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The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon
The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon
The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon
Audiobook17 hours

The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon

Written by John Ferling

Narrated by Norman Dietz

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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About this audiobook

Even compared to his fellow founders, George Washington stands tall. Our first president has long been considered a stoic hero, holding himself above the rough-and-tumble politics of his day. Now John Ferling peers behind that image, carefully burnished by Washington himself, to show us a leader who was not only not above politics but a canny infighter-a master of persuasion, manipulation, and deniability.

In the War of Independence, Washington used his skills to steer the Continental Army through crises that would have broken less determined men; he squeezed out rival generals and defused dissent from those below him. Ending the war as a national hero, Washington "allowed" himself to be pressed into the presidency, guiding the nation with the same brilliantly maintained pose of selfless public interest. In short, Washington deftly screened a burning ambition behind his image of republican virtue-but that image, maintained not without cost, made him just the leader the overmatched army, and then the shaky young nation, desperately needed.

Ferling argues that not only was Washington one of America's most adroit politicians-the proof of his genius is that he is no longer thought of as a politician at all.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateJun 8, 2009
ISBN9781400181995
Author

John Ferling

John Ferling is professor emeritus of history at the University of West Georgia. He is the author of many books on the American Revolution, including The Ascent of George Washington; Almost a Miracle; A Leap in the Dark; Whirlwind, a finalist for the 2015 Kirkus Book Prize; and, most recently, Apostles of Revolution: Jefferson, Paine, Monroe, and the Struggle Against the Old Order in America and Europe. He and his wife, Carol, live near Atlanta. JOHN FERLING, Professor of History at West Georgia College, is writing a biography of John Adams. He is the author of The Loyalist Mind (1977), A Wilderness of Miseries: War and Warriors in Early America (1981), and The First of Men: A Life of George Washington (1988).

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  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Historian John Ferling, a noted authority on the American Revolution and its aftermath, offers a new assessment of the "father of his country" in "The Ascent of George Washington." In what might be best described as a political biography, Ferling describes an aspiring leader who consistently makes decisions for both the public good and his own personal benefit, frequently at the same time.To a great extent, this is a probable assessment. Despite the common view of Washington that he consistently served the national interest with personal disinterest, it is clear that Washington carefully cultivated himself to be selected leader in a number of different situations. Indeed, Washington's self-promotion, particularly in his military career, is a fascinating addition to his marble mystique.Ferling presents much evidence of Washington's actions aligning to his self-interest; however, he is unclear how far to push the argument. This conflicting assessment is frequently apparent in the book, causing some dizzying acrobatic logic. For example, in writing of Washington's actions toward policy in the Western frontier, where he was a land speculator, Ferling offers this convoluted evaluation:"It cannot be denied that the changes Washington urged would advance his personal interests. That does not mean he recommended these political changes for his own advantage. By soldiering for eight difficult years, he had demonstrated his willingness to make enormous personal sacrifices for a greater public good, and one would like to think that following his return to civilian pursuits as a planter and businessman, nothing superseded the national interest in Washington's mind. Before the war, however, Washington had often used his power and influence in the House of Burgesses for his own ends, and it would be more creditable had he, on occasion, stood for something after 1783 that would have been to his detriment. Most people, including those in public life, are self-serving. It goes against human nature not to be. Washington was still vigorous when he returned home from the war. He may not have anticipated a long life, but he knew that he might live another quarter century or more. That possibility made it especially important that he be able to sell or lease his western lands, successfully market what was produced at Mount Vernon and on his dower lands, and realize the full face value of all money owed him. Every reform he advocated would enhance the likelihood that he would achieve these ends, and in the near-term. It is a habit of the human condition to see an affinity between one's personal interests and the greater general good, and habit, too, to exaggerate the perils that accompany a course that is not in one's interests. Washington was no exception to this rule."To be sure, good scholarship, especially in historical biography, requires an ability to see nuance, complexity, and even contradiction in someone's life. However, this hemming and hawing offers more insight into Ferling's mind that into Washington's. Perhaps this is the most extreme occasion in the book, but unfortunately it recurs far too often, which at times causes the account to feel indecisive and tedious.There are good observations here. Of particular note is the care that Ferling gives to describe how Washington's approach to politics and political demeanor changed as he grew older. It is clear that Ferling believes Washington was tired and a bit ambivalent toward politics in his second term as president, due mostly to his age, rather than to maturity.In the end, this look at America's first president is a mixed bag, combining some excellent scholarship and insight into Washington's character with too many instances of dry, boring, or even confused prose. Students of Washington may find value here; others are unlikely to finish the book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Wow did I have a hard time with this book. They could easily change the title of this book to "George Washington Never Made a Good or Selfless Decision in His Life" by John Ferling. In the introduction of the book, Ferling explains that he disagreed with most historians that Washington was generally a selfless leader, and that the purpose of this book was to show that Washington was usually politically motivated with his decisions. I think that is a fair argument and one I looked forward to reading about. However, what this book turned into was page after page after page of taking every decision Washington ever made, and finding reasons why they were either bad, ignorant, or made to make Washington look good and others look bad. While I am sure that there was some validity to many, if not all, of the author's points, it was very depressing to read about. For me, the book quickly went from a revisionist study of Washington, to a mean-spirited take on Washington. Even when the author found a reason to praise Washington, he would always follow it up with a negative rebuttal to the praise. I don't need all of my U.S. History to be positive and uplifting, but I also don't need it to be all negative.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Mr. Ferling's account of George Washington and his ambitions and political skill meets the mark. Foremost is the honesty of the examination which while flattering of Washington does not offer unqualified adulation, but exposes his weaknesses of character and discusses his failures as a commander. For me, the most interesting portions of the book were Washington's time as commander of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. This tells me that I should read Ferling's last book, "Almost a Miracle" which is exactly what I intend to do. What you are left with is that Washington was not perfect at anything. However, he sees to have been the perfect almost unanimous choice as the first commander and the first commander-in-chief.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    This book is built around proving that George Washington while a person of great import and impact was not as good as most have portrayed him. The message at the soul of the book is that George Washington was a politician driven by ambition.

