The Washingtons - by Flora Fraser (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

In these pages, acclaimed historian Flora Fraser unfurls the story of George and Martha, brilliantly narrating the lives of an extraordinarily dedicated, accomplished, and historic couple. When they married in colonial Virginia in 1759, he was an awkward but ambitious young officer, she, a graceful, wealthy young widow. They were devoted to one another, and George was as a father to Martha's children by her first husband. She endowed Washington with the confidence--and resources--that would aid him when elected commander-in-chief of the Continental army. During the war, Martha resolutely supported her husband, 'the General, ' joining him every winter in headquarters; she was essential to his well-being and was a redoubtable, vastly admired figure.

After the American victory, George was elected our first president and Martha became an impeccable first First Lady. During his presidency, the two established the tenets and traditions of our highest office. This is the story of a pioneering partnership--and an enthralling narrative of our nation's emergence onto the world stage.

Review Quotes

"Fraser [is] an accomplished biographer who writes with great ease and wit." --The New York Times Book Review

"An important story delightfully told. . . . Charmingly insightful." --H. W. Brands, author of Reagan

"Smartly written. . . . A searing look into the private lives of very public men and women." --The Boston Globe

"An ambitious, well-researched and highly readable dual biography." --The Wall Street Journal

"A meticulously researched and insightful dual biography. . . . Fraser has successfully depicted a portrait of a long and extremely happy marriage." --The Daily Beast

"Impressive and highly readable. . . . Flora Fraser has added an absorbing portrayal of George and Martha Washington and their extended family to the catalog of books on early American icons." --The Missourian

"A balanced and vivid account of a marriage which was both remarkable and strikingly down-to-earth. . . . A thrilling story." --The Spectator

"An insightful portrait in elegant prose with a dash of wit. The book is based on a mastery of the original sources and brings to life, with much imagination, a wonderful marriage in a period of revolution and war. It is written with a light touch, but is a serious account in every respect. This is a book worthy of its subject." --Robert Middlekauff, author The Glorious Cause

"Flora Fraser's The Washingtons is a vivid and intimate history of America's first First Family. . . . With her usual flair and grace, Fraser proves the old adage that no man is an island, particularly when it comes to achieving great success." --Amanda Foreman, author of A World on Fire

"Fresh and highly informative. . . . Graceful, incisive." --Booklist (starred review)

About the Author

Flora Fraser is author of Beloved Emma: The Life of Emma, Lady Hamilton; The Unruly Queen: The Life of Queen Caroline; Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III; and Pauline Bonaparte: Venus of Empire. The Washingtons won the George Washington Book Prize. She is chair of the Elizabeth Longford Prize for Historical Biography, established in 2003 in affectionate memory of her biographer grandmother. She lives in London.