His Excellency: George Washington (2005) - Plot & Excerpts
Joseph Ellis' "His Excellency: George Washington" is a well done brief biography of George Washington. Washington, surely, could be the subject of one of those massive bios, such as Chernow's "Alexander Hamilton" or "Titan" or Nasaw's "Andrew Carnegie" or Cannadine's "Mellon." On the other hand, not all biographies need to be so massive. Ellis' work is insightful, provides a sense of Washington the person, and outlines the growth of his character, as he controls his ambitions. In 275 pages, we get a pretty good perspective on "the father of our country." This biography tries to steer a middle course between two different approaches to Washington. As Ellis says (page xi): "In Washington's case the arc moves from Parson Weems' fabrications about a saintly lad who could not tell a lie to dismissive verdicts about the deadest, whitest male in American history." In placing him among other of the Founders, Ellis makes, I think, an insightful point (page xiv): "It seems to me that Benjamin Franklin was wiser than Washington; Alexander Hamilton was more brilliant; John Adams was better read; James Madison was more politically astute. Yet each and all of these prominent figures acknowledged that Washington was their unquestioned superior." By the way, lines such as these make me scratch my head as to the critics of this book who attack the author for denigrating Washington. Parson Weems and his fantasies should not guide our consideration of Washington. He was a human being, not a demigod. And this book demonstrates why we should hold him in high esteem (while also realizing his human foibles and weaknesses). In his death and afterwards, Washington also demonstrated why he stood apart from other Founders. Jefferson was uncomfortable with slavery, but did nothing about his discomfort. Washington was uncomfortable, and worked to free his slaves upon his death. His will represented (page 263) ". . .his personal rejection of slavery. As we have seen, he had been groping toward this position for many reasons and for more than thirty years, more gradually than we might prefer, more steadily than most of his fellow slave owners in Virginia. He was, in fact, the only politically prominent member of the Virginia dynasty to act on Jefferson's famous words in the Declaration of Independence by freeing his slaves." The book provides a straightforward narrative of Washington's life. From the travails of his youth, to his efforts at developing a trade (e.g., as a surveyor), to his effort to becoming a military officer (culminating in both disaster and reputation in the French and Indian War), to his involvement in debates over independence in his own colony (Virginia), to his accession to general in the Continental Army, to his holding the army together under straitened circumstances, to his role in moving toward a Constitutional Convention, to his service as the first President. Noteworthy is the treatment of his learning to be the primary military commander during the Revolutionary War. Early on, his instincts told him to be aggressive; a number of defeats followed from this. Given the context of the war, this was not a winning strategy. He learned to be more careful and, following a more Fabian strategy, grew as commander and ended up triumphant at Yorktown. In his conclusion, Ellis notes that Washington had a towering ambition, a foul temper, and, understanding this, Washington fought to contain both of these characteristics with his single minded strength. He left office after two terms as president when he could have stayed on. He stepped down as General after the Revolutionary War when he need not necessarily have behaved as Cincinnatus. As a result, he set an example that reverberated through the next century of American history. This is a nice, although brief, rendering of Washington's life. The author makes nuanced judgments of Washington as a person and his legacy. As a result, he comes across as more than a cardboard caricature and as someone who genuinely deserves our respect and appreciation. As Ellis concludes (page 275), ". . .he understood that the greater glory resided in posterity's judgment." Unlike Napoleon, Caesar, Mao, and Cromwell, he did not hold on to the end, thus eroding his historical reputation and his ultimate effectiveness to the country that he had helped found.
