Washington: A Life
By Ron Chernow
ISBN: 9780143119968
Publisher’s Description
From the author of Alexander Hamilton, the New York Times bestselling biography that inspired the musical, comes a gripping portrait of the first president of the United States.
Winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Biography
“Truly magnificent . . . [a] well-researched, well-written and absolutely definitive biography” —Andrew Roberts, The Wall Street Journal
“Until recently, I’d never believed that there could be such a thing as a truly gripping biography of George Washington . . . Well, I was wrong. I can’t recommend it highly enough—as history, as epic, and, not least, as entertainment.” —Hendrik Hertzberg, The New Yorker
Celebrated biographer Ron Chernow provides a richly nuanced portrait of the father of our nation and the first president of the United States. With a breadth and depth matched by no other one-volume biography of George Washington, this crisply paced narrative carries the reader through his adventurous early years, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention, and his magnificent performance as America’s first president. In this groundbreaking work, based on massive research, Chernow shatters forever the stereotype of George Washington as a stolid, unemotional figure and brings to vivid life a dashing, passionate man of fiery opinions and many moods.
Lin-Manuel Miranda’s smash Broadway musical Hamilton has sparked new interest in the Revolutionary War and the Founding Fathers. In addition to Alexander Hamilton, the production also features George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Aaron Burr, Lafayette, and many more.
About the Author
Ron Chernow is an esteemed American historian, biographer, and author, born on March 3, 1949, in Brooklyn, New York. He is widely recognized for his captivating and meticulously researched biographies that bring historical figures to life. Chernow’s writing is characterized by its depth, insight, and ability to illuminate the complexities of his subjects.
One of his most acclaimed works is “Alexander Hamilton,” a groundbreaking biography that not only inspired the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton” but also earned Chernow the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography in 2005. His talent for weaving together narrative and historical analysis has made him a prominent figure in the realm of American history literature.
Chernow’s other notable works include biographies of influential figures such as George Washington (“Washington: A Life”) and John D. Rockefeller (“Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.”). His dedication to scholarship and storytelling has garnered him numerous awards and accolades, establishing him as a preeminent author in the field of biographical history.