    I'll grant that Washington was not some sort of perfect saint and no doubt he did have ambition(s). However, I felt the author overstated his case. The descriptions of his character by his peers that knew him in real life do not match the picture the author is trying to paint. George Washington was a statesman. Not a politician. I felt like this book was trying hard to make George Washington seem more like the caricature of the average modern politician. He was a man from a different age, different era, and a different world than the one we inhabit. A gentleman indeed and not merely in social position.

    This was an effort to debunk the man not the myth of the man.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The first President through the well researched lens of the author.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The thesis of "The Ascent of George Washington" is to remove the idea that George Washington sailed placidly along on the tides of fate as a man unencumbered by desire for fame. The author states quite the opposite, from a young age George Washington had ambition to make something quite grand out of himself. Washington is probably the most studied of American personalities and author John Ferling has a long resume as a Washington scholar and biographer so it would be difficult to imagine any new earth shattering revelations being uncovered. What is new is a reinterpretation of existing knowledge in the context of a man who was a nimble politician and eagerly seeking his destiny. Ferling covers all the familiar highlights of Washington’s life and rise to fame but gone is the man swept up by events beyond his control. In his place we see a man no different than his contemporaries, one who wants to climb socially and have his turn with the reins of power. What the reader may find most different from the Washington we knew in high school is that this Washington formed policy that was to his overall advantage making him no different from politicians we see today. Ferling deftly handles this point by showing that Washington honestly felt that the advancement of his level of society would best serve the long term interests of the new nation. He was not alone in this view. That Washington was not without faults is well known, Ferling often focuses often on Washington’s failures and his recovery from them to show a man very concerned with his public perception and his future. “The Ascent of George Washington” may destroy to some extent the mystique of George Washington but humanizing him and showing him as an adept politician adds a new facet to the man. Author Ferling does no harm to the repute of this founding father in this intriguing new version of a familiar life
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In "The Ascent of George Washington," John Ferling focuses on Washington’s political life. The author goes behind the myth to reveal Washington’s political flaws and genius. The portrait of Washington that emerges is of an adroit politician. Ferling gives a balanced perspective. Washington is revealed as having been enormously ambitious and driven to succeed. He was quick to claim credit for the accomplishments of others and skilled at laying blame on others for his own failures. He was expert at self-promotion. He was a poor tactician and strategist and commonly indecisive in a crisis. Yet Ferling believes Washington may have been the only person equipped to lead the American colonies to independence and to guide the fledgling nation. Washington’s character, judgment, courage, industriousness, persistence, and political skills set him apart from his contemporaries. Ferling writes in a readable style without sacrificing scholarship. In this book he has scripted a convincing narrative of Washington’s education as a leader. Today’s leaders may learn from Washington’s strengths and shortcomings. The reader will come away with a more human portrait of Washington, which very well may instill a greater appreciation for his achievements.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    As his preface provides, Mr. Ferling has spent a great deal of his scholarly life researching and thinking about George Washington. While this book provides a great deal of insight into what Mr. Ferling believes drove Washington, it also provides a bit of insight into Mr. Ferling - namely, that he does not appear to be a big fan of George Washington. Unfortunately, his feelings about Washington color his book - much of the criticism of Washington is given full voice, to the point that it would not be surprising if one would wonder how this Washington person ever made it anywhere. The main thesis of this book is how Washington was a masterful political infighter, but there is little evidence provides of how Washington was so successful at such infighting. The main evidence provides appears to be that he failed so much yet was able to avoid any and all blame; therefore, he was skilled at political intrigue. More evidence and less innuendo would have been helpful. That said, Mr. Ferling provides a wealth of information synthesized into viewing one prism of Washington's life and character - his political instincts and success.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    John Ferling is an accomplished author of the period of the American Revolution and in this book works hard to take a "fresh look" at George Washington. Given a figure with such historical prominence, a "fresh look" should be expected to cast the subject as more human (i.e. possessing of less-than-heroic qualities). And in the pursuit of this goal, Ferling is certainly successful in portraying Washington as a mortal.Perhaps the most astonishing part of this is that even while putting the subject in realistic perspective, the book still shows the amazing character of a man who acquitted himself much better than others, despite having much greater opportunity to abuse the power he found in his hands.The Washington Post reviewer managed to produce a rather impressive list of the passages in the book that described the first President's shortcomings, emphasizing Ferling's tendency toward realism. However, a review could also have included a number of Washington's positive, but less widely known, human qualities, such as his interest in entrepreneurship, his willingness to surround himself with brilliance, and his consistent disinterest in compensation while in public service. This notwithstanding, the constant search for imperfection is, overall fatiguing.So, you will enjoy the book if you enjoy this historical approach...
