Chernow makes familiar scenes fresh (like the crossing of the Delaware) and expertly brings the provisional revolutionary and early Republican eras to life.

He gives us a Washington who starts with limited education and means and, through a remarkable combination of timely deaths, an incredible capacity for hard work, a shrewd marriage, astonishing physical hardiness and courage, a propensity for land speculation, and a gift for finding influential patrons, transforms himself into a soldier, well-to-do planter, local official, and eventually the only real choice to command the Continental army, preside over the Constitutional Convention, and serve as the first president. Using the recent 'explosion of research,' he wants to render George Washington 'real' and 'credible,' to replace 'frosty respect' with 'visceral appreciation.' In many respects, Chernow succeeds. In his introduction, veteran biographer Chernow is clear about his goals.

In addition to Alexander Hamilton, the production also features George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Aaron Burr, Lafayette, and many more. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash Broadway musical Hamilton has sparked new interest in the Revolutionary War and the Founding Fathers. In this groundbreaking work, based on massive research, Chernow shatters forever the stereotype of George Washington as a stolid, unemotional figure and brings to vivid life a dashing, passionate man of fiery opinions and many moods. With a breadth and depth matched by no other one volume biography of George Washington, this crisply paced narrative carries the reader through his adventurous early years, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America's first president. I can’t recommend it highly enough-as history, as epic, and, not least, as entertainment.” -Hendrik Hertzberg, The New YorkerĬelebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation and the first president of the United States. “Until recently, I’d never believed that there could be such a thing as a truly gripping biography of George Washington. well-researched, well-written and absolutely definitive biography” -Andrew Roberts, The Wall Street Journal Winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Biography From the author of Alexander Hamilton, the New York Times bestselling biography that inspired the musical, comes a gripping portrait of the first president of the United States.

Washington book by ron chernow