Book Description

He might have been just a rich farmer...but that wasn't his whole story. Not by a long shot!

It has been 200 years since George Washington died, but his story is more important than ever. His sacrifices for his country made him a legend, but who was this complex and valiant man? Cheryl Harness uses her lively writing style and richly detailed watercolors to bring the man behind the monument to life.

You'll smell the "hot blood and smoke" as George dodges bullets in the French and Indian War, sense his "purple fury" at soldiers who ran from battle early in the Revolution, shiver as he leads his army across the icy Delaware, and shout "Long live George Washington" as he is sworn in as President of the United States. But you'll see another George, too: A man who loved to dance, listen to his granddaughter play music, and entertain friends at his beloved Mount Vernon.

Love of liberty compelled George Washington to serve his country. Was he always sure he could do the job? Not at all! But he had to try. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Poorly Written
As a writer, Cheryl Harness desperately needs an editor for omissions, unity, logic & coherence. Shock value is found useful on computer games, but injures the understanding and imagines that children need a low thought standard. That is disparaging.

A colorful juvenile biography of George Washington
This juvenile biography of "George Washington" by Cheryl Harness combined detailed watercolors with a text that emphasizes that nobody really knew how remarkable the man was until events brought him to the forefront of history. The biography begins with young George Washington dreaming of commanding a warship in the Royal Navy and ends with the former President catching a chill after going out on a snowy day for his customary ride through the fields of Mount Vernon. Most of the focus of this book is on General Washington during the American Revolution, which means that his military service in the French & Indian Wars and his presidency become secondary considerations. The latter is reduced to what the new President would be called, the construction of the new capital city, and the political divisions of Washington's cabinet. The artwork is a combination of big pictures of the noble Father of Our Country and smaller maps and scenes representing the life and times in which Washington lived. The images of Washington are probably the best part of the volume since they do a very nice job of making Washington look like a human being rather than a formal portrait or a marble statue. Some of the pages get a bit cluttered with images and sometimes threaten to overwhelm the text, but on balance this is a solid juvenile biography that makes up with spirit what it lacks in detail. Then again, Harness makes a point of identifying all the historical figures when she details the Continental Congress or Washington's cabinet. This is one of several nice looking presidential biographies Harness has put together for the National Geographic Society.

Makes a GREAT Read Aloud For "Children" of ALL Ages!
The illustrations in this book are nothing short of amazing. Very powerful. They jump right out at you and each page is loaded with beautiful visuals and text. I lost myself in each page as I read this book to my two daughters. The storyline is definitely geared for the higher primary grade levels (4th/5th Grade and up), but my kids were still mesmerized. Quite frankly, so was I!

I'll add this to our personal library because it is well written and they will appreciate it more in later grades. If you are looking for a terrific book about Washington for younger readers try George Washington: A Picture Book Biography by James Cross Giblin.

But don't neglect the sheer artistry in this book by Harness. It is truly remarkable!

5 Stars...

Enjoy

A Great Washington Picture Book Biography!
Harness is a master of the longer picture book biography. While her biographies are heavy with text, they also are heavy with detailed illustrations and little extras! She strikes the balance well! George Washington is no different! Beautiful illustrations jump out! Teachers and kids will love the extra surprises at the end - a "More About George" section and a detailed sketch that identifies everyone at the Constitutional convention in 1787. Buy this book! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Was George Washington a dedicated slaveholder and, like Thomas Jefferson, a father of slave children? Or was he a closeted abolitionist and moralist who abhorred the abuse of African-Americans? In An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America Henry Wiencek delves into Washington's papers and new oral history information to assemble a portrait of the first President of the United States that (while uneven in the telling) concludes that Washington supported emancipation by the time of his death.

To begin, Wiencek briefly addresses and dismisses the claim that Washington fathered a child with Venus, (a slave owned by Washingtong's brother, John Augustine). According to Wiencek, the President was likely sterile and such an affair would have been out of character for a man who prided himself on "self-control."

Wiencek's real focus in An Imperfect God is Washington's personal and political position regarding emancipation. The primary ground for Wiencek's argument is Washington's will and a selection of private letters that elaborate a plan for providing land and means for his freed laborers. The will in particular offers powerful evidence of Washington's true intentions, including explicit declarations manumitting Washington's slaves after his death. As Wiencek shows, the document punctuated a long period of equivocation.

An Imperfect God is an imperfect book. Wiencek's occasional first-person accounts of his field research, including discussions with descendants of Washington, feel strangely out of place in what is elsewhere a straightforward biography punctuated with digressions into Washington's larger historical context. Further, Wiencek sometimes dabbles in hagiography and is willing to excuse much in a man who was a slaveholder his entire life. Yet, Wiencek is right to point out the distinctions of Washington among the slaveholding Founding Fathers. Readers can only imagine along with Wiencek the national tragedy that could have been averted had Washington provided the great example of emancipation while in office. --Patrick O'Kelley ... Read more

Reviews (14)

More than just Washington
This book chronicles not only George Washington's personal transformation from unapologetic slave-owner to guilt ridden proto-abolitionist, but also lesser known vignettes about the other founding fathers and black patriots who fought and died to form this country.

The book neither apologizes nor damns Washington. It is balanced and fair in its treatment of the first Prez. At the end it slightly chastized Washington for not freeing his slaves while in office, and the example such an act would have set, yet the author covered his bases enough in the preceding chapters (ie the threat of British reconquest over a dividing America) to show how difficult the issue was Realpolitik-wise. Slavery was evil, and most of the Founders knew it, and they feared for their country because of it.

