George Washington The wonder of the age

This biography of the nation's first president stands out for its rich prose. Rhodehamel writes of Washington's "legendary courage and his splendid person," and explains that he possessed "that rare and inexplicable power to make others trust and obey him. Many discovered that they actually loved him." Rhodehamel's jaunty writing makes for a highly entertaining book. Here he is on the Continental Army's surprise attack at the Battle of Trenton: "The Americans charged aggressively, emerging out of the swirling snow. Washington led from the center." The general's instinct to find the middle of the action worried his men. It also inspired them. Washington's story benefits from a vigorous telling. The powdered wig, the silly pants, the poker face staring out from crumpled dollar bills: All serve to separate us from our founding father. Rhodehamel's urgency of prose restores the connection. He also showcases his experience as the former archivist of Mount Vernon by bringing manuscript sources directly to the reader. A fine detail is Washington's distinctive penmanship. "He learned to write in an imposing hand that is still lovely to see. His lines lay perfectly straight across the paper. He liked elegant capital letters." Rhodehamel contends that a tension between ambition and reluctance to serve produced Washington's greatness. He eagerly sought out commands early in his career, but he hesitated to assume the presidency and could not wait to be free of it. In office, he used his tremendous prestige to consolidate American nationhood at an uncertain moment. Washington was not perfect: He freed his slaves in his will but had been a lifelong slaveholder; and while he decried partisanship, he himself became a fierce Federalist. Yet even flawed, Washington was both the projection and embodiment of the citizenry's deepest aspirations.