Sunday, December 27, 2009

James Monroe, The Last Founding Father by Unger


Monroe was perhaps the hardest working civil servant in our nation's history. He was a talented civic-minded, generous man seeking a legacy to match his betters, Washington, Jefferson and Madison. Monroe was just not a charismatic leader but he was gifted administrator. I respect Monroe and the sacrifices and devotion he held for this union. Saying that, this biography was well-written and delivered. While I do see Mr. Unger trying to elevate Monroe's legacy by overemphasizing Monroe's involvement in many events prior to his presidency, in the end, this is a good read. In many modern biographies I find a new rehash of the same facts any educated American historian already knows. Mr. Unger has a great writing style that maintains a flow in the narrative of Monroe's life and this book provided me with an increased respect for Monroe's devotion to his civic life.

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