Noah Webster: The Life and Times of an American Patriot

by Harlow Giles Unger

Noah Webster was a truly remarkable man, shrewd, passionate, learned and energetic, God-fearing and patriotic. Mr. Unger has done a fine job reintroducing him to a new generation of Americans. --Washington Times Noah Webster The Life and Times of an American Patriot ""More than a lexicographer, Webster was a teacher, philosopher, author, essayist, orator, political leader, public official, and crusading editor. Webster's life thrust him into every major event of the early history of our nation, from the Revolutionary War to the War of 1812. He touched the lives of the most renowned Americans --and the most obscure. He earned the love and friendship of many, the hatred of some, but the respect of all. Noah Webster helped create far more than an American dictionary; he helped create an American nation."" --from the Prologue In the first major biography of Noah Webster in over sixty years, author Harlow Unger creates an intriguing portrait of the United States as an energetic and confident young country, even when independence was fragile and the future unclear. Harlow Unger brilliantly restores Webster's monumental legacy as a teacher,legislator, philosopher, lawyer, editor, and one of history's most profoundly influential lexicographers. Breathtaking adventure--from the American Revolution to the War of 1812--and masterful scholarship converge in this riveting chronicle of a singularly American intellect.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, American History

400 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1998

About the author

Harlow Giles Unger is an American author, historian, journalist, broadcaster, and educator known for his extensive work on American history and education. Educated at the Taft School, Yale College, and California State University, Unger began his career as a journalist for the New York Herald Tribune Overseas News Service in Paris. He later wrote for newspapers and magazines across Britain, Canada, and other countries, while also working in radio broadcasting and teaching English and journalism at New York-area colleges.
Unger has written over twenty-seven books, including ten biographies of America's Founding Fathers and a notable biography of Henry Clay. His historical works include Noah Webster: The Life and Times of an American Patriot, The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation’s Call to Greatness, and First Founding Father: Richard Henry Lee and the Call to Independence. He is also the author of the Encyclopedia of American Education, a three-volume reference work.
A former Distinguished Visiting Fellow in American History at Mount Vernon, Unger has lived in Paris and currently resides in New York City. An avid skier and horseman, he has spent time in Chamonix, France, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He has one son, Richard C. Unger.

Reviews

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the easiest read, but very informative. I'm ashamed to say that I didn't know much about Webster until recently. He was a controversial figure in his time, and I think his influence has been generally forgotten because he was disliked by so many of his contemporaries.

Anyone who is interested in words, grammar, linguistics, education, copyright laws, or American history should read up on Noah Webster.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on the last couple of paragraphs in the epilogue I would say the author is an English-only advocate and proponent of assimilation rather than acculturation. Had I known that ahead of time I might not have bought the book. But, know thy enemy, right?

However, it is an extremely well-researched and detailed biography of Noah Webster. Through N. Webster's perspective it is also a concise history of almost the first one hundred years of the United Sates which I found to be a bonus, sort of a two for one deal. His life begins before the American Revolution and ends with Martin Van Buren's presidency.

I didn't find it to be at all dry. On the contrary, the writing was quite fluid and as easily readable as something like -The Mayflower- by Nathaniel Philbrick or -The Wordy Shipmates- by Sarah Vowel.

Actually, I think it should be required reading in high school. Language and Social Studies teachers should all add this to their personal "to read" lists. There is just so much interesting history (including copyright law & capitalism in early America), not only of the nation, but also, of the English language and the field of linguistics. No doubt lexicographers devoured it voraciously as soon as it hit the shelves.

Bottom line: I highly recommend it if you are interested in any one of the topics that I have tagged or is listed as a chapter title.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always just thought of Noah Webster as the father of the dictionary, but he was so much more. He spent his entire life in Connecticut and Massachusetts. He was one of the original Federalists, sharing the thinking of George Washington and John Adams. Noah wrote a series of articles right after the revolution that influenced our current Constitution as much as the Federalist Papers, written by other founding fathers.

But he was so focused on education and he was so upset by the lack of a standard "American" style of speaking English, that he wrote what became the standard speller, grammar book, and short story books that were in use across the entire United States from the late 1700's to the late 1800's. He even traveled to all 13 original states and got a copyright law passed in each of them to protect his books. He later got the first national copyright law passed.

Only when his Federalist thinking went out of political vogue with the election of Thomas Jefferson as President, did Webster devote more of his time to his basic school books. Eventually he mounted what would be a 20 year effort to develop his dictionary - which involved years of research and learning the basics of over 20 languages - in order to trace back the history of old words and newer words. He was an accomplished speaker, served on numerous boards and committees, and even in the Massachusetts State Legislature. He even tried his hand at modernizing the language of the Bible. He is truly one of the forgotten Founding Fathers of the United States.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book for several reasons, first because I'm related to Noah Webster. I did some genealogy hunting and found this out. I thought I would go up my Webster line and there he would be but low and behold he was on my mother's line. Websters on both sides of my family. Webster was a man of so many talents and abilities. He was a lawyer, he wrote the first American dictionary, books with grammar and history, he helped write the Constitution. Among his friends were George Washington, and Benjamin Franklin. He helped with the improvements in Hartford Connecticut, to take it from a filthy, unsanitary place, to a decent place. Webster was an author, editor and teacher. He just worked all his life to make things better. He was also an abolitionist. I could go on and on about his accomplishments. Some might find the book sort of boring, but I sure am glad that I read it.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned a lot I didn't know about Noah Webster! He was much more than the "dictionary guy." I appreciate all that he did for creating some key aspects of American culture (common language, schools for everyone, approachable learning techniques, sanitation standards for cities, epidemiology, copyright law, and more are listed among his contributions), and I appreciate his enthusiasm for his country. He was a true patriot! This book did a lot to suss all of those details out. Really worth the read.

[Rachel N · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great resource for research. I've read most of it.

[Paige · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but tedious. Having a hard time getting through it so I'm putting it on hold.