Wicked River: The Mississippi When It Last Ran Wild by Lee Sandlin

Old Man River. The Father of Waters. The Big Muddy. These are all names that are used for the great river of North America: The Mississippi. The Mississippi River has been an important part of the history, literature, commerce, and myth of the United States for generations. At the end of the War of Independence it became the western boundary of the United States. The navigation of the river was vital to the settlers who moved west of the Allegheny Mountains after the war. After the Louisiana Purchase the Mississippi became the most important waterway in the United States. It was used to move manufactured goods and produce. To move these goods a hardy breed of person was needed. The men and women who worked, travelled, and lived on and along the river river a hardy and wild lot.

Wicked River tells the story of these rowdy people. Perhaps I should say that it tells the stories of the the river people. The book is not really arranged as a continuous narrative, but rather tells a number of different stories about people and events along the river.  The Mississippi River is known to many as the setting of classic Mark Twain stories like Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. Sandlin starts off with a disadvantage. In the opening of the book he relates his own ignorance of Twain and seems to be almost proud of the fact. This seems odd in a writer who has chosen the Mississippi as his subject. Even more strange is that he didn’t re-read Twain for this project. It is a pity because many of the stories that he relates and many of the character types that he discusses can be seen throughout Twain’s books. In fact if you first read Twain this book will be a little more fun.

Sandlin is a good writer and he does seem to enjoy his subject. He relates stories of river pirates, bandits, rogues, and murderers. The river was a deadly place. He also shares stories about those who settled along the river. The Mississippi seemed to have a very violent culture. I learned some interesting things about the river I did not know. I have lived near the Mississippi for much of my life, yet I did not know that the temperature of the river in the current never gets much above 40 degrees. Anyone falling into the river will not last long before hypothermia kicks in. I was also fascinated by the stories of some of the river pirates. I was reminded of an old Davy Crockett video my grandmother bought me when I was a kid. I was also intrigued by the stories of frontier justice. The lynching courts, the swift and brutal justice, these were aspects of river life I had not read about before.

Wicked RIver is not a great book. It is a good book and it covers a fascinating period in American history. Even a history lover like myself can find new and wonderful stories.

The Guns at Last Light: The War in Western Europe, 1944-1945 by Rick Atkinson

It seems that we will never run out of new books about World War II. That is not a bad thing. World War II saw more combatants than any other war in history. It affected a large percentage of the world’s population. Much of the war was fought between literate soldiers, officers, and civilians on both sides. This has left us with a mountain of material. Every author has his own reading and prejudices that he brings to the study. This means that we will receive many different views of the same subject. Rick Atkinson’s The Guns At Last Light: The War In Western Europe, 1944-1945, brings us his view of the war. The book starts with the invasion plans for Normandy. Atkinson goes in to a lot of detail about the logistical troubles that the allies had to prepare for what would be the largest amphibious assault in history. The information on D-Day itself and the Normandy campaign is very comprehensive, but not overwhelming with minutiae. The author points out the successes and failures of the campaign. One of the great failures was the lack of preparation by the commanders for dealing with the hedgerow country.

Many books on the campaign in France tend to focus on the Normandy campaign and the subsequent breakout. There was a subsequent invasion of the south of France known as Operation Dragoon. Atkinson spends a good deal of time talking about Dragoon. He also spends a lot of time discussing Operation Market Garden. Market Garden was one of the more controversial campaigns of the war and it is covered quite well here. One of the reasons Eisenhower was willing to try Market Garden was the need to stop the new rockets that Germany had developed. First the V1 then the V2 rockets were causing a lot of havoc in London. The other reason was the need to gain Antwerp. Logistics was a nightmare for the Allied force. The port in Antwerp would significantly increase the supply capacity.

The Battle of the Bulge is portrayed in the book as the greatest failure of Allied intelligence during the war. The Battle is portrayed in very vivid scenes. This section contains some of Atkinson’s best prose. One can almost feel the cold when reading the book.

