James Monroe: A Life

It's not an exaggeration to say that this book is likely to endure as the definitive biography of James Monroe for a generation. After all, it's been nearly 50 years since this lesser-known president has been the subject of a full-scale biography, and it seems unlikely that anyone will see a need to try to top Tim McGrath any time soon.What David McCullough did in bringing the stories of Truman and Adams to the masses, and Ron Chernow did for Washington and Grant (not to mention Hamilton), Tim McGrath has done for James Monroe. It is perhaps unlikely that many casual readers will pick up a thick biography of a less-accomplished president they know nothing about, in quite the same way that led McCullough's and Chernow's books to become best sellers. But McGrath's work is just as worthy of being as widely read. After all, it's not often that a talented writer and storyteller takes on a subject usually relegated to short, superficial works or obscure, pedantic, academic snoozers.Monroe may not be among our most accomplished or complex presidents. But his life story seems ready-made for a rollicking tale. While some presidential bios take a while to get going, by page 20 of this book, a young James Monroe is already in battle as part of Washington's Continental Army, present at some of the key events in the Revolutionary War. From there, he interacts with, and is influenced by, all the major figures of the era, from Washington to Jefferson to Madison all the way to Andrew Jackson.Through it all, McGrath ably describes both the big picture, and Monroe's place in it, as his work fills in an often-overlooked period in U.S. history, bridging the Revolutionary era (and the War of 1812 that arguably concluded that era) with the beginning of the sectionalism and debates over slavery that eventually culminated in the Civil War.McGrath is an engaging writer who tells a good story, knows how to foreshadow important events, and he gets in some good one-liners, which helps to make the story an enjoyable read and not just dryly informative. At times, he can repeat himself, reusing a phrase that might have been clever once but is cringey when used again - twice we're treated to the phrase "add injury to insult," while twice he juxtaposes a French Revolution-era Madame Campan with "Madame Guillotine." He also seems to have an odd fascination with names - a man named William Wilberforce's frail health and ambivalence is said to have "belied his last name" (?) while the inconsequential coincidence that Monroe replaced Robert Smith as Secretary of State while being replaced as Virginia governor by George Smith made him perhaps "the only major politician who succeeded one Smith to be replaced by another," which seems an unnecessary observation. Finally, his habit of ending chapters and even sections within chapters by teasing something to come (even if that something turns out to be relatively insignificant) helps propel the story forward, but can seem formulaic after a while.But those are small quibbles. Overall, McGrath does an excellent job telling the story of a president who's not well known or necessarily well-regarded, and explaining why he matters. He gives him credit where credit is due - dispelling the notion, for instance, that he had little to do with actually crafting the Monroe Doctrine for which he's best known - but also takes him to task when necessary. And the concluding chapters, in particular, expertly incorporate callbacks to previous events to help tie everything together.If you're curious to learn more about a president you may not know much about, or if you're just into American history in general and want an engaging read that will help fill some gaps in your knowledge while entertaining you along the way, do yourself a favor and pick up this book. Monroe may not be among the pantheon of great presidents, but McGrath's book is well-deserving of a place in the pantheon of great presidential biographies.

Chernow's Washington, McCullough's Adams, Meacham's Jefferson, Feldman's Madison, and now, finally, McGrath's Monroe. I read a lot of presidential biographies, and it's always great when a new, academic, comprehensive book on a president arrives. Monroe has been missing one for a long time, but this book lives up the hype! It's filled with tons of information I had never heard before, and loaded with previously uncovered sources. You won't be disappointed with this one. I'm happy to add this one to my library.

A magnificent look at the least known member of the Virginia dynasty. We all know his name and the “Monroe Doctrine” but there is much more to the man that is well covered in this book. He devoted almost half a century to serving his country in numerous positions of leadership nationally, locally and abroad including Senator, ambassadorships, Secretary of State, Governor and President. He often served in government at great sacrifice to his personal fortune and family relationships. He had abilities and talents that he knew could be used to help build our fragile Republic. He knew all the main characters in the founding of our country including Washington, Jefferson, Madison, John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, John Jay and others. The Louisiana Purchase and the addition of Florida to American territory are in large part due to Monroe. We think that in the 21st century politics is a dirty sport. It is nothing compared to the mudslinging, lies and even dueling that existed in that era. When he left the White House America was here to stay with bright future prospects. One will finish this book with a great appreciation for James Monroe and the sacrifices he made for our country.

An avid reader of history, a great deal of Presidential history. This book was informative on a President that hasn't had a lot written about them, but it is a long slog. I would recommend that anyone that reads it to be prepared for a somewhat tedious read. It is not McCullough's John Adams or Chernow's Washington or Isaacson's Franklin as has been referenced.

