The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation's Call to Greatness
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Award-winning author Harlow Giles Unger recounts the life of James Monroe, who dedicated himself to serving his country and building America’s future. Library Journal In this well-written biography, Unger (Lafayette) presents the fifth president as a man of independence and initiative rather than merely a disciple of Jefferson, Madison, and John Quincy Adams. In this respect, he follows Harry Ammon's assessment in James Monroe: The Quest for National Identity. Unger shows that as a diplomat, Monroe went beyond his ministerial instructions to negotiate treaties and the Louisiana Purchase, that as governor of Virginia he effectively used pronouncements to build public support for his policies, and that as President, he used his diplomatic, cabinet, and military experience to proclaim what became known as the Monroe Doctrine. The author's praise for Monroe should have been balanced by some questions about Monroe's ambition (and possible vanity). For example, during the War of 1812, how far did Monroe undermine Secretary of War John Armstrong so that he could take over the post himself? VERDICT Like Gary Hart's James Monroe, in the Times Books series of short presidential biographies, Unger's work will appeal to a more popular audience, especially those who enjoy presidential history or studying the Founding Fathers. Historians and history students should read as well but will still rely on Ammon.—Bryan Craig, MLS, Nellysford, VA
List of Illustrations viiAcknowledgements and Dedication ixChronology xiPrologue 1Chapter 1 "To Be Free…We Must Fight" 7Chapter 2 "A Brave…and Sensible Officer" 25Chapter 3 "I May Lose My Scalp" 41Chapter 4 "A Most Interesting Connection" 61Chapter 5 "A Subversion of Liberty" 77Chapter 6 "One Continuous Scene of Riot" 91Chapter 7 La Belle Américaine 109Chapter 8 "Let Calumny Have Its Course" 129Chapter 9 "To Prevent this Greatest of Evils" 143Chapter 10 "Some Outrages Had Been Coomitted" 159Chapter 11 "Nothing but Simple Justice" 177Chapter 12 "To Repair an Injury" 195Chapter 13 "We Have Met the Enemy…" 213Chapter 14 "The Poor Capital…Crack'd and Broken" 237Chapter 15 The "Era of Good Feelings" 261Chapter 16 "Embroidered with Gold" 277Chapter 17 "Winked Away by Compromise" 287Chapter 18 A Momentous Decision 305Chapter 19 Rejoice! 317Chapter 20 "A Plain and Gentle Man" 333Appendix 349Notes 353Bibliography 371Index 377
