Few figures loom larger in American history than George Washington — but how well do we really know the man behind the legend?

In this episode, I'm joined by Pulitzer Prize finalist and bestselling historian H. W. Brands to discuss his new biography, American Patriarch: The Life of George Washington.

This is Brands' first major presidential biography since Reagan: The Life, and here he turns his attention to America's first president — offering a sweeping portrait that reveals Washington not just as a symbol, but as a complex, evolving human being.

This conversation explores leadership, character, legacy, and the enduring influence of one of history's most consequential figures.