Truthfully there are better books with more engaging stories on our first president, but I think that Philbrick did it well here. Travels with George should still be considered as a worthy read for history lovers, but those with high praise for obscure history books may find it lacking. However, that is not to say that there is anything wrong with the research or the writing, but I cannot quite pinpoint what my issues were with this book.

At a time when our country’s foundations are heavily evaluated and criticized, Philbrick did a wonderful job diving deep into Washington’s decisions for our new country. It was refreshing to see a writer put themselves in a historical figure’s footsteps to see how and why the choices played out the way they did. He also made sure to dig into some controversial aspects of the former President, such as being a slave owner. In my opinion, Philbrick made a good argument for Washington as a complicated, but important and necessary leader. It was nice to learn more about Washington in the book.

I love the concept of this book (and the cover too). It was enjoyable and informative at times, but quite slow at others and didn't fully hold my attention.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Travel’s with George by Nathaniel Philbrick

Travel’s with George was an amazing read! It has a unique twist with the way its written, its part biography for George Washington and the Author but its also like a travel log. We get to follow along as Nathaniel and his wife and their dog travel the same path as George Washington. The differences are amazing. I really liked how smoothly the timelines shifted! This is going to be a short review because honestly everything you have read about this book is true and then add a little more and that is about where this book sits on a 10 scale. But also because there isn't really anything I can say that hasn't already been said and I'm sure whatever I do repeat won't do the book justice. My one piece of advice going into this book is forget all the myths and stories you have been told about GW because more than likely you are going to find out it was something totally different. This author had no problem talking about the more touchy subjects and I loved every minute of it! Happy reading everyone!

Road trip with George Washington!

This was an exceptionally bizarre concept for a book, but it worked beautifully. I loved this strange combination of travelogue, memoir, and history.

Nathaniel Philbrick breaks from his typical style of chronicling history to bring us this delightful adventure, in which he, his wife, and his dog Dora embark on a road trip following the path of George Washington from the point at which he is elected the first President of the United States.

I was unsure about the format at first, as I’m not big on memoirs and tend to be bothered when authors insert themselves into the narrative, but Philbrick’s participation in the story turns out to be one of the best parts of Travels with George. He does a fantastic job of making the book feel personal and like an adventure that comes to life for the reader without ever taking away from his primary subject.

If you know a lot about Washington, some of the information included will be familiar to you, but some is entirely new, and the unique format made it such that even what I already knew about Washington felt new because of the way it was presented.

Philbrick teaches the reader about a lot more than just the first President as well. From sailing to duck tollers, there’s all kinds of fun things packed into this delightful narration.

Philbrick approaches Washington fairly and honestly, criticizing when modern standards require it, and also gently reminding the reader that we need to remember all of history, both the good and the bad, and that sometimes that means acknowledging both the good and the bad of one individual.

If you want an informative but fun and adventurous look at our first President, I can’t think of a better place to get it than here in Travels with George.

This book was a pleasant departure from the traditional George Washington history books. Nathaniel Philbrick travels alongside ,.,,,or rather very far behind George Washington on Washington's travels of the newly United States. Philbrick, his dog, and his wife go on the hunt for Washington and his legacy in modern America. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of research that went into this book and the moments of humor and warmth throughout. It was an enjoyable read very reminiscent of Rinker Buck's The Oregon Trail.

Travels with George
By Nathaniel Philbrick

This was a fun travelogue and history lesson in a fun narrative by Philbrick. I learned a lot in this insightful book so well researched and equally so well written. I am somehow inspired to visit that part of the country that follows Washington's visit during the time and looking forward to what it had been over 200 years later - from Mount Vernon through New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. Through historic homes and significant historical landmarks, meeting people that keep these historical stories alive such as the re-enactors, tour guides and others, we are able to first hand see the path forged by our founding fathers.

I enjoyed the writing and the insight of how history has shaped our country to what it is today.

We are pleased to recommend this great new book by Nathaniel Philbrick. Part history/part travelogue, Travels With George retraces the tour of America Washington himself took short after his inauguration and uses this vantage point to not only bring us new insights into Washington and the America of his day but to meaningfully engage with questions about America itself and Washington’s legacy. A lively read that is as enjoyable as it is thought-provoking.

This was a delightful look at George Washington outlined as the author traveled the routs Washington himself traversed during the first years of his presidency. All the while, the author debunks some urban legends we all know about our first president and delves into what he might have thought of the United States today. Very well researched and written, it is still quite an enjoyable read and very approachable. From the epilogue, Philbrick concludes "If our country is ever going to improve in the future, we need to look the past full in the face today, and there, at the very beginning, is our first president: a slaveholder, a land baron, a general, and a politician, who believed with all his soul in the Union" Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed "In the Heart of the Sea", but other Philbrick books have been a struggle for me. I had higher hopes for "Travels with George", however the transitions between Washington's journey and Philbrick's travels with his wife made it difficult for me to stay interested in the book. I enjoyed hearing about Washington's time in various locations as well as the commentary about those locations today, but other anecdotes disrupted the flow of the book. Nathaniel Philbrick definitely knows his history, but this book just wasn't for me.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Such a fun, engaging read following the trail of George Washington through modern eyes. Loved the juxtaposition between the past of Washington and the present of Philbrick. Haven't stopped recommending it to friends and colleagues!

As a fan of Nathaniel Philbrick’s books “Travels with George” is no exception! Love that the author’s chose to follow the itinerary of George Washington, in his quest to get to know Americans, of this new formed Country! In reading this, I imagined myself traveling along with George Washington, as he visited cities and towns up and down the eastern part of the new Country. I found it fascinating and admirable, in the way the author took pains to retrace the Father of this Country travels, to “feel out” the citizens of this new Country! I wish the President of today would take pains to “feel out” It’s citizens! George Washington, himself, was concerned with future leaders’ possible failure to unite the Country and may actually want to divide Americans instead. This is so true today in 2021! Our present leaders should heed the words of George Washington:

“It serves always to distract the public councils and en‑
feeble the public administration. It agitates the commu‑
nity with ill‑ founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles
the animosity of one part against another, foments occa‑
sionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign
influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access
to the government itself through the channels of party
passions. Thus the policy and will of one country are sub‑
jected to the policy and will of another.”
(“Travels with George” by Nathaniel Philbrick)

I have read everything Philbrick has written. This one is more personal and chatty in addition to his normal, intensive research. The book follows his journey with his wife and dog ( and with an homage to John Steinbeck) as they retrace the travels George Washington took throughout the
Northeast and the South to meet his countrymen. Both journeys were successful and a joy to read about.

If you are a fan of Philbrick's writing and American history, this book is for you. He looks for what unites us around our founder in this very divisive time.