Unlike Jefferson, Washington wasn't racist, and by the end of the War, Washington was heavily recruiting free blacks. There is no indication that he treated them any less than whites, he visited all the soldiers preceding the daring assault at Yorktown. He personally invited the black poet Phyllis Wheatley to Mount Vernon because he admired her work. These stories are some of the most satisfying elements in the book, after all black patriotism during the Revolutionary War period is disgustinly neglected by most history books and contemporary interpretations of Revolutionary politics. These black soldiers that formed most of the Rhode Island brigade (that saved Washington's life at Bunker Hill), that formed Glover's naval forces, they didn't fight for anachronistic Marxism, or Socialism, or class war, or an Exodus back to Africa, or "Black Power", they fought for the same beautiful principles of individual liberty that Jefferson and the remaining Founding Fathers so hypocritically professed.

Washington, at least, the old General, knew this at the end of his life, and tried to rectify it. By dealing honestly w/ the real issue of slavery and Washington's relationship with it, this book does more to valorize Washington than any whitewashing of the period would have.

Fascinating, not cynical, appraisal of American Patriarch
I received this book as a Christmas gift, and was afraid it might be a cynical and politically-correct portrait of George Washington. Far from it.
Washington was probably the only man who could have steered us between the rock of tyranny and the whirlpool of anarchy. And when his second term was up, "the man who refused to be king" got on his horse and returned to his beloved farm. Mount Vernon, however, was a house divided when it came to dealing with the corrupting institution of slavery. Martha Washington and the extended family had radically different views from the patriarch, who wanted to begin educating the slaves.
It is soul-wrenching to read of the missed opportunities to stymie slavery. The Founding Fathers had the power to bring our way of life into greater consonance with our sublime rhetoric of liberty. If George Washington had freed his slaves while in office, rather than after his death, it would have created an implacable precedent for his successors.
Thomas Jefferson was a genius (George Will called him the "Man of the Millenium"), but it's appropriate that his stock should go down a bit in recent years -- and Founding Fathers such as John Adams and George Washington should be re-discovered and re-treasured. Henry Wiencek has a fascinating section about Phillis Wheatley, poet and slave. The reader can only be stunned by Jefferson's hostility toward her, contrasted with Washington's openness.
The chapter on Williamsburg is superb. Jefferson called the colonial capital "the finest school of manners and morals that ever existed in America." Williamsburg had the first theater in the British colonies. The same royal governor who designed Williamsburg, earlier had laid out Annapolis. The author makes you feel like you're walking the broad expanse of Duke of Gloucester Street and "looking down the vistas of the past."
One learns many things from Henry Wiencek. For instance, President Washington told Secretary of State Randolph that if the Union ever split, "he had made up his mind to remove and be of the Northern [side]." (As the fiery clouds of secession rolled in, and Lincoln tried to convince Robert E. Lee -- married to the Washingtons' great-granddaughter -- to take command of the Northern armies, was either man aware of the Founder's remark?)
The book's frontispiece map of "Washington's Virginia" is the only off-key note. The editors overlooked the fact that Mount Vernon and Alexandria have been magically transplanted from the west bank of the Potomac to the east bank.
I loved this book! I tip my hat to Mr. Wiencek, who penned these words in the acknowledgments: "I close with an old Virginia toast, heartfelt: 'God bless General Washington.'"

An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Cre
Having won the National Book Critics Circle Award for The Hairstons: An American Family in Black and White, Wiencek here tracks Washington's change in attitude regarding slavery.

Interesting and informative
What changed George Washington from a man willingly breaking up families by participating in the auction of slave children to a man who planned to emancipate his slaves while he was still president? Why would a man using slave labor decide later in life that if the Union split apart into North and South, he would "remove and be of the Northern."?
The book does not sugar coat Washington's involvement in slave holding, but tries to solve the question of what transformed Washington from a slave owner to a man claiming holding slaves was his "only unavoidable subject of regret." We find out why George Washington did not set his slaves free earlier in his life even through he set plans in motion several times to do so.
This is a very informative book, not only concerning Washington, but also the slavery question in general during the colonial period. Enjoyable to read for anyone interested in slavery or Washington.
There are several interesting discussions concerning the author's interviews with descendant's of slaves, along with a short study of how the subject of slavery has been portrayed in Colonial Williamsburg over the years.
The only fault I find with the book is the lengthy discussion of whether or not George Washington fathered a child with a slave woman. The conclusion is that he probably did not, but this part of the book becomes rather slow reading.

Neither a hit-piece nor a whitewash
I expected a politically correct hit-piece on Washington, but was pleasantly surprised by what was a really helpful and honest look at the human being on the dollar. I'm just a high school history teacher in Eastern Kentucky, so I guess I'm not really qualified to judge historical accuracy, but it seemed like a pretty good book to me.

I especially appreciated how Wiencek made Washington's background understandable. One can better understand Washington when you see how far he had to move from his contemporaries--priveleged Virginia slaveowners--to even consider freeing his slaves. His growth and his blindness are both clearly and fairly presented. Washington seems more like a real human being, with good and bad like the rest of us.

As for hagiography, I saw none. I suppose if you are a Washington hater you will be disappointed--likewise if you really think that he never told a lie. But if you want to meet a real human being who, almost alone among his contemporaries, struggled greatly to rise above much (but not all) of their racism, this is a great book. The author's first person accounts were a nice touch for all but those who prefer strict dry-as-dust history writing.

