James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights (Pivotal Moments in American History)

Book Description

Today we hold the Constitution in such high regard that we can hardly imagine how hotly contested was its adoption. In fact, many of the thirteen states saw fierce debate over the document, and ratification was by no means certain. Virginia, the largest and most influential state, approved the Constitution by the barest of margins, and only after an epic political battle between James Madison and Patrick Henry. Now Richard Labunski offers a dramatic account of a time when the entire American experiment hung in the balance, only to be saved by the most unlikely of heroes--the diminutive and exceedingly shy Madison. Here is a vividly written account of not one but several major political struggles which changed the course of American history. Labunski takes us inside the sweltering converted theater in Richmond, where for three grueling weeks, the soft-spoken Madison and the charismatic Patrick Henry fought over whether Virginia should ratify the Constitution. The stakes were enormous. If Virginia voted no, George Washington could not become president, New York might follow suit and reject the Constitution, and the young nation would be thrust into political chaos. But Madison won the day by a handful of votes, mollifying Anti-Federalist fears by promising to add a bill of rights to the Constitution. To do this, Madison would have to win a seat in the First Congress. Labunski shows how the vengeful Henry prevented Madison's appointment to the Senate and then used his political power to ensure that Madison would run against his good friend, Revolutionary War hero James Monroe, in a House district teeming with political enemies. Overcoming great odds, Madison won by a few hundred votes, allowing him to attend the First Congress and sponsor the Bill of Rights. Packed with colorful details about life in early America, this compelling and important narrative is the first serious book about Madison written in many years. It will return this under-appreciated patriot to his rightful place among the Founding Fathers and shed new light on a key turning point in our nation's history.

Customer Reviews:

Tedious recounting of events without much analysis or perspective.......2007-08-03

I hate saying bad things about other people's books because I know how much hard work goes into each one, though I have to advise the reader of this review to find another book if you're interested in the creation of the Bill of Rights. If it weren't for this book being on audio disc I would never have finished it. It's very boring and flat. The material is doubtlessly interesting, and I imagine that depending upon the author's take on the subject, this book could come out in many different, yet equally interesting, permutations.

My strong criticism it that it is the book has no incisive analysis of the subject, nothing to make it read, no sense of perspective,...how this subject played out in the bigger scheme of things and over time. The epilogue was equally disappointing, offering the scantiest description of how the ideas contained in the Bill of Rights affected future generations. In fact, I was eagerly looking forward to reading the epilogue, it was the only thing keeping me going, and I was disappointed.

So, what we get is just a simply recounting of the events, without much to make the writing interesting. It really gets tedious and boring, sounding like a straight reading of an official transcript or diary especially when the author describes the proceedings of the Virginia Constitutional ratifying Convention and other similar events, which is what a lion's share of the book is.

Any suggestions??

Democracy in Action.......2007-06-17

"James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights" was a very enjoyable read, and one that I would definitely enjoy reading again. It is full of detail, but doesn't lack on readability either. Unlike some of the reviewers, I enjoyed the details of weather conditions and felt that this information was important to telling the struggle for the Bill of Rights as weather was a huge obstacle to travel in that time. I also was able to better picture what it would be like to sit in a hot, sultry, building with no ventilation (as when the windows had to be closed due to the noisy streets) and spend hours discussing how much power the constitution would grant the federal government or if it indeed would greatly infringe on individual liberties.

Lets go out on a limb, and say that James Madison probably wouldn't make it in politics today. He was 5'4", shy, soft spoken, and portrayed by the author as extremely timid when speaking in front of a large group. He also "flip-flopped" on his stance on the Bill of Rights, which at that time seemed to be democracy working (Today he would probably be eaten alive); Madison seems to not only believe passionately about the importance of a strong federal government, but evolves to believe just as passionately about the protection of the people's individual rights (Thus- A Bill of Rights). OK, it could be argued that he had to compromise and promise support of a Bill of Rights to get elected, but the author seems to feel that Madison truly believed in their importance. The story of Madison is very interesting and even for his time he seems to be somewhat of an underdog whose passion, intellect, and love for his country allowed him to prevail over his short-comings. His election to the House is nothing but fascinating as once again the cards were stacked against him (Thanks to Patrick Henry who gerrymandered his district so that he would likely lose).

