George Washington and Political Fatherhood: The Endurance of a National Myth

More than two hundred years after his death, George Washington is still often considered the metaphorical father of the United States. He was first known as the "Father of His Country" during his lifetime, when the American people bestowed the title upon him as a symbolic act of resistance and rebirth. Since then, presidents have stood as paternal figureheads for America, often serving as moral beacons.

This book tracks political fatherhood throughout world history, from the idea of the p...