Customer Reviews

Life of Washington

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Review of the book: Life of Washington by Anna C. Reed

This book was originally published in 1842 and is now being re-printed by the New Leaf Publishing Group for Attic Books.

The British spellings and formatting of the text have been retained in their original form in the re-publishing in order to maintain the historical content of that writing.

It is a somewhat small book in physical size with very good paper texture allowing for an easy reading of the printed material. The feel of the book, given the original spellings and formatting, is as though one is reading the original 168 year old copy.

The book is very well written, with the author obviously having access to a great deal of factual material dealing with not only the life of George Washington, but the military battles of the Revolutionary War, and the Continental Congress. The author was a niece of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, so it is only logical that through that source her material would be available.

The book reads very fast. It is some 290 pages long, and I completed it in 4 nights of reading.

Totally fascinating, it gives an insight into not only the life of our first President, but his view of life itself. A man given to great moral and religious thoughts - all of which guided his life from his earliest days until his death.

This book should be a required reading for all school age children. It should a required reading for any one qualifying for elected political office - up to and including the President of the United States.
It speaks clearly of the arrogance of power of some in high positions - giving those individuals a lesson in how prepare and conduct oneself in life and office.

It is a primer for life - and for public service. The examples set by George Washington - his faith and character are truly an example for all to try and emulate.

Today our faith and the practice of religion are for most - hidden. In Washington's time both were expressed freely and honestly. It is what carried both them and this country through a terrible ordeal to emerge as free men and an independent nation.

The book dealt with all aspects of Washington's life - his view of life, the offices he held, his trials in battle, his approach to a religious life and sustained him at the point of death itself. He talked to God in secret and his God led him safely through all of his life.

With a life clearly depicted in the book - Washington was elected unanimously to the office of President, and then re-elected unanimously - a feat that will never occur in the history of this nation again. He was offered a title of "king" and rejected it out of hand - something in today's world others might not do.

This is truly an amazing book, worthy of being read by young and old alike, a true primer for life - a life depicted by moral character and an expression of one's faith in God. It is a statement of what should be our nation's motto: "In God We Trust".

I rate this a 5 star book.

Anna C. Reed's Life Of Washington has been reprinted, but it retains its integrity as a 19th century work. The hardback cover has the look of an antique book, complete with edges that appear worn. The pages have a rough-cut edge that lends charm to the little book. The original spelling, illustrations, and formatting of the book have been preserved, as well.



This is obviously written with great respect for General Washington, and from a Christian perspective. With so many historical books being written in recent years that try to remove references to God and the faith of the founding fathers, this is a refreshing change. However, the old style of English, and the long paragraphs does make this a more difficult book to read. It is not one that my children would volunteer to read, although I would assign it (or portions of it) to my high school students.


Those seeking to homeschool using original texts, classic works, and curriculum from an earlier era would benefit most from this book. History buffs and fans of George Washington would also enjoy this classic biography. New Leaf Publishing made a good choice when they chose to republish Life of Washington.

** this book was provided free for my review as part of FIRST Wildcard Blog Tours [...].

I'm not normally a big history buff, but I do enjoy reading personal biographies of our Founding Fathers.

It seems with each year that passes, our American history is distorted and changed to be politically correct with the current times. I'm very pleased to see that there are still companies out there that continue to publish, and at times, republish, beautifully written TRUE American history books.

The Life of Washington is one of those. This book is full of Faith Filled stories and accounts of George Washington's life. Published on old style papers and shown in original type, Life of Washington is a must have for home libraries.

Originally published in 1842 by the American Sunday School Union, Life of Washington by Anna C. Reed has been recently re-printed by Attic Books. It finishes with a beautiful tribute to America's father:

"You have learned why there was cause for joy in in Washington's birthday, and for sorrow in the day of his death. If you have been attentive to what you have read of his conduct, from the one day to the other, you know that in childhood he was a lover of truth, and a peacemaker among his schoolmates; -that in boyhood he was a diligent scholar, and the leader of his companions-not in mischief, folly or vice-but in harmless and healthy exercises: and was a pattern of obedience to the wishes of a parent;-that, when the years of boyhood were passed, he immediately applied to useful purposes the knowledge which he had acquired by attention to instruction; and that early in manhood, he merited the confidence of his native Province, and was instrusted [sic] with important and dangerous duties, which he performed with faithful perseverance; -that he used all his talents, and spent almost all his years, from manhood to declining age, in the service and for the benefit of his fellow-beings; and even in old age, was willing to yield the peaceful enjoyments which he loved most, because he thought that it was "the duty of every person, of every description, to contribute, at all times, to his country's welfare."

