James Thomas Flexner

James Thomas Flexner was an American historian and biographer renowned for his meticulously researched works, particularly his four-volume biography of George Washington. This monumental project earned him both a National Book Award in Biography and a special Pulitzer Prize, cementing his reputation as a leading authority on Washington's life and legacy. His scholarly approach and engaging narrative style made his historical works accessible to both academic and general audiences.

A cum laude graduate of Harvard University, Flexner began his career as a reporter for the New York Herald Tribune from 1929 to 1931. He later served briefly as an executive secretary for the New York City Department of Health before dedicating himself entirely to writing. Flexner's works often explored pivotal figures and moments in American history, blending rigorous scholarship with vivid storytelling. His contributions to historical literature remain influential, offering nuanced perspectives on the nation's founding era.
George Washington Books
# Title Year
1 The Forge of Experience, 1732-1775 1965
2 American Revolution, 1775-1783 1968
3 New Nation, 1783-1793 1970
4 Anguish and Farewell, 1793-1799 1972
History of American Painting Books
# Title Year
1 First Flowers of Our Wilderness 1947
2 That Wilder Image 1962
3 The Light of Distant Skies 1760-1835 1969
Non-Fiction Books
# Title Year
1 Steamboats Come True 1944
2 Gilbert Stuart: A Great Life in Brief 1955
3 The World of Winslow Homer: 1836-1910 1966
4 Washington: The Indispensable Man 1974
5 The Face of Liberty 1974
6 The Traitor and the Spy 1975
7 The Young Hamilton: A Biography 1978
8 States Dyckman, American Loyalist 1980
9 America's Old Masters 1980
10 Asher B. Durand 1983
11 An American Saga 1984
12 The Hudson River and the Highlands: The Photographs of Robert Glenn Ketchum (With: Richard M. Ketchum) 1985
13 John Singleton Copley 1993
14 Maverick's Progress 1996
15 Random Harvest 1998