Noah Webster -- a portrait by James Sharples completed in about 1798 when Webster was living in Manhattan and editing The American Minerva, New York City's first daily newspaper.
“A gracefully told story that commands attention and confers on Webster deserved honor too long deferred.”
Kirkus Reviews — A Starred Review
“Kendall provides an intriguing look at one of America’s earliest men of letters that is sure to appeal to lovers of both words and history.”
Publishers Weekly
“Joshua Kendall gives us a lively and insightful biography, the best picture we have of Webster’s complex character.”
Jesse Sheidlower, New York Times Book Review
“Mr. Kendall is a careful writer, and a gifted storyteller . . . [The Forgotten Founding Father is] an engaging, almost novel-like read.”
Wall Street Journal
“A smart new biography….To his great credit, [Kendall] does not let the wealth of material overwhelm his narrative, and he never loses sight of the fact that he is shaping the essence of an extraordinarily complex life, one that was uniquely American and well worth celebrating.”
Los Angeles Times
“Kendall has shown that we would do well to remember Noah Webster, whether we are discussing the American Experiment at large or simply scoffing at the British spelling of ‘gaol.'”
The Daily Beast
“…revelatory….Although Kendall allows his admiration for Webster to color the narrative, it’s hard to fault him. He drags Noah Webster out of history’s attic of neglect, and in Kendall’s light we see a phenomenon, a word my schoolboy Webster’s defines as ‘an extraordinary person . . . a prodigy.'”
Cleveland Plain Dealer