Madison's Gift: Five Partnerships That Built America by David O. Stewart

Madison's Gift: Five Partnerships That Built America Reviews

• 
  Christine

  Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley
  
  When people ask me who my favorite president is, I say Madison. Usually they go, whose that, or get this confused look on their faces. Honestly, it’s Madison because I think Dolley is awesome. She’s my hero.
  
  Now, after reading this book, I have more reasons why Madison is my favorite president.
  
  Stewart describes Madison’s gift, in other words his legacy as well as his ability, in light of his partnerships with Washington, Hamilton, Jefferson, Monroe, and Dolley. The book isn’t a straightforward biography, so having a general knowledge of the period undoubtedly makes the book easier to read.
  
  Stewart details the work that Madison did with his five partners during the course of his political career. In a few cases, there is some overlap and jumping around in terms of lineal time, but it is done smoothly and a reader is not very likely to get confused. We Americans tend to forgot Madison, remembering him if at all, simply for the Federalist Papers and, perhaps, his wife. Stewart shows why this is wrong headed and short sighted. I would add sad, though this is something Stewart himself does not refer to.
  
  Madison’s gift was his ability, his quiet and unassuming ability, to think about problems as well as to bring people and ideas together. The fact that he could work with Washington, Hamilton, and Jefferson as well as be a friend of Burr’s speaks to something. His thinking about the problems of government is, according to Stewart, one of the reasons why the Constitution is the document it is, and we do owe a debt to foreign policy. Madison might have been a behind the scenes mover, lacking the flash of Washington or Hamilton and the fame of Jefferson and Hamilton, but for all that he was an extremely hard worker. Stewart’s thesis, aptly proved, covers even what history remembers of the development of the government.
  
  We have Madison to thank for that too. He saved and organized his papers.
  
  While not a biography, Steward does flesh out the character of Madison. He comes across in the small personal stories that Stewart includes, as someone you just might want to have over for dinner. For a small statured and often ill man, he apparently did enjoy wit and foot racing his wife (who supposedly could carry him on her back). He was devoted to his family, despite the fact that he must have felt beholden to his parents. He might not have been the player that Hamilton was, but he didn’t seem to save himself for Dolley either. His relationship with Dolley and her influence on politics as they worked together is shown here, and they come across as the political power couple of their day. Today’s modern first ladies owe much to both of them.
  
  Stewart does not gloss over Madison’s flaws, including the wrong picks that Madison made for his cabinet. Stewart takes the long view, showing not how those picks were wrong, but also what the effects of those picks might have been. He also does not hesitate to put blame on Madison when it is called for, like in some of Madison’s relationship with Monroe. The issue of slavery is not glossed over, and Stewart not only points to Madison’s conflict over the issue but also how Madison’s solution (or proposed solution) didn’t work.
  
  In this look at Madison’s working life, Stewart adds detailed analysis and understanding to a Founding Father who should be better known.
  
• 
  Aaron Million

  David O. Stewart has written an interesting book about James Madison. Instead of this being a traditional biography, Stewart decides to focus on Madison’s relationships with several other crucial figures from the revolutionary era. Because of that, Madison‘s childhood is given short shrift here. That’s not a criticism, as there is only so much that can be said about Madison growing up on a slave plantation and then going to college in New Jersey.
  
  The first partnership that Stewart reviews is Madison’s intensive collaboration with Alexander Hamilton during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and the writing of The Federalist papers following that. Both men, at that time at least, were devoted to a strong federal government with less power going to the states. This was due to the weak and almost useless powers of the Articles of Confederation, which basically allowed the states to nullify any request from the federal Congress. Hamilton and Madison saw that this would ultimately cause the states to just basically become separate entities, and thus weaker than they would be if they all banded together to oppose any foreign foes. Well this section was all right, what bothered me was that Stewart fails to discuss the dissolution of the partnership that the two men had. Once we get to the early 1790s, and Madison and Hamilton start to go their separate ways, Stewart quickly wraps up this section in about two paragraphs. I wanted to see a lot more about the falling out that the two men had over the powers of the federal government versus the states. Madison started moving towards more of a states rights position, while Hamilton increasingly favored a strong central government.
  
  In the same vein, the next section with George Washington also left me a bit disappointed. Like with Hamilton, Madison initially enjoyed a very close partnership with Washington in the 1780s up to the early 1790s. Both of the men work together to ensure a successful Constitutional Convention. Madison visited Washington multiple times at Washington’s plantation, Mount Vernon. But, like with Hamilton, Madison ultimately fell out with Washington over the role of the federal government versus the role of the state governments. Yet again, Stewart quickly wraps this section up, and we don’t really get any detail about Madison ultimately moving into almost complete opposition to Washington and his administration.
  
  The third partnership examined by Stewart is that of Thomas Jefferson. These two Virginians were friends for many decades, and together were two of the biggest brains behind our current form and ideals of government. Stewart does a good job here showing how Jefferson and Madison managed to work off of each other very well, with Madison sometimes restraining Jefferson from some of his more impulsive statements and thoughts. Yet, this section also left me disappointed. Why? Madison served for eight years as Secretary of State for Jefferson. But this section ends with Madison becoming Secretary of State. Those eight years are actually covered more in the James Monroe section then they are under the Jefferson section. That really didn’t make sense to me. I don’t know why Stewart decided to do that, because obviously Jefferson trusted Madison and worked closely with him for those eight years, in addition to hoping that Madison would succeed him as President.
  
  The James Monroe section is fairly good, with most of it focusing as one might expect on the war of 1812. Stewart does do a good job here of showing how Madison and Monroe had been friends, but also at times had been political adversaries. Monroe even ultimately challenged Madison for the presidency in 1808. However as things heated up with Great Britain, Madison turned to Monroe to help him out, because he both trusted Monroe and also because he had a very weak and untrustworthy cabinet. Stewart does note that Madison's management of his Cabinet was abysmal.
  
  The final section covers Madison’s relationship and marriage to Dolley Madison. This is the best section of the book, as Stewart reviews how much Dolley helped him both in public and in private, and also how Madison was able to give Dolley some stability and also allow her to flourish as a hostess in nascent Washington DC. This section also contains a good chapter – probably the best chapter in the book – about Madison‘s views on slavery. Stewart is neither favorable nor unfavorable to Madison on this subject, and in general. Here, he shows how Madison consistently writes that slavery is deplorable - describing it as an “evil". Yet at the same time, Madison didn’t have the guts to free his slaves.
  
