With the thoroughness of a newspaper of the era, Smith retells the old familiar stories and legends surrounding our nation's first president during the years preceding and during his terms in office. Patriarch brings George Washington to life as few historical accounts have before-showing our country's most celebrated father occupied with the business of the day, and carrying the weight of a nation.
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"A fascinating account of the origins of our governmental system. Washington was a far more intelligent and influential character than many critics give him credit for, and there is no denying his influence on the formation of our government."
— Rich (4 out of 5 stars)
“This is a lively, well-written study of Washington’s presidency and subsequent retirement to Mount Vernon; the first U.S. president emerges as a dedicated and politically astute manager who had a tart sense of humor.”
— Publishers Weekly“Runger’s reading ranges from lively to formal. Sometimes entertainer and sometimes lecturer, he matches his tone to Smith's text, which is larded with interesting stories of political squabbling and family trivia. Recorded Books has put together another perfect match between text and reader.
— AudioFile“Smith captures well the bittersweet presidential years, when Washington used the vast capital of his personal prestige to cement the bands of a shaky union. With wonderful use of detail and anecdote, Smith argues that Washington was not the mere figurehead that other historians have portrayed but a canny politician who mastered and controlled his brilliant subordinates.”
— Library Journal“An absorbing look at the first American presidency, in which Washington emerges not as the familiar George Stuart icon but as a fallible human being—one whose personal qualities nonetheless made him the quintessentially great man of American history…A fine, highly readable, and nicely balanced account.”
— Kirkus Reviews" Interesting - post Revolution. Thankful to see we begun fighting each other. "
— Rosemary, 10/15/2013" I enjoy reading books about George Washington, but this one was not one of my favorites. I found it somewhat hard to read, but still discovered some new things about Washington. "
— Barbara, 8/30/2013" First of many contemparary bios of Washington I have read and or intend to read. a very good start on a really great man. "
— Jared, 5/13/2013" Bio of Washington - pretty good "
— Steve, 3/25/2013" A bit dry, but I love Washington. "
— Amy, 3/21/2013" A little dense for me and hard to find the interesting points of his life. "
— Brian, 2/13/2013" Actually, more like 3.5 stars. My biggest beef is the writer's style; it's a bit dry. But, he offers a fairly comprehensive portrait of Washington, giving us a good sense of what it was exactly that set him apart from his contemporaries. A good read. "
— John, 11/11/2012Richard Norton Smith is the author of Thomas E. Dewey and His Times and biographies of George Washington and Herbert Hoover. A distinguished political speechwriter, he has worked especially closely with Bob and Elizabeth Dole, with whom he collaborated on their bestselling memoir Unlimited Partners. The director of the Gerald R. Ford Museum and Library, he lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Nelson Runger’s voice has been recorded in dozens of audio productions and won him two AudioFile Earphones Awards. His ability to convey difficult, scholarly material with eloquence and ease has earned him critical acclaim, including an AudioFile Best Voice in Biography & History for his reading of Nixon and Kissinger.