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Every American knows who George Washington was and even though few still believe Parson Weems’ story of his life (does anyone still believe he chopped down a cherry tree?) most Americans have an idealized portrait of Washington in their minds. In The Ascent of George Washington: The Hidden Political Genius of an American Icon, John Ferling portrays a different and much more human version of Washington. Ferling, who has written extensively about the American Revolutionary period, discovered a Washington who was, “Madly ambitious and obsessed with recognition and renown,” he emerged a hero from two wars, in which he achieved only insignificant individual success and committed dreadful blunders. He was a genius at shifting the blame for defeat on to others and engaging in self-promotion. In spite of these failings, Ferling maintains Washington was a great American icon and the country was extraordinarily fortunate to have had him as its first president. For while much of the aura that surrounded Washington in life and death was mythological, legendary heroes and mythical tales are essential for the creation and maintenance of a new nation. Political leaders of the past have often been made into mythological figures that can never be imitated. The reader can never achieve the same greatness nor does he expect it from his current leaders. The fact that these past leaders were great but human, with human flaws is lost. This diminishes their accomplishments by making it appear they were something more then normal men. The Ascent of George Washington serves as a reminder that we are all human, even George Washington.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Another excellent work by John Ferling, as one of the pre-eminent scholars on the American Revolution and its leaders. This time John Ferling moves beyond his previous works which examined timelines of events during the rebellion before the revolution and the revolution itself to examine George Washington's life rather then simply reporting the usual timeline that made him the country's first Commander-In-Chief. Because of this effort by Prof. Ferling to dig even deeper into his life and go beyond the usual reverence reserved for the one president who kept himself above the bickering of politics.Although this is a thoughtfully written biography and of interest to many readers who enjoy learning about the American Revolution it is not the typical biography like Ferling's "Indispensable Man". Some readers looking for a typical bio of George Washington may wish to avoid this book until they have read others and wish to dig even deeper into Washington's life. Overall, I thought this was an excellent examination of Washington's life that went beyond the typical stories of Washington crossing the Delaware and leading the army to victory in the American Revolution.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This book was a poor excuse for an objective biography of George Washington. In order to accept John Ferling's writing you must be willing to interpret everything that Washington said in a manner consistent with Ferling's views. You cannot accept Washington's writings at face value. Everything he said was manipulative and/or a lie. For example, Washington stated that he "would be a willing offering to Savage Fury: and die by inches, to save a people." (p34) According to Ferling, although he offers no proof of this, Washington was being melodramatic, and engaging in hyperbole. All of this was done to criticize the governor. I am unwilling to interpret comments based on what I want a persons character to be. This is a practice engaged in extensively throughout this book. Another aspect that I dislike is Ferling's speculation throughout the book. There are numerous times where he says things like, "He must have felt," or "he must have thought," and similar things. This is pure conjecture. We cannot claim to know what Washington felt or thought, except by what he wrote, and to some extent by what contemporaries who knew him wrote. I found the research to be decent, but was twisted in order to attempt to meet the claims of Ferling. I saw little proof to most of the accusations Ferling levied against Washington. However, there were some interesting things, and a very few things were substantiated decently. I would reccomend this book to someone who knows about Washington already, but not to someone who is beginning there journey of learning about George Washington.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This is book #5 that I have read by John Ferling, however, this was my least favorite of the five books. I consider this book a dog. Ferling sourced many of the flaws of GW from known enemies, such as Thomas Jefferson, without citing the agenda these individuals had against GW. Ferling assigns the worst character flaws to GW – driven by personal wealth, easily duped by individuals around him, mad for glory and consistently wrong on military matters. Much better books on GW include “His Excellency” by Joseph Ellis and “Revolutionary Characters” by Gordon Wood
