George Washington, Volume 1

Young Washington

By: Douglas Southall Freeman

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin

George Washington, a Biography by Douglas Southall Freeman was the second great historical masterpiece by him to win the Pulitzer Prize, awarded posthumously in 1958. Freeman completed six volumes of this magnificent biography, but died before finishing the seventh and final volume, concluded for him by his research associates in 1957.

In Volume One, Young Washington, we follow the development of George from childhood to young manhood. It is an extraordinary tale of youthful vigor and determination. Washington’s father, Augustine, died in 1743 when George was only 11. He inherited 5,000 acres from his father along with 10 slaves. His older half-brother, Laurence, inherited the Hunting Creek estate, renaming it Mt. Vernon in honor of a British general he had served under some years earlier.

George soon proved himself an excellent mathematician and took up the study of land surveying as an apprentice under the watch of a local surveyor, which offered good pay. He excelled in this occupation and was soon exploring wilderness areas in northern Virginia under the patronage of William Fairfax, at the time one of the wealthiest men in the colonies. When trouble with the neighboring French to the north began, Washington was sent to deliver official correspondence by the Virginia governor, Dinwiddie. It proved to be a fateful step. As the situation moved toward open conflict, George, at the age of 22, was commissioned a Lt. Colonel of colonial militia and given command over several hundred soldiers. The great adventure of his life was about to commence.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©1948 Charles Scribners Sons (P)2017 Audio Connoisseur

Critic reviews

"Freeman's treatment of Washington as a Commander in Chief is virtually definitive." (The New York Times Book Review)

"For the popular, novelized biography, full of glib insights into the inner man, Freeman has nothing but contempt. His dogged intent is to portray Washington day by day and year by year, through each new experience, as if nothing were known and nothing were certain about his future." (Time Magazine)

Fine work on Washington

This is a classic biography of the first president and general of the American Revolution. The biographer’s mission is to show Washington as he really was - aiming for reality as opposed to those who turned Washington into an unbelievably perfect individual or to the opposite view of the postmodern revisionists. Freeman goes into a great deal of detail on Virginia society into which Washington was born. Looking forward to the next installment of the work!

Surprisingly easy to listen to and enjoy.

On a day when I was,apparently, feeling ambitious, I ordered the first 6 books of this series. Up until a few days ago I wondered just what the heck I’d been thinking. 😃

I finally bit the bullet and steeled myself, girded my loins, and pressed the button. And I’m glad I did!

The author takes what could have been dry and uninteresting facts and gives them life and flow such that I was surprised today when I finished the book.

And the narrator is perfectly matched with the material and makes the people feel real and engaging. That could easily have been misread by a lesser narrator and made into a slow slog.

I can heartedly recommend this listen to history buffs and first time nonfiction listeners equally.