Atkinson spends a lot of time discussing generals who are not as well known to the general reader. Almost everyone has heard of Eisenhower, Patton, Bradley, and Montgomery. Here we also get to see generals like Roosevelt, Truscott, Hodges, Devers, and others. Atkinson is obviously not a fan of Omar Bradley and never passes up a chance to criticize him. He tries to be fair to Montgomery, but it is hard. I’m not sure that it is possible to portray Montgomery accurately and in a positive light. There are a lot of stories about the British intrigues against Eisenhower. The British never approved and never understood Ike’s large front strategy. They always favored a narrow front with a heavy strike force. Of course they also wanted Monty in charge of it. Eisenhower knew better. Ike favored the same kind of battle order that Grant used in the Civil War. He knew that the Germans simply didn’t have the manpower to hold the entire front.

The Malta and Yalta conferences are the subject of a chapter and they help to set the stage for the end of the war. It is interesting to see the interaction of the three leaders (Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin) as the decide the fate of Europe in the post-war. The section on the liberation of the concentration camps is also very well done and very interesting. I was intrigued to lean that at Buchenwald American troops and officers took it on themselves to kill a number of SS troops who surrendered. The only really weak point in the book occurs here. Atkinson seems outraged by the actions of the American troops and seems them as simply murderers. His language gives the impression that it makes them no better than the SS thugs that they killed. I think that the context certainly gives the lie to any such moral equivalency. The GIs were well aware that the SS had massacred American POWs during the Battle of the Bulge. Now they see this fresh hell and in front of them are the men who committed the atrocities. I doubt that any of the soldiers who took part in the executions slept poorly over what they did.

That one criticism aside this is an excellent book. Atkinson’s style is easy to read and the information is presented in such a way that the average reader will not be overwhelmed. He tries on the whole to give a thorough look at the campaign and the players. This should not be the only book that you read on this subject, but it is a book that you should read. 

All The Great Prizes by John Taliaferro

John Hay is one of the most important individual to ever hold the office of Secretary of State. He spent a lifetime serving his nation. In All The Great Prizes John Taliaferro traces the life of this fascinating man. After finishing at Brown Hay went to work for his uncle’s law office in Springfield, Illinois. The office next door was occupied by Abraham Lincoln. Hay was hired as one of Lincoln’s secretary during the campaign. The other secretary, John Nicolay, was a friend from Hay’s teenage years.

After Lincoln’s election Hay and Nicolay accompanied Lincoln to Washington. They lived in the White House and served Lincoln until his death. Taliaferro gives a lot of time to this parr of Hay’s life. The stories about Lincoln are really great. Hay saw him as a person and so the intimate look at Lincoln was very moving. Taliaferro also mentions the troubles that the secretaries had with Mary Lincoln, who hated them both. Hay become friends with Robert Lincoln, the President’s oldest son, and they two of them were together when they were summoned to the dying president’s bedside.

Hay’s story continues after Lincoln’s He served as secretary to the legation in Paris for a year, then he was sent as a temporary head of the legation to Austria. While in Austria he saw the dangers inherent of crumbling empires bolstering themselves up with large armies.“The great calamity and danger of Europe today are those enormous armaments,” he observed. “No honest statesman can say that he sees in the present attitude of politics the necessity of war. No great Power is threatened.  .  .  . Why then is the awful waste of youth and treasure continued? I believe from no other motive than to sustain the waning prestige of Kings.” This would continue until it resulted in the First World War.

Taliaferro gives us a wonderful insight into the man. Hay was a gregarious person with an elitist personality. Among his friends were men such as Henry Adams and Henry James. Hay was an author of some note. He wrote a few novels and poems, not all good, but some were considered classics. Along with John Nicolay he published a ten volume biography of Abraham Lincoln. Hay’s personal life is quite interesting. He seemed to have several affairs of the heart, though they were unlikely consummated, with some intriguing women.

