Now Available in Paperback!
Recipient of the 2016 Book Award for Excellence in American History
National Society Daughters of the American Revolution
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“ There have been many books written about George Washington, and many about the Early Republic period. Don’t miss this one.”
Peggy Carlson, The Free-Lance Star
“. . . not only a lively history but a group portrait of Washington and the various figures to influence him.”
Robert K. Landers, The Wall Street Journal
“ . . . narrative magic extends amply to the titular circle, each member of which is brought spectacularly to life by the Heidlers’ unerring ability to find great phrases. These are terrifyingly complex people whose characters have often baffled even the most dedicated biographers, but in Washington’s Circle they are first and foremost human beings, and that key unlocks the rest."
Steve Donoghue, Open Letters Monthly
"David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler bring the whole cast to unforgettable life in this character study–cum–group portrait–cum–old-fashioned page-turner. Readers are in for a treat!"
Richard Norton Smith, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of On His Own Terms: A Life of Nelson Rockefeller
"In showing who Washington listened to, and how at times he was steered by his advisors, the Heidlers disclose the sources of Washington’s most important decisions. Written with grace and verve, Washington’s Circle is both good history and a good read."
John Ferling, author of Jefferson and Hamilton: The Rivalry that Forged a Nation (2013) and Whirlwind: The American Revolution and the War that Won It (2015)
"David and Jeanne Heidler do a superb job of illuminating the remarkable group of talented individuals who undertook an equally remarkable collaboration to found the United States."
Edward G. Lengel, author of General George Washington: A Military Life and director, The Papers of George Washington, University of Virginia
"Washington’s Circle cuts to the chase, that is, the chase for access to the first president, whose political persona revolved around deference and decorum."
Andrew Burstein and Nancy Isenberg, co-authors of Madison and Jefferson
Kirkus Reviews
"An elegant study on the shaping of the first presidency through the excellent people he chose to serve with him.The Heidlers (Henry Clay: The Essential American, 2010, etc.) create a fully fleshed portrait of the first great Founder by comparison to and contrast with the many complicated personalities he had around him.” Read the entire review here