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This review is actually coming from reading the advanced reading copy. I know there were maps to be included in the final copy, which I think would greatly enhance the book. I really loved this book from start to finish. Mainly because it is not just another book on George Washington. The author, John Ferling, takes a new approach to this famous man by arguing that he was actually very political and highly partisan, which goes against what other historians have said. John Ferling takes the reader through George Washington's life and proves every step of the way that Washington was political and everything he did was to become more well-known and in a higher place politically. From a very early age the reader can see that Washington was ambitious. This doesn't lessen his accomplishments or make him less of a patriot. It makes him human. He did want to do the best for his country but he also, according to this author, wanted to do the best for himself as well.I highly recommend this book for everyone because it offers a fresh new look on an old subject. I think any from high school and up would enjoy this book and learn a bit more about our famous president. This is definitely worth the read and a great addition to a library.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A very revealing look at political background of our first President. Interesting if a bit dry.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    According to this biography, George Washington was neither disinterested, nonpartisan, nor for that matter any great military strategist. He was, however, a born administrator & a political animal of genius. Even beyond these gifts, bordering on the miraculous, lay his skill at constructing, staging, & manipulating the public perception of his persona. What remains of Washington's "greatness" after this reading is his character - if not disinterested, then hotly devoted to the future & welfare of the new American nation - as well as the accomplishment, still much to his own credit, of consolidating the young republic by means of a counterrevolution that only he, in semi-conspiration with his grand vizier Andrew Hamilton, clearly envisaged as necessary & desirable. One of the rare accounts in which a political idol is not dimished by the revelation of his human imperfections. If anything, his ability comes out enhanced. Singular & thought-provoking.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    John Ferling, respected authority on American Revolutionary history, points out that while George Washington’s character has attracted great attention, his political activities have been largely overlooked. His contemporaries regarded him as “above politics,” and certainly modern historians have portrayed his alleged disinterestedness as his most outstanding quality. Ferling writes this book in answer to his own question: “Could this be true? Could Washington have been so different?...” The answer he finds, of course, is no. On the contrary, “The real Washington burned with ambition: ambition for his country, to be sure, but also for renown, power, wealth, and success.” His book eschews the usual biographical material in order to demonstrate the political Washington revealed by his studies.Ferling’s Washington is not above manipulation, lying, playing people off of one another, and living in a directed manner – playing a part like the most consummate actor - in order to achieve his ambitious goals.It was the great good fortune of this country that the ambitions of George Washington happened to end up dovetailing with the needs of the new nation. And there was no denying that in addition to his less desirable traits, he also had a superhuman measure of courage, self-sacrifice, ability to lead men and inspire devotion in them, and the art of selecting talented colleagues.Although this is a very complete and excellent resource on Washington, I would not recommend it to the casual reader of history. Ferling's research is extremely thorough, but his writing is somewhat dry. A more general biography of recent vintage will make the same general argument but is also apt to be more interesting by painting a more rounded portrait.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A serviceable biography of The Father of Our Country. It's arguable that Washington's canniest political accomplishment was to preserve his reputation as having always been 'above politics.'Ferling reminds us that Washington was *always* aware of his reputation as "The Indispensible Man", and would play off it as needed. One aspect of Washington's life emphasized here - and mostly overlooked in most other biographies - is his pre-Revolution career in Virginia's House of Burgesses.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A fascinating study of a far more complicated personality than I knew. Well worth the read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    ISBN #978-1-59691-465-0 Every now and then a phrase from some movie or other captures the imagination of the general public and before you know it everyone is repeating the line over and over. "I'll be back" from The Terminator comes to mind, or "You had me at hello" from Jerry Maguire. Well I hate to use such phrases myself but this one time I have to do so and say that with this latest title, author John Ferling had me at "There were differences in the politics of eighteenth-century America and those of today, but not as many as might be thought." (1st sentence of Preface) This captivating beginning sets the tone for the entire book and from start to finish I simply could not put this book down...indeed Mr. Ferling now owes me many hours of sleep, a debt I am happy to forgive if he promises to keep writing non fiction of this