George Washington's Journey

Starred review from March 7, 2016
With the vitality of a great storyteller, Breen (American Insurgents, American Patriots) recreates the journeys that Washington made between 1789 and 1791 through the original 13 states as the new president introduced himself to his constituents. It's an absorbing portrait of early America's struggles, and Breen points out that neither Washington nor the people he met knew quite what it meant to be a citizen of this new republic. Breen brilliantly attends to the political differences that threatened Washington's newly formed cabinet, as well as to the ways that American citizens had already written Washington into their own political narrative: a Revolutionary War hero hailed as an American Caesar. Yet, Washington sought to deliver a message that this new republic could work only with a "strong and honest federal government and a citizenry committed to the preservation of human rights and liberty." Issues such as slavery would divide the new nation soon enough, but Washington returned home optimistic about the state of the union. Breen's superb chronicle offers glimpses into Washington's love of his country and its people, and his willingness to meet them on their own terms to secure the unity of the new republic. Agent: Andrew Wylie, Wylie Agency.

November 1, 2015

Breen (history, Univ. of Vermont; American Insurgents, American Patriots) chronicles three cross-country trips George Washington made between 1789 and 1791 in an effort to promote his vision for a strong federal government and discourage the bitter regionalism that was crippling the young, fragile nation. Traveling with only a small entourage by horseback to all 13 colonies, the aging president put his delicate health at risk and left capital affairs to his bickering cabinet as he spent months touring the newly formed country and meeting with both local political leaders and ordinary citizens across all walks of life. Breen's clearly written account of these sojourns give readers a fresh understanding of the president's personality, his public and private lives, and the political and social climate of the time. Washington's journal and other intimate writings provide the bulk of the book's source material and are complemented by detailed newspaper articles, candid accounts from citizens the president met on his journeys and previously published research. The maps tracing the president's three trips and indicating their major stops complement the text. VERDICT This quick, accessible study will appeal to fans of Harlow Giles Unger's The Unexpected George Washington and general readers with an interest in Early American history and political science.--Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia

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