George Washington is probably the most mythic of America's Founding Fathers. Over the years, President Washington has been turned into a near perfect man, but Mr. Washington was a real person with strengths and faults that most of us have.
The children's biography "George Washington" by Marian Leighton gives a good background on Washington's early years which explains how he was able to accomplish the spectacular victor against the British forces during the Revolutionary War.
Losing first his Father and later his older brother Lawrence put George into a position of responsibility very early in life. One of the most entertaining aspects of Washington's early years is his contentious relationship with his mother. After the death of her husband, Mary Washington tried to keep maintain a strict control of George's activities. In turn, young George did his very best to resist his mother's control.
Another lesson George learned early in life was to never give up. This ideal no doubt helped him greatly during the many ups and downs of the Revolutionary War.
As an American, reading "George Washington" gave me a greater appreciation of the sacrifices and character of our first president.
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