His Excellency: Modern Man
When I was I kid, I used to watch Jeopardy at night with my mother. I was in first grade and had yet to acquire the gross intelligence that now fuels this blog (haha). For most answers, I distinctly remember stating "Who is George Washington?". You can imagine my glee when I finally nailed the provided answer. It could have been any of a million facts...
The father of his country, he never actually felled a cherry tree.
An accomplished surveyor with crooked teeth, this founding father's image is etched into Mount Rushmore.
A member of Virginia's planter class, he became the first and only General of the continental Army in 1776.
Currently, I am reading Joseph J. Ellis' His Excellency: George Washington, the latest in his Revolutionary generation book collection. I finished Founding Brothers a few years back, and could hardly put it down. I find his writing fascinating. In writing a book, Ellis pours through mounds of documents, letters, and endless titles for one singular purpose: to give an almost three dimensional description of the subject at hand. One would think that most of what he is telling his audience is common knowledge, yet he is able to tie together many different sources and make succinct observations about whomever he is writing about. That is why I enjoy the books so much. Of course, his books are more of a literature review and the reader is expected to trust his observations. These observations come from Ellis and his pouring over thousands of hand-written letters. Knowing this fact, I trust he will draw the correct conclusion of the historical figure.
One of my favorite parts of His Excellency deals with Washington's youthful development. While the focus on his early days falls short in comparison with the depth and scope that the rest of book covers, it is not for lack of effort on the author's part but can be more attributed to the fact that so little is know about the young Washington. However, the book is able to reveal a few important character traits that will mold his life. Ellis is able to glimpse through Washington's early decisions, an ambitious agenda that the young man sets for himself. His decision to forgo a formal education is bolstered by his maturation as a surveyor for the wild country of the Virginia frontier. At the age of 20, he assumes a military post vacated by his deceased older brother and mentor with an eloquent petition to Virginia governor Robert Dinwiddie. Over the course of the next five years he hones his military skills and begins to strengthen his personal perspective.
In His Excellency, Ellis paints a vivid picture of a young man, intent on establishing his roots in Virginia aristocracy. However, what I found astounding was the fact that age of 17, Washington was able to purchase his piece of land, a mere 1,459 acres, on a choice plot in the Shenandoah Valley. It would be his first of many acreage acquisitions for the man who would be the father of our country. It struck me that a mere 250 years ago, what we know today as America was but a wilderness, and given a modest beginning, men such as Washington were able to forge their own path. While George started out with slightly more than most, he was no privileged son. He merely took his lot and made the most of it.
Sometimes, when driving around the outskirts of a modern southern city I end up in the suburbs. The suburban area I speak of is not the one on the edge of the metropolitan area. This suburb is normally strung out ten miles or more from the distal edge of the city. In Tampa, that region is Land O' Lakes. Positioned just outside Hillsborough county proper, the flat country is home dozens of developments. Take a noun normally associated with something natural or and a terrain feature and you have another name for your new community starting in the low $190s (!). Fawn Ridge, Plantation Palms, Mango Hills, and Heritage Plains are all possible names for a quiet domestic life. I can't imagine ever living in a satellite community such as these. For reasons unmentionable here, I just can't stand them.
I have a strange discomfort in comparing Washington's American dream to the modern version. The one where every man can afford a manicured lawn complete with a two car garage and his collection of tools strapped to the walls. In Washington's day, he was able to pursue his vision of the dream. Owning mass amounts of land and cultivating a prosperous life for himself, only to find that he was bound, tooth and nail to the mercantile British system. Then he basically got really pissed off when he discovered the truth, and set out to change it. Today's man also finds himself working to the bone to capture his dream on the outskirts of society, only to wake up one day surrounded by strip malls and gas stations. He wonders what he can do about it. Time is running out for this guy, and hopefully he will find the solution to being boxed in.
The father of his country, he never actually felled a cherry tree.
An accomplished surveyor with crooked teeth, this founding father's image is etched into Mount Rushmore.
A member of Virginia's planter class, he became the first and only General of the continental Army in 1776.
