July 4th Weekend Books

His Excellency: George Washington – by Joseph Ellis

A fine introduction to the life of George Washington. A portrait of Washington as a person, rather than as a staid, dry, wooden icon. The book demonstrates how Washington, with the goal of independence and a successful start to a nation, grew as a person, focuesed, and achieved everything that was possible. Ethics, morals, bravery, strength of will and character resulted in Washington finding and then staying true to what was good for his country. Washington took as his personal aide de camp, an individual who he trusted the most, one of his slaves. His slaves were set free in his will.

Another souce of excellent material on Washington is the database of the papers of George Washington at the University of Virginia. One shouldn’t take a sentence from any person, let alone Washington, and have it represent an everlasting truth. Two hundred year old wisdom, is old, but as a life, and example of channeled drive, Washington’s life was exemplary. Washington’s stand alone statements are probably a better than the actions of his physicians, whose 200 year old knowledge led them to bleed him to death. While bleeding and leaches still serve a minor purpose, eventually we found they weren’t all they were they were cracked up to be. Among my favorite letters of Washington, were those regarding the care and treatment of prisoners. He felt it awful enough to have your freedom removed, and that maltreatment was counter productive. The commanding officers in charge of prisoners were to make rounds daily.  His letters to General Howe to secure a prisoner exchange and to seek out the where abouts of Ethan Allen are fascinating. Howe denied knowledge of Ethan Allen’s well being and whereabouts saying he was being held in Canada. In actuality he was captured and held with others as a common criminal, clapped in irons and sent under extraordinary rendition to England. His ship stopped in Cork, Ireland where the people took up a collection for Ethan Allen to help him and the other prisoners to purchase provisions. Fearing reprisals, King George ultimately declared he and the others sent to England from Canada to be returned to America and declared to be Prisoners of War. Much of this is covered in Ethan Allen’s own writings.

Born To Run – Chris McDougall

I’m only a third of the way through this book and haven’t found if there is a July 4th link yet. But it is a great story and well worth reading this summer. Chris went off to live among the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico for a few months and found his running improved. But the story is the thing.  Read it and enjoy!

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