Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow is certainly comprehensive. In a little over 900 pages, Chernow details Washington’s life, from his ancestry to his legacy. All the while, he fills his book with fascinating details culled from letters, contemporary accounts, newspapers, political association meetings and diaries.
There has always been the sense that a genuine historical analysis of Washington is impossible. The real man (whatever concept that might entail) is hidden behind so many layers of myth. Chernow’s book throws a wrench into this idea: there are thousands of original documents relating to all the phases of Washington’s life. A precise historical biography is not only possible, but largely accomplished by Chernow. The reader comes away from this book with a real sense of Washington and his times.
There has always been the sense that a genuine historical analysis of Washington is impossible. The real man (whatever concept that might entail) is hidden behind so many layers of myth. Chernow’s book throws a wrench into this idea: there are thousands of original documents relating to all the phases of Washington’s life. A precise historical biography is not only possible, but largely accomplished by Chernow. The reader comes away from this book with a real sense of Washington and his times.
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