  While I appreciate the concept here that Stewart was trying to get across to readers, the execution mostly did not work for me. For example, on page 86 in the George Washington section, Stewart writes about Madison‘s campaign for Congress in 1789. Madison had to speak outside in harsh winter weather: “Returning home in icy weather after a meeting with a ‘nest of Dutchmen’, he wrote years later, his nose was frostbitten…”. Yet in the James Monroe section, on page 197, Stewart returns to this anecdote again: “Riding 12 miles home from that snowy meeting, Madison suffered a frost- bitten nose."
  
  Maybe that is why I did not care for this type of construction. Madison is constantly going back-and-forth in time. We go through several parts of his life, only to go back through them again in the next section. It is slightly disorienting. Coupled with him not really examining Madison’s fallouts with Hamilton and Washington left me appreciative of Stewart’s work but also disappointed that it wasn’t more analytical. Fortunately the Dolley Madison part towards the end, the good chapter about Madison’s relationship to slavery, and then a closing chapter covering his final years, helps this go down smoother. I did appreciate that Stewart tries to bring Madison to life, knowing that is probably somewhat difficult to do as Madison was not a world traveler and did not have a particularly adventurous life like Washington did. But the structural flaws marred this for me. I know this book has a high rating so obviously others did not mind the way that Stewart set it up, but it did not work for me.
  
  Grade: B-
• 
  Jeanette

  Intricate and complex interactions to insure a partner's success and practical application's "follow through" (without needing to attack OR negate the opposition in any sense) were James Madison's greatest gifts. This book was an excellent insight into his life, his physical and intellectual reality towards his tremendous participation to our USA Founding Fathers' years. Being best friends for decades with Jefferson and following Jefferson's presidency with 8 years of his own-he took the young nation through some terrible and choppy waters. The book highlights the physical realities of his life and partnerships, as well as the economics, sensibilities and context of being one of the "three" Virginians.
  
  I learned a considerable amount of information about early banking, formation of the earliest Political Parties and especially re the years during the ratification of the new Constitution and the decade following.
  
  The biggest surprise in reading this was Madison's physical size. Kudos for us small folk. LOL! He probably in his psychological role, beyond the law inputs, was the one absolutely needed enzyme in the chemical mix that founded our country (USA). Washington's pathos to control the Army with no pay given to them far beyond the end of the Revolution, was the other.
  
  Everyone always hails Jefferson's intelligence and Hamilton's impetus to format but they would not have been actuated without Madison's methods of association and follow through to insure positive cooperation. It's one thing to spout theory, inspire, even format- but without collaboration, these essentials go nowhere. Madison was the ultimate non-snark, never defensive, collaborator.
• 
  Jimmy Reagan

  Here is a brilliantly executed volume on one of our most underrated Presidents, James Madison. Madison was a man little of physical stature, one that stood in the shadows of Washington and Jefferson, but who did more heavy lifting on what our Constitution actually says than anyone. A diligent student and a tireless worker, Madison earned the label “Father of the Constitution.”
  
  
  
  Instead of a cradle-to-grave standard biography, Mr. Stewart gives us his life through the lens of the five key relationships of his life. In that every life is probably partially defined by our five closest relationships, this volume succeeds in bringing Madison alive.
  
  
  
  His relationship with Washington was interesting in that he would have been considered Washington’s protege, but that relationship changed as Washington focused on holding the Union together while Madison increasingly focused on the political party he helped form. The writing here is so good you find yourself sad that the relationship was what it was by Washington’s death.
  
  
  
  With Alexander Hamilton, you are shocked again as you read of their close association, common goals, and joint writing of The Federalist Papers giving way to being key leaders of rival parties.
  
  
  
  Jefferson and Madison were soul mates and of equal intellectual powers. You will read of the unwavering friendship where Madison always gladly deferred to Jefferson.
  
  
  
  The most shocking aspect of his relationship with James Monroe is how often they had a falling out only to be great friends again.
  
  
  
  With Dolley, he found the perfect wife for what he did with his life. Though he married late, you will see how well she complemented his work.
  
  
  
  I thought this approach to Madison would be a chronological nightmare for the reader, but Mr. Stewart’s writing washed that fear away. I feel I know a lot more about what made Madison tick and must rate this volume a winner!
  
  I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
• 
  Matthew

  Much like Lincoln as told in "Team Of Rivals", Madison is a president who made partnerships with people that strengthened his weaknesses. This book focuses on Madison's partnerships with Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and of course his wife Dolley Madison. It spans the dawn of the United States from Declaration of Independence to 1836. In my quest to read a book about every American president, this was a very entertains and informative book. I really learned a lot about a president, who until now, was overshadowed by his wife in my impressions. The only drawback I have with this book, is the drawback I have with most history books recently written. The issue of slavery. It feels like a lot of authors fall in love with the person they write about. Therefore trying to reconcile said subjects part in slavery. This is very important to do in a book about Lincoln or The civil war or even Jefferson (Sally Hemmings) but it seems like most authors who do this, do it with 21st century eyes. A lot of people that decry slaveowners of 1700 America, probably would have owned slaves themselves if they lived in those times. It's just a pet peeve I have and others may not share my sensitivity to it.
• 
  Nancy

  I have read quite a few books on Dolley Madison but had not read a book about her husband President James Madison. So I was glad to have been accepted to read David O. Stewart's upcoming book Madison's Gift which looks at Madison's working relationships with President George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, President Thomas Jefferson, President James Monroe and his wife Dolley. Although the reader receives a basic understanding of Madison's biography it is really a 'political biography', similar to Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Team of Rivals" which considered Lincoln and his cabinet which was made up of political rivals for the presidency.
  
  Madison's service to his country included championing the 1787 Constitutional Convention and the Bill of Rights; the creation of the first political party in alliance with Thomas Jefferson; service as the first 'war president' during the War of 1812; the revision of The Articles of Confederation to insure the government rested on a more solid base; fine tuning the election process; support for a national tax to fund a standing army and pay debt; working on the amendment to guarantee free speech, the right to bear arms, due process of law, the freedom of the press and other rights we take for granted today.
  
  Madison had a systematic and deep intelligence. He was small and frail in body, but was a giant intellectually. His public persona was not easy and warm, although his good humor shone in his family life. His friendships and partnerships perfectly balanced his weaknesses. Jefferson and Monroe forged deep friendships with Madison, with Jefferson encouraging Madison to become a neighbor, while the Monroes in Europe purchased and shipped furnishings for the Madison's first home.
  
