First among men : George Washington and the myth of American masculinity
(Book)
Author
Status
Main Flagstaff Public Library - Non-Fiction
973.41 V214f
1 available
973.41 V214f
1 available
Description
Loading Description...
Also in this Series
Checking series information...
Copies
Location | Call Number | Status |
---|---|---|
Main Flagstaff Public Library - Non-Fiction | 973.41 V214f | On Shelf |
More Details
Format
Book
Physical Desc
x, 403 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
Street Date
2208
Language
English
Notes
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Description
George Washington—hero of the French and Indian War, commander in chief of the Continental Army, and first president of the United States—died on December 14, 1799. The myth-making began immediately thereafter, and the Washington mythos crafted after his death remains largely intact. But what do we really know about Washington as an upper-class man?
Washington is frequently portrayed by his biographers as America at its unflinching best: tall, shrewd, determined, resilient, stalwart, and tremendously effective in action. But this aggressive and muscular version of Washington is largely a creation of the nineteenth century. Eighteenth-century ideals of upper-class masculinity would have preferred a man with refined aesthetic tastes, graceful and elegant movements, and the ability and willingness to clearly articulate his emotions. At the same time, these eighteenth-century men subjected themselves to intense hardship and inflicted incredible amounts of violence on each other, their families, their neighbors, and the people they enslaved. In First Among Men: George Washington and the Myth of American Masculinity, Valsania considers Washington's complexity and apparent contradictions in three main areas: his physical life (often bloody, cold, injured, muddy, or otherwise unpleasant), his emotional world (sentimental, loving, and affectionate), and his social persona (carefully constructed and maintained). In each, he notes, the reality diverges from the legend quite drastically. Ultimately, Valsania challenges readers to reconsider what they think they know about Washington.
Aided by new research, documents, and objects that have only recently come to light, First Among Men tells the fascinating story of a living and breathing person who loved, suffered, moved, gestured, dressed, ate, drank, and had sex in ways that may be surprising to many Americans. In this accessible, detailed narrative, Valsania presents a full, complete portrait of Washington as readers have rarely seen him before: as a man, a son, a father, and a friend.,Provided by publisher.
Reviews from GoodReads
Loading GoodReads Reviews.
Citations
APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)
Valsania, M. (2022). First among men: George Washington and the myth of American masculinity . Johns Hopkins University Press.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Valsania, Maurizio, 1965-. 2022. First Among Men: George Washington and the Myth of American Masculinity. Johns Hopkins University Press.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Valsania, Maurizio, 1965-. First Among Men: George Washington and the Myth of American Masculinity Johns Hopkins University Press, 2022.
MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)Valsania, Maurizio. First Among Men: George Washington and the Myth of American Masculinity Johns Hopkins University Press, 2022.
Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.
Staff View
Loading Staff View.