When it comes to the last decade of his life Taliaferro shows how Hay worked ceaselessly to avoid war. Hay’s nature was not aggressive but congenial. He preferred to work out deals that helped to keep the peace. Hay had spent the early days of his political career watching the Civil War and never wanted to see war on that scale again. We see the amazing work that Hay did for William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt.

All the Great Prizes is a well written book. I was amazed at how much information is contained in these pages, yet the writing is never dry. Hay was truly one of the greatest statesmen ever to serve the United States of America. Taliaferro has given us an excellent book on a fascinating subject. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book.

Lion of Liberty by Harlow Giles Unger

Patrick Henry is one of those characters in history that many people know his name, but know little about him. Many are familiar with the line from his famous speech where he declared "Give me liberty or give me death." Few know much more about him. Harlow Giles Unger has set out to change that. In the past Unger has written about James Monroe and John Quincy Adams. In this book he turns his attention to Patrick Henry. Henry was not like a lot of his Virginia colleagues. He was not born to a wealthy planter. After failing at a few business ventures he finally took up the study of law. Before long he had established himself as a well respected attorney. Henry's strong appeal was his common sense and his love of liberty. He was a radical long before it was popular.

He was married twice. He had six children with his first wife and twelve more with his second. Many in his own time joked that he was the true father of his country. Henry was a man who believed in personal liberty. The belief was so strong that he opposed the ratification of the Constitution. Like many in his age he feared the dangers that a strong national government posed. He particularly feared the lack of a Bill of Rights in the Constitution. He was not happy that the Constitution was ratified, but he refused to oppose the new government.

Unger is an entertaining writer. If he has one major flaw it is to take the side of his subject a little too freely. In his biography of Monroe he felt the need to downplay the importance of John Quincy Adams. In his biography of Adams he builds him up as being incredibly important. One glaring example stuck out in this book. When Edmund Randolph and Thomas Jefferson gave their approval of the Constitution, despite serious reservations, Unger implies not only that Henry thought that there was a conspiracy between these men and Washington, but also that such a theory might have credence. It is absurd to imply that George Washington bribed Randolph and Jefferson with cabinet positions. No evidence is given, just a random thought thrown out. The occasional lapse aside Unger is a good writer, if a bit on the enthusiastic. There are so few books on this important founder that it is well worth checking this book out.

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His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph Ellis

There is little doubt that the most important historical figure in the United States is George Washington. This was recognized in his own time and remains true today. Born to a Virginia planter he went on to become a war hero, wealthy landowner, representative, a war hero again, and the first President of the United States. Any study of Washington has to take his character into consideration. After all, few men in a position of such power have ever been able to surrender that power and walk in to retirement.

Joseph Ellis is a prolific writer on the Revolutionary generation. He has won numerous awards including the Pulitzer Prize. He is also one of the most readable writer of history. This biography is not as in depth as larger works like Ron Chernow's Washington: A Life. Of course at one third the size of that larger work one has to expect a more cursory look at many aspects of Washington. Ellis does do an excellent job of presenting a full biography of his subject. Washington comes through on these pages as an extraordinary man, which he was. Ellis is not above criticizing Washington when he made mistakes, but he also recognizes that Washington learned from those mistakes and always seemed to come out better for them.

This is an excellent book and a wonderful introduction to the life of George Washington. You won't regret reading this book.


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1776 by David McCullough

Once again David McCullough has produced a masterpiece. In 1776, he traces the origins of the American Rebellion in the years leading up to the outbreak of fighting in 1775. In April 1775, the militia in Concord fought back the British regulars and as the British soldiers retreated back towards Boston. More and more militia joined the attack and the British retreat turned into a rout. At the end of the day the British soldiers were besieged in the city of Boston. In June the British soldiers attacked the Rebel fortifications on Breed's Hill. They carried the field, but suffered about 1,000 casualties. This put an end to any attempt by the British Army to break out of Boston. In July, George Washington took command of the newly named Continental Army and began to organize it. The year 1775, ended with the British entrenched in Boston, but unable to leave.