  Dolley was a beautiful and well off young widow when Madison fell in love with her from afar. Martha Washington encouraged Dolley to consider Madison's attentions and she married the "great little Madison", who was 15 years older and considerably smaller than her. But their relationship became legendary, both as marriage and political partners.
  
  Stewart's book covers familiar events and historical passages but in a detail that opened for me a better appreciation and understanding. Our American government did not spring full blown at its inception. It took years of considered thought and political action to hone the system we now enjoy. At the center of this continual process was James Madison. He did not work in a vacuum, but in accordance with other gifted, inspired, and dedicated men.
  
  I was not always riveted by the book. It does take attention. But the story is an important one, and made me better appreciate the marvelous experiment called democracy.
  
  I received this e-book through NetGalley and Simone & Schuster for a fair and unbiased review.
  
  
• 
  Alan Johnson

  This book proves that a historian can write for both a general and scholarly audience at the same time. The text of the work is quite well written. It expresses in plain English—not in academic jargon—many important facts and developments regarding the life and thought of James Madison. Meanwhile, the endnotes carefully document, often with reference to primary sources, the factual statements and quotations in the text.
  
  And the book does not simply recycle what others have already written about Madison. David O. Stewart carefully delineates the characters of Madison and his five partners (Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and Dolley Madison) by using documentary sources that are not routinely employed in studies of the Founders. Stewart also avoids presenting one-dimensional portraits of these individuals. Each is shown to be a complicated person, combining good and not-so-good qualities. I found Stewart's treatment of Madison's views and actions regarding slavery to be especially insightful. Madison struggled to find a solution to that terrible problem. Although he knew that slavery was wrong, he could not find a way, either for himself or for the nation, to eliminate its practice and insidious influence.
  
  We are left, as the author undoubtedly intended us to be left, with the realization that the Founders were human beings, albeit sometimes extraordinary human beings. We might well conclude, with Hamlet, that each of these individuals "was a man [or woman], take him for all in all: / I shall not look upon his like againe." William Shakespeare, Hamlet , 1:2:376-77, in The Norton Facsimile: The First Folio of Shakespeare, 2nd ed., ed. Charlton Hinman and Peter W. M. Blayney (New York: W. W. Norton, 1996), 763.
  
• 
  April

  This book was undoubtedly well-written, refreshingly accessible, and extremely enlightening. If I read the book in isolation, I absolutely would have given it 4 stars. However, having recently read both Chernow's "George Washington" and McCullough's "John Adams," I couldn't help but feel that Stewart's apparent mission to restore Madison's reputation led to a somewhat skewed perspective.
  
  I've noticed with other presidential biographies that the writers have a tendency to fall in love with their subjects, leading to somewhat biased portrayals. This book was no exception. As one example, Stewart portrayed the rift between Madison and Washington as simply an ideological parting, while majorly downplaying Madison's role in publications that unabashedly smeared Washington's reputation. Likewise, to discuss the military's unpreparedness for the War of 1812 without mentioning Jefferson's dismantling of the navy seems like a glaring omission. I thought Stewart's dismissiveness of the Federalists and clear bias towards the Jefferson/Madison brand of Republicanism didn't give a balanced view of the legitimacy on both sides of the political divide. Although I appreciated Stewart's attempt to capture the ambivalence and seeming contradiction of Madison as slave owner, it still felt like he was being a bit too much of an apologist for what can't be denied as a stain on Madison's character.
  
  All of this being said, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read about a president that has been unfairly overshadowed by the other Founding Fathers.
• 
  Bob

  Summary: A biography of our fourth president, through the lens of five key partnerships he formed that helped establish a new nation.
  
  Of the Founders of the United States, James Madison seems always to be somewhat in the shadows of the more brilliant lights of Ben Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and even Alexander Hamilton. He played pivotal roles in the Continental Congress, the drafting and ratification of the Constitution, the establishment of a government under that Constitution, the formation of the first real political party, and helping the country survive a war with a Great Britain that was vastly more powerful. Yet he was soft-spoken, lacking in the skills to be a battle field leader, or the charisma that naturally commanded followings.
  
  David O. Stewart helps us to see that Madison's gift was his ability to collaborate substantively with personalities often stronger and different than his, bringing his own gifts of political astuteness to those partnerships. Stewart renders the story of Madison's life through five of these partnerships:
  
  1. Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton was far more flamboyant but the collaboration of these two in the Continental Congress, staving off soldier uprisings by coming up with financing means, and later, working together to draft the Constitution. They teamed up to write the Federalist Papers, providing a formidable intellectual defense and explication of the Constitution, that resulted in ratification of the Constitution. These Papers continue to be a primary resource for Constitutional scholars. His understanding of human failings and the systems of checks and balances between branches of government, houses of Congress, and federal and state government was perhaps his most profound contribution.
  
  2. George Washington. As a fellow Virginian, he worked with Washington on everything from Potomac navigation to serving as his adviser while giving leadership in Congress in how to turn the Constitution into a functioning government.  He played a pivotal role in the ratification of the Bill of Rights, without which the Constitution may not have survived.
  
  3. Thomas Jefferson. Both men were lovers of books, land- and slave-owners troubled with slavery and making ends meet, and Virginians. As they observed the centralizing tendencies inherent in the policies of Alexander Hamilton and John Adams, they came together to form the Democrat Republican party as a check against these tendancies, and effectively collaborated to elect Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe to presidencies spanning 24 years.
  
  4. James Monroe. This was perhaps one of the most interesting of partnerships because at the start, the two were political rivals. Later, when Madison failed to support a treaty with Great Britain that Monroe negotiated, the two fell out for a couple of years. But when tension with Great Britain were leading up to war, Madison, not nearly as accomplished in diplomatic or military matters, asked Monroe to join as his Secretary of State and Secretary of War. Despite the sacking of Washington, they were able to work together to lead resistance that basically led to a stalemate, and a settlement that unleashed American prosperity.
  