There was much here that will help me to better teach American history. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Writing with her customary grace and acuity, Francine du Plessix Gray, the author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated At Home with the Marquis de Sade, examines an equally extreme character at the opposite end of the moral spectrum in Simone Weil. Weil (1909-43) displayed early the ferocious intellect that took this daughter of affluent, highly assimilated French Jews to the peak of her country's rigorous educational system and made her an important modern philosopher. But Weil remains a beacon to activists because of her passionate, intensely personal commitment to the world's oppressed and her need to directly share their sufferings. This need had its neurotic aspects, and Gray's elegant biography does not gloss over Weil's lifelong anorexia, her distaste for physical contact, her peculiar brand of anti-Semitism, or the unyielding self-righteousness that led her to cut off friendships for minor offenses. Yet the overall tone is one of sympathetic respect for an extraordinary human being unable to develop the willed blindness that enables most of us to live comfortably while others go without. Weil gave up prestigious teaching jobs to do manual labor; she performed dangerous work in the Resistance; and, when threatened by a Vichy policeman who exclaimed angrily, "You little bitch, we'll have you thrown in jail with the whores!" she replied coolly, "I've always wanted to know that milieu." Her slow, exceedingly tentative movement toward Christianity grew from her need to affirm her solidarity with the world's "slaves," and her prescient denunciation of Communism at a time when most radicals embraced it arose from her understanding that Soviet apparatchiks abused the working class just as egregiously as their putative opponents, the fascists. This is an outstanding introduction for general readers to the influential thought and rivetingly conflicted life of a seminal figure in 20th-century intellectual history. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A bad book about a fascinating writer
It is hard for me to understand why someone would choose to write a book about a person they obviously dislike and then do a bad job of researching their lives. There are some wonderful biographies of Simone Weil out there, including one by her friend Simone Petrement. This books has gotten most of the facts wrong and turned a young woman searching in her own way for truth into a weird, comical figure which she certainly wasn't. Most of the stories quoted by the author are anecdotal at best. Reading this book is a waste of time. If you want to know Simone Weil, read her books.

Value judgements/ not enough supporting arguments
I had read a few of Simone Weil's essays and admired them greatly, but didn't know much about the woman herself. This book is a good source of basic biographical facts, but the author leaves a lot to be desired in discussing Weil's philosophy. Yes, this is a biography, not a philosophy text. This being a biography of a philosopher, however, one might expect *some* sort of argument to be presented when the subject's philosophy is being dismissed.
The anti-semitic opinions Weil held are obviously distasteful to most intelligent people and no explanations are needed as to why these views of hers were wrongheaded. But when the author is dealing with Weil's specific criticisms of the Old Testament, she calls her readings of it "skewed" and "distorted by the bizarre conception of God" she had developed through studying various world religions, yet she gives no reasons why Weil's readings were skewed or why her conception of God is so bizarre. From what I've gathered in this book, Weil's conceptions of God were quite reasonable.
I'm glad this book presents the faults along with the virtues of this great thinker, but such swift and unreasoned dismissals of certain parts of her philosophies are off-putting, and this book is rife with them.
A little nit-picking: the author goes back and forth between calling her "Weil" and "Simone" with no ostensible rationale for doing so. Also, at one point in the book, for no apparent reason, she describes events in Weil's life in the present tense for a few pages.
All that being said, the book has mostly satisfied my curiosity about Weil's life. I wouldn't say it's not worth reading.

Please avoid.
Lovers of the great, tender Weil will have no need for this little book. The danger here lies in a reader new to Weil, picking this up, reading it, and struggling with Gray's simplistic, biased agenda concerning Weil's abandonment of leftist politics(not true), hatred of sex and romance(not true), defaming and misuse of Jewish thought and history(certainly not true). In fact, du Plessix Gray spends more time celebrating Simone Weil as a sort of 1930s French version of the hideous David Horowitz(once left, now far right), then she does helping the reader understand the heart and soul of Weil's holiness and unending compassion. So don't waste your time here. Rather, try instead: Jacques Cabaud's "Simone Weil: a Fellowship in Love"; Simone Petrement's "Simone Weil: A Life"; or, "Simone Weil: A Sketch of a Portrait" by Richard Rees.

Fair and Sober
Along with Carol Shields' "Jane Austen" and Douglas Brinkley's "Rosa Parks", Du Plessix Gray's "Simone Weil" demonstrates three qualities that make the Penguin-Lives series unique and important:

1. gripping-- and friendly-- narrative style,
2. vibrant guidance through historical times, and
3. subjects that are infuratingly flawed but alter the course of history.

As we trace Simone Weil's life we get a unique picture of France's situation during WW2. A brief sample: we travel south with the Weils as they flee Germany's invasion of France, spend time with the revels during the Spanish civil war, and receive an unflinching description of factory life in mid-century France.

Furthermore, Du Plessix Gray's examination inspires conflicting feelings towards Weil. Sometimes I felt admiration for her intellectual bravery and exhaustive examination of dangerous factory life. At other times her fixation with masochistic actions, manipulation of friends, stubborn personality, and, worse of all, her rabid anti-semitism makes Simone Weil hard to take seriously.

This meditation of a short, but action-packed life, is a rewarding and thought-provoking read.

Waiting for God Should Come First.
While this is the first book on Simone Weil that provides a coherent biography and chronology of Simone Weil's life and thought (and it is excellent in that regard) I think that it would be a shame if new readers had not read Weil's 'Waiting for God' before this volume. Otherwise they would have a hard time figuring out what the fuss is about. ... Read more

Book Description

Acclaim for The Road to Valley Forge

"Buchanan is a master of the historical narrative . . . a host of new insights into George Washington as a leader of men."
–Thomas Fleming, author of Liberty!: The American Revolution

"The Road to Valley Forge is an effective operational history, clearly written, judicious in its judgments and based on a careful look at the war from both sides."
–Jeremy Black, author of War for America: The Fight for Independence, 1775—1783

