James Madison and the Making of America

February 27, 2012
Gutzman's account of the man many consider to be the Father of the Constitution is a meticulously researched work, relying on primary sourcesâmost notably Madison's own extensive writings, including his famous Federalist Papers. However, the book is punishingly dull for the general reader, with an account of the Philadelphia Convention that runs beyond 80 pages, including many lines similar to this one: "When the convention next met, on Monday, May 28, a rule allowing any member to call for yeas and nays to be recorded on any vote was debated." Gutzman (coauthor, Who Killed the Constitution?) is unable to edit his play-by-play, as though he was recording it live instead of hundreds of years later. Madison's wife, the controversial Dolley, appears only briefly, but Madison's friendship with Thomas Jefferson gets some attention. Gutzman provides occasional comment on the proceedingsâhe notes that Alexander Hamilton was "never one to tire of hearing his own voice"âbut by the time one reads that the relatively obscure Marbury vs. Madison was "perhaps the most famous judicial decision in American history"âan assertion that some might rebukeâit's clear that the author is too close to his subject to bring an editorial eye to either the man or his work. Scholars of the time will greatly appreciate Gutzman's attention to detail and make up the bulk of his readership. B&W photos. (Jan.) 

January 15, 2012
Authoritative account of the public career of James Madison (1751-1836). Son of a wealthy Virginia planter, Madison missed out on the American Revolution due to illness but played critical roles in the shaping of the new nation. Besides working to remake monarchical Virginia into a republican society, he helped form the continental coalition that sent delegates from 12 states to Philadelphia for the Federal Convention in 1787. Short, cerebral and soft-spoken, he combined the strengths of a diligent scholar and an informed politician, bringing his studies of ancient and modern governments to bear as a leader in the movement to ratify the constitution. Gutzman (History/Western Connecticut State Univ.; The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution, 2007, etc.) draws on primary sources to portray Madison as an adept nation-builder who drafted the Bill of Rights and fought for a strong federal government and the free exercise of religion. As co-author with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay of The Federalist editorials, he argued vehemently for ratification of the Constitution, often noting the applicability of historical lessons to present circumstances. "Every person seems to acknowledge his greatness," said a fellow convention delegate. Gutzman analyzes Madison's contributions to The Federalist Papers, notably his "ingenious" call for ratification in Federalist No. 10, his steps to guarantee religious freedom in Virginia and his important role as a close advisor to President George Washington. With the War of 1812, he became the nation's first war-time president. His outgoing, politically connected wife Dolley Madison ("the Presidentess") fostered the Washington social whirl, including the tradition of the Inaugural Ball. A well-considered and -written biography of this gifted Founding Father's many contributions to the early republic.

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April 1, 2012

This assessment by Gutzman (history, Western Connecticut State Univ.; The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution) focuses on Madison's public career, especially his public policy concerns, his roles as speechwriter and adviser to George Washington, as secretary of state under Thomas Jefferson, and his activities as a wartime president. Like Broadwater (above), Gutzman sees Madison as a practical politician who attempted to balance rather than eradicate humankind's faults. He contends that Madison influenced the contemporary legal principle that precedent leads to constitutionality and believed, even more than the other Founders, that the federal government should refrain from promoting religion. Madison opposed prayer proclamations and carried on the legacy he set in Virginia where, with Jefferson, he helped disestablish the state church and affirmed the right to religious freedom. Gutzman points out that Madison was educated at a New Jersey college (which became Princeton) with Scottish Presbyterian philosophical roots, in contrast to his colleagues' Virginian and Anglican schooling. Effectively, these are reminders of what other historians have already stated. VERDICT Gutzman's meticulous disquisition on the proceedings of the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention, probably overlong for general readers, will most profit scholars. His perspective on an important Founder, and his minute examination of the Federalist Papers, will most appeal to serious readers.--Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Library of Congress

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