<p>John Marshall's 'The Life of George Washington' is not merely a text but an edifice within the field of American presidential biographies, being the pioneer as the first significant treatment of a U.S. president's life. Written in a narrative that combines a stately prose with a methodical sifting of historical events, the five volumes delineate Washington's roles as a military hero, a Founding Father, and the nascent nation's first Chief Exec...