"John Buchanan skillfully guides us through 1776 and 1777, the two most critical years of the Revolutionary War for George Washington as commander in chief.With a gift for finding the apt quotation and the telling anecdote, the author traces the growth of Washington as a commanding general and the professional development of the Continental Army."
–Don Higginbotham, Professor of History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The Road to Valley Forge tells the whole story of Washington’s growth from inexperienced backwoods general to true Commander in Chief of a professional fighting force. This warts-and-all portrait of America’s greatest hero reveals a courageous and intelligent man struggling desperately to learn from his mistakes, forge a motley assortment of militiamen into a real army, and demonstrate to all of his fellow Americans that they could, indeed, become masters of their own destiny. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides a unique presentation of Simone WeilÆs life, work, and her contributions to feminist thought. Long before postmodern or deconstructionist ideas became current, Weil was concerned with recognizing the absence of consistency and the continual presence of reversals and contradictions in life. The struggle to clarify her "reading" of reality and her perceptions of meaning was an ongoing one and she challenged contemporary views on complex issues such as human nature, good and evil, divinity, and truth. In this introduction to Simone WeilÆs ideas, and the political and intellectual circumstances of her work, the authors make WeilÆs complex and at times elusive ideas accessible to readers. They offer their own interpretation of her work and delineate how WeilÆs ideas evolved, while providing compelling excerpts from WeilÆs writings to let her speak for herself. Her work offers a voice for those segments of societythat are generally underrepresented, misrepresented, or totally silent in conventional historical and philosophical writings. Simone Weil will be valuable reading for students and academics involved in womenÆs studies, philosophy, psychology, political and social theory, and for anyone with an interest in the life and work of this passionate individual. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a post post-modern presentation
This slim volume on Weil is unlike all others (and there are many others) I've read. Frost and Bell-Metereau have obviously read Weil quite extensively and have a good working knowledge of the important secondary literature (but in English only it seems). Their selection of quotes are quite a propos, too. What I found odd about the book was its apologist tone. The authors seem overly eager to "justify" Weil's views, especially her spiritual/religious views, to what they evidently sense may be a hostile post-modern audience. Hence one gets the impression that Simone Weil needs somehow to be "rehabilitated" to reach the now-sophisticated post-Y2K reader. I'm not sure that's necessary (or appropriate), but their attempt is interesting nonetheless for the light it sheds on just how far foundational philosophical and metaphysical discourse has evidently fallen into embarrassing disrepute these days. Perhaps theirs is the only way to present such thinkers as Weil to the cyber generation. But I hope not. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good Biography About the Peanut Man.
A goober is the old name for peanuts and A POCKETFUL OF GOOBERS is a biography about George Washington Carver, the scientist who made peanuts famous. To be completely honest, I didn't know much about Carver and therefore found this children's book entertaining, educational, and informative. For instance, I learned that Carver was a gifted artist as well as a scientist and that later in life he became good friends with Henry Ford. The biography is written in a simple style that elementary students will find easy to read and Carver's life is so interesting they should find the book interesting. ... Read more

Book Description

This valiant story of how young George Washington was drawn into his country's struggle for independence gives readers a vivid perspective on a crucial era in American history--and on the life of a revolutionary hero. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Pretty Useful
This book is pretty useful for students in elementary school who need to know basic information about George Washington. The only thing I did not like is it did not make specific references to things such as the Revolutionary War, or the Declaration of Independence. The book would discuss these events in Washington's life, but they would not really callthe events by their names.

George Washington
This book would be a good book to use to share information about George Washington. That is what I used it for. I don't think it would be a book I would just let my students read. There are some messages in the book that you might not want students to know, or some things that you would like to share in a different manner other than a book. Overall though, I did enjoy it!

Meet George Washington
My seven year old son loved this book. As a beginning reader, he never balked when told to sit and read. It provided a great springboard for discussions for bringing history to life and encouraged a love for history and reading! ... Read more

Book Description

In this fascinating book of presidential profiles, you will meet the 42 men who have shaped the Presidency-and the course of our country. From George Washington to George W. Bush, here are the stories of their trials and triumphs, their ambitions and achievements. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent book
This is an excellent book. It is great for people beginning to learn about American politics. It's a great source for quick handy reminders. It's a great gift. ( I bought seven copies for that reason). This would be a great book for teachers to have their high school students study.
While it is not possible to have one book completely cover all the Presidents, this single volumn outlines many important events.
There is an index in the back for quick searches.
Political views?
I have heard people claim this book is written with a Republican slant, and other claim it's written with a Democratic slant!
Using the above paragraph, one would have to think it was pretty fairly written.
I have went back to this book more often, during the election season, to brief my memory.

As a single volumn book; I repeat, this is an excellent book.

Scholarly accuracy and appealing informality
U.S. history, the government, and personae of American Presidents is a fascinating subject. While many scholarly work in the market have done in-depth investigation to profile American presidents, this title by David C Whitney and Robin Vaughn Whitney in its 9th edition from Reader's Digest is classically written and readily accessible to the general audience. Its objectivity and candor serves well as a gentle and educational introduction, an abridged version, on the development of American Presidents in relation to the unfolding drama of U.S. history.

The perennial best-seller, an enjoyable reading, excels in its elegance and clarity in comparison to many (auto)biographies of modern day C(orporate)EO/leadership titles. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Appearing within months of golfing sensation Tiger Woods's record-shattering win at the Masters, this appreciative portrait benefits from the author's friendship with the Woods family. (California-based sports journalist John Strege has been covering the 21-year-old golfer since he was 14.) Tiger comes across as genuinely nice and capable of being just one of the guys, despite the astonishing abilities already evident when he first swung a cut-down golf club as a 9-month-old toddler. Strege's snappy prose captures the excitement Woods has brought to a sport most Americans used to consider dull. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

I
This book really had very little informative stuff. This guy obviously does not know how to write a good biography. It was sooo boring and there really wasen't that much stuff. It almost seems like John Strege collected a lot of newspapers and got some info. from the internet and went straight on to write what he calls a "biography". It's nothing but a summary a lot of games played by Tiger...nothing more! It doesn't go much into his personal life, if that's what you want.

