Rating: 
Summary: An Imperfect God
Review: In An Imperfect God, Author Henry Wiencek succeeds in his portrayal of George Washington as soldier, satatesman, planter, and slaveholder. Along with being a biography of Washington, Wiencek also sheds light on the African presence in America from the 17th century to the present. As one reads, one notices the paradox that is the American Revolution, as well as its leader, Washington. We see Washington's views on slavery, from childhood up until his death.
The topic of relationships between slave and master is also brought up. These include one between Martha Washington's father-in-law and a slave, one between a mulatto woman and Martha's own father (her half sister), the Sally Hemings and Jefferson case, and even one between Washington himself, and a slave named Venus.
Rating: 
Summary: More than just Washington
Review: This book chronicles not only George Washington's personal transformation from unapologetic slave-owner to guilt ridden proto-abolitionist, but also lesser known vignettes about the other founding fathers and black patriots who fought and died to form this country.The book neither apologizes nor damns Washington. It is balanced and fair in its treatment of the first Prez. At the end it slightly chastized Washington for not freeing his slaves while in office, and the example such an act would have set, yet the author covered his bases enough in the preceding chapters (ie the threat of British reconquest over a dividing America) to show how difficult the issue was Realpolitik-wise. Slavery was evil, and most of the Founders knew it, and they feared for their country because of it. Unlike Jefferson, Washington wasn't racist, and by the end of the War, Washington was heavily recruiting free blacks. There is no indication that he treated them any less than whites, he visited all the soldiers preceding the daring assault at Yorktown. He personally invited the black poet Phyllis Wheatley to Mount Vernon because he admired her work. These stories are some of the most satisfying elements in the book, after all black patriotism during the Revolutionary War period is disgustinly neglected by most history books and contemporary interpretations of Revolutionary politics. These black soldiers that formed most of the Rhode Island brigade (that saved Washington's life at Bunker Hill), that formed Glover's naval forces, they didn't fight for anachronistic Marxism, or Socialism, or class war, or an Exodus back to Africa, or "Black Power", they fought for the same beautiful principles of individual liberty that Jefferson and the remaining Founding Fathers so hypocritically professed. Washington, at least, the old General, knew this at the end of his life, and tried to rectify it. By dealing honestly w/ the real issue of slavery and Washington's relationship with it, this book does more to valorize Washington than any whitewashing of the period would have.
Rating:
Summary: Washington's humanity, morality, and slave history.
Review: This is a first-rate piece of history. Washington's life was so big that it is hard to grasp the man for all his deeds. Although it may not have been Wiencek's main purpose to reveal Washington the man through his experiences as a slaveholder, the book does exactly that. The story is well-written, and contains information on black troops in the Continental Army (20% of the force), as well as interesting material on how mixed-race children played a part in blurring the slave-owner distinctions in 18th century Virginia. You will enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: Thoroughly researched, full of surprises
Review: This thoroughly researched book contains a number of startling facts. That mixed-race children in Southern households was commonplace, but never spoken about. That African-descended soldiers in the American revolution made a huge contribution, and arguably tipped the scales in the colonials' favor. Did you know that the top-notch regiment in the Continental army, the one hand-picked by Washington to perform a critical mission during the pivotal battle of Yorktown, was the 1st Rhode Island regiment? Did you know that this regiment was 75 percent black? I didn't, and that is only one of the thought-provoking revelations in this book.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Read!
Review: Washington's times and person come alive for me in this book. I could hardly set the book down. The author's research and insights are masterful. This is more than a biography of Washington, it is a revelation of what it was like to live in Virginia of the 18th century. I went to college in Williamsburg and shall never again visit the town without seeing children auctioned off as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson ride by. Washington is even more admirable now, as one can appreciate his pilgirmage from slaveowner to emancipator.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Read!
Review: Washington's times and person come alive for me in this book. I could hardly set the book down. The author's research and insights are masterful. This is more than a biography of Washington, it is a revelation of what it was like to live in Virginia of the 18th century. I went to college in Williamsburg and shall never again visit the town without seeing children auctioned off as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson ride by. Washington is even more admirable now, as one can appreciate his pilgirmage from slaveowner to emancipator.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting and informative
Review: What changed George Washington from a man willingly breaking up families by participating in the auction of slave children to a man who planned to emancipate his slaves while he was still president? Why would a man using slave labor decide later in life that if the Union split apart into North and South, he would "remove and be of the Northern."?
The book does not sugar coat Washington's involvement in slave holding, but tries to solve the question of what transformed Washington from a slave owner to a man claiming holding slaves was his "only unavoidable subject of regret." We find out why George Washington did not set his slaves free earlier in his life even through he set plans in motion several times to do so.
This is a very informative book, not only concerning Washington, but also the slavery question in general during the colonial period. Enjoyable to read for anyone interested in slavery or Washington.
There are several interesting discussions concerning the author's interviews with descendant's of slaves, along with a short study of how the subject of slavery has been portrayed in Colonial Williamsburg over the years.
The only fault I find with the book is the lengthy discussion of whether or not George Washington fathered a child with a slave woman. The conclusion is that he probably did not, but this part of the book becomes rather slow reading.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting and informative
Review: What changed George Washington from a man willingly breaking up families by participating in the auction of slave children to a man who planned to emancipate his slaves while he was still president? Why would a man using slave labor decide later in life that if the Union split apart into North and South, he would "remove and be of the Northern."?
The book does not sugar coat Washington's involvement in slave holding, but tries to solve the question of what transformed Washington from a slave owner to a man claiming holding slaves was his "only unavoidable subject of regret." We find out why George Washington did not set his slaves free earlier in his life even through he set plans in motion several times to do so.
This is a very informative book, not only concerning Washington, but also the slavery question in general during the colonial period. Enjoyable to read for anyone interested in slavery or Washington.
There are several interesting discussions concerning the author's interviews with descendant's of slaves, along with a short study of how the subject of slavery has been portrayed in Colonial Williamsburg over the years.
The only fault I find with the book is the lengthy discussion of whether or not George Washington fathered a child with a slave woman. The conclusion is that he probably did not, but this part of the book becomes rather slow reading.
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