He puzzled over the cause of Yellow Fever when it ravaged the population, and he developed the first scientific survey which led to modern medical research. The story of Noah Webester is a bit boring, or this book about Noah Webster is a bit boring. What can I say? He is obsessed with a series of things in his life, revolving around his books, magazines, and newspapers. I recommend it for all the "Monks" (a character in a TV mysteries) or the world. Please try your request again later. Webster hobnobbed with various Founding Fathers and was a young confidant of George Washington and Ben Franklin. DULL. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Giving time to both the assets and detriments of his personality, it seemed to be a fairly honest, balanced portrayal of Webster as a person. Interesting story of Noah Webster, lots of history, but for me it was a slow read. My gosh I just slogged through this. Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2017. Noah Webster and the Dream of a Common Language. Please try again. Kendall paints a complex portrait of Webster (1758–1843), a man he claims "housed a host of contradictory identities: revolutionary, reactionary, fighter, peacemaker, intellectual, commonsense philosopher, ladies' man, prig, slick networker and loner." Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Instead, throughout the book, Kendal damns Webster with faint praise interspersed with unsupported allegations that Webster was mentally ill. And when he wasn't trying to paint has ill, he attempts to paint him as a mean and humorless father. He started New York City's first daily newspaper, predating Alexander Hamilton's New York Post. Free shipping in the US. Firstly, not every man who picked up a pen around the time of the American Revolution is a forgotten founding father. I had not realized before that not only was Webster the man who authored his famous magnum opus,but that he was a man with contradictory qualities: Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2016. I wish someone else had written this book. Let's face it: in America, we may complain about irregular verbs when … Some really fun tidbits in here, especially about his completely amateur and embarassing attempts at etymology, his compulsive drive to create a definitive dictionary, run ins with George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, and the overall lifestyle of these "first Americans" (white, male, middle class, educated), but I wish overall the book was tighter. Kendall tells us that as he grew older, Webster be. Webster's habits provide insight into why he did things, as well as, why his children were as they were. Buy a cheap copy of The Forgotten Founding Father: Noah Websters Obsession and the Creation of an American Culture by Joshua Kendall 0425245454 9780425245453 - A gently used book at a great low price. He started New York City's first daily newspaper, predating Alexander Hamilton's New York Post. B. He personally counted all the houses in every town he visited. It doesn't hurt that the author, who has developed quite a reputation for writing about obsessives, is in his element when talking about Webster's life and its complexities. Being a degreed and professional lexicographer myself, as well as a student of the US Constitution, I read this book with double interest. Very interesting biography and life. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. The Forgotten Founding Father Noah Websters Obsession And Creation Of An American Culture Joshua Kendall Author: powerprogress.pplelectric.com-2021-02-01T00:00:00+00:01 Subject: The Forgotten Founding Father Noah Websters Obsession And Creation Of An American Culture Joshua Kendall Keywords Here’s another often-forgotten Founding Father. in order to start writing his book, but he doesn't support his conclusions. If you are a history buff, this is a very interesting read. We’d love your help. This book definitely brings this obscure founder, remembered for those of us that think fondly of his dictionary, to the attention of contemporary readers. Noah Webster's name is synonymous with the dictionary he created, but his story is not nearly so well-known. It’s just a recitation of a timeline of facts with a lot of name-dropping. I didn't know that Webster had associated with so many of the early founders. Noah Webster was an uncredited Founding Father. Personality-wise, he was kind of a loner post-revolutionary (war) Steve Jobs-type, who great thing was, in the end, language, specifically American English.