George Washington: A Life in Books

In this new literary biography, Hayes (English, Univ. of Central Oklahoma; The Road to Monticello) focuses on the books in President George Washington's (1732–99) library. Rather than concentrate solely on Washington's life and accomplishments, Hayes uses his subject's library to contextualize the leader's thoughts and actions. He argues that these volumes reveal Washington's predilection for self-improvement and identify an active intellectual life on par with Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander Hamilton. This work gives unprecedented access to Washington's mind through the conduct books, sermons, primers, novels, and other materials on his bookshelf. Particularly noteworthy is Hayes's examination of the president's own writing in conjunction with his reading habits, allowing readers to see the intellectual growth firsthand. Though the text often infers connections instead of directly stating them, Hayes nonetheless writes a useful and necessary analysis of reading in early America. Trish Laughran's The Republic in Print provides more context on the importance of print culture in early America and is a good companion read.