  5. Dolly Madison. She was a beautiful complement to the reserved Madison and presided over a social scene far more congenial than the stiff and formal receptions of previous presidents. She was fun, she dressed colorfully, and marked by her self-command. When the British were coming to sack the White House, she rescued the silver, and Peale's painting of Washington, barely escaping herself. In retirement, Stewart describes them as the "Adam and Eve of Montpelier." They ran footraces on the front porch of Montpelier, hosted numerous guests, and regaled them with stories. They set the pace for presidential retirements. Madison contributed significant defenses of the Constitution against the growing threat of nullification. He succeeded Jefferson as rector of the University of Virginia and participated in the 1829 Virginia constitutional convention. Dolly accompanied him on most of this, and nursed him when his health turned increasingly frail.
  
  Stewart, like many other scholars of this period, writes about the struggle with the question of slavery. For Madison, the issue was personal as well as Constitutional. He recognized that the contradiction between enunciated rights and aspirations, and the compromises of slavery carried the risk of tearing the country apart. Yet he incarnated the difficulty of what he wanted to do on principle, and the economic realities of his situation. He never emancipated his slaves.
  
  Stewart helps us to see that leadership, and presidential, greatness may take different forms. In Madison's case, a combination of intellectual gifts and capacity for collaboration was crucial for the work of crafting a government from scratch. To collaborate with markedly different personalities suggests a great sense of personal security and sense of self. His willingness to contribute his own astute wisdom while letting others claim the limelight resulted in enduring good for the nation. Stewart's focus on Madison's collaborations brings to light his distinctive form of greatness.
• 
  Stan Prager

  Review of: Madison’s Gift: Five Partnerships that Built America, by David O. Stewart
  by Stan Prager (10-17-18)
  
  One of my favored methods for exploring United States history is through the biographies of American presidents, which often provide a critical lens to their respective eras. I have read books on some eighteen of the forty-four men who have held that office to date, and my personal library contains volumes for all of them. More than once I have entertained the notion of reading them in chronological order, but each attempt stumbled on James Madison, number four on the list. One of the most prominent figures of the early Republic—a celebrated Founder who long before he was Chief Executive was renowned as “Father of the Constitution,” key author of the Federalist Papers, member of Congress, partner to Jefferson in creating the first political party, Secretary of State, and so much more—Madison has largely defied biographers because despite his distinguished achievements his elusive personality has somehow mostly been lost to history. We know so much about him, but so little of him. Thus, most attempts at biography drape enormous scholarship over a somewhat colorless outline of the man, and the final product tends to the dull and uninspiring, hardly doing justice to one of the greatest figures of his day.
  Fortunately, David O. Stewart has come along with Madison’s Gift: Five Partnerships that Built America, a fresh and unique approach that relies upon key interactions with those whom Madison worked most closely with to sketch in many otherwise obscure contours of a fascinating if somewhat enigmatic character. Madison was physically tiny, and some have sought to cleverly contrast his diminutive size by casting him as a giant of a statesman, but it might be more accurate to instead emphasize his outsize role in the shadows of more flamboyant figures. That is the tack Stewart takes here by examining what we can learn about James Madison from his critical relationships with four other significant Founders—Washington, Hamilton, Jefferson and Monroe—and with his own wife, Dolley. In the process, Stewart crafts an episodic, well-written narrative that also serves as a kind of standalone history of key events in the early Republic.
  Madison’s work with Hamilton as they teamed up as chief authors of the Federalist Papers and framers of the new Constitution—one that deeply alarmed those who jealously guarded state sovereignty—is a familiar story. Also much chronicled has been Madison’s long association with fellow-Virginian Jefferson, one that gained strength as they privately connived to turn “faction”—which was widely disparaged as odious—into a legitimate political party. The product of their collaboration was the (first) Republican Party, which was to supplant the rival Federalists identified with Washington, Adams and Hamilton, and go on to dominate the nation’s political landscape for three decades to come.
  Less studied but perhaps no less relevant was the close relationship Madison formed with Washington, as speechwriter, advisor and trusted confidante. Alas, this rapport was not to last, as Madison went off to serve in the nation’s first Congress, and Washington spent much of the first several years of his tenure contending with the bitter rivalry between Hamilton and Jefferson, key cabinet members who represented two competing views of the role the federal government should play in the life of the new Republic. Madison stood on both sides of many of these issues, at least initially, but over time he was to align ever more in lockstep with Jefferson and thus increasingly in enmity with Hamilton, eventually alienating Washington by extension. One cannot help but wonder at alternative outcomes had Madison been part of that first cabinet rather than serving as legislator outside of Washington’s direct orbit.
  Madison’s relationship with Monroe, another fellow Virginian and slightly younger contemporary, was in many ways far more complicated. Monroe—proud, ultrasensitive, and less cerebral than Madison or the others—was nevertheless a gifted negotiator and strong leader. Sometime rivals, what turned out to be a long association managed to survive strains and even fractures. It is in their on-again off-again alliance that Madison’s willingness to cede center-stage to those seeking the spotlight while nevertheless quietly and skillfully directing the action behind the scenes is made most evident. It was not that Madison was unambitious—he hardly could have achieved offices like Secretary of State or President if that was the case—but unlike many of his peers he did not wear this ambition as a badge, but was content to sidestep the jockeying for recognition that so obsessed the others, while he brilliantly if unobtrusively maneuvered for influence and power. Stewart’s portrait of Madison ever engaged in partnerships is not simply a narrative device; Madison genuinely thrived in these relationships. It may be that Madison has eluded us for so long largely because his other biographers have overlooked the centrality of this key ingredient.
  As Madison’s Gift reveals, his “partnership” with Dolley was no less consequential than with those other notables. Madison was middle-aged when he met and married the much younger and taller winsome widow who was to forever define the role that would later be dubbed “First Lady.” It is only through her that we can better discern the man behind the curtain, who was apparently in the semi-privacy of his extended family quite playful and romantic, given to wine, a wicked sense humor, and even foot races. Stewart shares a delightful anecdote in which “Dolley, who was ‘stronger as well as larger than he,’ sometimes ‘could – and did – seize his hands, draw him upon her back, and go round the room with him.’” Finally, a palpable glimpse of the flesh-and-blood Madison that once walked the earth!
  Stewart plainly admires his subject, but this is no hagiography; slaveowner Madison gets no pass from the author in this regard. The scholarly consensus is that by far the greatest flaw of the Founders was their collective failure to address the institution of human chattel slavery, which led directly to the Civil War that was to cost more than six hundred thousand American lives, and Madison was more than complicit in this later catastrophe. The once much-heralded three-fifths compromise that counted enslaved human beings as partial people for the purposes of representation was a cheat that evaded the existential crisis ahead. The Founding generation was evidently deeply disturbed by the contradictions in their own cries for liberty and equality when juxtaposed with what they themselves clearly acknowledged as an immense evil. We have ample evidence of these great men—Patrick Henry, Washington, Jefferson and indeed Madison—decrying slavery while failing to combat it. The striking ambivalence is perhaps best articulated in Jefferson’s famous “wolf by the ear” analogy that sounds more like an excuse than a rationale. For the sake of his own legacy, Washington had the good fortune to die before the eighteenth century expired while manumitting his slaves in his will. Jefferson and Madison lived on with their human property to bob-and-weave intellectually, while toying with African colonization schemes, and ever making excuses against abolition. Indeed, later in life Madison actually went on record blaming abolitionists for spawning crises rather than slaveowners for enabling a morally abhorrent system that hardly shielded them from the ever-looming debt and bankruptcy that the planter aristocracy rode upon.
  Madison’s Gift revisits the elderly statesman’s final public role as representative to the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1829 that also featured other ancient stand-ins from the early days of the Republic such as John Marshall and Monroe. The revered Madison appeared anachronistically clad in eighteenth-century attire in what turned out to be an epic failure to address slavery, representation, and a more equitable expansion of the franchise. He also lived through the Virginia House of Delegates sessions of 1831-32 that debated abolition, but was not a participant. [Each of these grand missed opportunities is covered in great detail in Susan Dunn’s magnificent Dominion of Memories: Jefferson, Madison & the Decline of Virginia.]
  When Madison died in 1836, he had outlived nearly everyone of significance of his era (Aaron Burr passed only a few months later), but this great issue of human bondage lingered. Only twenty-five years later, the Republic was ripped asunder over it. To make matters worse, Jefferson’s cries during the crisis over the Alien & Sedition Acts that a state might resist federal laws—a notion Madison seemed to echo, with a pronounced nuance others overlooked—regained a stubborn currency in the march to secession. With a tragic irony, the great Madison, who had done so much to make and give polish to the new nation, left behind sharp edges for another generation to fashion into weapons wielded to sever and unmake it.
  I first encountered the Stewart in his earlier work, Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln’s Legacy, which introduced a brilliant new perspective that unsettled established historiography. This accomplishment is made even more impressive by the fact that the author is not a trained historian, but an attorney! That this achievement was no fluke is powerfully demonstrated in Madison’s Gift, a superb contribution to history and biography that significantly furthers our interpretation of the figures that peopled the early Republic. And, thanks to Stewart, I can check off Madison and resume my chronological challenge: now it’s on to Monroe!
  