"Benjamin Franklin was wiser than Washington; Alexander Hamilton was more brilliant; John Adams was better read; Thomas Jefferson was more intellectually sophisticated; James Madison was more politically astute. Yet each and all of these prominent figures acknowledged that Washington was their unquestioned superior." (pg xiv) And in this "modest-sized book about a massive historical subject," Joseph Ellis looks at why Washington was so highly regarded, both by his contemporaries and by history. Ellis astutely points out that many others (such as Cromwell, Napoleon, Lenin, Mao, and Castro) were pivotal in orchestrating successful revolutions but only Washington declined to assume power in a military dictatorship (pg 139). And perhaps Washington's greatest trait was understanding that stepping aside would enhance the way he was viewed by posterity far greater than simply assuming power. He was always ambitious, looking for ways to integrate himself into Virginia society as a younger man, but he also knew when to exercise restraint and keep himself above the fray. As the key figure of the American Revolution he kept up the struggle even when all odds were against him - flagging support among the populace, poor condition of the Continental Army, lack of support from Congress, the supremacy of British strategy and control of the seas, French reluctance to provide assistance. And yet such experience taught him the importance of a strong federal government and guided his role as President of the new nation. There were no prior examples to draw from or precedent to follow, and although his own lack of a formal education was a constant embarrassment to him, he intuitively knew how to utilize the strengths of others and manage the competing ambitions of those around him in setting the nation on a path to stability. Ellis hasn't exactly written a biography in the classic sense, although he does chronicle Washington's life, but it's enhanced by a deep character study of this important man. And few are as adept at bringing history's characters to life in such an insightful way and putting the reader into their shoes. It was in strong contrast to John Ferling's The Ascent of George Washington. Where Ferling looks at a events with a critical eye enhanced with 200 years of historical hindsight, Ellis sees beyond the failings to the motivations and greater social customs of the day and makes the history personal in a way no one else does. Although the book was a little slow starting it was so packed with valuable insight that it merits a close reading. I highly recommend it.
What do You think about His Excellency: George Washington (2005)?
I think the best way for me to summarize this book is: George Washington's life, basically, sucked.As a young man, he was basically broke. So he marries Martha, the wealthiest widow in Virginia. And he marries her even though he's really in love with another man's wife. Then when he first goes to war he's practically a laughingstock. Fast forward to him commanding the army during the War of Independence and he has success! Yay! But then takes on the mantle of the presidency. Yeah, that's great a
—Jenna (JennaHack)
Having just completed The Real George Washington, I thought it would be interesting to continue my study of the Founding Fathers with another book about Washington.I have to admit I didn't get very far. I read the first few chapters and then scanned the rest of the book. The book is lacking in a number of ways.First Ellis thinks that because he says it, it must be so. His references to primary materials is spotty at best. He is high on opinion, with little to back it up. For example, Ellis claims little is known about Washington's earlier years. The Real George Washington finds plenty of material from which to build a portrait of Washington as a young man.My major complaint about this book is that Ellis views Washington and his actions through a prism of current social justice philosophy. History needs to be viewed in the context of the period and culture of that time and place. Certainly, opinion can be stated, but it should be done in a way that places it outside the actual events and is clearly defined as such.If you have time to read but one Washington biography, try The Real George Washington. Although the book may appear intimidatingly large, about half of it is notes, references, and original Washington writings.
—Sandra
This was the first of two books I'm currently reading about George Washington. As part of my 2-year quest to read the top two biographies of each of our 43 U.S. Presidents, I began with this and Ron Chernow's behemoth "Washington: A Life," a far more comprehensive treatment.Initially I preferred Chernow's book, but as I started to compare the two for interpretation, Ellis's gorgeous narrative writing quickly won me over. While no where near the depth of Chernow's tome, Ellis covers all the main themes of Washington's life from youth, to bumbling but ambitious officer in the French and Indians wars, to much-maligned, beleaguered Revolutionary war hero, to his service as President -- and truly father of his new nation -- for the first two terms of the new federal government (whose survival was by no means guaranteed).It's impossible to not be in awe of Washington, who, unlike many great men throughout history, failed to control ambition and its interaction with the achievement of great power. He truly was a man of disciplined self-control who understood throughout his life that his place in history would be solely judged by how he responded to guiding the post-British new nation. It is quite obvious that had Washington chosen to serve as an enlightened King (of which many understood there was no such thing), he could have with widespread support. The new nation had no tradition of democracy and would have gladly welcomed their war hero -- our first true national celebrity -- as a welcomed benign sovereign chastened by a revolutionary re-definition of the relationship of power between ruler and ruled.Yet Washington understood the historic moment and his place in it and seized it for the better, much to our nation's historic benefit. He also understood the blot of human bondage and was determined to free his slaves upon his death, much to the chagrin of his family and fellow Virginia planters. (In fact, even the liberty obsessed Jefferson failed to match Washington's intellectual acknowledgement of the fundamental contradiction of slavery and democracy.)A highly pleasurable read and the perfect introduction to the life and times of George Washington. Highly recommend it.
—John McNeilly
