GeorgeWashington’slifehasbeenscrutinizedbyhistoriansoverthepastthreecenturies,buttheday-to-daylivesofMountVernon’senslavedworkers,wholeftfewwrittenrecordsbutmadeup90percentoftheestate’spopulation,havebeenlargelyleftoutofthestory.In“TheOnlyUnavoidableSubjectofRegret,“MaryThompsonoffersthefirstcomprehensiveaccountofthosewhoservedinbondageatMountVernon.Drawingonyearsofresearchinawiderangeofsources,ThompsonbringstolifethelivesofWashington’sslaveswhileilluminatingtheradicalchangeinhisviewsonslaveryandracewroughtbytheAmericanRevolution.ThompsonbeginswithanexaminationofGeorgeandMarthaWashingtonasslaveowners.Cullingfromletterstofinancialledgers,traveldiarieskeptbyvisitorsandreminiscencesoffamilymembersaswellasofformerslavesandneighbors,Thompsonexploresvariousfacetsofeverydaylifeontheplantationrangingfromworktodomesticlife,housing,foodways,privateenterprise,andresistance.Alongtheway,sheconsiderstherelationshipbetweenWashington’smilitarycareerandhisstyleofplantationmanagementandrelatesthemanywaysslavesrebelledagainsttheircondition.ThebookcloseswithWashington’sattemptstoreconcilebeingaslaveownerwiththechangesinhisthinkingonslaveryandrace,endinginhisdecisiontogranthisslavesfreedominhiswill.