In March 1776, the British finally gave up the city of Boston and sailed away. Washington suspected that their next target would be New York. He moved his army from Boston to New York where they began to prepare for the defense of the city. In the city of Philadelphia the decision had finally been reached to declare independence from Great Britain. The news was met with much rejoicing by the army in New York. They were no longer fighting a rebellion against the King of England. Now they were soldiers fighting for a nation of their own. The British began to arrive in New York in July. In August the American army was pushed off of Long Island. By September it had been pushed out of the rest of New York. Then came the long retreat. In December, with his army starting to fall apart, Washington decided to risk it all on an attack of the Hessian garrison at Trenton. The battle was a success and the Continental army had it's first major victory. A week later the Americans successfully attacked the British forces at Princeton. These two victories gave the army the encouragement that it needed to keep fighting.

McCullough's writing is always masterful. He understands how to use language to engage the reader throughout. One of his great strengths is bringing these historical characters to life. George Washington is the pivotal character in the book. A man who had never commanded an army in battle Washington made a number of poor choices in the New York campaign. He would learn from his mistakes over time. We also see the great commanders Nathaniel Greene and Henry Knox. These two men would serve through the war and would be crucial supporters of Washington. We also get to see the rank and file soldier like Joseph P. Martin. It was the courage of these men and thousands like them that helped to create the United States of America. If you have not read this book then do yourself a favor and read it.


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Patriotic Fire by Winston Groom

The Battle of New Orleans is a strange battle to discuss. It was the last battle in the War of 1812. It was fought after the war had actually ended. Since transportation was so slow the news of the war’s end did not arrive in time to prevent the battle. One one side were the invaders. General Packinham led an army of battle hardened British soldiers. Many of them had campaigned against the French armies in Portugal, Spain, and France with the Duke of Wellington. They were not an army used to defeat. Against that force was General Andrew Jackson of Tennessee. Jackson had assembled a motley crew of Louisiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky volunteers, US Army regulars, Baratarian pirates, and Choctaw warriors. When on January 8, 1815 the 11,000 man British force attacked it was repulsed with heavy losses by the Americans.

Winston Groom, best known as author of Forrest Gump takes the reader on a fascinating ride through the story of this war. Groom introduces the conflict by discussing an ancestor of his who fought at the battle. Then he gives a long background on the history of Jean Laffite and his Baratarians. He discusses the city of New Orleans, the background of the war, Andrew Jackson, and a host of other things. Groom is a brilliant author and his prose really shines forth in this book. He doesn’t pretend to be a professional historian. Where the records are confusing or contradictory, which is often, he gives several possibilities and then shares which one he like best. This is a great book about a fascinating battle. Do yourself a favor and read this.

What Hath God Wrought by Daniel Walker Howe

The phrase “What Hath God Wrought” was the first message sent long distance over the telegraph. This was in some ways the beginning of the communications age. This book covers the period from 1815 to 1848. Many viewed the War of 1812 as the second American Revolution. In the aftermath of that war the American nation began to grow quickly. By the end of the period another war would be fought. This one with Mexico. That war would complete what we today call the Continental United States.

This period is rich in American history. The nation grew in size, but also in many other areas. Religion flourished in many new and differing ways. An American culture began to grow in the areas of science, literature, and the arts. The tasks of governing a Republic of vast proportions was a novel concept and continued to perplex many leaders. This period saw the end of the Federalist party with the government becoming a one party system with the Republican party in control during the Monroe years. After that the Republican party split itself in two as the followers of Andrew Jackson created the Democrat party and the opponents of Jackson creating the Whig party. Some of the greatest orators and politicians of 19th century America lived and served in this time. It was the period of Jackson, Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John Calhoun, and John Quincy Adams. Towards the end of the period new leaders like Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas began to rise.

Slavery was the elephant in the room that could no longer be ignored. As abolitionist societies began to grow in the North the Southern planter class become more and more adamant about protecting slavery. This conflict would continue to pull at the fabric of the nation until, a dozen years after the final period of this book, it would tear the nation in two.