  [My review of: Impeached: The Trial of President Andrew Johnson and the Fight for Lincoln’s Legacy, by David O. Stewart, is here:
  https://regarp.com/2017/02/19/review-...]
  
  
  [My review of: Dominion of Memories: Jefferson, Madison & the Decline of Virginia by Susan Dunn, is here:
  https://regarp.com/2015/02/09/review-...]
  
  Review of: Madison’s Gift: Five Partnerships that Built America, by David O. Stewart
  https://regarp.com/2018/10/17/review-...
  
• 
  Bill

  When writing about a historical figure, one can choose to organize the story thematically, or chronologically. David O. Stewart manages to do both, simultaneously, in "Madison's Gift," to great effect.
  
  The title and description of the book might make it appear like a character study that delves into certain aspects of Madison's life and relationships as opposed to a broader life story. But it's really a biography, told through the structure of five of Madison's most important political and personal partnerships. Stewart expertly ties the stories of these five partnerships, each of them at a different stage of Madison's adult life, into a full story of the man.
  
  The book is broken into five sections, one per partnership, and the narrative easily flows chronologically from one section to the next - because in some cases, Madison's partnerships didn't last, and where one ended, the next began. It starts with Hamilton, with whom Madison created, defended and ensured the passage of the Constitution. As that relationship cooled, we move onto Washington, with whom Madison worked in the establishment, administration and survival of the new government. That relationship also cooled as Madison moved on to his most noted political partnership with Jefferson, with whom he allied against the Federalists. Upon Jefferson's retirement from the presidency and politics, Madison's partnership with Monroe takes center stage. And finally, Madison begins his own retirement alongside his most intimate partner, his wife Dolley.
  
  In a typical biography, as in a typical life, people come and go and come back into the story, relationships overlap and it can all become something of a jumble. So Stewart's decision to break down Madison's life into five distinct sections, each defined by the most prominent partnership he had at that particular time, is a brilliant structural device that never feels gimmicky.
  
  There are times, particularly at the beginning of a new section, when Stewart has to double back and retell events that have already occurred, in order to tell them through the lens of that particular section's featured partnership. So the chronology, and the distinct break between sections and between partnerships, can get blurred at times. And sometimes aspects of Madison's life that don't fit neatly into the context of one of these partnerships, are just told within the section where they happen to occur chronologically, without any real attempt to relate them to the partnership that the section purports to be about.
  
  This is most notable in the last section on Dolley Madison. She appears only fleetingly throughout the book, so by the time we get to the section devoted to her - the final section of the book that focuses on Madison's retirement - it takes two full chapters of doubling back and filling in the details of how Dolley actually fit into the earlier timeline, before we return to where we left off at the end of the Monroe section. Dolley also disappears during large segments of the section purportedly devoted to her, particularly where Madison's struggle to come to terms with slavery is discussed. This last section is the only place where the structure of the book doesn't quite mesh with the chronology of Madison's life, but it's a small complaint, because it's amazing that the structure worked so well up to this point.
  
  Throughout the book, Stewart offers excellent insight into how Madison influenced, and was influenced by, these five most important individuals in his life. And Stewart is a wonderful writer, vividly describing events and scenes such as the distinct sights, sounds and smells of various 18th-century American cities.
  
  Whether you're already familiar with Madison, or are new to learning about his life, this is an insightful, well-written and well-conceived book that everyone from the expert to the layman should be able to appreciate.
• 
  Drtaxsacto

  This is a well researched book on Madison focused on a skill which many other biographers miss. Madison's contributions to the early days of the republic often came from collaborations with key figures in the early days of the republic. The author argues that Washington, Hamilton, Jefferson, Monroe and Dolly Madison were all, at key times in Madison's long career important colleagues. The book also has some reflections on Madison's complex thoughts on slavery.
  
