Synopsis
A series of studies of the men who came to be known as the Founding Fathers. Each life is considered in the round, but the thread that binds the work together is the idea of character as a lived reality for these men. For these were men, Wood shows, who took the matter of character very seriously. They were the first generation in history that was self-consciously self-made, men who considered the arc of lives, as of nations, as being one of moral progress. They saw themselves as comprising the world's first meritocracy, as opposed to the decadent Old World aristocracy of inherited wealth and station. Historian Wood's accomplishment here is to bring these men and their times down to earth and within our reach, showing us just who they were and what drove them, and that the virtues they defined for themselves are the virtues we aspire to still.--From publisher description.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 2006-05-18 |
| Size | | Length: | 321 pages | | Height: | 9.5 in | | Width: | 6.3 in | | Thickness: | 0.8 in | | Weight: | 21.6 oz |
Publisher's Note
A historical analysis of America's founding leaders identifies the character qualities that enabled them to make their pivotal contributions to the country's formation, discussing what their examples can teach modern readers and how their shared vision of a national meritocracy was shaped by period beliefs about character and leadership.
Industry Reviews
"Illuminating....[An] excellent discussion on how the founders defined character."
(06/25/2006)
"By describing so vividly the experiences of these men and the complicated reality of life in the Revolutionary era, Wood has produced a valuable, persuasive account of the Founders and their significance in American history. By conveying it in the form of a meditation on the limits and transcendence of a human striving, however, he touches a chord even deeper, and more universal, than that. The result is a remarkable book."
(09/21/2006)
"This volume is at its most powerful when Mr. Wood uses his enormous knowledge of the era to situate his subjects within a historical and political context, stripping away accretions of myths and commentary to show the reader how Washington, say, or Franklin...were viewed by their contemporaries. He explains how the reputations of these men waxed and waned over the years, and how changing ideological fashions in history writing have continually remade their images...."
(06/26/2006)
| See an error? Submit a change request |
All rights reserved.