Tiger Woods a Superstar
I read this book a couple of weeks ago for a book report in my english and i would rate it about a four out of a five. I like most of it but some of it didn't need to be in the book. There is a part about his swing and it was not very nessecry to add. That is one thing they could have kept out. Another thing that inpressed me alot was that they had alot about the first tournment he played in on the Tour. They also had alot of first like his first hole in one, his first best round, and the first time he played in a tournment. The best part of the book from my opionen is the part where they talked about how he was going to go the Stanford to play golf. The coach at Stanford was watching him play when he was 13 years old. Also, he played with Jack Nickulus, a great golfer when he was a child, at a camp in Florida. He was getting into the pros when he was about 20 years old. That is one of the youngest players ever to play on tour up intill today. The coach of Stanford was a very good golfer a long time ago named Mr. Goodwin. He made the program at Stanford very well and and developed. What made him such a good golfer was when he was young he went to the range and hit balls more then he played on the course.

Good biography
A good biography of Tiger. Goes into details of his growing up period, his life during college and as an amateur. Well written.
Old now and hence some facts have changed. Covers till his professional debut, still very interesting reading

I think that this book and i would recomend it
I thought that this book about tiger woods is a good book because it has alot of information on him from when he was a baby to when he turned into a pro golfer. In the biography tiger starded golfing at three years old ,tiger was even on a tv show to show the would how good he was at four years old. as he was growing up tiger entered into alot of tornaments and because he was so good he became pro after coming out of stanford college. i would recomend this book to people who are wanting to know alot about tiger woods.

Excellant Book
This book is very well written. And besides the facts may be a little off. It is a must read for any golf fan!!! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

the bbbbboooook!
I thought the the book was great! Tiger is a great athlete and has a great attitude!The way dat matt writes da book makes it cool. I think u should read it!

On the course with tiger woods
I thought that the book was great!I think that Tiger is a great athlet and has a great attidude. I think the way Matt Christopher puts the book makes it easy for kids to read. I think you should read the book because it it phat!

The book tells you about his life and things that happened.
Tiger is a very fast learner. He even learned when he was 8 months old. He went to many tournaments. His father was even in the Vietnam war. I liked this book because it tells about his cool life. ... Read more

Book Description

George Washington, heroic general of the Revolution, master of MountVernon, and first president of the United States, remains the most enigmatic figure of thefounding generation, with historians and the public at large still arguing over the strengthsof his character and the nature of his intellectual and political contributions to the earlyrepublic. Representing the finest recent scholarship on Washington, these thirteen essaysby the leading scholars in the field strike a balance between Washington's personal lifeand character and his public life as a soldier and political figure. Editor Don Higginbothamprovides an introduction about Washington and his treatment by historians, and anafterword devoted to how the American people have viewed Washington, including the1999 commemorations of the bicentennial of his death. With three essays writtenspecifically for this volume, George Washington Reconsidered is the first collection of itskind to be published in over thirty years.

Contributors W. W. Abbott, University of Virginia Lee Baldwin Dalzell, Williams CollegeRobert F. Dalzell Jr., Williams College Joseph J. Ellis, Mount Holyoke CollegePeter R. Henriques, George Mason University Don Higginbotham, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Edmund S. Morgan, Yale University Glen A. Phelps, Northern Arizona University Martin H. Quitt, University of Massachusetts, Boston Bruce A. Ragsdale, Federal Judicial History Office Dorothy Twohig, University of Virginia Gordon S. Wood, Brown University ... Read more

Book Description

Featuring boy heroes from around the world and across the centuries, this is a fine companion volume to the popular Girls Who Rocked the World series. In the same spirit of celebration, Boys Who Rocked the World profiles already famous heroes along with those who have been overlooked by history or not yet credited for their contributions. Included in the lineup of the famous are King Tut, pharaoh of Egypt at age 9; Elvis Presley, winner of a singing contest at 10; Pablo Picasso, accepted into the School of Fine Arts in Barcelona at 14; and Tiger Woods, the youngest golfer to win the U.S. Junior Amateur at 15. The lesser-knowns are 30 boys from across America who answer the question “How will you rock the world?” By comparing the dreams of these “boys next door” to those of famous individuals, the book shows today’s boys that they, too, can make their mark in the world. ... Read more

Book Description

Golf is sometimes referred to as "the wicked game" because it is fiendishly difficult to play well. Yet in the parlance of the Tiger Woods generation, it's also a wickedly good game -- rich, glamorous, and more popular than ever.

When we think about golf -- as it is played at its highest level -- we think of three names: Tiger Woods, the most famous sports figure in the world today, Arnold Palmer, the father of modern golf, and Jack Nicklaus, the game's greatest champion. In this penetrating, forty-year history of men's professional golf, acclaimed author Howard Sounes tells the story of the modern game through the lives of its greatest icons. With unprecedented access to players and their closest associates, Sounes reveals the personal lives, rivalries, wealth, and business dealings of these remarkable men, as well as the murky history of a game that has been marred by racism and sex discrimination. Among the many revelations, the complete and true story of Tiger Woods and his family background is untangled, uncovering surprising new details that inspire the golfer's father to exclaim, "Hell, you taught me some things about my life I never knew about!" Earl Woods and other members of Tiger Woods's family, his friends, girlfriends, caddies, coaches, and business associates were among the 150 people interviewed over two years of research. Others included Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, fellow champions such as Ernie Els, Gary Player, Tony Jacklin, and Tom Watson, and golf moguls such as Mark H. McCormack, billionaire founder of the sports agency IMG.

The Wicked Game is a compelling story of talent, fame, wealth, and power. Entertaining for dedicated golfers, and accessible to those who only follow the game on television, this may be the most original and exciting sports book of the year.

Reviews (3)

A page-turning history of golf that stays with you
The story of men's professional golf since the 1950s is laid out in an easy-to-read, highly enjoyable style. The chapters are well-crafted, and lively and fun. The stories of the classic major tournaments are re-told in a fresh way, based on new interviews. But the heart of the book is what we don't usually learn about the likes of Palmer, Nicklaus and Woods (also Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Byron Nelson et al): the business deals, the politics, the personal lives. And some of these golfing heroes have feet of clay. Criticism is well-balanced and fair-minded, however, unless you happen to think pro' golf already has an open-handed attitude to women and ethnic minorities. Sounes obviously has a low opinion of the golf establishment, bodies like the PGA and PGA of America. But at the same time there is real affection here for the great tournaments and genuine appreciation of big characters like Arnie Palmer who are, whatever their faults, interesting men who have lived rich lives. Now I know exactly how rich.