This biography can certainly be considered the definitive look into the life and times of James Monroe. It will probably be the standard by which many will be judged against concerning our 5th president. It's extremely well researched and the writing has a comfortable flow. The book also has pro Monroe bias to it that is obvious but not in any gushing way.I would give this book a 4.5 rating if allowed. The only reason is that I find the writing of McCullough, Kearns-Goodwin and Chernow more engaging. It's the nit that takes the half star away... for me. Otherwise, highly enjoyable and informative.

I was gobsmacked by the amount of research, carefully annotated and footnoted, that was put into this book. This is biography at its best. The author obviously did not "phone it in." If you are into early american history, this is an immensely enjoyable read.

easy to read but written to portray Monroe as a hero. You don't have to be a federalist to be frustrated by the slant. most of the presented facts are basically true, but any of the few attempts at analysis are superficial at best

I had no idea how impressive and accomplished this man was. This book is intimidating to look at, but the pages fly by. If only we Presidents and Politicians today with James Monroe's temperament and judgment...

The title of the book is as modest and as unpretentious as its subject. James Monroe was not the most brilliant President of the United States, which is not to say that he was a stupid man. He was not the most gifted orator, which is not to say that he was incapable of getting his point across. He was not a perfect human being, which is not to say that he was unprincipled, lacked a conscience or acted only out of expedience. His star did not shine as brightly as many of the historical giants who were his contemporaries: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Monroe, Hamilton, Jackson, Clay or Calhoun. And yet his was a life of tremendous accomplishment and achievement, deserving of the meticulous attention, labor, research and detail that historian Tim McGrath has put into what will surely now become the definitive modern biography of its subject, simply titled James Monroe: A Life.It is remarkable that James Monroe is sometimes seen as such a B-team historical figure, just below the top tier of Presidents, given the very full and active life he lived. The oldest son of a Virginia planter, he was orphaned as a teenager and became responsible for the care of his younger siblings, with the support of a prosperous uncle. He left the College of William and Mary to join the patriot cause in the American Revolution. Nearly fatally wounded at the Battle of Trenton, he later rejoined the army, and spent the winter of 1777-78 with George Washington at Valley Forge. After the war he studied law under Thomas Jefferson, and went to on an illustrious career as a Delegate to the Congress of the Confederation from Virginia, a United States Senator, the United States Minister (similar to an Ambassador) to France and later to Great Britain, and as Governor of Virginia on two separate occasions. He was instrumental in bringing about the Louisiana Purchase. He held the two most important cabinet posts of his time under President James Madison: Secretary of State for six years, and at the same time, Secretary of War for five months during an actual war, the War of 1812, following the burning of Washington.Monroe served two terms as President from 1817 to 1825, initially presiding over what was known as the "Era of Good Feelings". He inherited a nation recovering from a war that had resulted in a draw and which had left sectional and ideological divisions. Rather than gloat over the decline of his defeated Federalist opposition, Monroe embarked on a national tour of unity on which he was warmly received in the home of his political enemies, commended for his effort to unite his nation rather than take advantage of its divisions for personal political gain. He would be re-elected in 1816, virtually winning every electoral vote, save for that one one contrarian.As McGrath capably illustrates, Monroe's presidency was not an easy one. At the end of his first term and throughout his second, he would be confronted with a tremendous recession (known in those days as a "panic"), the near break-up of the nation over the issue of slavery, and intense divisions within his own party, creating difficulty in working with Congress, as his political opponents put their own personal aspirations for power ahead of the national interest. Like many early chief executives, the presidency would leave Monroe financially crippled and political infighting would soon divide his party, transforming the era of good feelings into a distant memory. Monroe would also experience personal tragedy that would rob him of his vitality and rapidly age him. What he would retain would be his humility, his singleness of purpose in his dedication to his nation, and his commitment to principle.In 586 pages, McGrath is thorough both in his accounts of the events of Monroe's life and times, and in his careful examination of his subject. Those aspects of this biography that make Monroe look like a remarkable leader originate from Monroe's own actions and his character. There are no elements of sycophancy, hero worship or embellishment in McGrath's retelling of Monroe's story. The author does not shy away from the more complex aspects of his subject's life, including the conflict between some of Monroe's expressed opinions on slavery and his practice of owning slaves and of selling them to meet his debts. McGrath is also not shy about about describing those times when he believes that Monroe was either indecisive or just plain wrong, and calling him on it. It is the author's integrity and intellectual honesty, as well as his thoroughness that make this such an outstanding biography, on par with those written by other great historians such as David McCullough, Doris Kearns Goodwin or Ron Chernow.