I received an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. I have been reading a lot about the Revolutionary War lately. This book details the business life of George Washington, which is a little different. There was much more to our first president than a white wig and the battles he led. John Berlau did a fine job bringing to life a brilliant businessman, hard worker and a man dedicated to making the world a better place. There were a lot of things I did not know about President Washington--for example, his take on slavery. Even though he owned slaves, he did not buy and sell them (he inherited most of them). He did not believe in separating families. In addition, when he died, he surprised everyone by freeing all of his slaves and giving them the choice of remaining at Mount Vernon or leaving. He also provided a pension for any who were disabled or too old to find work. In turn, Martha did the same with her slaves as she knew this is what her husband would have wanted. There was a lot to admire about the man, but at the very end of the book, the author decided to use it as a political platform and complain about all of the red tape that the government forces on entrepreneurs and businessmen. That was the deal breaker for me between a five-star and four-star rating. Otherwise, this is an excellent read and brings a little known side of George Washington to light.

I received a free copy of this book from the author. I had the opportunity to review or not.

This book is a look at George Washing in a new role, that of the Entrepreneur. While many people are aware of President Washington’s role as Revolutionary Soldier, as a Founding Father to our great nation and as our first President, they are not as aware of his role as an entrepreneur who influenced many innovations during the development of America.

This is a fascinating look at his life as a farmer and his innovative changes to the farming practices during his life-time, his innovative use of crops to enhance his profits and develop new ways of keeping the land producing better crops. He was among the first American farmers to utilize the use of Greenhouses to grow food that was not otherwise conducive to the climate in Virginia. He used the Potomac River to create a Gristmill in order to supply flour to the colonialists, he exported fish from the river to Britain, among other innovations to his farm.

Many writers of his life do not consider him as a great innovator, reading this book may change their minds. Having been to Mount Vernon as a tourist I was surprised to see so much of his farming industry that was creative and profitable. He was definitely a man looking to the future and finding ways to preserve the farming way of life. If you are interested in George Washington as a man rather than a politician, this is a book that meets that criteria. Take a look at the George you haven’t known.

18th-century, historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, commerce

Don't expect an unbiased review. Our family has been involved in American Revolutionary War re-enacting for years, and GW has always been our Commander In Chief.
But this book is about the whole man and his partner in life and in business, Martha, and how they were exceptional business persons without being crooks. I remember somewhere coming across a statement he made to the effect that he was "just a simple farmer." Ja. I've been to Mt Vernon and have seen the distillery, grist mill, etc. He diversified crops and discarded tobacco as a poor investment long before it was proved over a hundred years later. He involved himself in improvements in Virginia, and when the taxes on ironwork, wool, and other atrocities encroached on the good of the colonies he made the mind of the people known. There are a lot more instances and insights clarified in this book, but I think more people should invest in it besides those of us who follow the scent of cookfires and cannon fire.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you!!

This was such a unique look at our first a President. I had no idea that he was responsible for mules being created or that he owned a distillery. The business side is one that we don’t hear about with Washington, but these accomplishments are important to know about, as they give a true picture of the personality our President had.