At 817 pages, this is the longest book I have ever read and I enjoyed it thoroughly from start to finish. Although I have read many books in my life, I decided George Washington would be my inaugural book for my book review page, because, well, he was an inaugural guy. We all know him as the first President of the United States of America and also the first Commander in Chief that fought for those states, but he was so much more. He was a frontiersman, a plantation owner, a statesman, a husband, a warrior, a Freemason, a founding father, and a legend. And that’s just scratching the surface.

Washington appeals to me specifically because I was raised in a family without a father. Not to fret, I had two loving mothers who reared me well, and I wouldn’t change my family or my upbringing for anything (it’s why I am the person I am today.) I have, however, occasionally thought about the person I might have been had I been raised with a male presence. Coincidentally, Washington is often described as the Father of his Country due to his various leadership roles at the onset of the United States. Washington himself had no direct children, and being as the United States were succeeding from a monarchy, many people were encouraged by this fact. It meant there was nobody for Washington to potentially pass the seat of power onto. Their future republic felt safe from the ever present terrors of authoritarianism, which were present all over the world (and most imposingly Western Europe) in the late 1700’s.

I give Ron Chernow’s biography of our first president 5/5 stars. It is THE comprehensive book about Washington’s life, both public and private. Chernow leaves no stone unturned, from his tumultuous relationships with Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, to his oddly dispassionate yet remarkably enduring and warm relationship with Martha, his wife of 40 years. He chronicles Washington’s life with valorous depth and gives the reader a real feeling for who George was and who he aspired to be.

I learned that Washington struggled with the inherent depravity of slavery for many years of his life, and only released his personal slaves via his will. He also spent a life grappling with decaying teeth, and I can only imagine how crude dentures were back then (probably pretty terrible.) The most important thing I learned, and something I will take away from my reading and carry with me, was Washington’s sense of humility. Although he was ambitious, he was never outwardly so. This I find admirable. We are all inherently ambitious, it is against human nature not to be, but to openly pine for things we believe we deserve is gross, especially in the public sphere. While Washington was chosen by his constituents to occupy his roles, and he accepted them with grace, his private letters reveal his ever increasing desires to retire from the public eye and enjoy a quiet life at Mount Vernon. Unfortunately for him there was no escape from publicity. He was too great a man to the people of those fledgling thirteen colonies and they (mostly) adored him for his civil services.

Although there are many things worth mentioning, the only other one I will touch upon is Washington’s stately manner. From childhood, he displayed an upright and stolid appearance. As a general, he was honorable in battle and always lead the charge atop his white steed. As a politician, he was known for his excellent judgement in when to weigh in and when to remain silent. As a man, he was known for his dispassionate nature and his desire to consider all sides. This, I think, is something we can learn from. There is far too much rash emotional reaction in today’s political scene and I think it only detrimental. Where are our humble leaders? Who in today’s market can comfortably reach all sides and make decisions for the benefit of all the people? What public persona do we all agree is someone of true merit and worth renown praise?

Being on a lifelong quest for inspirational men both past and present, George Washington has earned his seat in my imaginary assembly of father figures. I will carry him with me wherever I go.