December 16, 2019
In this breezy yet fact-filled revisionist biography, historian and podcast host Coe (Alice + Freda Forever) takes George Washington’s previous—predominantly male—biographers to task for obsessing over his virility, enshrining myths about his military prowess and moral exactitude, and mischaracterizing his relationship with his mother. Coe threads her narrative with charts listing Washington’s “frenemies” (Thomas Jefferson, James Madison) and the diseases he survived (diphtheria, malaria, dysentery). She describes how Washington’s widowed mother kept him out of the British Royal Navy and details his involvement in the 1754 skirmish that sparked the French and Indian War. Eschewing a lengthy recap of Washington’s Revolutionary War battles, Coe focuses on his role as spymaster and propagandist. She recounts his reluctance to serve as president and sketches the era’s partisan divides. While others have praised Washington for freeing his slaves, Coe notes that he actually left it to his widow to sign the deed of manumission, and that she likely did so out of fear for her life. The book’s brisk pace and contrarian perspective leave significant gaps (Washington’s two presidential terms take up less than 40 pages), but it succeeds in humanizing the Founding Father. Readers who like their history with a dose of wry humor will savor this accessible account.
December 15, 2019
A biography of George Washington that debunks many of the tall tales surrounding his legacy. When Coe (Alice + Freda Forever: A Murder in Memphis, 2014), a former research curator at the New York Public Library, began gathering information for her latest book, she realized that most of the major Washington biographies had been written by men and were often biased toward a male perspective. Because this book avoids the male-centric viewpoint, it should make for interesting reading even for those who think they know Washington's story. Coe shares the unvarnished truth about the man, exposing many of the myths about him. In one section, the author examines the "Lies We Believe About the Man Who Could Not Tell Them," which include the "fact" that "He was the first president to live in the White House." As Coe notes, "Washington helped choose the site of the White House, but John Adams was the first president to live there." The author chronicles Washington's battles in the French and Indian War and his flirtations with women prior to meeting Martha Custis, who, within a year, became his wife. Coe writes extensively about the slaves and indentured servants who called Mount Vernon home and the man who served as Washington's personal aide throughout his life, including on the battlefield. The author has clearly done her homework, evident throughout the text in the letters and documents she quotes and the numerous sidebars and charts she incorporates, including a listing of the numerous animals housed at Mount Vernon. Coe juxtaposes her portrait of Washington's political and leadership traits with a softer side of him as stepfather to Martha's children, but she also shows his negligence toward his own mother. There is also a timeline, a list of "diseases survived," and a handy bulleted section called "George Washington at a Glance" (his "dislikes" included "idle chatter," "sitting for portraits," and "slapstick humor"). Evenhanded and engaging, this biography brings fresh insight to one of America's most written-about leaders.
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Starred review from February 1, 2020
Coe (Alice + Freda Forever) makes a compelling case that George Washington (1732-99), esteemed for his part in the Revolutionary War and for becoming the first U.S. president, is more of a historical giant than a knowable persona. Based on primary sources, this accessible, humorous work casts Washington in a personal light. Coe details significant events in Washington's life while debunking long-held myths, such as the legend of the cherry tree (that he damaged his father's tree but was honest about it). Using historical details, Coe draws a portrait of the Founding Father through which both his strengths and flaws emerge, along with his patience, and, when provoked, his temper. Coe strikes the ideal balance in her representation of Washington: Neither god nor devil, he was a man who made mistakes as well as strong decisions, and both were often on a grand scale. VERDICT An adept, highly approachable read that will appeal to history buffs and anyone seeking a compact overview of the man and the myth.--Stacy Shaw, Denver
Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2020
When researching George Washington, Coe (author of the YA history Alice and Freda Forever, 2014) realized that all of the popular biographies she'd read about the first U.S president were written by men, for men. Each had a particular bent that emphasized Washington's masculinity and stoicism while relegating the other players in his life?his mother, wife, and enslaved people?to off-stage roles. When Coe examined the same sources that previous Washington biographers referenced, she found that their interpretations shaped the narrative of Washington's life, building a mythology rather than examining his life fully. Relying on primary source research, here Coe narrates Washington's life to give greater depth to his personality and decisions. Focusing primarily on Washington's life off the battlefield, she highlights his interactions with his slaves, his deep love for his family, and his reluctant decision to accept the nomination for presidency. Co-host of the podcast Presidents Are People, Too!, Coe blends excellent storytelling with a fascinating look at how history is told and who gets to tell it.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)