Washington: The Indispensable Man

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Biography
Review: This is an excellent biography of George Washington. Reading it made me appreciate why he is considered the Father of the Country--first in war, first in peace. He was truly "the indispensable man," because he almost single-handedly led the army to victory in the Revolutionary War, held the factions together to draft the Constitution, and as our first President firmly established the country as a democracy.

Washington's successes were due largely to his own personal qualities--his ambition, his drive, his integrity, his courage--but there also seemed to be a large element of luck involved. Again and again, Washington seemingly miraculously escaped injury or some outside force (in one case, a storm) saved him. It makes one wonder if somehow Washington's life was fated to be.

As genuine a hero as Washington was, he had his flaws, and it was not always clear whether his motivation was self-aggrandizement or the general good. Many of his actions can be interpreted either way. This mystery at the core of Washington's identity of course makes him a flesh-and-blood human being, not the marble statute most of us think of him as being.

Washington was not an idealogue like Hamilton or Jefferson. As an imminently practical person, his interest was in establishing and maintaining the country as an independent and united nation. Thus he constantly sought solutions that would further this end. Washington respected both Hamilton and Jefferson and continually tried to get them to work together, as he thought both had contributions to make. Without Washington, the country might have been torn apart by the issues Hamilton and Jefferson thought so important.

The book focuses not just on Washington's public life, but also on his personal life. Sadly, in his old age, Washington was lonely and his mind began deteriorating. It was not an heroic end for what had been an heroic life.

This is a fascinating, well written, insightful, even-handed book. It is the one to read to get a general overview of Washington's life.

Rating:
Summary: Flexner is gone; his monument to Washington remains.
Review: This year sadly saw the demise of this remarkable independent historian and biographer in his nineties after a long and accomplished life. His moving, sensitive and humane account of the life of George Washington remains as a monument to both subject and author. He makes Washington not only human, but lovable. Do yourself a favor and read the full four volume treatment: it is a classic. Ave atque vale, Mr. Flexner.

Rating:
Summary: Hail to the Chief
Review: Though a much-condensed version of Flexner's five-volume biography of Washington, this book managfes to do an excellent job of tracing the life of our first president. As with all good biographies, it describes the significant events in his life and relates several anecdotes that help make him seem more alive to the contemporary reader, but what it does particularly well is describe America and Washington's influence upon the national character. This is a difficult task because during Washington's lifetime America transformed itself from a collection of individual colonies into a confederation that revolted against its mother country and finally into a unified nation. America was in a constant state of upheaval and Washington oversaw and directed its entire evolution. Flexner's ability to not only guide the reader through Washington's life, but also to show the impact of his actions, is what sets this book apart from most biographies of Washington I have read and is why I would highly recommend it to all who have an interest in colonial history or politics or simply want to learn more about this "Indispensable Man."

Rating:
Summary: What's So Great About George
Review: To most Americans he's just an old, dead, white guy, whose weird-looking picture is on the dollar bill. Oh yeah, he was the first president and fought in the revolution. So what? Well, this informative but occasionally awkardly written book reminds us of the huge debt that we all owe George Washington.

He was born in 1732 in Virginia to a rather unremarkable family. His mother, Mary, seems to be the one who instilled his character, but was so possessive that, even when he was general of the army and president of the United States, she complained to him that he didn't spend enough time with her.

His first public service was to lead an unsuccessful exploratory/military mission against the French in the western Pennsylvania area; later, he accompanied the English general Braddock to the disastrous battle against the French at Fort Duquesne. Despite the rather dubious nature of his achievements, he was nevertheless welcomed back to Virginia as a hero.

It was at this time that he married Martha, a match which brought him more land, and enabled him to create the great plantation which became Mt. Vernon. This is where he spent his time before the outbreak of the revolution. He was made general of the army by the Second Continental Congress arguably because he simply showed up: his mission was only to show that the cause would be supported by the Virginia coalition. In fact his election was a political decision: it was recognized that he was the one man in the country most likely to unite the disparate states, north and south, into one cohesive force.

Washington, typically, did not feel himself up to the task, but also typically, he accepted it. He refused to accept pay for his service.

