Washington

A Life

By: Ron Chernow

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 41 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

Pulitzer Prize, Biography/Autobiography, 2011

From National Book Award winner Ron Chernow, a landmark biography of George Washington.

In Washington: A Life celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation. With a breadth and depth matched by no other one-volume life of Washington, this crisply paced narrative carries the listener through his troubled boyhood, his precocious feats in the French and Indian War, his creation of Mount Vernon, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America's first president.

Despite the reverence his name inspires, Washington remains a lifeless waxwork for many Americans, worthy but dull. A laconic man of granite self-control, he often arouses more respect than affection. In this groundbreaking work, based on massive research, Chernow dashes forever the stereotype of a stolid, unemotional man.

A strapping six feet, Washington was a celebrated horseman, elegant dancer, and tireless hunter, with a fiercely guarded emotional life. Chernow brings to vivid life a dashing, passionate man of fiery opinions and many moods. Probing his private life, he explores his fraught relationship with his crusty mother, his youthful infatuation with the married Sally Fairfax, and his often conflicted feelings toward his adopted children and grandchildren. He also provides a lavishly detailed portrait of his marriage to Martha and his complex behavior as a slave master.

At the same time, Washington is an astute and surprising portrait of a canny political genius who knew how to inspire people. Not only did Washington gather around himself the foremost figures of the age, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, but he also brilliantly orchestrated their actions to shape the new federal government, define the separation of powers, and establish the office of the presidency.

©2010 Ron Chernow (P)2010 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Tenaciously researched...This new portrait offers a fresh sense of what a groundbreaking role Washington played, not only in physically embodying his new nation's leadership but also in interpreting how its newly articulated constitutional principles would be applied...deeply rewarding.” ( New York Times)

"Just as he resuscitated Alexander Hamilton in a heralded 2004 biography, Ron Chernow now resurrects Washington...[A] remarkable book." ( Entertainment Weekly)

"Whether he's debunking the legend of Washington's wooden teeth (ivory that cracked and discolored over time) or the purely fictional tale of the cherry tree, the massive yet briskly paced Washington: A Life is a rollicking read, sure to redefine perceptions and correct assumptions." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Washington was “The Man.”

George Washington was the alpha male who had the ability to recognize the talents of each Founding Father, yet also the ability to corral their temperaments and egos, and use them to establish and strengthen our foundling government. He was the one all looked to for stability and sensibility. How fortunate America was to have him to lead us and set such an exemplary role for all future Presidents. My respect for him and Martha has grown immensely.

A full and revealing portrait.

The book provides a full and revealing portrait of our greatest Founding Father that is a must for anyone interested in the origins of the United States.

Father of our Country for Sure

This book is a gem. Well presented and full of every aspect of Washington’s life and sacrifice. This is an important book for anyone who wants to understand how this country was founded and what makes our system of government truly exceptional.

If you like history, this is a good book

If you want a novel, this is not it. As it happens, I like history so I liked this book. Very long though

Breathtaking!

Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow and David McCullough's John Adams (Pulitzer Prize winners) are the two best American Revolutionary War biographies I have read.

Each book is brilliant, breathtaking and exhaustively researched.

After having read these books, I felt I 'knew' each of these Founding Fathers as a personal acquaintance, and had a much deeper understanding of the people, ideals and principles that informed the birth of my own country.

Long but worth every second

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. This is the most comprehensive and well researched biography of George Washington. Ever

Who was your favorite character and why?

Washington

Which character – as performed by Scott Brick – was your favorite?

Washington

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes but it would have helped if it was broken up in to parts for ease of listening

Any additional comments?

Everyone should be required to read and study this book. This should be the first and last book on the life of Washington anyone should read. Yes it is long, but the details from cradle to grave are so well researched. I could not believe that I was getting so much information. I looked up certain facts and they were true! I knew then that I was in for a long but rewarding ride. This shows everything about a person that one can know. The good the bad and the ugly. It is one of the great unbiased tellings of a man that I have ever read. One can make up ones own mind. The detractors are given as much time as the admirers. No stone is unturned.

This is a great book!

A "must listen" for any history buff

An extremely well-researched work, with excellent narration. And it will definitely make you rethink the supposed greatness of Jefferson and Adams.

Fascinating read

Any additional comments?

As deeply as this book delves into the history of the colonies during Washington's era, I found the book's true strength in it's incredible insights into Washington's thoughts and emotions. The book can certainly hold it's own as a detailed historical account, but I was more impacted by the personal aspects of the narrative. Listening to this book was quite an undertaking, but by the end I felt as though I had seen into Washington's soul and that I had lost someone who could have been a friend.

Details and Knowledge of George Washington gained

Although I wanted to understand more about the Father of our Country, the story told provided me with a much deeper understanding of a life and of a man who became great through events and relationships that prepared him for greatness. George Washington's story is one that was truly worth 25+ hours of listening and the narration of this journey was pleasant on the ears. Highly recommend this audiobook to anyone who loves a detailed and well crafted biography. Ron Chernow's research and clarity about the way the subject may have thought is always portrayed by example and historical perspective.

Wow! Truly the first and greatest American to ever live.

Very thorough and comprehensive. A must read for anyone interested in American history and George Washington.