These are only a few of the areas covered by Daniel Walker Howe in this outstanding volume in the Oxford History of the United States. Even a seasoned reader of history is bound to discover some new gems in these pages. Howe’s prose is never wooded and the subject is made very accessible. With magnificent books like these it is a shame that so few Americans read history. This is a great place to begin the study of a crucial time in our nation’s history.

Empire of Liberty by Gordon Wood

The excellent volume in the Oxford History of the United States covers the period from the creation of the Constitution through the War of 1812. This 26 year period saw many changes take place in the United States. During this time George Washington served as President and helped to define that office. The first three presidents managed to keep the United States out of the wars that defined and tore Europe apart for over 25 years. Under Thomas Jefferson the nation doubled in size with the Louisiana Purchase. Advances were made in science, literature, religion, law, and politics. Few realize how important these years were. During this time an experiment in governing a large number of people spread out over a vast territory with a representational government. 

Gordon Wood is an excellent historian and this volume is proof that he is a great writer. The book covers a great deal of material, but never comes across as a dry academic text. The various sections give a great overview of the period and the people. The book is organized along topics more than a strict timeline, though the topics do follow a chronological order. The chapters on the Judiciary and on Religion were very good and quite balanced. There is a lot of helpful information that many Americans would do well to learn. This is a book that every American ought to read. 

The Glorious Cause by Robert Middlekauff

The Glorious Cause is a part of the Oxford History of the United States. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. It is one of the best one volume books on the period from 1754-1789. The complexity of events during this period are nothing less than daunting. The colonists fought a nine year war on behalf of the British Empire. Their loyalty to the crown was unquestioned. In a series of laws after the 1763, changed all of that. As the British Parliament began to assert itself the freedom loving American began to push back. Accustomed to representational government and a certain amount of autonomy, many colonists began to resist. By 1775, only a dozen years after the end of the French and Indian War, the resistance erupted into full rebellion.

Over the next eight years the new American Nation would fight for her independence against the greatest army and navy in the world. The Peace of Paris ended the war, but not the trouble in America. The weak nature of the Articles of Confederation meant that there was no way to maintain a strong national government. The solution for some was to create a new government. To this end the Constitution was written.

This book gives an excellent overview of this period. All of the major events are touched on. The size of the book means that not every topic can be dealt with in depth, but it gives readers a starting point. Middlekauff’s prose is not academic in nature and is very accessible to the average reader. Read this along with Gordon Woods’ Empire of Liberty and Daniel Walker Howe’s What Hath God Wrought and you will have a very strong foundation in American History.

American Creation by Joseph Ellis

With Founding Brothers Ellis gave us a fascinating overview of the early years of the American Republic by focusing on several episodes that were key in the founding years.  In American Creation he returns to this format to tell six more interesting episodes in the founding of the United States. This time he goes back to the Revolution to begin the book. The first chapter covers the year 1776 and the writing of the Declaration of Independence. The second chapter jumps forward a year and looks at the American army at winter quarters in Valley Forge. Here in Valley Forge the leaders of the American Army came to an understanding of what it meant to be a unified force. This helps to explain why so many of those who worked to make a stronger national government were former officers in the army. In chapter three he examines the arguments surrounding the creation and ratification of the Constitution.

The first half of the book covers episodes that deal with the creation of the nation. The second half looks at three key episodes in the early years of the Republic. In chapter four Ellis examines the issue of how the Native Americans were treated in the early years of the Republic. We see how Washington and Knox sought to come up with some arrangement that could protect the natives and allow room for settlement. The futility of any agreement becomes apparent. There is simply no way to keep settlers out of Indian territory.  The last two chapters focus largely on Jefferson. Chapter five discusses the formation of the first American political party by Jefferson and Madison. The last chapter examines the Louisiana Purchase and how Jefferson dealt with what he saw as Constitutional issues.

This book feels a little more random at times than Founding Brothers. Each episode does work towards the central theme of the creation of the American system. Ellis is a great writer and this book makes a great introduction to the subject and to the episodes. Read this along with Founding Brothers and you will have a great start towards understanding the formation of the United States of America.

