Patriot Sage: George Washington and the American Political Tradition

by Richard Brookhiser, Forrest McDonald, Gary L. Gregg II, et al.

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1882926382
• ISBN13: 9781882926381
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: Intercollegiate Studies Institute
• Length: 369 Pages
• Weight: 1.36 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.5" x 5.9" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Great Book, rebuttal of much debunking

This is an excellent book! It is a compilation of essays examining various facets of Washington's career and personality ranging from an evaluation of his military acumen to his self awareness in view of classical models to his role in the Constitutional convention to the use of his portrayal in our culture. Each essay is informative and well written, and they come from experts in their field. This is a helpful response to the `debunking' which has become so popular. I don't agree with all aspects of the analyses, but this volume sets Washington in his own context and understands him accordingly. This book is a good way to gain a sound perspective and renewed appreciation of this central figure in our history.

George Washington could abolish slavery?

I feel the need to respond to the above review. It is an aburdity to fault George Washington for not abolishing slavery. At that point in human history, the institution of slavery was thousands of years old and practiced on every continent of the world and by every race including Africans, Asians, Middle Easterners and American Indians. George Washington was elected as the president of a republic. He had no authority to abolish slavery. Had he chosen to take the position of dictator, he could possibly have accomplished that end, but I sincerely doubt it. You seek to end one wrong by committing another. This kind of historical perspective does not serve to enlighten but obscure the facts. Someday self-righteous men may want to hold all Americans of our era responsible for allowing the abortion of 30+ million babies. There are times when we as individuals cannot "abolish" a great wrong until the traditions of a culture such as slavery and abortion are seen for what they are. Imagine my saying George W. Bush should write an executive order abolishing abortion.