  I found one place where I think the author interpreted history differently than I would. In his chapters on Hamilton, he gives less credit than some other authors would on his role in the Federalist. The foremost author on the Federalist, who was the first to discern the individual contributions of Hamilton, Madison and Jay (Clinton Rossiter)- argued that Jay contributed 5 and that of the remaining 80 essays Hamilton contributed the bulk. That is true. And that is an interpretation that other historians have taken. Stewart summarizes his writing in 10 and 51 and briefly covers 37 - but ignores 14 and 39. I think he also under-rates the genuine study which Madison undertook in preparation for the Constitutional Convention. Most authors argue that Madison was the best prepared of the delegates.
  
  Madison is finally getting some respect - for a long time he was over-shadowed by other founders. Until last year the major biography on Madison was a huge but relatively dense book by Ralph Ketchum. Then came the book by Lynne Cheney and a couple of others so there is now a renewed interest in our fourth president. Stewart's contribution to the literature is a great addition.
  
  The interpretive differences that I have with Stewart's commentary on the Madisonian role in the writing of the Federalist notwithstanding, this is an excellent book. It highlights the extreme skill that Madison exercised over many decades in public life and his ability to find allies at key times in his career. Madison understood the importance of collaboration, especially in the public policy process. We would be a lot stronger place today if our current leaders understood that simple principle. I felt strongly enough about the contributions of this author to buy two more of his books.
• 
  Jane

  Fascinating biography of James Madison, with a unique and compelling five-part structure, setting it apart from the typical linear bio. Extremely well-written, painting a vivid picture of the man and the world he lived in. As with all good histories, it doesn't skip the small human details that bring people to life, and there are plenty of these included. I came away with a greater understanding and respect for Madison, not to mention finally learning what the War of 1812 was all about. The author spends an entire late chapter going into depth about Madison's life as a slaveowner, which he seemed to struggle with but was never able to fully abandon. I think if James Madison had been born into a non-slaveholding family, he would have been a natural abolitionist, but the ties to his family and livelihood are what made it impossible (in his mind) to emancipate his human property. I believe that we should never superimpose modern morality and ideology onto people of the distant past, so while owning slaves was certainly a great fault of his, I am able to try to see it through an 18th century lens, and focus as well on Madison's other numerous accomplishments, which he achieved while also being physically small and sickly and somewhat socially awkward. Oh and one time he and Alexander Hamilton played with a pet monkey together, and that shall never cease to delight me.
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  Patrick Martin

  This book had a unique set up for a biography, it covered James Madison's life through his relationships with some of his closest associates and his interactions with them. Delving into his ever evolving circle of friends there were five that stayed in one role or another throughout his life. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, James Monroe and Dolly Madison, all icons in their own right.
  
  What emerges is a man with a deep analytical thought process and a master of using the important people around him with the same views to attain his goals. He was the motivating thought processor either by his direct influence or by his ability to make another smart person think on their views.
  
  This book, while dry at times, paints a good picture of the overall being Madison was and how much he was respected by those of his time both big and small. And they also say a man's influence can be measured by the size of his enemies, Madison has a huge enemy in Patrick Henry who was very influential and fought him politically at every turn. Yet today we remember Henry for one speech and Madison for the huge volume of work and accomplishments that helped shape the United States.
  
  If you like history, Revolutionary times or politics/government, this is a book for you.
• 
  Sarah W.

  This book can make for tedious reading, as it feels like the story moves only at the most incremental pace. As each relationship is introduced, the story often goes back to the beginning, leaving the reader to feel like the book never really moves forward. This is not quite true and the relationships presented here are interesting and illuminating for those interested in the early years of the American republic. Still, the pacing and narrative could have been better organized and written, as well as the case for the uniqueness of Madison's relationships better articulated.
• 
  Brooke

  Madison's Gift had a few parts which interested me, but a lot of this book's information was tedious to read, as well as not painting a complete picture of President Madison as I would have liked. It is a good starter for someone wanting a starting point about his life, though I will have to read another biography to truly understand him.
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  Alan Tomkins-Raney

  Excellent. The way this biography of Madison is organized initially struck me as unconventional and odd, but examining his life and legacy as a series of partnerships with gifted associates does indeed work well. This book is a fascinating political analysis as much as it is an interesting history. David O. Stewart is an engaging raconteur, as well as a first rate historian.
• 
  Trijntje

  It's hard for me to put my finger on why I liked this book so much: it must just be that Stewart is a good narrator.
  
  I confess to mostly reading this book at this time because my son just graduated from the university in VA that bears President Madison's name: James Madison University. When being honest with myself I realized that I knew precious little about Madison: having been raised on the west coast, I had no anchor at that time as to the places and distances involved in the founding of the country, so some stuff just didn't stick. Having lived in Northern Virginia now for many years, I found myself curious. I have many times driven past Montpelier, but unlike Monticello or Mt Vernon (very close to where I live), I have never gone in. I think I will make an effort to change that now.
  
  It would have been easy for the layout of this book to be confusing: the 5 parts overlap and replay portions of Madison's life, but always with an eye to the "partnership" of the chapter. Somehow Stewart kept it from being redundant; rather, it was up to the reader to recall precious chapters and put together how things fit if that was an interesting thing to do. But it would have been easy to just ignore that and follow each partnership as presented.
  
  The book did follow an overall lifetime, though, and in the end I was sad to say goodbye to Mr. Madison. Dolly was a saint.
  
  This is not the first place in the last 10 years I've seen reference to how tortured these men seemed to be (or at least portrayed themselves to be) by their belief in the wrongness or slavery, yet somehow they couldn't do "anything" to rid themselves of it. Really? Nothing? Not even a gesture?Stewart does a fairly good job of pointing out this hypocrisy, yet cuts some slack by acknowledging that the entire system in the south (so yes, in Virginia) essentially required slaves. Or at least, the assumption was that it did. While Madison didn't die in quite as bad of debt as Jefferson, it seems to me that many of the time didn't exactly fair very well even with slavery, but their fear of the certainty of failure without it rendered them incapable of doing what they knew was right. I want to blame them for not finding a way, any way, to at least try to act on their words of the injustice of the practice, but it seems precious few of them could. This book spends quite a bit of time struggling with the question "why not?"
  
