George Washington's Eye: Landscape, Architecture, and Design at Mount Vernon Hardcover – Illustrated, September 1, 2012

.This is a truly beautiful book. Its pages are not only beautiful to look at, the scholarship is outstanding and the paper is delicious to touch.Most books of this type seem to be written about Thomas Jefferson. As an art historian, Joseph Manca brings a fresh perspective to the table by looking at George Washington as a talented and sensitive planner and designer.Highly recommended.Kim BurdickStanton, Delaware

Wonderful book - beautiful and well researched. It shows a side of George Washington that isn't covered in such detail elsewhere.

This 2012 book came into my view when I was doing online research to update my book on George Washington's Liberty Key (Mount Vernon's Bastille Key). I read on page 203 of Joseph Manca's book that a copy of the Bastille key is in the glass case in the Mansion and that the original key is in the Museum Gallery of Mount Vernon. However, Mount Vernon confirms this is incorrect. The original key has generally been hanging in the Mansion continuously since it was first brought to Mount Vernon. While it had been out on tour several times, it has not left the Mansion since 2008 (except perhaps for very short periods relating to curation and other requirements at the Estate). Other than this "key" exception, however, Manca's book appears to be a gem of architectural discussion and insight, with beautiful illustration and copious documentation.Check out one of William J. Bahr’s books:  George Washington's Liberty Key: Mount Vernon's Bastille Key – the Mystery and Magic of Its Body, Mind, and Soul , a best seller at Mount Vernon.

Excellent study of Geo. Washington's view of landscape and architectural design at Mt. Vernon.