Interesting but tries too hard
Some interesting stories on the business dealings of the Palmer, Nicklaus and Woods but I don't buy the agrguments regarding discrimination in the PGA. It is too easy to carve out one piece in the overall history of race relations and make Palmer and Nicklaus (and other major golfers) look bad for not leading the charge for change. Many American failed in this area.

And why doesn't the author focus on Woods lack of involvement in making change? Woods is like Palmer and Nicklaus in their day - great golfers focused on their game.

A great read!
I bought this book after reading a rave review and it is a tremendously engrossing read: the whole story of modern golf in its glory, and the skeletons in its closet. Many surprises. Finely written. Often funny, and a new take on Tiger Woods for sure. ... Read more

Book Description

This collection of poems assembled by award-winning writer Marilyn Nelson provides young readers with a compelling, lyrical account of the life of revered African-American botanist and inventor George Washington Carver. Born in 1864 and raised by white slave owners, Carver left home in search of an education and eventually earned a master’s degree in agriculture. In 1896, he was invited by Booker T. Washington to head the agricultural department at the all-black-staffed Tuskegee Institute. There he conducted innovative research to find uses for crops such as cowpeas, sweet potatoes, and peanuts, while seeking solutions to the plight of landless black farmers. Through 44 poems, told from the point of view of Carver and the people who knew him, Nelson celebrates his character and accomplishments. She includes prose summaries of events and archival photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Carver's Life in Sanpshots of Poetry
This biography that won both a Newbery Honor and a Coretta Scott King Honor is an awe inspiring book. Nelson tells the story of George Washington Carver's life through a series of poems that act like snapshots in a photo album. She begins with a poem about Carver and his mother being stolen from their owner when they were slaves. John Bentley is sent after them but can only find baby George who he returns to the Carvers who raise him with his brother Jim. The poems go on to tell of Carver's search for education, his resourcefulness, and his spirituality. Different poems describe his artistic abilities, his studies of botany, his appreciation for all of nature, his artistic nature, and his dedication to his students and all of his people. The book traces his life from its beginning in slavery to his years in college and as an instructor at the Tuskegee Institute. Nelson's poems describe the life of an amazing genius who is too often overlooked as simply the inventor of peanut butter. Each poem acts as frame in the film of Carver's life. The poems work together to tell the story, but each poem can also stand on its own as a photograph of a moment from an amazing life. The historical footnotes in the text help to clarify the poems and the photographs of Carver, his family and friends, his creations, etc. help to create a better understanding of this incredible man.

Carver's poetic life
First I have to say that Marilyn Nelson is a wonderful person. And I think she is one of the best poet's of her generation. Her poetry is great, and her book, _The Homeplace_ is one of those books that everyone should own. But even great poets can write mediocre poems. This collection is a series of short poems, usually a dramatic monologue of some sort, that together are supposed to make up the story of George Washington Carver's life (it includes pictures and little biographical footnotes). Pretty much the same thing she did for The Homeplace. It worked in The Homeplace, but not here. The problem isn't so much Nelson's skill as a poet (few are better than her), rather it is Carver's life. It just doesn't make good poetry, or at least not 60 poems. I understand Marilyn wants to tell us about Carver, but perhaps prose would have been a better way to go about it (that and this book seems to be marketed for young children--I don't think they can fully appreciate the nuances of Nelson's poetry or Carver's life). That said, there are several good poems in the book, "Clay" and "Cafeteria Food" being my personal favorites. Well, not every collection is going to be great (look at Frost's later books), so I eagerly await the next book from Marilyn Nelson, be it poetry, essays, or fiction.

excellent!
i really enjoyed this collection of poems by george washington carver! i have plans to be a teacher when i finish college and i think that i will use this book in my teaching plans! the poetry is basic at times so that most any student will be able to understand and yet it has a deepness that will require some thought on behalf of the students. i recommend this book to anyone who enjoys poetry, history, or teaching. i have put this book on my wish list with hope that someone will but it as a christmas gift for me. that is how much i liked carver's work. kudos to mrs. nelson for putting the collection together and getting it published. i can clearly see why carver a life in poems won the newberry award.

Entrepreneurial Alchemy¿s Best and Greatest Advocate
As a person coming from a hard-core science and engineering background, I never thought that poetry had any 'value'. I never once saw in poetry insight into the nature and state of affairs of human beings. So I was very surprised when I read Ms. Nelson's Carver, A Life in Poems. Ms. Nelson presents us with poetry so rich in texture, so layered in meaning that these few lines of prose convey much, much more information than hundreds of pages of dry text. The book skillfully combines anecdotal historical footnotes with powerful poetic prose to tell the story of the most influential man in American agricultural history.

Carver the man overcame severe hardship and the prejudices of others to achieve great things. Living in a time when opportunities were few and far between for American Blacks, and slavery was a vivid recollection, Carver blazed a trail that few have been able to even approach, let alone top, since then. Even though he dealt with his share of racism, not every person not of African-American ancestry was unkind to him. Given the least of all of his peers, black or white, Carver went on to achieve the most in life. In spite of the hardships, the racism, and even the slights and insults of his own people, he left behind a legacy of good work, compassion, and technical accomplishment that stands the test of time. As such, Carver takes a solid place among the great minds of antiquity- from Imhotep, Egypt's greatest builder, to Confucius, China's greatest thinker and statesman.