  I read this book slowly, but every time I picked it up I could easily get back to the time period I had left, and somehow it provided a tiny bit of encouragement that politics has always been nasty, it has always seemed like the sky was about to fall for the US, and in many ways it has, multiple times. My hope is that we aren't in another of those times now.
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  Pvt. Ambrose

  Madison, likely the most astute student of government among the founding generation, was unique in that he was the "behind the scene" man. Washington, Adams, Hamilton, Franklin, and Jefferson are the names more commonly memorized as immortal figureheads because they hadn't inherited this type of interpersonal, discreet complex; everything the prominent actors possessed that made them so conspicuous--loud voices, towering statures, short tempers, flaming attitudes, stunning good looks, scandalous effusions, etc. etc.--Madison noticeably lacked. As Michael Signer articulated in his book, "Becoming Madison," published coincidentally at around the same time as "Madison's Gift," (I'd like to know where this sudden surge of attention to Madison came from) it is for this reason that the Father of the Constitution is illuminated not by his own grandeur (or lack thereof) but by contrast. His nearest peers, those with whom he founded a nation and those of whom are listed as his collaborators on the book's cover, executed their ideals on capitalization of their bombastic attributes. Uniquely bereft of such characteristics, as somebody who had not the stature of Washington, nor the passion of Adams, nor the flippancy of Hamilton, nor the indiscreet extremism of Jefferson, nor the famous wit of Franklin and so on and so forth, Madison found that his own work ethic functioned when he inverted that of the louder actors--in other words, Madison thrived on a plane of obscure secrecy, where he could play his talent off of those of others to accomplish his tasks. (Incidentally, this cunning has often been confused with subservience, and this is tragic). Unlike his cofounders, he had mastered this stratagem because, for him, it was a necessity.
  
  O'Stewart seeks to examine this collaborative Madisonian style, which inherently is more elusive than other less discreet forms of execution. The book, resting on this basis and on the thesis that Madison's "gift" was his distinct ability to function by foiling off of other people who all, in some way shape or form, possessed the flamboyant qualities that he lacked, is not the most comprehensive narration on Madison's life. This is not necessarily, however, a take-away, because regardless of its natural brevity, it's still highly informative and at least respectably analytic. Among my favorite aspects of the book was O'Stewart's speculative commentary on Madison's mysterious flip from the Hamiltonian camp to the Jeffersonian states-rights arena; he offers graciously that it had little to do with Jefferson's influence and that Madison's flip was the product of a free-thinking differentiation of constitutional interpretation. However, while his analysis was easy to understand, it was disappointingly void of much commentary on the ideology of public opinion (one of the main schisms that existed between Hamilton and Madison) and stated with a tone of objectivity that derived from the idea that Madison was above partisanship and that the issue wasn't monochromatically between strong-government and states rights (Madison, unlike Hamilton and Jefferson, never attached himself inwardly to either ideal--he sought the comfortable medium). That doesn't mean that the insight was absent, however; O'Stewart went on the defensive toward accusations of hypocrisy on Madison's part, offering (for the first time that I've seen) that Madison never abandoned his recognition of need for energetic governance; but that his shortcoming was not his whiffliness, but his failure to foresee the extent to which Hamilton was taking the elasticity of the Constitution. (In accordance with Madison's confused insistence that Hamilton had abandoned him instead of the other way around).
  
  As a side note, I thought it odd that O'Stewart overtly stated that the eventual rivalry between Madison and Hamilton never "descended into bitterness." Madison seemed elusively indifferent to the metamorphosis (his own explanations regarding it are noticeably vague), but Hamilton wrote coldly to Washington that Madison had shamelessly and expressly betrayed them and that the entire time he was pretending to be somebody he was not for personal gain; he was a weasel. Of course, like most Hamiltonian rhetoric, this is shortsightedly exaggerated (in 1801, Hamilton would rescind his hyperbolic remarks and admit that Madison's switch was not due to artificiality but to differences in principle that had always existed between the two), but certainly seems to indicate a considerable measure of bitterness...and that's barring the twenty-paged raging butthurt sent to his friend Carrington (I think?) all about his disdain toward the Jefferson-Madison revelation.
  
  
  Altogether, this mostly omniscient observance, lacking in deep consequence or ground-breaking suggestions, ran throughout the entire book. O'Stewart rarely let too much of his own arbitrary sentiments leak into the text. The resultant lack of intolerable partiality or unproved statements can be appreciated, but it makes the novel a second choice to those readers who are looking for transcendent ideology.
  
  The definition of Madison's "gift," the very titular thesis to the entire read, seemed surprisingly weak to me; the foundation of the narrative was Madison's teamwork with the other important figureheads of his day and his supposedly unfounded ability to function intellectually in this sort of environment...the importance of this ability and his unique conformity to it wasn't really reiterated or stressed at all until the last two or three pages. It seems as though the author was trying to balance providing background knowledge and detailing Madison's political life while at the same time emphasizing the relationships he shared with each of his cofounders and the latter contingency somehow managed to get the short end of the stick. There's a lot of overlapping and I even found that there were details surprisingly omitted (particularly with Monroe, who I thought was a lost opportunity here; Madison's relationship with him ran congruently with Jefferson's famous relationship with Adams, and yet the political rivalry between Madison and Monroe, sometimes orchestrated by Patrick Henry, was downplayed. Plus, amazingly, there was no mention that Monroe had spoken of Madison on his death bed, expressing regret that they had been separated.)
  
  It gets four out of five stars because it's difficult for me to depreciate any book about somebody who I find is so underrated. I think that "Madison's Gift" is admirably informative, greatly comprehensible, and has an interesting premise. However, I feel as though it suffers from muddled chronology and strangely omitted details.
  
  Finale: Undoubtedly the most important thing that I learned from this book was that Dolley Madison used to carry her husband on her back.
• 
  Larry Bassett

  This audible book has a little bit more information about the personal side of these well known historic political figures. It goes through some of the changing personal relationships that they had with each other. Madison is treated more favorably in this book than I have seen him treated elsewhere. He was the last man alive from the 1787 constitutional gathering. He kept some of the only notes that have survived from that event. They remained confidential until his death As the last man standing.
  
  I have been slightly overwhelmed with books about the early presidents and I would not mind if this was the last one for a while. Different authors have different slants on the individuals and their relationships with each other. It is most probable that their relationships varied over the years with changing issues and the political climate. But it is interesting to see federalism play such an important role through Hamilton and his supporters and then to gradually disappear. This book covers that change relatively well. The book does cover of the political events but it does manage to focus more directly on the people.
  
