Mount Vernon Love Story

George Washington’s military and political accomplishments are well known, from his famous Revolutionary War battles to his nomination to our first Commander-in-Chief.  His personal life, however, is not nearly as well known.  His portraits give an impression of a straightforward, serious General, but his life at home may have been very different.  George Washington’s love for his stepchildren and the myriad of other minors he and Martha Custis Washington raised, and George’s love for Martha, are not discussed in history books and most biographies you read.  But that love is the central theme in Mount Vernon Love Story.

Originally released in 1969 under the title Aspire to the Heavens, this debut release from Mary Higgins Clark is well researched and developed.  Featuring chapters that flip between multiple timelines, the author reflects on George’s strict upbringing by his widowed mother and his relationship with his older brothers and connects this childhood to his approach in loving Martha Custis and her children.  The author includes historical moments from Washington’s public life but focuses on the interpersonal relationships with his family and friends more so that the timeline of his accomplishments.

I give Mount Vernon Love Story 4 out of 5 stars.  I enjoyed seeing a different side of the President than what is typically related in historical biographies.   The personal aspects set against the backdrop of the political and military climate give the reader a feel for who the Washingtons were as people, not just public figures.  I was surprised to find the writing style so different than in Mary Higgins Clark’s later works, but appreciated the turns and skips in time to connect events and perspectives better.  I did find myself a bit confused by the skips in time both forward and backward and found that I needed to pay special attention to the dates listed at the start of each chapter, sometimes comparing them to those of the previous chapter to keep the timeline straight.

I would recommend this novel to anyone interested in the people behind the first presidency of the United States.  If you, like me, are tired of reading the same facts retold again and again by different authors, this book will intrigue you – I found out so much more information about their family and the decisions made in their household through this novel.  Given the light discussions of early death and disease, this book may not be suitable for younger audiences, but there was nothing included that was too explicit in these categories.

I chose Mount Vernon Love Story as my read for the Independence Day Holiday.  I have been reading about the Washingtons, their contemporaries, and the fight for Independence for several months now.  This book will be the capstone of that journey, weaving all those cold facts with a more personal and private perspective.  I will be moving on to President John Adams later this month with our July Historical Biography read John Adams: A Life by John Ferling.  It will be a while before we reach my favorite president if we are reading about them in order of election.  Tell me your favorite president in the comments below and why – I’ll let you know if we share the same!

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What I’m Reading

• Current print book: The Invisible Hour, Alice Hoffman
• Current audio book: Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers, Deborah Heiligman
• Book I’m most looking forward to: The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise, Colleen Oakley