Ravings of a Textual Deviant

One of the difficulties encountered by American historians is that George Washington left very few personal papers. This has probably contributed to the mythologizing of his life and accomplishments more than any other factor. Joseph Ellis’s most recent biography attemtps to compensate for the lack by placing Washington in context of the zeitgesit of his times and analyzing trends in behavior.

Ellis’s presentation of Washington is of a man who is first and foremost a pragmatist. More often than not, Ellis argues, Washington’s successes were a result of his ability to spot an opportunity and follow through on it. Examples include his marriage to Martha Custis and his insistence upon having the Continental Army innoculated against smallpox. Furthermore, Ellis concludes that conflict between Washington’s economic needs and his revolutionary ideals (as well as a legal complication) are what prevented him from freeing his slaves during his lifetime.

Washington’s Presidency is also examined in great detail; like many of his successors, Washington experienced difficulties during his second term, and was genuinely pleased to see it come to an end. The author makes a point of showing his audience that Washington’s most impressive revolutionary credential was his decision to step away from power—unlike Lenin, Mao, or near-contemporary Napoleon. Overall, it’s a reasonable and rational look at a subject who rarely gets such treatment.

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