Currently, I am reading Joseph J. Ellis' His Excellency: George Washington, the latest in his Revolutionary generation book collection. I finished Founding Brothers a few years back, and could hardly put it down. I find his writing fascinating. In writing a book, Ellis pours through mounds of documents, letters, and endless titles for one singular purpose: to give an almost three dimensional description of the subject at hand. One would think that most of what he is telling his audience is common knowledge, yet he is able to tie together many different sources and make succinct observations about whomever he is writing about. That is why I enjoy the books so much. Of course, his books are more of a literature review and the reader is expected to trust his observations. These observations come from Ellis and his pouring over thousands of hand-written letters. Knowing this fact, I trust he will draw the correct conclusion of the historical figure.
One of my favorite parts of His Excellency deals with Washington's youthful development. While the focus on his early days falls short in comparison with the depth and scope that the rest of book covers, it is not for lack of effort on the author's part but can be more attributed to the fact that so little is know about the young Washington. However, the book is able to reveal a few important character traits that will mold his life. Ellis is able to glimpse through Washington's early decisions, an ambitious agenda that the young man sets for himself. His decision to forgo a formal education is bolstered by his maturation as a surveyor for the wild country of the Virginia frontier. At the age of 20, he assumes a military post vacated by his deceased older brother and mentor with an eloquent petition to Virginia governor Robert Dinwiddie. Over the course of the next five years he hones his military skills and begins to strengthen his personal perspective.
In His Excellency, Ellis paints a vivid picture of a young man, intent on establishing his roots in Virginia aristocracy. However, what I found astounding was the fact that age of 17, Washington was able to purchase his piece of land, a mere 1,459 acres, on a choice plot in the Shenandoah Valley. It would be his first of many acreage acquisitions for the man who would be the father of our country. It struck me that a mere 250 years ago, what we know today as America was but a wilderness, and given a modest beginning, men such as Washington were able to forge their own path. While George started out with slightly more than most, he was no privileged son. He merely took his lot and made the most of it.
Sometimes, when driving around the outskirts of a modern southern city I end up in the suburbs. The suburban area I speak of is not the one on the edge of the metropolitan area. This suburb is normally strung out ten miles or more from the distal edge of the city. In Tampa, that region is Land O' Lakes. Positioned just outside Hillsborough county proper, the flat country is home dozens of developments. Take a noun normally associated with something natural or and a terrain feature and you have another name for your new community starting in the low $190s (!). Fawn Ridge, Plantation Palms, Mango Hills, and Heritage Plains are all possible names for a quiet domestic life. I can't imagine ever living in a satellite community such as these. For reasons unmentionable here, I just can't stand them.
I have a strange discomfort in comparing Washington's American dream to the modern version. The one where every man can afford a manicured lawn complete with a two car garage and his collection of tools strapped to the walls. In Washington's day, he was able to pursue his vision of the dream. Owning mass amounts of land and cultivating a prosperous life for himself, only to find that he was bound, tooth and nail to the mercantile British system. Then he basically got really pissed off when he discovered the truth, and set out to change it. Today's man also finds himself working to the bone to capture his dream on the outskirts of society, only to wake up one day surrounded by strip malls and gas stations. He wonders what he can do about it. Time is running out for this guy, and hopefully he will find the solution to being boxed in.
posted by Ben at 8:36 PM
1 Comments:
I just finished a part of that book, "His Excellency" where G.W. is reflecting on his life immediately following the Revolution. He had trouble managing his estate b/c he had over 200+ slaves. But many were too old to work and he wouldn't break up any of the families. Additionally, his dowry he got from marrying up to Martha (which the book insists is the single biggest factor in his life), the dowry wouldn't let him get rid of some of the slaves. Funny how that shit worked back in the day. So most of Mount Vernon's yield went right back to feed the slaves. A artist (or some visitor) to Mount Vernon even reported that the slaves threatened him and were out of line. The author makes a funny pt. that G.W. could manage an entire Continential Army, but not his own home.
I know you are too busy with the school, but you should read that book, or Founding Brothers when you get a chance.
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