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mbuckley92 's review for:
James Madison: A Life Reconsidered
by Lynne Cheney
I really enjoyed learning more about James Madison. Having read books about John Adams, Washington, Jefferson and Hamilton, Madison was a major figure in those books but until this biography, I don't think I appreciated his contributions to the establishment of the US. Author Lynne Cheney doesn't bog the reader down in minutia in the way a David McCullough or Ron Chernow does, which makes for a more enjoyable read. With those authors, I had to put the biography down for a while...Cheney writes at a bit higher level which makes for an easier read. And I don't feel cheated.
The reader comes a way with a great appreciation for Madison's intellect, political savviness, and ability to learn. He was always conflicted about the slavery issue - like several other founding fathers - but did nothing to tackle it. Madison had the vision of a democratic republic and was the architect of the constitution and bill of rights. I also enjoyed the deep friendship between Madison and Jefferson - Madison had patience with some of Jefferson's ideas that he didn't necessarily agree with but was able to 'manage' him. And it sounds like Jefferson was not easy to 'manage'.
I read this on my quest to read a book about every president and found it to be just the right amount of information. I learned a lot about Madison but didn't have to read 1000 pages to do so.
The reader comes a way with a great appreciation for Madison's intellect, political savviness, and ability to learn. He was always conflicted about the slavery issue - like several other founding fathers - but did nothing to tackle it. Madison had the vision of a democratic republic and was the architect of the constitution and bill of rights. I also enjoyed the deep friendship between Madison and Jefferson - Madison had patience with some of Jefferson's ideas that he didn't necessarily agree with but was able to 'manage' him. And it sounds like Jefferson was not easy to 'manage'.
I read this on my quest to read a book about every president and found it to be just the right amount of information. I learned a lot about Madison but didn't have to read 1000 pages to do so.