Thoughtful, subtle interpretation of Washington features a series of analyses of Washington's various roles and his subject's understanding of himself from the revolution until his death in 1799. Not an exhaustive biography, not a detailed day to day account of the Revolution, Constitutional Convention, or his presidency, Brookhiser distills the essence of the character and thought of the Father of His Country and therefore in a very real sense, our father as well. ( )

My only complaint was that it was too short. ( )

In Richard Brookhiser's perspective, George Washington appears to us as a remote and aloof figure, a man whose character is nearly inaccessible to us after the hero- worship of the 19th century and cynicism of the 20th. The author seeks in Founding Father to present a "moral biography" of "the real" George Washington. His approach is first to survey Washington's accomplishments (military and political) and second, to explain why he "was able to do what he did" by reference to "his nature, his morals, and his ideas."

What results is a series of sketches -- essays on aspects of Washington that add up to much less than a full- scale biography. No new ground is broken by this work in terms of its factual content. If anything, its main goal apparently is to replace current perspectives with a counter- revisionist one more palatable to conservative tastes. Whether the author's approach is any less political than other recent biographies may be a matter of opinion. For my part, I found this account disappointingly bloodless for a book that sought to present the "real" George Washington, perhaps because it omits most details of the subject's personal life. The result, in my view, is a mildly interesting sketch of an admirable figure who (despite the author's intent) remains remote and difficult to understand as a human being. Readers seeking a true biography can find plenty of others that are likely to be more to their liking. ( )

I really enjoy Richard Brookhiser's writing. However, Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington was short on "new" information. This book was very similar to another of his books on our first president, George Washington on Leadership.

Reading his introduction I became very excited about what came next, anticipating a take that was unlike any other book on the Revolutionary War hero. Brookhiser's idea was to separate Washington's influence and life experiences into three distinct categories: war; presidency and politics; and personal life concluding with his death. It was the first chapter that I grew disheartened. The substance read like most other contemporary books on the General who cut his wooden teeth on skirmishes with the French. Very little new or interesting revelations were incorporated into the classic Brookhiser writing - which was the chapter's saving grace.

With the next two sections, the information became new and fresh. Richard Brookhiser wove his ideology into relating his opinions of the time to relate not only George Washington's political side, but the cultural norms of the period. Brookhiser took time to cover other influences of the time to put into context President Washington's actions and efforts. And the author spent a lot of time discussing the President's love of theater and incorporating his frequent analogies in letters and speeches to life's stage.

Over all, if you don't find Richard Brookhiser's prose enjoyable, there is little to read this book for. Yet, if you are like me and enjoy his brisk, poignant observations of politics this book might be of interest. ( )

Short, but decent. ( )