The story of Virginia's constitutional congress was every bit as fascinating, and it can be said that human nature and the psychology of politics had many similarities then as it does now. Many people had passionately different philosophical views of what government should and shouldn't be. As could be argued today, both sides had some good points. It was interesting how fear seemed to perpetuate both sides passion. The Anti-Federalists being fearful of a monarchal type of government invading on individual liberty, and the Federalists fearful that individual states wouldn't have economic power or the ability to defend themselves. The author portrays the high-stakes decision of Virginia ratifying the constitution without a Bill of Rights. He points out that if this hadn't happened, George Washington wouldn't have even been eligible to serve in the new government. Anyways, the story of our founders verbally battling it out in a theater in Shocco-Bottom in Richmond is also well portrayed. For anyone interested in American history and politics, I would recommend this book as a must read.

A fascinating piece of history.......2007-06-16

The Bill of Rights was always just there at the end of the Constitution -- a list of unalienable rights to be interpreted, argued over and used to browbeat opponents in political discussions. I, for one, never gave much thought to how those 10 constitutional amendments came to exist within four years of the ratification of the Constitution in 1788.

Now that I know what a narrow thing ratification of the Constitution was (Virginia and New York sought to make adoption conditional upon the adoption of amendments; North Carolina and Rhode Island refused to ratify until the Bill of Rights passed Congress) and how difficult the adoption of amendments so soon after ratification, I'll certainly never take them for granted again. Anti-federalist opposition to the Constitution, particularly without a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties, was very strong in Virginia, led as it was by the able orator Patrick Henry, who dominated the Virginia Legislature during the late 1780s.

On one point the book is clear: the amendments would not have been proposed and adopted without the guidance of James Madison, first as a member of the Virginia Constitutional Ratifying Convention and then as a member of the US House of Representatives. The story of his battle is a fascinating one, from the first use of gerrymandering to prevent him from being elected to the US House (this was Patrick Henry's idea and it didn't work), to the final triumph in 1791 when Virginia finally ratified the amendments.

If you thought dirty politics was born in the current era, think again. I was struck by how much political maneuvering, both explicit and behind the scenes, existed at a time most Americans think of in mythological terms. Our cherished heroes were politicians all, attempting to satisfy local demands while at the same time doing justice to the larger, longer term issues. They didn't always succeed, but this time they did, thanks to Madison's persistence.

I strongly recommend this book for the light it sheds on a period in US history that is rarely discussed. However, I have only given the unabridged audio edition of this book 4 stars because I thought the narrator read too fast. I found I had to listen to many passages two and three times follow them completely. It's one thing to read fiction at a fast clip, and another when you attempt to speed through historical narrative.

A little more than necessary.......2007-03-09

When listening to books on cd or I-Pod, particularly when non-fiction, I try to make sure I get unabridged versions so I don't feel slighted. With this cd, I could have used a little slighting.

James Madison was indeed important for passing the Bill of Rights. It couldn't have been more amazing since Madison originally believed that a bill of rights was not needed: since Congress was not granted the powers to infringe on basic it rights, so the argument went, there was no need for a bill to protect those rights. Alas, he changed. And this point should serve as a reminder for how difficult it is to rely on supposedly original principles in the Constitution. (Rakove, in Original Meanings, makes that point best.)

The book looks at three or so important points: the Constitutional Convention, the Virginia Constitutional ratification convention, and the First Congress's effort at passing the amendments that would form the Bill of Rights. The first part, the miracle in Philly, has been covered so much elsewhere that yet another treatment wasn't really so necessary. The Virginia ratification convention was fine, but the arguments were very much the same. The First Congress section was the most interesting. Tidbit of interest: Madison wanted the amendments to appear in the main body of the text. Imagine that! What we now know famously as the first ten amendments could have been scatter shot throughout the original document. Shortsightedness on that point by Madison, though he was forward thinking in most other regards.

Labunski did a fine job and it is perfect for those unfamiliar with the Philly stuff. Otherwise it is still fine.

Lots of struggle, not much of what it was over.......2007-01-10

First of all, I do want to say that author Richard Labunski did a fine job detailing the trials and travails of the road to the first Congress travelled by James Madison, one of our most indispensable Founders. Labunski reminds us that history was, while in the making, not nearly as foregone as it seems this far removed. Madison could have lost his election to the First session of the House of Representatives after the new government was formed causing the Constitution to perhaps lose the addition of the Bill of Rights and that would have been calamitous, indeed.

