George Washington and the making of a nation, (American heritage junior library)

"George Washington - Man and Monument" The enjoyable bit about this book is its irreverent attitude about our first president. He was great and worthy of our respect and adoration, but he was truly only a man in the right place at the right time, who used his position for the betterment of all. Professor Cunliffe presents President Washington as a young man growing up in the near wilds of Virginia. President Washington almost had the opportunity to be well educated in the manner of his older half brothers, but his father died and he had to make do with the education of any other Virginian farm boy. This was not bad, but put him in the position of being not as 'good' as his older siblings and others who did get a complete education in England. The psychological implications of this makes me think he spent his life trying to make up for this lacking. Professor Cunliffe admits that if President Washington had not lived or been in the positions he was in, someone else would have done so. The moot question is: Would they have done so well for so many? Professor Cunliffe keeps coming back to the adulation President Washington received after his death. Was it deserved or too much? The adulation was deserved and not too much. I have heard that Neal Pert (drummer for "Rush") and Eric Clapton (some kind of blues guitarist) are gods, why not President Washington? What is a God, but one who exhibits extraordinary abilities, and these three, as well as others, I am sure, deserve to be considered as Gods.

This is an excellent and brief account of George Washington's life. A couple of sittings will allow the reader to understand Washington the man, why he is so highly regarded, and to understand the important issues that will forever keep us debating his greatness.

This is an excellent example of how a historical figure can be seen in many different ways that are not really who the person was. This book gives you and idea of how the people saw George Washington during his lifetime, and then goes on to his real life story.