographies. Approaching his life from the direction of his library is both refreshing and educational. While some of the conclusions the author draws based on the content of the Mount Vernon library shelves seems a bit reaching, on the whole this is a fascinating look at one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 23, 2018
This is one of the best biographies of Washington I have read. It is primarily an intellectual biography, though he hits the high points of Washington's private and public life as well. The main thing this book provides is a much deeper understanding of the intellectual context of Washington's life, as well as a better understanding of Washington as both reader and writer. It is often assumed other people wrote most of Washington's prose, but in reality he was responsible for most of it.
Aside from excellent writing and research, I must say that the sheer pleasure the author took in the project comes through in his style, making the book that much more pleasant to read.
Aside from excellent writing and research, I must say that the sheer pleasure the author took in the project comes through in his style, making the book that much more pleasant to read.
December 8, 2025
Through a meticulous examination of Washington’s personal library, Hayes constructs a nuanced narrative that enhances our understanding of Washington, both as a military leader and as a statesman. This work offers an in-depth analysis of how his literary pursuits informed his worldview and decision-making processes. Hayes effectively situates Washington’s diverse reading habits within the broader historical context of the 18th century, underscoring the expansive nature of his curiosity. The breadth of Washington’s library, ranging from works on agriculture and commerce to philosophy and law, offers profound insights into his intellectual and personal development. In addition to cataloging the volumes Washington engaged with, Hayes critically examines how the ideas within these texts may have shaped his leadership style and influenced his pivotal actions throughout his career.
March 13, 2025
Love the idea of understanding someone through the books in their library. Washington is not usually thought of as being an intellectual but he was a very throughtful person and someone who took reading seriously (but also read novels for pleasure).
His reading of travel books to understand other places also influenced his writing and diary entries. Some of which were published (his experiences in the French and Indian War were published and helped establish him as a noteworthy person).
I think somone unfamiliar with Washington would benefit from reading this book and walk away with a better understanding of what he was like as a person. Not a snappy easy read-felt a little slower paced but reasonable for the subject matter.
His reading of travel books to understand other places also influenced his writing and diary entries. Some of which were published (his experiences in the French and Indian War were published and helped establish him as a noteworthy person).
I think somone unfamiliar with Washington would benefit from reading this book and walk away with a better understanding of what he was like as a person. Not a snappy easy read-felt a little slower paced but reasonable for the subject matter.
October 17, 2019
I received this book free via Goodreads giveaways.
As a bibliophile I greatly enjoyed this book. It was a very different perspective of George Washington and how books shaped his thought and influenced his life. A must read for any history buff or lover of books.
As a bibliophile I greatly enjoyed this book. It was a very different perspective of George Washington and how books shaped his thought and influenced his life. A must read for any history buff or lover of books.
Want to read
February 20, 2017I would glean through this book for an update on Washington. Having read Washington: A Life, I already picked up on the fact that George Washington loved books; he was a reader.
Time to reread parts of this one.
Time to reread parts of this one.
August 24, 2021
An unfortunately dry read, not a bad book just very factual. A fascinating recalling of history by someone very invested. Its essentially a snapshot of the president shown through his literacy and book collection.
Some interesting notes as I took in the book:
-George wasn’t super into religion despite it being very prevalent
-George had incredibly poor luck with dental issues
-Knowledge is power
-Books reflect your personality
-“The Virginians demonstrated that intellectual and scientific pursuits transcended political divisions.”
-“Political conflict need not stand in the way of scientific progress.”
Some interesting notes as I took in the book:
-George wasn’t super into religion despite it being very prevalent
-George had incredibly poor luck with dental issues
-Knowledge is power
-Books reflect your personality
-“The Virginians demonstrated that intellectual and scientific pursuits transcended political divisions.”
-“Political conflict need not stand in the way of scientific progress.”
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews