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Washington The Indispensable Man eBook James Thomas Flexner

Download As PDF : Washington The Indispensable Man eBook James Thomas Flexner

This “perceptive” and “satisfying” biography of George Washington by an award-winning historian “deserves a place on every American’s bookshelf” (The New York Times Book Review).

James Thomas Flexner’s masterful four-volume biography of America’s first president, which received a special Pulitzer Prize citation and a National Book Award for its concluding installment, is the definitive chronicle of Washington’s life and a classic work of American history. In this single-volume edition, Flexner brilliantly distills his sweeping study to offer readers “the most convincing evocation of the man and his deeds written within the compass of one book” (Los Angeles Times).
 
In graceful and dramatic prose, Flexner peels back the myths surrounding Washington to reveal the true complexity of his character. The only founding father from Virginia to free all his slaves, Washington was a faithful husband who harbored deep romantic feelings for his best friend’s wife. An amateur soldier, he prepared for his role as commander in chief of the Continental army by sending out to Philadelphia bookshops for treatises on military strategy. As president, he set many democratic precedents—including the two-term limit and the appointment of an advisory cabinet—yet routinely excluded his vice president, John Adams, from important decisions.
 
The George Washington that emerges in these pages is a shrewd statesman, a wise commander, a brave patriot, and above all, “an ordinary man pushed to greatness by the extraordinary times in which he lived” (The Christian Science Monitor). In tracing Washington’s evolution from privileged son of the landed gentry to “the indispensable man” without whom the United States as we know it would not exist, Flexner presents a hero worthy of admiration not only for his remarkable strengths, but also for his all-too-human weaknesses.
 
 

Washington The Indispensable Man eBook James Thomas Flexner

I bought this book for my nephew and did not read it myself, therefore, I cannot rate it on my own behalf. My nephew, however, said it was a great read and he found out things about Washington that he'd never known before. He said it reminded it of himself.

Product details File Size 17081 KB Print Length 430 pages Publisher Open Road Media (March 7, 2017) Publication Date March 7, 2017 Sold by  Digital Services LLC Language English ASIN B01NCSVW6W

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Washington The Indispensable Man eBook James Thomas Flexner Reviews

I have read a lot of biographies, including Adams, Monroe, Madison, Hamilton, Jefferson, and for some reason that I can't put my finger on, this one just didn't seem to connect for me. Between the minutiae of meetings and the broad picture of 'everyone loves him', I just couldn't find a middle ground of 'here's who he was.'
This is the abridged version of that work and necessarily, of course, left me wanting more detail on some of the areas he covered very briefly here. Were I go do it over I’d purchase the four volumes. That said, this is well written and a fairly quick read. Perfect if you’re looking for the Cliff’s Notes or Readers’ Digest version of Washington’s life.
This book is very well written. It is consistently interesting and moves along easily.

Washington, in this telling, is shown as a most admirable man, without vanity or greed, a truly urbane and great-hearted individual.

Except in one respect
”In 1768, Washington went to church on fifteen days, mostly when away from home, and hunted foxes on forty-nine." The poor, panting foxes, pursued by dogs, cowering in holes when they could find shelter, torn apart when they could not. And foxes were not even consumed by humans, so there was no excuse for killing the helpless creatures.

in his earlier years Washington also enjoyed cockfights.

Still, all in all, he was an admirable public figure and indispensable to the creation of the United States.

But not everyone deserved his trust. When the continental army was formed in Philadelphia, Washington asked for four officers to be assigned. The four were Horacio Gates, Light Horse Harry Lee, Joseph Reed, and Thomas Mifflin. "When Washington, having found his own way, ceased to depend upon his four original advisers, all four became his extremely dangerous enemies."

To my surprise, this is the second history of the Revolution that pointed out Adams' jealousy. As Washington rode off to war, "Fortunately, he did not know that the most influential member of Congress burned, as he watched, with jealousy. “Such,” John Adams wrote, “is the pride and pomp of war. I, poor creature, worn out with scribbling for my bread and my liberty, low in spirits and weak in health, must leave others to wear the laurels which I have sown."

