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Tag Archives: George Washington
Recommended: Biographies
For starters: My recommended Fiction books My recommended Non-Fiction books BIOGRAPHIES: American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson, by Joseph Ellis I’ve written a lot about Joseph Ellis’ work here. While I love David McCullough’s work so much, Ellis is … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Books, Directors, Founding Fathers, James Joyce, Theatre, writers
Tagged A. Scott Berg, Abigail Adams, Alexander Hamilton, American Sphinx, Benjamin Franklin, Biography, Bruce Springsteen, Charles Lindbergh, Charlotte Bronte, David McCullough, Dean Martin, Edie Sedgwick, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Ellen Terry, Elvis Presley, Emily Bronte, George Washington, Henry Irving, His Excellency, Howard Hawks, Howard Hughes, James Dean, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Adams, John Wayne, Joseph Cornell, Joseph Ellis, Marlon Brando, Mitford sisters, Montgomery Clift, Nick Tosches, Nureyev, Orson Welles, Oscar Wilde, Patricia Bosworth, Patricia Highsmith, Richard Ellmann, Ron Chernow, Sam Cooke, Simon Callow, Tennessee Williams, Thomas Jefferson, Truman Capote, W.B. Yeats, Zelda Fitzgerald
9 Comments
Happy Birthday, George Washington
That video is not safe for work, by the way. Due to its total awesomeness. Here is a big post I wrote for Washington’s birthday in 2010. I love my father’s quote the best: “We were so lucky.” This hurts … Continue reading
Today In History: October 19, 1781: The Surrender at Yorktown
The surrender at Yorktown, which ended the American Revolutionary War. The day before: General Lord Charles Cornwallis to General George Washington, October 18, 1781 I agree to open a treaty of capitulation upon the basis of the garrisons of York … Continue reading
Posted in Founding Fathers, On This Day
Tagged Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, politics, war
4 Comments
On This Day: November 25, 1783
George Washington “took back” New York from the British. The peace treaty had been signed a year before, France had pledged support and recognition of the new United States, but the redcoats remained in New York, waiting for their written … Continue reading
2010 Books Read
Round-up of the books I read this year, in the order in which I read them. I am nearly finished with one last book (a collection of stories by Miranda July, given to me by my sister Siobhan for my … Continue reading
Posted in Books
Tagged A.S. Byatt, Andrei Tarkovsky, Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Annie Proulx, books read, Dava Sobel, David O. Selznick, David Thomson, E.M. Forster, Elia Kazan, Ellen Terry, Emily Dickinson, Ernest Hemingway, Evelyn Waugh, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Fred Astaire, Fyodor Dostoevsky, George Bernard Shaw, George Orwell, George Washington, Gouverneur Morris, Ireland, Jane Langton, Jaws, Joan Blondell, John Banville, John McGahern, Mark Helprin, Orson Welles, Oscar Wilde, Peter Bogdanovich, Rebecca West, Roman Polanski, Ron Chernow, Russia, Serbia, Shirley Jackson, Stefan Zweig, Sylvia Beach, Tana French, Tennessee Williams, Warren Beatty, William Shakespeare
37 Comments
Today in history, February 22, 1732
George Washington, first President of the United States, was born. (All quotes from George Washington’s letters below I got from my copy of the Library of America’s compilation of his writings) Thomas Jefferson on George Washington: The moderation and virtue … Continue reading
Posted in Founding Fathers, On This Day
Tagged George Washington, His Excellency, Joseph Ellis, politics, war
13 Comments
Today in history: December 4, 1783
George Washington met with his officers in Fraunces Tavern here in New York City to resign his commission as Commander in Chief. It was an emotional moment. The war had been long. What would happen now? Fraunces Tavern was downtown … Continue reading
Posted in Founding Fathers, On This Day
Tagged George Washington, politics, Thomas Jefferson, war
1 Comment
Today in history: September 5, 1774
On September 5, 1774, the First Continental Congress convened at Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia. It was a very stressful and dangerous time, and there was very little agreement among the colonies about what should be done. The Port Bill (closing … Continue reading
Posted in Founding Fathers, On This Day
Tagged Abigail Adams, George Washington, John Adams, Martha Washington, politics
5 Comments
Today in history: February 22, 1732
George Washington, first President of the United States, was born. (All quotes from George Washington’s letters below I got from my copy of George Washington : Writings (Library of America)) Thomas Jefferson on George Washington: The moderation and virtue of … Continue reading
Posted in Founding Fathers, On This Day
Tagged George Washington, His Excellency, Joseph Ellis, politics, Thomas Jefferson, war
5 Comments
Today in history: October 19, 1781
The surrender at Yorktown, which ended the American Revolutionary War. Day before: General Lord Charles Cornwallis to General George Washington, October 18, 1781 I agree to open a treaty of capitulation upon the basis of the garrisons of York and … Continue reading