In fact, he was not up to the task. Who would be? His compatriots expected him to lead an army--an unsupplied, unpaid, untrained army--against the greatest military power in the world. He did not receive unanimous support. Gates, the American victor at Saratoga, worked against him. Arnold was not under his control. In early efforts, even his subordinates did not trust him, ignoring his orders. It must also be remembered that the colonies as a whole were by no means united in their cause against the British. The Tories in number were probably equal to the Patriots, with the remainder of the unwashed masses willing to go with the victor.

But Washington, through his courage and daring, won two early victories in New Jersey, giving confidence to a discouraged army and an indifferent populace. The war seemed to be at a stalemate, which is where it remained until yet another daring and decisive victory at Yorktown in 1781, which effectively ended hostilities. Washington would later recall that the war was won because of the colonist's, "secret resource," the, "unconquerable resolution of our citizens."

It wasn't to be until 1787 that an effort was made to unite the disparate and selfish colonies into a union. Imagine that, for six years, there was no government in this country. What was there was weak and without authority. And in the meantime, the army, which had not been paid for the entirety of the war, was threatening to destroy the nation before it even started. George Washington was again called in. It is difficult to believe that any other human being could have diffused this situation. He appealed to their highest nature, and stated to them that they should not, "afford for posterity to say, when speaking of the glorious example [they] have exhibited to mankind, 'had this day been wanting, the world had never seen the last stage of perfection to which human nature is capable of attaining.'" The last stage of perfection he was referring to was human freedom, a concept which in the entire history of humanity had not yet been realized. It was his concept, his desire, to establish in a nation which did not exist when he was born a government that would be of the people, by the people, and for the people.

When the government was formed, after excruciating pain, he was called upon, again, to lead it. Here is what he had to deal with when first becoming president: his two most trusted aides, Hamilton and Jefferson, hated each other; his vice-president, Adams, distrusted him, fearing his power; two states, Rhode Island and North Carolina, selfishly refused to attend the Constitutional Convention; New York was making separate deals with the Indians; the English were pirating American ships and impressing their sailors; and when the English and French went to war, huge contingents of Americans sided with the French, some of whom attempted to become privateers for them. This would be a problem since it was tantamount to declaring war. Of course, there continued the Indian problem in the west, now agitated by the British. Fun stuff, huh?

But Washington persevered, even agreeing to sit for a second term, despite the enormous toll this took on his family, his wealth, and his health. Indeed, the best years of his life were sacrificed to the idea that there should be a country on the earth which was free.

In the end, this is what endures about Washington. It would have been very easy for him to simply spend his time at Mt. Vernon, where he would have enjoyed prosperity whether under British or American control. He could have easily spent the winter at Valley Forge in a townhouse somewhere. He did not wish to be President at all. Yet he did these things, and he did these things with the heavy knowledge that every single thing he did would be recorded for posterity. "I walk on untrodden ground," he said. "There is scarcely any part of my conduct which may not hereafter be drawn into precedent." He gravely held himself to the highest standard.

This is why he is known as the father of our country. The first twenty-eight years of it was presided over by either Washington himself, or by men who were intimately acquainted with and in awe of his character. This country--the first free and most prosperous nation in history, and which stands today as a beacon of freedom to every single human being on the earth--came into existence primarily due to the almost unbelievable strength of the character of George Washington.

Yes. Character.

Rating:
Summary: An easy introduction to a great subject
Review: Who was this man, George Washington? And how is it that he almost single handedly set the new America on the path to be the beacon of hope to the world (even if imperfectly)?

It seems quite certain that it was Washington who gave America its opportunity to be better than the rest. And he did so despite great temptation and enourmous provocations. Who was he?

In the history of the world, what victorious general has not forcibly taken political power and then looted the country? Napoleon, of course, was the contemporary example but the other examples are legion. And, following America's example, so many countries had revolutions for their freedom but virtually none remained true to their or any worthwhile ideals.

How did America do it? It seems that the answer is Washington. Uneducated, not particularly gifted, he intententionally devoted himself to the country's ideals and lived them, and set an example for the ages.

Certainly, he was surrounded by brilliant, exceptional people in an extraordinary time. But who can believe that either Jefferson or Hamilton, given the opportunity, would have put America on Washington's track? It seems quite fair to say that neither of them could have been expected to overcome their partisanship to give us all the gift bequeathed to us by Washington.

This book is an introduction; a distillation of a four-part scholarly work that none of us are likly to read. The chapters are short, making it easy to read on the run, and a number of details that even I know are omitted.

But Washington bears understanding and this book makes it possible to begin the process.