Rose Rosetree’s Reviews > Washington: A Life > Status Update

Once again, I must return this fabulous biography to Libby. I look forward to finishing this masterwork after it becomes available again.

Washington's standards of excellence continue to be British. So many examples illustrate this, in Ron Chernow's balanced narration.

For instance, at Mount Vernon the retired General has stocked his land with British foxes along with American ones, even though that meant he had to curtail the presence of hounds. I gather the British foxes had learned to fear foxes from all the hunting.

Tonight I went to a party held at Mount Vernon. Hadn't been there for 30 years!

To stand on the land at Mount Vernon means so much more to me now, thanks to Ron Chernow's brilliant-and-compassionate book.

Between the end of the War of Independence and when he was installed as America's first president, George Washington went through financial hell.

Congress wouldn't given him a penny. Yet hoardes of people came to Mt. Vernon, ate at his expense, fed their horses on his land. He was in danger of going bankrupt. Couldn't have been worse! Brave George Washington.

It's a grace note, and funny, picturing him dancing the night away with the snazziest 22-year-olds who want to touch him, to "get a piece of him."

Ron Chernow has really outdone himself, painting a most vivid and stirring picture of George Washington resigning from the military, seeking to return to life at Mt. Vernon.

What a spectacle, Washington and the remaining soldiers signalizing that the War of Independence was finally concluded.

He hugged and kissed those soldiers. Most of them wept.

What a bond they forged!

The war is won, by now. Pretty much.

Congress still doesn't want to pay the debts to Washington's soliders. Just about everything military is a mess. And back to George's nightmare of a mother, she's elderly now, but just as energetic and wily as ever at doing all she can to make her son's life miserable.

Washington's forces, supplemented by the mixed-blessing help of French forces, finally has caused British General Cornwallis to surrender. A major victory, though won at great cost.

I'm so glad I know that ultimately America will win its War of Independence.

Even so, this is such a suspenseful story!