Member Reviews
I can read about George Washington and seldom not enjoy the experience. It may be the mood I have been in since Covid 19 altered our world but I could not connect with "Washington's End" by Jonathan Horn. Mr. Horn is a solid writer, the material interesting if not mind-blowing, but I just bogged down several times only to return to the narrative and complete the task. If you are a fan of George Washington I recommend Mr.Bond's book. I still am grateful to Net Galley for the no charge copy in exchange for my review.
i really enjoyed reading this, as I really didn't know too much about George Washington. i found the research really well done and it was never a boring read.
Read if you: Have read other Washington biographies and want a focus on his last years of life.
This is a comprehensive, although somewhat meandering, look at George Washington's post-presidential years. The premise is certainly fascinating and mostly kept my interest. Is this is a great biography of Washington? No--however, if you want a relatively short (under 400 pages) Washington biography and have read other biographies that cover Washington's life more in-depth, try this one.
Many thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
While the subject matter itself is interesting, the writing style of the author made this a somewhat painful slog about the final years of George Washington's life. Add to that that the author meanders from the main subject on a regular basis and you have a book that could have been much more intersesting. In addition, the frequent use (or overuse) of qoutes gives the book a feel that this was needed in order to have a substantial narrative on the subject.
I would only recommend this book if you are a fan of George Washington and are willing to plow through several parts of the book that border on painful.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.
Not exactly exciting reading but it gives a new light on George Washington, the man, the former President, the consummate General of the United States. Although a man of flaws: the Whiskey Rebellion, treatment of native Americans, etc, he tended to take counsel before important decisions. Yet he was accused of wanting to be king rather than President, this man who wanted to go home at the end of his first term until persuaded otherwise. Although a slave owner, he made sure he freed everyone he was legally able to upon his death. It portrays the Presidents who followed (Adams and Jefferson) as jealous and manipulative, true politicians through and through. Gave me a lot to reconsider about what I have been taught. So glad NetGalley gave me a chance to review this book for my honest opinion.