Random House
560 Pages
In the seemingly never ending project to read about the lives of the US Presidents, I am finally reaching the end of the list for George Washington. My tendency to obsess has made this list far longer than it needs to be. I recognize that, but I cannot stop myself. In the course of overreaching in this project, I’ve come across books that were not a good addition. I’ve also found books that were a great inclusion. Washington’s Circle by David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler is one of those books that really was a great book to make part of the project.
While Washington’s Circle doesn’t exactly concentrate on the life of George Washington, it does focus on the people who Washington surrounded himself with. These were the people who helped him make some of the decisions in his early presidency that helped to set precedents that keep us functioning as a grand republic over two centuries later. Their characters were influential on the nation’s first president. Understanding their motives and advice and how Washington interpreted both helped to forge his mindset, and, ultimately, the direction of the country as it was experiencing its birth pangs.
This group of advisors was an eclectic bunch. While they all strove for the same goals, they had wildly differing approaches to achieve them. These conflicting personalities often clashed with each other, and Washington had to find a solution that could appeal to all sides. He also had to be able to temper the raw energy that came from the various camps among his advisors. Washington’s years as a military leader would come in quite handy in many of these situations. Through the turmoil of these opposing views being thrown at him, Washington tread his own path, using what he felt could work from each party. Sometimes, it created more of a rift, but often, he made decisions that would have long lasting impacts.
These advisors had no real precedents upon which to base their opinions and decisions. They did what they felt was best for themselves as well as for the country. David and Jeanne Heidler give us a peak into the tapestry that was woven together by this diverse group of advisors. It gives the reader a richer view into the decisions that George Washington made. It also gives us a glimpse of the mindset from the late eighteenth century, a mindset and subsequent decisions that would echo over into the nineteenth century. This book is a fascinating look at the minds of some of our Founding Fathers. It is a sterile retelling of a list of dates. This book explores the human sides of people we’ve tended to deify.
I would rank Washington’s Circle by David S. and Jeanne T. Heidler as one of the best companion books to my project. It was very much worth the time it takes to read it. While scholarly, it is not so cumbersome as to turn off the casual reader. If you want a short glimpse into the minds of the people who helped form our Republic, this is the book for you. I definitely recommend it. Strongly.
Craig Bacon will someday finish this reading project. Please be patient with him.
NEXT UP: First Among Men: George Washington & the Myth of American Masculinity by Maurizio Valsania