A sweeping reexamination of the Founding Father who transformed the United States in each of his political “lives”—as a revolutionary thinker, partisan political strategist, and president“In order to understand America and its Constitution, it is necessary to understand James Madison.”—Walter Isaacson, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Leonardo da Vinci Over the course of his life, James … Vinci
Over the course of his life, James Madison changed the United States three times: First, he designed the Constitution, led the struggle for its adoption and ratification, then drafted the Bill of Rights. As an older, cannier politician he co-founded the original Republican party, setting the course of American political partisanship. Finally, having pioneered a foreign policy based on economic sanctions, he took the United States into a high-risk conflict, becoming the first wartime president and, despite the odds, winning.
Now Noah Feldman offers an intriguing portrait of this elusive genius and the constitutional republic he created—and how both evolved to meet unforeseen challenges. Madison hoped to eradicate partisanship yet found himself giving voice to, and institutionalizing, the political divide. Madison’s lifelong loyalty to Thomas Jefferson led to an irrevocable break with George Washington, hero of the American Revolution. Madison closely collaborated with Alexander Hamilton on the Federalist papers—yet their different visions for the United States left them enemies.
Alliances defined Madison, too. The vivacious Dolley Madison used her social and political talents to win her husband new supporters in Washington—and define the diplomatic customs of the capital’s society. Madison’s relationship with James Monroe, a mixture of friendship and rivalry, shaped his presidency and the outcome of the War of 1812.
We may be more familiar with other Founding Fathers, but the United States today is in many ways Madisonian in nature. Madison predicted that foreign threats would justify the curtailment of civil liberties. He feared economic inequality and the power of financial markets over politics, believing that government by the people demanded resistance to wealth. Madison was the first Founding Father to recognize the importance of public opinion, and the first to understand that the media could function as a safeguard to liberty.
The Three Lives of James Madison is an illuminating biography of the man whose creativity and tenacity gave us America’s distinctive form of government. His collaborations, struggles, and contradictions define the United States to this day.
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In order to understand America and its Constitution, it is necessary to understand James Madison.
Feldman brings a scholarly rigor and a gift for narrative to this impressive account of the sprawling—and often perplexing—life of James Madison.
Feldman gives us a rich portrait of our fourth president in all his many aspects: constitution maker, politician, partisan, friend, slaveholder, husband, president, and elder statesman. The result is a fresh, bold, and much-needed look at a pivotal figure in American and, therefore, world history.
The most stimulating political book that I have read in as long as I can remember. Madison was a young genius obsessed with the idea of constitution-making and government structure and who, in his early twenties, started designing the American government. Almost every debate we’re having now about politics comes back in some way or another to Madison’s vision and the questions Madison was thinking about in the 1770s and 1780s. . . . Madison was way more important to our country than Hamilton was.
Interesting profiles of the growth of Madison from a privledged Virginia scion to an ardent patriot, then to president guiding a fledgling nation onto the world stage.
Best book ever read about the U.S. Constitution formulation. Everyone needs to be reminded of this.
possibly the single most important and influential of the founding fathers, he almost singlehandedly created the US Constitution. Madison went to Princeton and probably started the longstanding tradition of Princetonians’ very high opinion of themselves. He had a gigantic intellect and later developed a strong pragmatic streak to get the constitution approved and to advance his political career.
He essentially wrote the constitution. He wanted two houses to let the larger populations dominate, but reluctantly accepted a senate to gain the endorsement of the small states.
Debate in the constitutional convention anticipated ultimate conflict between the north and the south.
He did not think a bill of rights was needed, but wrote the bill of rights anyway, first to get elected in Virginia and also to gain endorsement of the constitution by two holdout states. He sold it as a safeguard against anticonstitutional tyranny of the majority in state governments. He got it approved by congress to avoid a second constitutional convention that could have shredded his masterpiece.
He wrote both Washington’s inaugural address to congress, and congress’ response.
A great addition to my library on Presidential and founding fathers biographies. It fills in details and adds depth to Madison’s relationships with several people, particularly Jefferson. The writing itself cannot compare with to many of the best (Jean Edward Smith, Doris Kearns Godwin, David McCullough or Edmund Morris) but it serviceable and the insights into Madison are worth a little clunky prose.
Brilliantly done narrative of the Revolutionary, Colonial, Constitutional & War of 1812 periods of American history from the perspective of James Madison.
An excellent history, really strikes todays world in explaining the history of our Constitution. States versus Federal power, amazing how many of todays issues in Washington, Small state Senate versus the House.
Madisons evolution from theoretical constitution draftsman to Presidential power needs are fascinating.
Longish but reads pretty quickly, and Dolley M is a special addition. The original First lady extraordinaire.
Details about a founder who is often forgotten. Main author of the Virginia plan which led to our constitution.