First published 2013
George Washington sits in his study, contemplating the rules of proper conduct that shaped his character from boyhood. The 110 maxims he copied as a young man return to him now as he reflects on a lifetime of public service and private struggle. Each rule carries the weight of memory and the burden of leadership. Washington recalls moments when these guidelines for civilized behavior collided with the harsh realities of war, politics, and human nature. The first president grapples with the distance between the ideals he learned and the compromises he made. Haslett brings readers inside Washington's mind as he weighs the cost of maintaining dignity in an undignified world. The rules that once seemed simple now reveal their complexity through the lens of experience. This intimate portrait explores how manners become morals and how a young man's lessons in civility shaped a nation's character.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, leadership, american-history
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-study, historical-figures
Setting: United States
Period: 18th-century
65 pages · Kindle Edition · Akashic Books