Founding Brothers by Joseph Ellis

The Revolutionary Generation is filled with men and women who sometimes attain a semi-divine status. Mythologies have sprung up around our founders that sometimes make it hard to see these great figures as human. In the last century historians seemed to take an iconoclastic pleasure in trying to tear down these images. More recently a group of historians have come to the front on by finding a middle ground. Writers like David McCullough, Joseph Ellis, Jon Meacham, and others recognize that their subjects are human, but they also recognize that these humans accomplished great things and should be respected for their greatness.

This volume is not a history of those Founding Brothers or of the young nation. Instead it is a series of segmented stories that look at certain key moments in the lives of these men. The episodes serve to show how the United States was brought into being by these men. They had different ideas of what the United States meant. The genius of this story is not that one set of ideas prevailed, but rather that differing visions could work alongside and in competition. That is the genius of the United States. The ability to dialogue about what it means to be a nation of liberty.

There are so many great men featured here. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Hamilton, and a cast of others. This is an excellent book for anyone wanting to learn more about the crafting of the United States.

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Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America by Walter Borneman

James Polk was the president who brought Texas into the Union. He also added California, and the states of the Southwest. He made war with Mexico to achieve those ends. He also made peace with England that defined the northern territorial line of the United States and finally settled the Oregon Territory question for good.

Born in North Carolina his family moved to Tennessee when he was a young man. After studying law he moved into politics. His most important mentor was Andrew Jackson. Jackson even introduced young James to Sarah Childress who would marry the up and coming politician. Polk's early career was meteoric. At the age of 30 he was elected to the House of Representatives. He would serve 7 terms and the last two terms he would spend as the Speaker of the House. He was elected Governor of Tennessee. Everyone thought that he would be an easy presidential contender. Then he lost his reelection bid for governor. He then lost the second attempt at the governor's office four years later. Everyone assumed that Polk was finished. Then, in 1844, the Democratic Convention was unable to agree on a candidate for President. Polk became that candidate.

Everyone knew that admitting Texas to the Union would cause a conflict with Mexico. The territory between the Nueces and Rio Grande Rivers was claimed by both the United States and Mexico. Polk sent troops to occupy the region. A group of American cavalry were attacked by a force of Mexican cavalry. Several Americans died in the action. Polk requested a declaration of war because "American Blood has been shed on American soil." As a result of the war Polk was able to expand the boundaries of the United States. The war was controversial and Polk had to contend with the opposition led by the elder statesman John Quincy Adams. Assisting Adams on the opposition was a young Congressman from Illinois named Abraham Lincoln.

Polk ran with the promise to serve only one term. He kept his promise. After his term of office ended Polk took a tour on the way home to Tennessee. After his return home he became ill and died only three months after leaving office. Walter Borneman is a well respected historian and he has given a wonderful look at the life and Presidency of James K. Polk. This book is well written and is a good look into the issues that led only eleven years after his death to the Civil War.

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John Quincy Adams by Harlow Giles Unger

John Quincy Adams was one of the most fascinating men in the history of the United States. Born the son of John and Abigail Adams he served his nation over a longer period and in more positions that probably anyone else in history. As a young man he watched from a distance as the British and Americans fought around Boston in the opened fights of the War of Independence. He traveled with his father to France as his father worked with Benjamin Franklin at the court of Versailles. At the age of fourteen he traveled as secretary and interpreter to Frances Dana, the first American ambassador to Russia. After returning to France he became a sort of adopted nephew to his father's close friend Thomas Jefferson.
After graduating from Harvard at the age of 20 he studied law. At the age of 26 George Washington appointed him ambassador to the Netherlands. Three years later at Washington's insistence he was appointed the first Ambassador to Prussia. After Jefferson beat his father in a contentious election Adams resigned and returned him. He served as a Senator from Massachusetts, then as the Ambassador to Russia, then as Ambassador to England. During this time he helped to negotiate the Treaty of Ghent that ended the War of 1812. He serves as James Monroe's Secretary of State and was elected to the Presidency. After losing the next election, Adams quite naturally thought he career over. Two year later he was elected to the US House of Representatives and served as a Congressman for the next fifteen years.
During his time in the House he fought hard to bring down the gag rule that prevented discussion of the slavery issue. He represented the Amistad prisoners. He also fought hard for internal improvements. Adams was an amazing man and has been largely neglected by history. He deserves to be studied. This accessible biography from Harlow Giles Unger is a great place to start learning about this truly great American.
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The Last Founding Father by Harlow Giles Unger