I enjoyed the story of Madison's road as told by Labunski. Madison has been one of those founders who's position as a great Founder has been rocky. Up one decade and down another. Sometimes he has been considered a far lesser light than he deserves to be considered. Currently, he seems to be up which is fortunate. I think he should remain there. He is by far one of the most brilliant Founders we had and it is good that Labunski treats Madison with the respect he deserves.

Here is where I feel the book was lacking, though. Why was the Bill of Rights so important? What were the philosophies, the influences, the reasons the amendments were fought over? Labunski does not take much time to delve further under the surface to ferret out those reasons. He briefly mentions things here and there as the book moves along those lines, but I think his book would have been more complete with a bit more of it.

I found myself wondering what all the fuss was over far too much while reading the book and feel Labunski shorted the reader a fuller explanation.

Still, I give the book a pretty good rating. It is a good tale that is not often told (which is why I think he should have gone deeper, by the way).

It come recommended by me, anyway.

From Parchment to Power: How James Madison Used the Bill of Rights to Save the Constitution

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A Great Explanation
Lacks Critical Analysis of Madison's Ideas

From Parchment to Power: How James Madison Used the Bill of Rights to Save the Constitution
Robert A. Goldwin
Manufacturer: Aei Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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What the Anti-Federalists Were for: The Political Thought of the Opponents of the Constitution
The Federalist Papers (Signet Classics)
James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights (Pivotal Moments in American History)
The Framing of the Constitution of the United States
The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates (Signet Classics)

ASIN: 0844740128

Book Description

This book tells how the Bill of Rights was amended to the Constitution and explains how that addition completed the Constitution by clarifying the status of the American people.

Customer Reviews:

A Great Explanation.......2007-03-16

A truly wonderful, easy to read portrayal of Mr. Madison, a federalist who saw the political advantage to a Bill of Rights and undertook the task to write the amendments that saved the Constitution.

Lacks Critical Analysis of Madison's Ideas.......2000-05-26

The author is to be commended for writing about a an important event in our nation's history -- the formation of the Bill of Rights -- that has to date been the subject of very few book-length studies. While I liked much of the historical account, it seems to me that the treatment of James Madison's ideas was lacking in some respects.

Goldwin argues that Madison's principal purpose in proposing the Bill of Rights was political. Madison, Goldwin says, was concerned about Anti-Federalist opposition to the Constitution and the risk that the Anti-Federalists would succeed in calling a second constitutional convention that might undo all of the important structural features of the Constitution. Goldwin believes that Madison hoped to steal the Anti-Federalists' thunder by offering amendments whose substance was uncontroversial, but whose inclusion would help solidify support for the new Constitution in a public that was still nervous about the way it centralized national power.

Goldwin reinforces his argument about Madison's political motivations by suggesting that Madison regarded a Bill of Rights as being practically useless in preventing governments from encroaching on the liberties of its citizens. Instead, according to the author, Madison thought that the structural elements of the Constitution (separation of powers, bicameral legislature, etc.) afforded the best mechanism for securing rights against infringement by the majority. Goldwin goes so far as to suggest repeatedly that Madison was willing to propose a Bill of Rights precisely because he believed it would "leave the original Constitution unchanged . . . ." (p. 101; see also p. 153).

Goldwin may be right about Madison's political motivations in proposing a Bill of Rights; others have drawn similar conclusions. But the author's positive assessment of Madison's ideas about the intrinsic inefficacy of a Bill of Rights is unpersuasive. If Madison truly believed that including specific restraints on governmental power in a written constitution would do little directly to advance the cause of freedom, and that the Constitution as originally written would serve those ends well, in my view he was fundamentally mistaken. It is certainly true that the will of the majority would be frustrated less often if we had no Bill of Rights, or if the Judiciary had no power to enforce its provisions. But it is precisely for that reason that the freedoms set forth in the Bill of Rights would have been less secure if they had never been made a part of the Constitution.

