Really well-written and well-documented account of those years that we gloss over in pop accounts of the birth of the US, making clear how tenuous the nation was under the Articles of Confederation (bringing to this reader's mind how difficult other new democracies have found the road to stability), as well as just how important George Washington--person and legend--was to the US' path. ( )

Summary: An account of the life of George Washington, between his retirement as General of the Continental Army in 1783 until his inauguration as the first president under the new U.S. Constitution.

In December of 1783, having successfully led the Continental Army to victory over and the departure of the British from New York City, George Washington stepped down as Commander in Chief to return to his plantation at Mount Vernon. On April 30, 1789, George Washington was sworn in as the first president of the United States, under a new constitution that created a much stronger federal government than had existed under the Articles of Confederation.

In this book, Edward J. Larson explores a period in Washington's life often lightly covered by other biographies, the five plus years of Washington's "retirement" from public life. Ostensibly, all Washington wanted to do is to develop his farms and realize a return on his investment in western lands. His own fortunes had suffered during the war and these were the years he hoped to have a chance to rebuild them. What Larson chronicles in this work is how Washington in both private and public ways continued to be active in American affairs, reflecting a deep concern for the development of the country he helped birth.

The concern began when he visited or attempted to visit his own western holdings, only to discover the inadequacies of government under the Articles of Confederation. There was no respect for property ownership or the rule of law, and the continued presence of native Americans prevented him from visiting one of his properties. Had he gone, he probably would not have survived. Efforts to develop navigation on the Potomac exposed another weakness, no effective governance of interstate commerce in what was basically a confederation of sovereign states and a weak national government.

It was clear that the new country's survival was imperiled unless the Articles of Confederation could be modified or replaced. Washington became a correspondent with others across the former thirteen colonies who recognized the need for a stronger form of government. These concerns led to the authorization of a Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. The question was whether or not Washington would attend, and likely, preside. Larson describes the dilemma he faced, to go with the risk of possible failure, or to remain home and doom the convention to likely failure. He went, and presided.

One sees the wisdom of Washington and the framers in establishing and enforcing a "gag rule" that prohibited discussing deliberations outside the convention. This allowed for ideas to be proposed that might have been quickly shot down. Larson traces Washington's crucial work at several critical impasses, particularly around the tensions over representation between large and small states.

Washington continued to exercise an important, but behind the scenes role during ratification, working with key contacts on political strategy in key states like Pennsylvania, New York, and his own Virginia, while staying in the background as the presumptive nominee for president, which everyone expected, including Washington, as much as he longed for his plantation.

Not everything in this account is glowing or fits our idealized picture of Washington. George and Martha Washington, between them, owned over 300 slaves and his own involvement in slavery was reflected in the treatment of the Three Fifths Compromise in terms of representation, and the fugitive slave clause (Article Four, Section 2, Clause 3). Only on his death did he release his (not Martha's) slaves. Likewise, Larson makes clear that from about the beginnings of the Revolutionary War on, Washington ceased to take communion, or believe in the deity of Christ. He believed in a God, and in divine providence, but even the minister closest to him knew of "no fact which would prove General Washington to have been a believer in the Christian revelation."

Larson makes a strong case in this work that Washington was the "indispensable man" not only in the war, and in establishing the presidency, but also in the forging of a constitution that created a strong federal system. He helped cultivate the growing consensus that there was a need for a new constitution. He was perhaps the one person convention delegates would trust to preside. He stayed in touch with key figures in the states during the ratification process. It might be argued that Article Two that described the Presidential powers particularly had Washington in mind. Even in "retirement," Washington recognized how important was establishing a system of government that ensured respect abroad, prosperity at home, and westward development. Larson shows how Washington, reluctantly perhaps at times, acted to make these three critical priorities possible. ( )

I really liked the book. I thought it was well written. It was very informative. Information that is not read in normal history books was the focus. I appreciated it. It did take me much longer to read this book than most. I would definitely not say this is a page turner but worth the read if you like to read about this time period and man. ( )

Interesting book on the time between winning the American Revolution and becoming president. Good details on his leadership and influence on the constitutional congress and achieving miraculous agreement and ratification of the constitution. Preventing not only the dissolution of the loose confederation of states but the forming of a new Union where the rights endowed on us by the Creator are recognized by the government. ( )

This work chronicles Washington's activities during his retirement from public life between his resignation as commander of the army in 1783 and his election to the presidency in 1789. While nominally called a "retirement", Washington clearly didn't comprehend the meaning of the word. Washington was incredibly active during these years, travelling to his lands on the Appalachian frontier, maintaining contact with the figures he knew during the Revolutionary War, voicing criticism of the Confederation government, and serving as president of the Constitutional Convention. This work reveals how active these years of "retirement" were for Washington and effectively bring the gap between Washington's military service and his presidency. A good read for anyone interested in Washington. ( )