You Never Forget Your First: A Biography Of George Washington

"Alexis Coe doesn’t succumb to larger-than-life caricatures or gloss over flaws in her biography of George Washington – the first written by a woman in 40 years, she says. The resulting narrative of Washington’s life feels refreshingly human. Every anecdote is enhanced with details from the lives of the people around him – friends, foes, family, people he enslaved – and lists like “Frenemies” and “Pettiest Acts” add plenty of personality to the historical figure you thought you knew. Coe’s take on Washington is fun to read, and you’ll soon wonder why you assumed Washington biographies were only meant to be Father’s Day gifts."