Although Carver's array of inventions is impressive, his ingenuity and knack for turning what others see as worthless into something valuable, as in the poems 'Chemistry 101' and 'The Wild Garden' and 'God's Little Workshop', is truly astounding. Carver had tremendous impact in a host of scientific disciplines- agronomy, botany, chemistry, and plant pathology to name a few. For me, Carver's life demonstrates the importance of a creative and spiritual base. Carver could not have developed the hundreds of practical uses for the 'goober', or peanut-the plant that African slaves brought to the United States, and that White farmers fed to their animals before eating themselves- if he did not have a highly developed creative side. Moreover, his unyielding faith in the Creator, and his reliance on his faith in times of great peril and suffering, enabled him to endure what I and most other people would consider to be the unendurable. Carver's creativity and great spiritual faith gave him the inspiration to make practical use of those things that others considered worthless. In many ways, Carver was the unassailable prototype of the entrepreneurial alchemist- he created something of value out of literally nothing. Professor Carver's many achievements clearly demonstrate the importance of the study of economic botany.

I would like to add that four of his most important contributions to agricultural science- resting the land, crop rotations, application of riparian sediments and the use of legumes to replenish the vital nutrients of intensively cultivated and depleted soils, closely parallel the ecological practices of the great agrarian societies of Asia and Central and South America. The Native Americans, and their Asian compatriots, were well aware of the benefits of these practices, and had developed strong, stable and successful agricultural methods which in turn allowed for the flowering of some of history's greatest civilizations- the Inca, the Maya and the Aztec cultures. In fact, as F H King pointed out in his groundbreaking work, Farmers of Forty Centuries, at the beginning of the 20th century, the farmers of Asia had been using these techniques continuously to maintain and perpetuate the cultivation of the same plots of land, feeding increasing numbers of their people, for over four thousand years. In effect, these ancient farmers had developed sustainable farming practices and projected them four millennia into the present. In this way, I see Professor Carver as not only the Father of the Peanut industry, he is, and rightly so, The Father of Sustainable Agriculture in America.

It is both refreshing and heart-warming to me to know that an African-American man of science can also be a Renaissance Man in the fullest sense of the word. Gifted in the arts and gifted in the sciences, Carver blended art and practicality in a way I can only hope to partially attain. From this book, I humbly receive a new and invaluable hero, a new and awesome role model- Professor Carver, Jack of All Trades, Renaissance Man Extraordinaire- a true man of the people, a true Titan of Science.

Thought-provoking!
This group of poems tells so much in so few words...tells of a life (George W. Carver's) lived with integrity and courage. The poems brilliantly paint a portrait of the noble human spirit that shines thru when an individual rises above pettiness, self-centeredness and dishonesty. I believe the author must share some of the good values evidenced in Carver's life - else she could not write as she does. Hopefully, all readers of this treasured book will be empowered to let their OWN good values shine forth. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Washington and the virtues of the Patriot as servent.
Okay, I admit it. One of the pleasures that I take as a leftist (not a liberal, mind you, but a leftist) in reviewing American history books is in the debunking of the hagiography that passes for the biographies of our great men.
But for anyone who claims to want to look at history with a hard realist eye there is one uncomfortable fact that (like a well-aimed rock tossed by Clio herself) smacks you upside the head now and then.
The truth is that there are great men and women. And that it is simply not possible to make these individuals seem small without fudging the facts.
Flexner, in this his second volume of a four volume standard of American biography, makes the strongest possible case for the greatness of George Washington.
Washington was a farmer, a man who delighted in his domestic life. He was also an exemplar of the classical mindset that was common among the founding generation. For these men and women, fame was to be sought as the founder of a just constitution or as the general who served his country to save it from foreign or domestic enemies not as a career or a means to power.
In some ways, Flexner's Washington reminds me of his near contemporary, Tecumseh. Both men seemed to have sought power as a modality of service. Hard to even imagine in this the Era of the Millionaire Serving His Own. Among other virtues, this book serves to remind us that there are many types of patriotism and that some of them can be the foundational virtue for truly admirable lives.
The structure of this book is quite brilliant. All but the last chapter is a straightforward narrative of the eight years that Washington spent as the Commander-In-Chief of the Continental Army. The last chapter, "Cincinnatus Assayed", serves as a summing up of Washington's quality as a general and an explanation of how that service prepared him for his Presidency to come. All of his points have been made by the preceding narrative and seem inconvertible.
Two examples: Washington struggled throughout the war with the unstable financing of his army by the various States. Part of the problem was the fact that the continental currencies became increasingly worthless. Under the tutelage of his friend, Robert Morris, Washington gained an understanding of the need for a strong national economy and monetary system. This understanding would then influence his reaction to the Hamilton-Jefferson debates that were to largely mark Washington's Presidency.
Another point that is worth pondering is how Washington's innate merciful nature served the development of a growing sense of nationalism in the various States. Whenever possible, Washington did not punish Tories, enemy soldiers, his own soldiers who violated his orders or civilians who lived in the areas where the war was being fought.
He seemed to understand that if you want to win the hearts and minds of a people that it is necessary to treat them as much as possible as if they were your neighbors. Time and time again in Flexner's narrative it is apparent how much this policy of restraint added to Washington's prestige and effectiveness. Our current George should pay more attention.
Finally, I would also like to recommend Charles Royster's great A Revolutionary People At War as a companion volume. Royster very effectively tells the history of the Army from the point of view of its soldiers. These two books together make it obvious just how lucky we were in the great founding generation. I can say this as a leftist and an American (not a contradiction and never has been): these were great men and women. We would do well to study their example.

The final volume
This is part four of a four-volume series of George Washington's life and this final installment is the strongest book of all. Flexner's narrative takes the reader up to Washington's last breath and his description of his death is particularly interesting. Despite the fact that there is a plethora of interesting material on Washington's ilness and death, this book brings out facts hitherto unknown. It isreliable and accurate, but one sometimes yearns for a more enlightened and exciting presentation of the earlier years. This is the personification of how history is usually taught: in a manner not designed to capture the reader or the student.

