--- product_id: 53829540 title: "George Washington: A Life in Books" price: "B/.81" currency: PAB in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.com.pa/products/53829540-george-washington-a-life-in-books store_origin: PA region: Panama --- # George Washington: A Life in Books **Price:** B/.81 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** George Washington: A Life in Books - **How much does it cost?** B/.81 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.pa](https://www.desertcart.com.pa/products/53829540-george-washington-a-life-in-books) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description When it comes to the Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Hamilton are generally considered the great minds of early America. George Washington, instead, is toasted with accolades regarding his solid common sense and strength in battle. Indeed, John Adams once snobbishly dismissed him as "too illiterate, unlearned, unread for his station and reputation." Yet Adams, as well as the majority of the men who knew Washington in his life, were unaware of his singular devotion to self-improvement. Based on a comprehensive amount of research at the Library of Congress, the collections at Mount Vernon, and rare book archives scattered across the country, Kevin J. Hayes corrects this misconception and reconstructs in vivid detail the active intellectual life that has gone largely unnoticed in conventional narratives of Washington. Despite being a lifelong reader, Washington felt an acute sense of embarrassment about his relative lack of formal education and cultural sophistication, and in this sparkling literary biography, Hayes illustrates just how tirelessly Washington worked to improve. Beginning with the primers, forgotten periodicals, conduct books, and classic eighteenth-century novels such as Tom Jones that shaped Washington's early life, Hayes studies Washington's letters and journals, charting the many ways the books of his upbringing affected decisions before and during the Revolutionary War. The final section of the book covers the voluminous reading that occurred during Washington's presidency and his retirement at Mount Vernon. Throughout, Hayes examines Washington's writing as well as his reading, from The Journal of Major George Washington through his Farewell Address . The sheer breadth of titles under review here allow readers to glimpse Washington's views on foreign policy, economics, the law, art, slavery, marriage, and religion-and how those views shaped the young nation.. Ultimately, this sharply written biography offers a fresh perspective on America's Father, uncovering the ideas that shaped his intellectual journey and, subsequently, the development of America. Review: Beautiful breakdown of Washington's body of books - I read this book to help update my own book on George Washington's Liberty Key. I found Hayes went way beyond what I had learned about George Washington's library in Harrison's "A Powerful Mind: The Self-Education of George Washington." Included were many interesting things of which I was not previously aware: eg, Washington set 19 April 1783, the eighth anniversary of Lexington and Concord, as the official end of hostilities with the British. I found it curious, though, that Hayes mentions Washington's "running" for president. Some historians insist Washington didn't "run for president," he "stood for president." I noted also that Hayes had Washington passing "toward eleven" (pm, 14 December 1799). Most authorities I've read have Washington passing "between ten and eleven pm," with Tobias Lear's letter implying Washington died close to 10:20 pm. Interestingly, this is the time registered on the "Death Clock" (provenance missing) at George Washington Masonic National Memorial. Bottom line, though, great book! Check out one of William J. Bahr’s books: George Washington's Liberty Key: Mount Vernon's Bastille Key – the Mystery and Magic of Its Body, Mind, and Soul , a best seller at Mount Vernon. Review: Unique perspective - A brave and new approach to writing about Washington based on his books, read and collected as well his writings. The sources used by Professor Hayes are both unique and compelling. Just an overall fabulous book. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #1,059,395 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #386 in American Revolution Biographies (Books) #1,165 in U.S. Revolution & Founding History #3,852 in Author Biographies | | Customer Reviews | 4.8 out of 5 stars 21 Reviews | ## Images ![George Washington: A Life in Books - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71cQVwR6JTL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Beautiful breakdown of Washington's body of books *by W***R on December 15, 2018* I read this book to help update my own book on George Washington's Liberty Key. I found Hayes went way beyond what I had learned about George Washington's library in Harrison's "A Powerful Mind: The Self-Education of George Washington." Included were many interesting things of which I was not previously aware: eg, Washington set 19 April 1783, the eighth anniversary of Lexington and Concord, as the official end of hostilities with the British. I found it curious, though, that Hayes mentions Washington's "running" for president. Some historians insist Washington didn't "run for president," he "stood for president." I noted also that Hayes had Washington passing "toward eleven" (pm, 14 December 1799). Most authorities I've read have Washington passing "between ten and eleven pm," with Tobias Lear's letter implying Washington died close to 10:20 pm. Interestingly, this is the time registered on the "Death Clock" (provenance missing) at George Washington Masonic National Memorial. Bottom line, though, great book! Check out one of William J. Bahr’s books: George Washington's Liberty Key: Mount Vernon's Bastille Key – the Mystery and Magic of Its Body, Mind, and Soul , a best seller at Mount Vernon. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Unique perspective *by R***R on March 27, 2021* A brave and new approach to writing about Washington based on his books, read and collected as well his writings. The sources used by Professor Hayes are both unique and compelling. Just an overall fabulous book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An Interesting Biographical Angle *by T***R on August 2, 2017* So here you are, reading a book review about a book about the history of George Washington’s books. It’s hard to get more meta than that. In all seriousness, though, this was an interesting angle for a history/biography about the first president of the United States. Working roughly in chronological order, Hayes takes us through the library at Mount Vernon. We start with Washington’s earliest books (collections of devotions by famous preachers), and move from there to travel guides, reference books, abolitionist tracts (though he regrettably never used his considerable political influence to address the injustice of slavery, in his personal dealings Washington was an abolitionist), popular fiction, and military books. Hayes introduces us to a man born in the American colonies, and denied a “proper” English education. In order to compensate for an education he perceived as lacking, Washington would embark on a lifetime quest of self-improvement. He actively sought out books to deepen his understanding of the physical, spiritual, and literary worlds. His passion for books and for reading would remain undiminished throughout his life. George Washington has deservedly been the subject of countless biographies. Approaching his life from the direction of his library is both refreshing and educational. While some of the conclusions the author draws based on the content of the Mount Vernon library shelves seems a bit reaching, on the whole this is a fascinating look at one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A copy of this book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.com.pa/products/53829540-george-washington-a-life-in-books](https://www.desertcart.com.pa/products/53829540-george-washington-a-life-in-books) --- *Product available on Desertcart Panama* *Store origin: PA* *Last updated: 2026-07-06*