In light of the widely held contemporary view that the Bill of Rights is an essential (even if sometimes misused) restraint on governmental power, this book would have been better if, instead of uncritically praising Madison's contrary view, Goldwin had subjected it to searching analysis. Madison's view of the role of the judiciary in enforcing the Bill of Rights, a subject not even broached in this book, would in my view be central to such an analysis. Raoul Berger pointed out in an article written several years ago that during the debates over the ratification of the original Constitution in Virginia, Madison joined John Marshall (who later became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court) in maintaining that the Judiciary had this power. And in his speech to the First Congress proposing a Bill of Rights, Madison (echoing Jefferson's sentiments in a letter written to him from France) asserted that "independent tribunals of justice will consider themselves in a peculiar manner the guardians of those rights." Madison's support for some form of judicial review is also evidenced in statements he made in the Philadelphia Convention and in The Federalist Nos. 39 and 44. Since Madison believed that the courts would have a large responsibility for enforcing the Bill of Rights, then a question which needs to be addressed is why he nevertheless regarded the amendments as a mere "parchment barrier." And what makes the other, structural elements of the Constitution which Madison looked to as the main protector of our liberties (e.g., separation of powers, limitation of Congress to enumerated powers) anything more than "parchment barriers" themselves? Finally, it would have been useful to consider not only what Madison thought immediately before and after the formation of the Constitution, but also the extent to which his views may have changed as he observed the Constitution in operation over the course of his long political career.

Book Description

This paperback publication is a compilation of important American government documents including the Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States of America, the Bill of Rights and the complete up to do amendment to the United States Constitution. This book is different from other publications because it also includes images of the original American founding documents. This book is an excellent educational tool for those not familiar with these important writings and is also an excellent reference tool to have on hand for people interested in American government, or those who work in American government.

1791: The bill of rights: the constitution might never have been ratified without a promise to add safeguards of fundamental, rights.(TIMES PAST): An article from: New York Times Upfront

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1791: The bill of rights: the constitution might never have been ratified without a promise to add safeguards of fundamental, rights.(TIMES PAST): An article from: New York Times Upfront
Adam Liptak
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000JYWAXM
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Book Description

This digital document is an article from New York Times Upfront, published by Thomson Gale on October 9, 2006. The length of the article is 1854 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: 1791: The bill of rights: the constitution might never have been ratified without a promise to add safeguards of fundamental, rights.(TIMES PAST)
Author: Adam Liptak
Publication: New York Times Upfront (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 9, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 139 Issue: 3 Page: 24(3)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Forge of Union, Anvil of Liberty: A Correspondent's Report on the First Federal Elections, the First Federal Congress, and the Bill of Rights (Unabridged)

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a waste of time and money
An entertaining way to learn essential American history.

Forge of Union, Anvil of Liberty: A Correspondent's Report on the First Federal Elections, the First Federal Congress, and the Bill of Rights (Unabridged)
Jeffrey St. John
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
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Constitutional Journal: A Correspondent's Report from the Convention of 17
A Child of Fortune: A Correspondent's Report on the Ratification of the U.S. Constitution and Battle for a Bill of Rights

ASIN: B000BT92G8

Customer Reviews:

a waste of time and money.......2006-09-01

St. John's first two books were really good. This one gets too far into unimportant details. Who cares how many banners were flying or how many musicians played as George Washington proceeded along? Or that the streets were lined with people? Save your eyes and save your money.

An entertaining way to learn essential American history........1999-10-01

A brilliant presentation to complete the series on the history of the U.S. Constitution. First, in the style of day-to-day newspaper reporting, "A Constitutional Journal" described the writing of this wonderful document; then, "A Child of Fortune" presented the drama of the ratification by the States (again in a "present-tense" style, from the perspective of not quite knowing how things might turn out). Now, the Bill of Rights and first elections are covered in "Forge of Union, Anvil of Liberty". All three books are well-written, historically-accurate, and entertaining. Do a bit of "home-schooling" with your high school-aged children with this most essential part of U.S. history. Short of visiting Liberty Hall and Washington, D.C., these books make history come to life better than any I've read (and I've read quite a few).