One strong point is that Flexner successfully presents a balanced portrait of Washington. Any bias from the author is thankfully masked from the reader. When Washington deserves criticism or censure, the author soberly dispenses it. Praise and plaudits are similarly given. If you are deeply interested in Washington's early years, this is an adequate and trustworthy source. But if you are merely dabbling in Washington and prefer a swifter narrative, then this is not a recommended selection.

GW: Anguish and Farewell, (1793 - 1799)
This is the final volume in the set of four, in this series about George Washington, written by James Thomas Flexner; and the most intensely dramatic covering Washington's second term, his retirement and death.

George Washington takes his oath for a second term as President of the United States, in a time when the young United States is growing following a time of relative peace and a policy of non-aggression with France and England. And grow the young Republic did, by leaps and bounds, but with this growth, evolved some discontent. Factions in the fragile government wanted to be self-serving... Hamilton's lust for power and control, contrasted by Jefferson's lack of anything having to do with a central overseeing government. All of this coupled with the growing friction between North and the South, East and West, Federalism and Republican views all differing wanting a better stake in the government. If this wasn't enough, the French Revolution... with its pro and anti French sentiments creating unrest throughout the republic.

We see the ever dominent Hamilton trying to further himself at the expense of Washington... and again Jefferson wanting nothing further in the government... retiring to his Virginia agrarianism, but later both men working toward Washington's anguish and distrust. Washington wanting to retire himself and enjoy what little time he had left to him at his beloved acres... Mount Vernon.

We see again Washington's self-doubts, but with his aging, his brilliance fading and his body wreaked with infirmities, we see his judgement being clouded and distrusted. This book gives us the contrasts of Washington the public figure and the private Washington... a man deeply hurt by his attackers, now apprehensive, and forced to remain in office and in power, in thought a man weakened by age. Yet his last major services to the nation were as vitally important as his previous services had been. A man that wants to retire and leave the running of the government to others... wanting the cycling of power to be peaceful... a demonstration that humanity could rule itself, the orderly relinquishment of power by one elected representative to his elected successor. This, making the cycle complete, vindication that the new government is viable.

We next see Washington get his long awaited dream of retirement albeit shortlived and the freeing of his slaves as his final act to free ones bondsman. This is the most engrossing and engaging of all the books in this four volume set... knowing Washington as a man with real human emotions and feelings.

I highly recommend reading this volume, but to get the whole picture, reading the four volume set is a must.

What a fascinating man, brought to us in a brilliant and scholarlly work.

GW:In the American Revolution (1775-1783)
This is volume #2 of the four volume masterpiece written by James Thomas Flexner on the life of George Washington.As we have read previously, George Washington was content living a life at Mount Vernon with his wife and family, but the tides are turning in the life of George Washington, bringing him to the forefront of leadership... albeit woefully prepared.

Now, in the skillfully written volume, we see the wartime deeds and the soul searching that Washington goes through.A man thrust from the bosom of his home and hearth, a civilian who is now to lead the Continental Army for the American Revolution.An army that is hardly an army... more like a patchwork of the American cross section of life and skills.No formal training, little leadship, under equiped was the army Washington was to have.

Washington at heart loved his army as they loved him is very evident.We see Washington's mood swings here, his wild furious temper... like an untamed bull, his mistakes, indiscretions,
and a great deal of personal misery... we now have the man of Washington revealed.Washington's path was that of a mortal man, not that of an Icon, a man all-to-human, frought with inadequacy.Washington has to reach down deep to keep his dream alive and instill it in the men he has to lead.

And to lead he did... being out-generaled by far superior forces was the norm for Washington, but nevertheless, always on the lookout for that shread of hope to call victory.Flexner writes of Washington's failures and the anguish of what Washington felt as the battles turned against him... but we also see the resourseful resolve coming to light, learning though trial and error... becoming the master of the American Revolution and the Continental Army.

But Washington never happier to be at home with his wife Martha is not forgotten either.Martha seemed to know what was really troubling Washington.

I found this volume much more interesting and with an impeccable eye for detail.Written in an engrossing and an engaging style that keeps you reading to find out the tidbits left out in your school's history books.

This is a solid and well documented work.

A majesterial biography
The last volume of Flexner's 4-volume biography of Washington. The complete set is a wonder. You'll feel you've watched a man struggle with ambition, pride, betrayls and extreme disappointments...and then serve his country magnificently, setting precedents for its future that time has proved almost unfailingly correct. It's not an exaggeration to say that the country's fate rested on his shoulders. When unanimously elected by Congress, he accepted the position of Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. This was before that army existed: he was THE symbol of the cause (and willing to expose himself to British retribution to further it). He could have become king (not so much in title as through use of the powers granted the president) but he consistently refused to abuse the office's powers, leadng to restraint in later presidents (no one before Roosevelt was willing to run for more terms than Washington served, for example). By my count, he single-handedly changed the course of history 5 times through his actions (in his youth, not always deliberately: he unwittingly started the French and Indian War!). At the end of this volume, if you've read the previous three, his death will be wrenching. It a great telling of a great man's life (his "final" act was in his will to free his slaves - of all the Founders, including Jefferson, only Washington took a step so revolutionary - and so true to his ideals) ... Read more

Reviews (1)

FACT IS STRANGER THAN FICTION...
Jett Williams' story is the sort of tale for soap opera fodder, only better, because it's based on true life. This book has everything...fame, sex, sabotage, covertness, secrets, lies, legal battles...and all within the same family. It's sad to know that the family of such an inspiring talent as Hank Williams, Sr., could stoop to such cruelty and greed...and even more amazing that Jett was able to rise above it all, claim her heritage and be recognized for her own talent. She should be a spokesperson for open adoption records everywhere! Her struggle is an inspiration to adoptees everywhere who hope for a biological reconnection. ... Read more