Washington's Farewell

The Founding Father's Warning to Future Generations

De: John Avlon

Narrado por: John Avlon

“A vivid portrait…and thoughtful consideration of George Washington’s wisdom that couldn’t be timelier” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). A revealing look at the first President’s Farewell Address, a still-relevant warning against partisan politics and foreign entanglements.

George Washington’s Farewell Address was a prophetic letter he wrote to his fellow citizens and signed from a “parting friend,” addressing the forces he feared could destroy our democracy: hyper-partisanship, excessive debt, and foreign wars. In it, Washington called for unity among “citizens by birth or choice,” advocated moderation, defended religious pluralism, proposed a foreign policy of independence (not isolation), and proposed that education is essential to democracy. He established the precedent for the peaceful transfer of power.

Washington’s urgent message was adopted by Jefferson after years of opposition and quoted by Lincoln in defense of the Union. Woodrow Wilson invoked it for nation-building; Eisenhower for Cold War; Reagan for religion. Once celebrated as civic scripture, more widely reprinted than the Declaration of Independence, the Farewell Address is now almost forgotten. Yet its message remains starkly relevant today. In Washington’s Farewell, John Avlon offers a stunning portrait of our first president and his battle to save America from self-destruction.

Washington’s Farewell “brings to light Washington’s goodbye by elucidating what it meant not only during the early days of the republic, but its lasting effect through the centuries” (Library Journal, starred review). Now the Farewell Address may inspire a new generation to re-center their politics and reunite our nation through the lessons rooted in Washington’s shared experience.

Deep insights into our first President

I have a degree in PoliSci and learned so much about the founding principles and struggles of our country, as well as the evolution that got us to where we are. This book should be required reading for and political candidate.

Timely talk

John Avlon skillfully interweaves Washington's Farewell Speech into the complicated and tangled history of the Great American Experience of democracy. He allows readers to draw their own conclusions about the current state of our messy political system, remaining a neutral observer. The conclusion alone is worth the time.

Fascinating treatment of something we all should know but don’t anymore

Great book! Interesting topic and a very “user friendly” treatment of it. I’m sad we don’t all spend more time studying this important address these days. Maybe if people did we’d be in a different place as a nation. I will look forward to listening to this one again!

Great overall, like the man who is its subject!

A wonderful retelling of the formation of Washington's Farewell Address and then its impact upon subsequent American history, performed by the author, so he knows the material and has a good steady voice. A pleasure to listen to to the last word.

Very well written and performed

This is a well written and well read review of Washington's farewell address. As the author points out Washington's farewell address has had an enduring impact on Presidents to this day. The contents of the address are as relevant to the United States today as they were to Washington's contemporaries.

The author provides a thorough and very interesting review of the substance of the address including Washington's intended meaning as well as application through time. He provides just enough facts surrounding the drafting of the address and of the state of the country at that time to ensure that the reader understands the context of the address, without getting lost on tangents. I believe he achieved just the right mix.

Finally, often authors cannot do justice to their own work and would be better served by a professional. This is not one of those cases. The author does an excellent performance; as good as any professional reader.