These books about the first President of the United States include recent biographies, examinations of specific aspects of his life, and more.
The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon [2]
By John Ferling
Bestselling historian Ferling draws on his knowledge of the Founding Fathers to provide a fresh and provocative new portrait of George Washington. Ferling argues that not only was Washington one of America's most adroit politicians – the proof of his genius is that he is no longer thought of as a politician at all.
George Washington: The Founding Father [3]
By Paul Johnson
Washington is seen as one of the most important authors of the Constitution, in addition to his pivotal leadership of the Revolutionary War and a magisterial executive in the formative years of the new United States. Paul Johnson creates a brilliantly vivid, sharply etched portrait of the great hero as a young warrior, masterly commander in chief, patient lawmaker, and exceptionally wise president.
His Excellency: George Washington [4]
By Joseph J. Ellis
With careful attention to detail and lyrical prose, Ellis draws from the newly catalogued Washington papers at the University of Virginia to present a full portrait of George Washington's life and career – from his military years through his two terms as president.
George Washington on Leadership [5]
By Richard Brookhiser
With his trademark wit and precision, the author of Founding Father examines Washington's three spectacularly successful careers as an executive: general, president, and tycoon.
The Painter's Chair: George Washington and the Making of American Art [6]
By Hugh Howard
This book provides an eloquent new look at the beginnings of the American republic – through the portraits of its first icon, George Washington, and the painters who defined him.
Realistic Visionary: A Portrait of George Washington [7]
By Peter R. Henriques
Focusing on George Washington's personal life and character, this book addresses subjects such as Washington and slavery, his troubled friendship with Thomas Jefferson, the probability of a long-term involvement with Sally Fairfax, the importance of his stable marriage to Martha Custis as a foundation for his public accomplishments, and Washington's religious beliefs, including a critique of characterizations of him as an evangelical Christian.
In the Name of the Father: Washington's Legacy, Slavery, and the Making of a Nation [8]
By François Furstenberg
Furstenberg offers a study of how Americans were bound together as a young nation by the words, the image, and the myth of George Washington, and how slavery shaped American nationalism.
The Grand Idea: George Washington's Potomac and the Race to the West [9]
By Joel Achenbach
Achenbach captures a Washington rarely seen: rugged frontiersman, real estate speculator, shrewd businessman. The general tangles with squatters; gathers data on trails, portages, falls, and rapids; and imagines a future Empire of Liberty.
Book descriptions provided by BookLetters.