This quotation gives an idea of how vivid the writing is and how much of the authentic flavor of that era is provided by this excellent history.
Has the full content of the original book as well as many extras in pictures , maps . Paper is a quality semi gloss stock , binding meant to last for years of use , This is the BEST single volume biography of a truly great man . J.T. Flexner wrote a four volume biography first and from that research condensed into a very readable single volume on the life of the man who set the pattern for future American Generals , set the standards high for future presidents and even set standards for patriotism . In reading his life you will see a man who grows to become more than when he started . The ability to improve who he was , to change those imperfections striving all ways for perfection , giving his full measure to the task set before him . It is a great loss to our children that his life is no longer taught as a major ingredient to the country we became and are now casting aside . Read and you will discover he was truly the indispensable man to the creation of America . A man of integrity when the word meant something with a remarkable courage in combat and in his own life trying to change for the better who he was and who we were to become .
This one volume bio on Washy should long remain a classic. Beautifully written and wonderfully paced, this work sweeps you along the entire busy career of that Indepensable Man. The French and Indian War almost flies by too quickly, but how many times have most of us read about Braddock's folly anyway! More time is spent on the Rev War, but again this is the story of a man, not the war. So understandably events can appear rushed. Still, it is the writting that holds together the reader's interest. So many bios are often a dry portrait of the individual in question. Not this one!

Washy belongs as much as anything to the founding myths of the USA. So much about him is appochryphal that it is often hard to seperate fact from fiction. The author does a great job trying to show us the real man behind the many legends. It is surprising that the rather dry, withdrawn personality of our first President should have enabled him to be such a key player in the early events of our nations history. Perhaps there simply wasn't anyone else around that could do the job. From first Commander in the field, to first President, Washy made his mistakes, but he managed to learn just enough to survive and get on with the job.

As our first President he estbalished many of the routines and protocols that are associated with the office today. Some of these were better than others. For one it is unfortunate that he did not have the patience to sit in on debates in the US Senate. This might have established the kind of exchange that we see in the British Parliament today where the PM has to answer for many of his policies in person. Washy disdained being involved in such a process!

As a leader Washy did not believe in chosing politics. He came to grow increasingly detached from the infighting that Hamilton and Jefferson were creating with their new political parties. Washy could see little good to come of this as he thought only argument and divisive politics would result. In a sense he was right, but not all could simply follow the lead of the Indispensable Man and keet their views to themselves. What would Washy have made of our political environment today? No doubt disqust, whereas as Hamiton and Jefferson might easily have seen the progession from their early Federalist and Republican parties.

Often accused of being detached and almost regal in his demeanor, Washy was faulted with monarchial tendencies when in fact it was simply his desire to remain above it all! He saw himself as the spiritual leader, and that all should rally around his symbol as a reassurence to the founding principals of the nation. Not all could see it that way. No doubt Washy endured many personal slights from those who often chose not to understand his leading role. Perhaps this was Washy's greatest asset, his ability to endure insult and to bear it quietly. Only when things got really bad did he lose his temper. People were usually sensible enough to see this. Despite the infighting of politics both during the Rev War and after, the general populace respected and trusted him. This is usually what resolved whatever cabals and conspiracies that were being plotted against him. Despite his own shortcomings, the nation knew that it could not spare this man.

So it was that throughout much of his life this quiet, often reserved man was forced to endure a near constant public existence. One often feels that he would have preferred otherwise.

Flexner's masterful bio brings out these and many other aspects of Washy's character and career. While a bit of hero worship at times, this will likely remain one of the classic single volume histories of a man who was Indispensible to his nation. Where is such a man today?
I bought this book for my nephew and did not read it myself, therefore, I cannot rate it on my own behalf. My nephew, however, said it was a great read and he found out things about Washington that he'd never known before. He said it reminded it of himself.