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I'll admit it now that this book is read; my goal this year is to read a book about each of the presidents. What a wonky thing to do, eh? It started last presidential election cycle, when I (and many others) wondered if the Current Occupant would be rated as among the top five worst ever. How will I know without looking at the other contestants to that ignominious race?
Because of the sheer number of books on Washington, it was difficult to pick a book. However, it was very useful to my cause to compare these two men with a large number of situational similarities for the qualities that ended up differentiating them so completely. As the author points out somewhat mercilessly at the end, it is all down to character. The most surprising fact I discovered about the often inscrutable Washington is that he had a violent temper, same as Benedict Arnold. However, through sheer determination, he mastered his anger through the old-fashioned exercise of temperance, or the self-discipline to control passions.
While Washington's military expertise is widely appreciated, Arnold was a brilliant military leader who even earned the title "America's Hannibal. It is popularly held among military scholars that the Revolutionary War might not have been won at all if not for Arnold's early battle successes. But, Arnold's fiery temper caused him to duel many men over the protection of his "honor," and his inability to be patient through the many provocations of individuals or groups such as the Continental Congress led him to plot revenge and value only monetary gain rather than the lives of his fellow soldiers and citizens.
One of the things most grieved by Washington historians was the decision by George and Martha to burn a great number of their personal papers while on his death bed. An important component of his humanity went up in smoke, and so he is destined to remain a legendary hero without the normal human foibles. Still, we can tell much about anyone by the outward acts. As quoted in the book, Len Marella, who wrote a book on ethical leadership that says:
Your thoughts become your words.
Your words become your actions.
Your actions become your habits.
Your habits become your character.
Your character becomes your destiny.
I may be able to stop reading now with a sufficient answer to my original query, but I'm having too much fun. I would appreciate references for any of the other presidents for a good read, especially for the more obscure ones.
Because of the sheer number of books on Washington, it was difficult to pick a book. However, it was very useful to my cause to compare these two men with a large number of situational similarities for the qualities that ended up differentiating them so completely. As the author points out somewhat mercilessly at the end, it is all down to character. The most surprising fact I discovered about the often inscrutable Washington is that he had a violent temper, same as Benedict Arnold. However, through sheer determination, he mastered his anger through the old-fashioned exercise of temperance, or the self-discipline to control passions.
While Washington's military expertise is widely appreciated, Arnold was a brilliant military leader who even earned the title "America's Hannibal. It is popularly held among military scholars that the Revolutionary War might not have been won at all if not for Arnold's early battle successes. But, Arnold's fiery temper caused him to duel many men over the protection of his "honor," and his inability to be patient through the many provocations of individuals or groups such as the Continental Congress led him to plot revenge and value only monetary gain rather than the lives of his fellow soldiers and citizens.
One of the things most grieved by Washington historians was the decision by George and Martha to burn a great number of their personal papers while on his death bed. An important component of his humanity went up in smoke, and so he is destined to remain a legendary hero without the normal human foibles. Still, we can tell much about anyone by the outward acts. As quoted in the book, Len Marella, who wrote a book on ethical leadership that says:
Your thoughts become your words.
Your words become your actions.
Your actions become your habits.
Your habits become your character.
Your character becomes your destiny.
I may be able to stop reading now with a sufficient answer to my original query, but I'm having too much fun. I would appreciate references for any of the other presidents for a good read, especially for the more obscure ones.
