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  • Washington

  • A Life
  • Written by: Ron Chernow
  • Narrated by: Scott Brick
  • Length: 41 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (91 ratings)

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Washington

Written by: Ron Chernow
Narrated by: Scott Brick
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Publisher's Summary

Pulitzer Prize, Biography/Autobiography, 2011

From National Book Award winner Ron Chernow, a landmark biography of George Washington.

In Washington: A Life celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation. With a breadth and depth matched by no other one-volume life of Washington, this crisply paced narrative carries the listener through his troubled boyhood, his precocious feats in the French and Indian War, his creation of Mount Vernon, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America's first president.

Despite the reverence his name inspires, Washington remains a lifeless waxwork for many Americans, worthy but dull. A laconic man of granite self-control, he often arouses more respect than affection. In this groundbreaking work, based on massive research, Chernow dashes forever the stereotype of a stolid, unemotional man.

A strapping six feet, Washington was a celebrated horseman, elegant dancer, and tireless hunter, with a fiercely guarded emotional life. Chernow brings to vivid life a dashing, passionate man of fiery opinions and many moods. Probing his private life, he explores his fraught relationship with his crusty mother, his youthful infatuation with the married Sally Fairfax, and his often conflicted feelings toward his adopted children and grandchildren. He also provides a lavishly detailed portrait of his marriage to Martha and his complex behavior as a slave master.

At the same time, Washington is an astute and surprising portrait of a canny political genius who knew how to inspire people. Not only did Washington gather around himself the foremost figures of the age, including James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, but he also brilliantly orchestrated their actions to shape the new federal government, define the separation of powers, and establish the office of the presidency.

©2010 Ron Chernow (P)2010 Penguin Audio

What the critics say

"Tenaciously researched...This new portrait offers a fresh sense of what a groundbreaking role Washington played, not only in physically embodying his new nation's leadership but also in interpreting how its newly articulated constitutional principles would be applied...deeply rewarding.” ( New York Times)
"Just as he resuscitated Alexander Hamilton in a heralded 2004 biography, Ron Chernow now resurrects Washington...[A] remarkable book." ( Entertainment Weekly)
"Whether he's debunking the legend of Washington's wooden teeth (ivory that cracked and discolored over time) or the purely fictional tale of the cherry tree, the massive yet briskly paced Washington: A Life is a rollicking read, sure to redefine perceptions and correct assumptions." ( Kirkus Reviews)

What listeners say about Washington

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George Washington

What an interesting man, he was. And how challenging it must have been to make the decision to embrace independence as he so wanted to be accepted as a Brit. I learnt quite a bit about how American independence came to be.
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Excellent

terrific story, well written, very well narrated. I'm going to listen to another one by both.

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Amazing life

I wasn’t expecting such a life, what an incredible journey. I highly recommend this book to everyone. Washington’s life is inspiring and exciting!

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Exceptional recounting

This recounting of a singular personal history is both succinct and rich. We'll done.

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A Man Prepared by Providence

George Washington seemed to be the right man for a world-class job at a critical time in history. This book shows him as a thoughtful man, not without flaws, who is prepared to do what is needed at the right moments of history. The Democratic experiment begins. It might have been stillborn, as it was in France, had it not been for Washington's personal morality and strength.

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Fantastic eye opening biography

Wonderfully full of information, this gives real life to George Washington. As a Canadian, I always thought of Washington as rather dull and stern, but this biography changed all that. Totally recommend, with great narration to boot.

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A must-read for any U. S. history buff/nerd

A comprehensive and insightful look at the entirety of Washington's life in a single volume is an incredible fear for any author, and Ron Chernow does not disappoint.

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Fascinating Biography!

I really enjoyed this book. Chernow’s detailed research is evident in this rich volume and the pace never flags. Worth the time!

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