Madison and Jefferson

Starred review from July 12, 2010
This thick but satisfyingly rich dual biography promotes Madison from junior partner to full-fledged colleague of the "more magnetic" Jefferson. According to the authors, Madison's popular image peaked in 1789 as "father of the Constitution." But Burstein (Jefferson's Secrets) and Isenberg (Fallen Founder), both LSU history professors, see him as a canny, effective politician for four decades, from the Continental Congress through his two terms as America's fourth president. An adviser to Governor Jefferson of Virginia from 1779 to 1781, Madison was a leading congressman when Jefferson served as Washington's secretary of state, and vigorously supported Jefferson in the ultimately unsuccessful struggle against federalist Alexander Hamilton's influence. As scholarly as Jefferson but more politically astute, the authors say, Madison was less inclined to hold grudges and make enemies. In modern terms, he was Jefferson's campaign manager in 1796 and 1800; as Jefferson's secretary of state he strongly influenced his leader's policies before moving on to his own equally strong presidency. An important, thoughtful, and gracefully written political history from the viewpoint of the young nation's two most intellectual founding fathers. 16 pages of b&w photos, 1 map.

Starred review from August 1, 2010

A monumental account of a 50-year political partnership that shaped the early history of the United States.

In a dual biography of uncommon merit, Louisiana State University historians Burstein (Jefferson's Secrets: Death and Desire at Monticello, 2005, etc.) and Isenberg (Fallen Founder: The Life of Aaron Burr, 2007, etc.) pierce the "poetic protection" that surrounds the Founding Fathers to create a clear-eyed view of the political careers of two remarkable elder sons of the Virginia elite. Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) and James Madison (1751–1836) emerge in a new light as individuals who made equal contributions to the early republic. The younger man, Madison, neither a shy dullard nor a junior partner, as often described, was a forceful legislator and a persuasive writer, and he orchestrated Jefferson's career, acting like a sort of campaign manager. Jefferson, a man of great feeling with an almost retiring manner but a lyrical pen, thrived in politicized settings, seeking to crush his enemies. The two men first met in 1776. Both were affable, bookish intellectuals, both served as president and both were accomplished political thinkers and tacticians. Always remaining "Virginians first, Americans second," they changed their young nation's political discourse and direction. Against a sweeping and readable history of the era, the authors explore the lives and political thought of the two men as well as their shared affection for the land and farming, as evidenced by their beloved country seats—Madison's Montpelier and Jefferson's Monticello—which are 25 miles apart. Burstein and Isenberg bring vivid life to Jefferson's work on the Declaration of Independence and Notes on Virginia, and demonstrate the ways in which his sojourns in France influenced his views on such matters as creating opportunities for the poor, the importance of individual rights and farming's contribution to society. The authors deem Federalist Papers contributor Madison a bold legislator who, while hardly the "father" of the Constitution, was nonetheless outspoken at the Constitutional Convention.

A superb book that greatly deepens our understanding of these founders.

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August 1, 2010

In the 60 years that have passed since the last deep treatment of the Jefferson-Madison partnership (Adrienne Koch's Jefferson and Madison), much popular historiography has relegated Madison at best to the secondary tier of Founders and at worst to Jefferson's lackey. Jefferson's contemporaries, however, labeled him a man of passion and imagination, while they recognized the diminutive, dispassionate Madison as more natural, candid, and profound. Now Burstein (history, Louisiana State Univ.; Jefferson's Secrets) and Isenberg (history, Louisiana State Univ.; Fallen Founder: The Life of Aaron Burr) have, with stunning style and clarity, meticulously reexamined this political relationship, extending from the eve of independence through the creation of the Virginia-dominated Republican Party to a poignant conclusion encompassing each man's death and political legacy. Instead of attempting to elevate one Founder over the other, the authors have re-created the dynamic political world they inhabited, staking out each statesman's role and including a wide range of related character studies. VERDICT While offering no paradigm-shifting revelations, Burstein and Isenberg have produced a remarkably lucid account of a monumental founding friendship. An essential read for biography buffs and enthusiasts of American revolutionary history, and a fine general treatment for political scholars of the early American republic.--Brian Odom, Pelham P.L., AL

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2010
James Madison and Thomas Jefferson are both in the pantheon of Founding Fathers, but Madison is frequently relegated to the second tier. He is often described as Jeffersons prot'g'e and faithful lieutenant and credited primarily with his role in the formation and ratification of the Constitution rather than achievements during his presidency. This extensive and well-researched examination of their relationship spanning 50 years paints a more nuanced and often surprising portrait of both men. The authors, both history professors, succeed in removing their subjects from their pedestals without diminishing their brilliance or importance. Both Madison and Jefferson were intense political animals in politically turbulent times. In his conflicts with Federalists, Jefferson used surrogates to engage in dirty tricks, while seeming to remain above the fray. Madison was much more than a policy wonk. He was an effective and tough legislator at both the state and federal levels; also, he did not shrink from opposing Jeffersons policies when he disagreed with them. This is an important reappraisal of a critical partnership that shaped our early republic.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)