For those searching for a relatively condensed exposition on the life and times of America’s most famous Founding Father, one need look no further than His Excellency: George Washington. Authored by Pulitzer Prize winner Joseph J. Ellis, His Excellency is an unbiased foray into Washington’s intricate and occasionally contradictory life.  Ellis masterfully synthesizes the many phases of Washington’s life into a potent brew of the principles that ruled Washington’s mind. The author is quick to inform his readers that he will cast a critical eye on Washington’s achievements, and attempt to avoid the pitfalls (deifying/vilifying) that beleaguer those who choose Washington as their subject. In my opinion, Ellis has fulfilled his oath, and presented his readers with an accurate, unbiased picture of the Father of America.

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                Naturally, Ellis begins with Washington’s early life as he marches towards adulthood in the civilized wilderness of the Virginia colony. These chapters emphasize Washington’s experiences with the Western wilderness of the Ohio Valley, his relationship to his brother, Lawrence, his marriage to Martha Custis, and his service in what became known as the French and Indian (or Seven Years) War. The author filled in much of what I did not know about Washington’s early life as a surveyor and soldier with Britain’s colonial militia. I felt Ellis glossed over Washington’s relationship with his brother, and focused more on how his demise helped to enable Washington’s rise in the Virginia planter class. Perhaps I was looking for more emotion from Washington, as I had read in previous books of his great love for his brother and immense sadness when he passed from the corporeal realm. The descriptions of Washington’s personality are excellent and help create a realistic picture of the man Washington really was, unlike the classroom apocrypha concerning a cherry tree. For, as it turns out, he was much more impressive.
            The chapters concerning Washington’s command of the Continental Army concern themselves mainly with the General’s strategies and the public/Congressional perception of the war. It was interesting to read the progression of stratagems employed by Washington and how each was influenced by his personality traits. The book rigidly confines itself to Washington’s impressions and decision making, resulting in a section that is academically brilliant in deciphering Washington’s convoluted decision making process, but lacking in a bit of humanity. Ellis discusses at great length the controversial transition of the Continental Army from a purely militia based formation infused with the “Spirit of ‘76” to a standing professional army. I particularly enjoyed the debate between the “idealists”, who were opposed to a regular army and believed that militiamen fighting for their freedom could be as effective as British regulars, and the “realists”, who knew from experience that militia could not stand up to Britain’s professional army.
          Washington’s Presidential years were of the most interest to me in this biography, as I’ve often felt my knowledge of America’s first President was lacking. Ellis does not disappoint in giving his readers an excellent account of Washington’s ascendancy to the Presidency as well as his two terms in office. I was truly amazed by the political intrigues that occurred inside Washington’s own cabinet. I had heard of the legendary feud between Jefferson and Hamilton that created our two party system of government, but I had not known that it had gone to the lengths described in Ellis’ biography. I was enthralled by the passages concerning Washington’s steadfast refusal to engage in warfare with Great Britain during France’s Revolution, despite overwhelming popular opinion to the contrary. Washington correctly saw that America’s future lay in the West, not in fruitless conflicts with the Old World. Washington’s prescience, a common theme throughout the book, is best illustrated in these chapters.
            Ellis’ depiction of Washington’s post-Presidential years is as excellent a read as it is bittersweet in content. Readers will sense that despite Washington’s desire for retirement, he has much more to give to America. Perhaps if he were 10-15 years younger he might have made an even greater impact on American politics, if that is possible. In the twilight of his life, Washington hopes he has made the requisite difference in American politics that will ensure America’s survival as a unified nation. The summation given by Ellis is beautiful and sprinkled with the eulogies of Washington’s contemporaries. The descriptions are enough to bring tears to our eyes, even 200 years from the date of Washington’s death.

     His Excellency is an informative, well written biography of George Washington. I could not recommend it more to any reader who wishes to learn more about the man who was “First in War, first in Peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” I plan on purchasing and reading Joseph J. Ellis’ other novels, American Sphinx, a biography of Thomas Jefferson, and Founding Brothers, the Pulitzer Prize winning tome on the American Revolutionary Generation.