George Washington, the Writer: A Treasury of Letters, Diaries, and Public Documents - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1563971992 ISBN 13: 9781563971990

Publisher: Calkins Creek, 2003

Synopsis

Besides being a great soldier, farmer, politician, and president, George Washington liked to write. Washington kept journals and diaries, wrote letters, and prepared speeches and official documents throughout his life. His writings fill volumes and number in the thousands. Here is a selection of Washington's writings that follow his life from an entry in his journal written as a teenager to his last diary entry written the day before he died. Some of the writings are personal, expressing love and concern for his family, friends, and home. Some of the writings are national in focus. Each Washington selection is accompanied by an introduction that provides historical background. By being introduced to Washington's words, readers will get to know a man who was not superhuman--only dedicated to family, friends, home, and the country he helped shape.

About this title

About the Author

Carolyn P. Yoder is senior editor of history at Highlights for Children magazine and a writer/editor for The New Jersey Historical Society. She lives in Princeton, New Jersey.

Reviews

Grade 8 Up-Yoder uses a unique approach in this biography of the first president of the United States. Through excerpts from letters, addresses, speeches, and his will, Washington's opinions, thoughts, and personality are vividly portrayed. The book begins with a brief biography, which gives students a focus and an overview of the man's life. Each chapter opens with a short description of Washington during a particular time period beginning with his career as a young military officer and ending with his life in retirement at Mount Vernon. In describing his frustrations with his troops, he wrote, "I am wearied to death all day with a variety of perplexing circumstances-disturbed at the conduct of the militia, whose behavior and want of discipline has done great injury to the other troops-." He did, however, sympathize with his troops' situation by writing to Congress, "-that it is in vain to think an Army can be kept together much longer, under such a variety of sufferings as ours has experienced-." Small black-and-white photos and reproductions appear throughout.
Lana Miles, Duchesne Academy, Houston, TX
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 7-10. Similar to the publisher's Abraham Lincoln: The Writer: A Treasury of His Greatest Speeches and Letters (2000), this book follows the life of Washington through his letters, speeches, diaries, and even his will. It begins with the 16-year-old Washington's reflections on a surveying trip in 1748 and ends with a diary entry written the night before his death in 1799. Readers will find Yoder's text very helpful in understanding the writings in the context of Washington's life and times. Though many of the selections are excerpts, they are long enough to give a sense of the occasion, the writer's purpose, and, in some cases, his personality. Among the black-and-white illustrations are a few photos of sites and many reproductions of paintings and prints from various periods. Appendixes include a detailed chronology, credits for text and pictures, and long lists of recommended books, magazine articles, teacher materials, videotapes, and historic sites. A useful resource and an intriguing way to find out about the man. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Calkins Creek
• Publication date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1563971992
• ISBN 13: 9781563971990
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 144