caliber. The beauty of this book is that while it is indeed a book of history (political history at that!), it reads like a modern thriller. I dare say that I absolutely would recommend this book to everyone I know, and if it was within my power, I would make it required reading for high school students. Well with such nearly sycophantic praise one would think that Mr. Ferling was paying me for this review, but I assure my readers that this is not the case (if, however, Mr. Ferling should read this and feel the uncontrollable urge to send some cash my way, I will happily accept). No, this book is well deserving of praise without needing to resort to base bribery! At any rate, this book brings our illustrious first president down to a human level...portraying him as the ambitious and self interested man that he was, warts and all. In no way, however, does this make him a less heroic figure. Instead it helps us to see him as the fallible human that he truly was, a man who felt like he was meant for great things (and apparently he was) and stopped at nothing to achieve this greatness. Ferling correctly points out that it was quite surpising that Washington became the man he did considering his many military blunders; at the same time this is no big surprise when we understand his political savviness and his ability to deflect criticism. This, indeed, is the theme of this book, and Ferling does a wonderful job of proving his thesis and convincing the reader not only of this truth but assisting us to retain our hero worshipping attitude towards the father of our country! So my final thoughts are as follows: this book is well written, surpisingly respectful of its subject, and quite humorous in some places (three French generals coming to America; three major general positions available; American officers wanting one of those positions; problem solved satisfactorily for everyone when one of the French generals obligingly drowns...Ferling points out this was satisfactory for everyone except, of course, the drowned general!). I would give it three thumbs up if I could, but since I cannot do so I give it two enthusiastic thumbs up!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A very good book. I don't think there was really anything mind blowing in this book but it did help bring more insight of Washington at the time. I did enjoy reading about how wasn't really all that successful in battle and how much he seemed to favor the Federalist and monarchtatian ways. For me, I was probably more familiar with the myth of Washington and this helped to show the real person that would become our first president.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Ferling sets himself a lofty goal and then finds it difficult to meet. He starts out with an excellent premise, that Washington was a deeply political animal whose political skill and machinations are willfully ignored by both Washington's latter peers and by almost all Historians. And so Ferling set out to document Washington's political activity and prowess.The problem that Ferling runs into is that Washington was so good at the politics of disinterestedness, appearing to stand above the fray, that Ferling has has very little direct evidence to cite. Washington's own silence during his time in the House of Burgesses, for example, leaves scant material for Ferling to investigate. Indeed silence was Washington's favorite political tactic. (Apparently he learned earlier than Franklin that it might be better to keep his mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.)Unfortunately, for Ferling the result is less than stellar. Using the example of Washington's tenure in the House of Burgesses again we are forced to note that perhaps Ferling has over-reached. In the preface Ferling writes, "...Nothing about Washington has attracted less attention than his political activities. Though Washington served in the Virginia Assembly for nearly 20 years before the War of Independence, his legislative career has been passed over with insufficient scrutiny." Yet Ferling's scrutiny yields only tidbits like, "Jefferson, who served in the assembly with Washington for nearly seven years, once said that his colleague seldom spoke and never made a lengthy speech. Lacking a 'mind... of the very first order.'"Further Washington's career in the House of Burgesses seems replete only with activity less historically significant than his conduct as a soldier and President. Ferling notes that committees Washington served on controlled stray animals, set fee schedules for public offices, licensed ferry operators, regulated the fur trade, watched over courts, commerce, and public claims. Ferling writes, "Much of this was excessively trivial for a man who... frequently had to make life and death decisions."The committee assignments could have yielded political gold for a man interested in turning responsibilities into opportunities. For example, the fur trade a ferry licenses could have been used to shape and control westward expansion in Virginia, but apparently Washington was not up to the task and Ferling lets him off the hook.Indeed for much of the book Ferling seems to be left holding the bag for Washington, attempting to explain why Washington did not do or say more. He falls for Washington's own singularly effective political tactic of saying nothing about his own responsibilities and failures.The Ascent of George Washington turns out to be a good account of Washington's adult life that includes a deeper examination of Washington's political activity than has been previously attempted. But Washington's political conduct never rises to the heights that Ferling claims it does and Ferling is forced, over the course of the book, to minimize his own thesis.It seems most Historians have steered themselves away from Washington's political life for good reason.