Washington's End

The Final Years and Forgotten Struggle

By: Jonathan Horn

Narrated by: Arthur Morey

Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's Summary

Popular historian and former White House speechwriter Jonathan Horn tells the astonishing true story of George Washington’s forgotten last years - the personalities, plotting, and private torment that unraveled America’s first post-presidency. 

Washington’s End begins where most biographies of George Washington leave off, with the first president exiting office after eight years and entering what would become the most bewildering stage of his life. Embittered by partisan criticism and eager to return to his farm, Washington assumed a role for which there was no precedent at a time when the kings across the ocean yielded their crowns only upon losing their heads. In a different sense, Washington would lose his head, too. 

In this riveting listen, best-selling author Jonathan Horn reveals that the quest to surrender power proved more difficult than Washington imagined and brought his life to an end he never expected. The statesman who had staked his legacy on withdrawing from public life would feud with his successors and find himself drawn back into military command. The patriarch who had dedicated his life to uniting his country would leave his name to a new capital city destined to become synonymous with political divisions. 

A vivid story, immaculately researched and powerfully told through the eyes not only of Washington but also of his family members, friends, and foes, Washington’s End fills a crucial gap in our nation’s history and will forever change the way we view the name Washington.

©2020 Jonathan Horn (P)2020 Simon & Schuster Audio

INTRIGUING SNAPSHOT

With so much written and mythologized about the revolutionary Washington, it is refreshing to read about the post-apex person. Very human, it turns out, with regular worries and joys. Well-written and entertaining. It's equally fascinating how politics of this first post-presidency presaged today's atmosphere, with uncanny parallels over 200 years apart.

History repeats itself

This book is a reminder that we unite to attack an external enemy, then after defeating the external enemy, we attack one another. That is happening again right now. We are all biased. none of us are saints. Washington was biased . He was not a saint. This book is a reminder that despite pettiness and jealousy and personal ambitions of those in power, our nation continues to survive. That is good news for this troubling time in our history.

Great history book

If for no other reason than to hear how the more things change, the more they stay the same, read or listen to this book. While giving an excellent view of life after the presidency for Washington, the political strife at the time is eye opening.

Not what I thought it would be

This book is definitely not what I thought it would be. However, the last 2+ hours were really good and focused on what the description laid out. The first portion of the book made me feel like I didn’t study for a pop quiz. It jumped around a lot and I had Trouble keeping up and understanding what timeline I was in. I would only recommend this book to people that have read several other books about Washington or detailed history books around the 20 years prior to his death.

A Bunch of Men Overcome with their Own Self Importance

Everyone in the book, including Washington, is focused on their own reputation. I was embarrassed for all of them!

Things they don’t teach you in history class

While I had heard that excessive bleeding was considered one of the causes of his death. The idea he might have been saved by a tracheostomy is interesting. I can’t imagine that was a common procedure at the time.
The animosity between Washington and Jefferson was greater than I realized.
Abigail Adam’s observation that democracy would survive of her husband wasn’t re-elected seems to be echoed on a regular basis.
Perhaps why Mao was said to have observed out of too early to judge the impact of the French Revolution.

Enlightening and informative

Extraordinarily well written history book about the final years of George Washington. The U.S. wasn't so different then than it is today.

promising start, and went downhill after

I was excited to read about this book. I had really enjoyed previous books about Teddy Roosevelt and Robert E Lee in their final years. At the start Washington's End, there was many cool details about George Washington and his times, but quickly the book devolved. I did not get to know him as a person, nor was there a thread of his life to follow. It was one detail after another, without any clear arc of connection. I listened to half the book, then stopped. I was not wild about the reader, either. Not right for the book, in my opinion.

These were men...

with all the greatness and frailty, all the wisdom and jealousy, all the arrogance and charity we all possess. In other words the"founding fathers" were no wiser or nobler than any of us are capable of being.

Info Not Generally Known About Washington

Info I didn't know. I suspect the general public does not either since not much attention is directed to those last year's if his life and re-entrance to public service .