In this biography Harlow Giles Unger brings us a portrait of a man who few know much about today. Born in colonial Virginia Monroe was orphaned at a young age. He took on the responsibility of raising his younger siblings. When the American Revolution broke out Monroe joined up. He became an officer, was wounded at the Battle of Trenton, was decorated by Washington. He served as a Congressman, a Senator, as Governor of Virginia, and as Ambassador to the French Republic. Later he would serve as Secretary of State and Secretary of War under James Madison. He would then succeed Madison as President.

This book has its good and bad points. It is well written and should be easy for the general reader. It is quite informative and gives a good portrait of Monroe. On the downside the author tries a little to hard to build up Monroe by pulling down others around him. Monroe was a firm supporter of the French Revolution and, like Jefferson and Madison, cheered on the slaughter of the former ruling class. This is played down considerably in this book. The author also finds it necessary to try and pull down the character of both John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams. Since the younger Adams was the Secretary of State during Monroe's presidency much credit is given to him for the success of the United States in that era. Unger tries to argue that Monroe was the better diplomat. The only reason that he gives is that Monroe was ambassador to France and Adams was not. He ignores the fact that Adams had been involved in Foreign service for most of his life, including a stint as the secretary and interpreter to the first US ambassador to Russia when he was a young teenager. Adams had served as Ambassador to Prussia and Russia. He had helped to negotiate the Treaty of Ghent. To dismiss his many accomplishments with a single backhanded comment was quite uncalled for.

It is a good book and is well worth reading.


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James Madison by Richard Brookhiser

James Madison is one of those figures who seem to always be at the edge in discussions about historical characters. Some may know of him as the “Father of the Constitution” or as the fourth President of the United States. Few actually know much about the man himself. In this biography Richard Brookhiser seeks to show us that character.

Madison was a small man, barely five feet tall, leaving him dwarfed by the tall Virginians George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. He was not a powerful speaker, but he was a man with a great mind and an attention for details. He was the driving force behind the creation of the Constitution of the United States. He was the creator of the first political party in the United States. He was a junior partner in a lifelong political coalition with Thomas Jefferson, but he was never Jefferson’s inferior. He was not without his flaws and neither is this book. Brookhiser tends towards imbalance when discussing Madison’s political foes. Madison was a man who saw conspiracy around a lot of corners. Brookhiser gives this too much credence. For example he makes men like Alexander Hamilton and John Adams look like they were trying to subvert Constitution and create a monarchy. This is patently absurd.

The book itself is well written and easy to read. Be sure that if you read this book you balance it out with others about the period. I would also recommend Founding Brothers by Joseph J. Ellis, Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow, John Adams by David McCullough, and Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham.


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Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham

After winning the Pulitzer Prize for his masterful biography of Andrew Jackson, Jon Meacham turned his considerable skills to the most enigmatic man in American History: Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson ranks at the top of any list of most important men in the history of the United States.

Born to the planter class in Virginia he never knew anything other than a life of luxury. That did not shield him from the troubles of life. Loss was something that Jefferson knew quite well. He lost his father at a young age. His beloved wife died from complications of childbirth. He outlived all but one of his children. He was also a man who loved liberty. His vision of a nation of liberty would come to dominate the debate in the formative years of the United States. Here we encounter the enigma. Jefferson was a believer in freedom who owned slaves. The story of Jefferson's slaves are very much wrapped up in his own story. Meacham comes back to this topic over and over again. The subject of Sally Hemmings is never far away and it makes for an interesting topic.