James Madison on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights (Contributions in Legal Studies)

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James Madison on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights

James Madison on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights (Contributions in Legal Studies)
Robert J. Morgan
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0313263949

Book Description

James Madison stands out among the founding fathers of the U.S. government because of his analytical and creative political insight into the framing and explaining of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Madison became a constitutional reformer in order to preserve a republican government strong enough to fulfill what he felt was the destiny of the United States. This volume casts further light on Madison's beliefs through a comprehensive examination of his writing. This is not a simple task: there are substantial difficulties involved in developing a comprehensive consistent, and unified analysis of Madison's political thought. Madison's writings were extensive, and must be carefully perused in order to separate the rhetoric of his public exposition from the essence of his private thought. Furthermore, Madison never denied his aim of justifying and explaining the Constitution by sacrificing pure theory to the requirements of the prevailing political situation. Nonetheless, author Morgan has used the simplest possible interpretations of Madison's writings to reveal a clear and overriding thesis that gives unity and focus to his thought. This focus relates to the continuing tensions between the democratic idea of accountability and the tendency of all governments to seek autonomy, especially in the conduct of foreign relations.

Customer Reviews:

James Madison on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.......2002-07-05

James Madison on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights by Robert J. Morgan is as the author says a work where, "Madison provided us with an unmistakable key to understanding his thought and actions as a constitutional reformer, when he said that the rights of man are the foundation of just governments, but manknd had deduced only defective superstructures of government as of 1776."

The book is divided into two parts, as such each has chapters grouped according to relevance. Part one labeled Power, with chapters of: To Improve and Perpetuate the Union, A Proper Energy in the Executive, The True Principles of Republican Government, and Supporting and Restraining the Executive.

Part two labeled Rights with chapters of: Political Liberty, A Few Obvious Truths, The Very Essence of Free and Responsible Government, and The Framer's Muse.

James Madison was kind of unique in that he believed in a republican form of government like Thomas Jefferson, but he also became a constitution reformer because he wanted to expand the federal powers, but only, to preserve this republican government as to keep this form of government strong enough to fulfill America's unique destiny. Madison had a very keen grasp, an insight if you will, of the enormous difficulties entailed in creating the office of president and maintaining it over time. This, I believe, was one of the downfalls Madison had with his own Presidency. Madison struggled as President. He believed and would later say, "would any single person be endowed with such singular talents and superior devotion to the common good as to be chosen to excerise power without challenge by his peers."

Madison as with Jefferson were both well read, especially with the European thinkers, Hume, Adam Smith, Edmund Burke and Immanuel Kant. With Thomas Paine of Virginia espousing his anti-constitutional views, holding a lot of political backing, Madison at first didn't want the Bill of Rights. But, Madison was a man of reflection, and in order to get a greater backing for the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights was adopted.

This book gives the reader insight into the thinking of Madison, his motives and meanings, and gives us that Madison's political thought as clear and gives us a simple interpretation that Madison speculated very little. The book is well documented and written with an easy readable style and explains Madison.

John Adams and James Madison both believed in the misfortune of history... how would they be remembered... by deeds and the handling of great events.

James Madison: The Founding Father (Unabridged)
Average customer rating:

Too brief to be interesting

A New View Of James Madison

James Madison just wasn't cool...

Falls Short

A guy who peaked early

James Madison: The Founding Father (Unabridged)
Robert A. Rutland
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
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ASIN: B000ECWZNO

Customer Reviews:

Too brief to be interesting.......2007-06-21

I did not really care for this book. Rutland makes the premise that Madison was THE founding father implying that he was the most important. He finishes the book with a quote from JFK that Madison was the most under-rated president yet the book dedicates less than 40 pages to the presidency of James Madison. In those 40 pages, I did not gleam anything that Madison did exceptionally well - it all sounded pretty bad to me. I believe the point that Rutland was trying to make is that Madison was not Jefferson's crony and that it was Madison who actually shaped the early Republican party (early version of today's Democratic Party). This was a point well taken and I might accept that Madison was Jefferson's superior. At that same time, I remain unconvinced that he was THE founding father with such peers as George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. Important yes but...

The failed argument of Madison's superiority aside, I found the book to brief to be interesting. James Madison was a central figure in the formation of our country, the formation of party politics, and the early days of the republic and to try and tell the story of his entire life in a 250 page book is simply impossible. Many important stories that I have previously enjoyed in book volume detail were reduced to a sentence or two in Rutland's book.

I think this book perfect for a high school student who needs a quick read for a research project but has no real interest in the life and career of James Madison. For a history nut like me, it is a bit too much like reading an encyclopedia.