This little book was an immense boon to me. It was full of riveting anecdotes of the great man, examples of his deep piety and grace, and a deeper understanding of the causes and struggles for liberty from England. Washington was a peacemaker. He was a gentleman. He was a giver. He was protected and preserved by God.

This book is slanted. It's written by a God-fearing human who lives by the Gospel. She makes assumptions and provides commentary that today we find unscholarly...right as she was. It was written by a Christian, probably for a Christian audience about a Christian man. Or was he? This book helped me gel in my mind some of the thoughts I've had about Washington's Christianity.

My favorite period of history is that which falls from the Pilgrims to the American Revolution. There were times I wondered if this book were more about Washington or the War of Independence. It was a treat getting some blanks filled in for me, and it was interesting reading a history written so closely (50 years) to Washington's death.

This is a great book to hold; it has a good feel in the hand and it's one of the few books on which I appreciate the deckle/feather edge. I took lots of notes in this book, lots of markings throughout and almost two full pages of references in the back blank pages. That's a great sign that I got much from this and much that I wish to enjoy again later.

Washington--oh what history books don't teach. This book is a wonderful short read about an incredible man.

I have not yet finished this book, but do enjoy it immensely. The comparison between it and the histories published today is great: this book not only gives historical facts, but also the story behind them. It is interesting and written in an easy-reading style. Highly recommend it.

I have read a lot of good books on George Washington. Anna Reed's biography gives the reader much insight into the exemplary character and personal faith in God of the father of our country. He lived what he believed. A great man who was very humble. An inspiring and capable leader who was genuinely godly. He was always concerned for the needs of others before himself. A devoted son and faithful husband, Washington is a model we should aspire to be like.

George Washington is the "Father of Our Country."

But, how many of us know the man who was our very first president?

You see our government today actively trying to erase the godly foundation on which the United States was laid; however, if you took time to research our history, most, if not all, of our founding fathers respected and honored the God of heaven.

This edition of Life of Washington by Anna C. Reed, published in 1842, is a special reprint of the original.

Anna appears to have written this book for school aged children. She often writes, "Young American" or "Young reader" when trying to make a point and using Scripture to back it up. And although the vintage format (no spaces between paragraphs, some British spellings, etc.) could make reading tedious for some, the historical account, along with a few pictures, is very worth the time to read.

Even as a boy, George strove to live honestly and above reproach. He loved his country long before she was named the United States. George Washington lived a life of humility and service in America's journey to independence and her exciting beginnings as the land of opportunity.

While George Washington's life brought much joy, his death brought much sorrow to her citizens.

John Adams, president at the time of George Washington's death, said, "His example is now complete; and it will teach wisdom and virtue to magistrates , citizens and men; and not only in the present age, but in future generations, as long as our history shall be read."

My husband and I plan to homeschool our children. This wonderful account of Washington's life is going to be right on the school book shelf! I believe it is important to remember our godly heritage and do all we can to protect the religious freedoms which those men lived, fought, and died for.

this is a real must for all americans, but a absolute dare need for all the younger people of this nation. this bio.tells the true story of washington faith in god and tht faith is what led all americans to the freedom, we now enjoy and are very close to losing in a very short time.

"Life of Washington" is an interesting biography of George Washington from his birth (1732) to death (1799) that was written in 1842, not long after his death. There were many quotes from Washington's own journals and letters as well as from other people's journals and letters (comments about incidents involving Washington). It was very interesting to see his life based on his own words and those who knew him. The book used formal language, but it was very readable and written in a way that kept my attention. This was also partly because it brought out interesting and often exciting events in his life that I hadn't known about before.

The book spent about 45 pages on his early life (1732-1763), and most of that was new to me. There were about 145 pages on the events leading up to the Revolutionary War and the war itself. A fair amount of that was about the various battles and troop movements, but woven throughout were antidotes about how Washington treated his men, made decisions, and the "behind the (battle) scenes" efforts that he had to engage in. About 52 pages were about the forming of the Constitution and his election as President. Very little was said about what he did as President. The focus was more on how he conducted himself during that time. And about 16 pages were about his retirement, how he almost was called to service again, and his death. At the back of the book, there was a sample of "rules of proper conduct" that Washington had copied out as a child, the text of the Declaration of Independence, and a few other things.

Since the book was written for the American Sunday-School Union, it highlighted Washington's Christian faith and his admirable actions and morals. Since it was written by a niece of a signer of the Declaration of Independence, it's also patriotic (though not in a way that glorifies war). There were a few black and white drawings to illustrate the text. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those who enjoy biographies and who want a unique look into George Washington's life and faith.


This book was a review copy from the publisher.

Reviewed by Debbie from Different Time, Different Place book reviews