A review by rebeccatc
His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis

4.0

A very readable biography of one of the most influential historical figures of all time. I wouldn't call it a comprehensive biography because it did not cover his early life and very little of his domestic and personal life -- for that, see The General and Mrs. Washington by Bruce Chadwick. Instead, it was concise and highly analytical, examining Washington's actions in light of their historical significance. Washington held the Continental Army together through 8 years of war in a way that it is unlikely anyone else could have done at the time, and then acted as the unifying presence needed to establish nationhood by chairing the Constitutional Convention and serving as the first President. What made Washington truly great however was what he didn't do: he refused to become a miliitary dictator when he very easily could have at the end of the Revolution (as Napoleon did not long afterwards) and refused to serve a 3rd term as President when many feared the office would become an American monarchy. Definitely recommended to anyone who is interested in American history or the history of the 18th century.