A New View Of James Madison.......2005-05-30

Read the title: "James Madison: The Founding Father" focuses on Madison's role in the founding of our country. Here we learn little of Madison's youth and upbringing. Although Dolly plays a role in this book, it is a relatively minor part.

This book explains Madison's role in the development and ratification of the Constitution, including his authorship of some of the Federalist Papers. The narration of Madison's leadership in the early Democratic-Republican Party can change the reader's view of history. Whereas we usually think of Thomas Jefferson as founder of the Democratic-Republican Party, Rutland makes a strong case that it was really Madison who united and organized the party from his seat in the House of Representatives. Much as Alexander Hamilton founded the party which elected John Adams, so it can be said that James Madison founded the party which chose Thomas Jefferson as its first standard bearer.

Rutland progresses through Madison's term as Secretary of State and even puts a favorable spin on his two terms as president. This is no easy task, considering that the British burned the White House and Capitol on his watch.

Rutland follows the wind down of Madison's career with his post-White House collaboration in the establishment of the University of Virginia.

I appreciate books which enable me to see things differently. This book meets that test. I had always thought of Madison as, so to speak, Jefferson's underling and less talented successor. Through Robert Rutland's eyes we see him as one of the most influential and talented men of the early Republic. Madison comes across, as a practical political operative, the equal of Hamilton and, in result at least, perhaps his better. In the title, Rutland tells us that James Madison is The Founding Father. In the book he proves it.

James Madison just wasn't cool..........2001-05-12

not like Jefferson & Hamilton or celebrated like Washington & Franklin. My fellow reviewers seemed disappointed in this as a biography. But it was not Mr. Rutland's goal to write a personal story of Mr. Madison's life although his later years were covered quite well. I am glad however, I took the easy way out by listening to the audio version (unedited). As if I was in Mr. Rutland's class as he was giving a lecture. The years after The Revolutionary War, The Federalist Papers, The Constitution & The Bill of Rights, are the real meat of this book. Madison's behind the scenes leadership in Congress was consummate. If we do not appreciate how important he was 200 years later, it seems that he contemporaries did. To his sorrow he was, with Jefferson, responsible for creating the two party system we now operate under. That he wanted to heed Washington's advice against the party system is evident. But he found this advice quickly outdated. As a result Washington, & to a lesser extent Adams were the only unaffiliated presidents in our history. Happily, none of this two-party stuff is cluttering up our Consititution. As Secretary of State under Jefferson & President on his own he was unremarkable. Any one could have mucked things up as well as he did. Indeed his best years were his early years. What seemed to me remarkable was the love, respect & friendship that existed between Madison & Jefferson all of their adult lives. It was an alliance of two great men that never wavered & recreated the "republican" type government of ancient Greece. Mr Rutland was obviously impressed by this relationship & alludes to it several times. I appreciate biographies that teach me something about history I didn't know. How great is this book? Hard to say. But it fit the bill.

Falls Short.......2001-02-28

If you are looking for a biography of James Madison, look elsewhere. Rutland's subtitle, "The Founding Father," makes it clear what this book is about: Madison's participation in the creation and passage of the constitution and the Bill of Rights. Although it does cover most of his life, the focus is definitely on Madison's role as founding father.

The book deals with the major issues of Madison's political life, often in too minute detail, but does not satisfy the biographical aspects of his life. There is absolutely no mention, for example, of Madison's birth date, or even the year he was born in! Further, the book failed completely to engage me. I set it aside for weeks at a time before I finally finished if off, despite its modest size.

A guy who peaked early.......2001-02-15

I picked up this book because I was to attend a conference on Madison and wanted to know something more than the murky recollection I had from school of this less well known "founding father." I was fascinated to learn how it came to pass that after initially opposing the Bill of Rights Madison was the guy who actually got it through the first Congress. The early years were interesting, but this book rather quickly turned into a rather bewildering discussion of the ins and outs of trade with Europe and the problems that led up to the War of 1812--which sounded like a totally forgettable incident in American history. Madison was by and large an untalented president--his greatest achievements were complete by the time he was 30--the Bill of Rights and, before then, the Federalist Papers. Maybe the book went downhill with the career of its subject, but I thought the writing could have been a lot clearer and a few sentences of background information each time a new subject was introduced would have helped this book alot.

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