Jefferson was a man of many accomplishments. He served in the Virginia legislature, the Continental Congress, as governor of Virginia, as ambassador to France, As the first secretary of state, as the second vice-president of the United States, and as the third president. He wrote letters, books, and legislation. Of course he is famous as the author of the Declaration of Independence. On his tombstone he only asked that three items be remembered. Those accomplishments are the Declaration of Independence, the Virginia Statutes of Religious Freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia. In some ways this sums up his life quite nicely.

Any biography of Thomas Jefferson is a daunting task. There is a wealth of primary source material and an avalanche of secondary material. Huge multi-volume biographies are out of style in our time and that may not be a bad thing. Instead of trying to cover every aspect of Jefferson's life in detail he gives an overview of Jefferson's story, but the focus of the book can be found in the title. Jefferson was a man who craved the power to make the world a better place. This is part of the contradiction. In the thought of the time no leader of a free society was supposed to desire power. Jefferson actively desired power, but had to cultivate an image of indifference. A vocal enemy of political parties he helped to create and lead the first political party in the United States. In a usual Jeffersonian twist this party was an opposition party that he led as Washington's secretary of state and Adams' vice-president.

Meacham has given a wonderful start to Jefferson studies for this generation. His prose is always delightful to read. The book is well researched, but is accessible to the general reader. It is doubtful that we will ever truly be able to understand Thomas Jefferson, but this volume will help to gain insight into fascinating person.

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John Adams by David McCullough

This Pulitzer Prize winning biography by David McCullough has become a classic work. John Adams is one of the most interesting and, before this book was published, one of the least known of the Founding Fathers. Born to a farmer in Braintree, Massachusetts Adams went to Harvard and then studied law. He became a respected attorney in the Boston area. He met and married the brilliant Abigail Smith he proceeded to and they produced four children who lived to maturity. From there his career took off. He defended the British soldiers who fired on a mob. He served in both Continental Congresses. He served on the diplomatic mission to France. While in Europe he helped to secure loans from Dutch bankers to keep the American Revolution going. He served on the peace commission. He was named the first ambassador to Great Britain. Returning home he become the first Vice-President and the second President of the United States.

McCullough bring out the brilliant and irascible character of Adams. Adams was brilliant. In fact he was one of the most brilliant men of his age. A man of passionate and fiery temper he often rubbed people the wrong way. He was well known as one of the great orators of his time. His speeches on behalf of Independence helped to lead the way to the Declaration of Independence. As brilliant as he was as a thinker and a speaker he always seemed to have a hard time getting his thoughts on to paper. He tended to write material that was long and rambling. He also never seemed to grasp that other people were not as well read as himself, nor were they capable of understanding some of the subtleties of his thought. A thoroughly practical man he seemed to not understand that he lived in a day of rhetoric and idealism.

The period that Adams lived in and helped to define was a complex period. New ideas were coming together that would change the world forever. So many things that we take for granted, the idea of individual rights, freedom of speech, even freedom of thought, were not accepted as the norm. In fact many believed that a society founded on such ideas was considered dangerous and unlikely to succeed.

As alway, McCullough’s prose is masterful. He has the writer’s gift of making complex issues come alive and seem easy to understand. So many scenes remain with you. You can see the rage of the mob and the fear of the British soldiers as they fire on the crowd at the Boston Massacre. You feel the cramped and stuffy conditions of the Congress as it debates the idea of independence. Most of all you get to know the characters. You get to know, and love the irascible Adams. You get to know his brilliant wife, Abigail, who was the great love of his life. So many other people come out. You feel the friendship that he had with Thomas Jefferson. You feel the pain that he felt when Jefferson chose party ideology over friendship. The pain that his children, except for his oldest son John Quincy, brought to him is heartbreaking. If you have never read this book you should do so. It is a brilliant work of history, and a wonderful work of literature.

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