  At the end of this book there is some discussion about how the issue of slavery played a role in the lives of the early presidents. All of the characters in this book were slave owners. It was interesting to read That the Madison’s had all their valuables and even their food under lock and key to prevent theft by the dozen slaves who worked in the house. The book suggests that a dominant belief at that time was that if slaves were going to be freed they would have to be sent back to Africa or to another part of the United States.
• 
  Brent Ecenbarger

  James Madison was included among the founding fathers when I was taught about American history, but I seem to recall him as more of a distant fourth in terms of stature. Reading his biography, I came away with two impressions. First, he seemed to be America's first politician that became President. Madison would frequently flip flop on his views, depending on who he was allied with or what he was trying to accomplish at the moment. He was also ambitious to raise in political offices (although campaigning in that era was still nothing like it is today). More surprisingly, Madison's accomplishments and impact on America seemed to dwarf that of Adams and Jefferson (at least in terms of post American revolution). Certainly his role in drafting, ratifying, and amending the United States Constitution was more time consuming and far reaching than Jefferson's Declaration of Independence (consider the ever changing breadth of the Constitution in jurisprudence). As the President during the War of 1812, Madison immediately preceded the boom in American population and economics. Because I enjoy rating things, I'll return to my categories of Presidents and see how he did overall.
  
  Born into - More than any of the other founding fathers, Madison had an easy path to politics. the eldest son of one of the richest families in the most powerful state, Madison was able to reach political office and keep it while not having much to really offer besides his scholarship. However, he was much more in the Adams/Jefferson mold in that his physical attributes and presence did not inspire on their own as they did with Washington. 2 out of 5.
  
  Pre-president - All of Madison's notable accomplishments occurred in the political arena, but as mentioned above, he had an enormous impact on the country. Along with Alexander Hamilton, Madison was the most prolific of writers for the Federalist Papers, and his efforts on drafting the Constitution, followed by the Bill of Rights were a primary factor in its ratification in all of the states. Madison continued to wield enormous power through the first three Presidents by being the voice of the Republican party (this included being a major thorn in the side of Washington and Adams). 4.5 out of 5.
  
  Presidential career - Madison made the same mistakes that Washington, Adams and (probably) so many other presidents did in picking people for his cabinet that would routinely mess up or not follow his directions. This extender to ambassadors signing treaties which specifically ignored his instructions (though this is more forgivable as the country had so little bargaining power at the time). The War of 1812 is certainly the most notable event of his presidency, with the declaration of it (with no real immediate cause) and it's outcome (return to the status quo before the war) obscuring the effect it had on history. With Jefferson as president, the country had returned to a weak national government that could never stand up or survive a war with a foreign power. Madison's actions directly led to the establishment of a more powerful navy and resting army (which definitely contradicted so many of his writings and politics). Additional funding through tariffs and taxes and the second Bank of America further contradicted those politics, but it also shepherded in a prosperous era for the country and continued the dominance of the Republican party of the era. 4.5 out of 5.
  
  Vice President - George Clinton was noted on two occasions in my book, those being the instance when he broke a tie in the senate by voting against Madison's policy, and again when he died in office. Elbridge Gerry was likewise mentioned twice; once for replacing Clinton, and again for also dying in office. 1 out of 5
  
  First Lady - Finally a first lady that contributed in noticeable ways. Besides the iconic event of fleeing from the White House and saving a portrait of Washington (which amazingly, is probably the most memorable event of the War of 1812), Dolly was a real asset in the White House. For many, she was much more popular than the President, and served as a medium for messages both openly and confidentially as needed. Even after James's death she returned to Washington and knew twelve of the presidents personally. 4.5 out of 5.
  
  Post presidency - Madison followed Jefferson's lead in retirement by serving as Rector of the same university and by writing letters and occasional opinions on political topics. Interestingly, he was the last surviving attendee of the Constitutional Convention and outlived several presidents that came after him. Once again, George Washington was the only founding father to actually free his slaves after he died (except for some of Martha's) even though the rest of the presidents talked about it. 2 out of 5.
  
  Book overall - This was my second favorite so far after Zernow's Washington book. The format was a bit restrictive, feeling like a thesis statement that had to be forced in or proven several times over, but it also added to the understanding of Madison as a politician. Of his partnerships, Hamilton became one of his greatest rivals, Madison became Washington's toughest critic, and Monroe was often present just for the popularity he brought to his position, despite having ran against Madison for office before. The book could have used some more detail in a few sections (Madison's selection of Generals in particular) but overall I came away with a good understanding of the fourth president. Most importantly, the book spent appropriate length of time pointing out the praiseworthy accomplishments as well as the hypocrisy or poor decisions that deserved it. Interestingly, this book took the opposite stance of Jefferson's scandal of illegitimate children with Sally Hemmings than the Jefferson biography did (talking about it as though it was 100% accepted fact and was even known at the time), but this being a Madison biography I'll give it the appropriate weight.
• 
  Caroline

  I kept thinking I wasn't going to keep going with this because I've read several books about Madison, but I ended up enjoying the view of his life as seen through his relationships with five people. This approach was kinder to Madison in that it tried to account for the waning and changing of his friendships with Hamilton and Washington. He was a more practical thinker than Jefferson, and a little more honest in his thinking about slavery (although he still couldn't see a way out of it because he saw things from the owner's point of view). I didn't know much about Monroe before so there was new information there. I did not get the feeling Stewart had a political axe to grind, although his complimentary mention of Lynne Cheney's Madison biography made me raise my eyebrows. When all is said and done, we were lucky to have had Madison.
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  Jonnie

  Madison played such a critical role in establishing the foundation of our republic that I wanted to read more about him. Having read several books by Joseph Ellis on the country's founders, I found this book to be presented differently. This book focused on the flux in the relationships between Madison and other key players at the start of our country. As one partnership started to wane, another strong partnership began to develop. Some relationships changed over the course of his lifetime, but it is clear that he was an important influence in the lives of many of our founders and instrumental in constructing our republic. I was a little disappointed in the section on Dolly. It lacked the complexity of the other 4 partnerships, but maybe that is because there are fewer documents and information available on her.
• 
  Beth

  Meet my new favorite Founding Father! The five partnerships referred to in the title are with Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and of course, Dolley Madison. Her joie de vivre balanced his calm, sickly demeanor and the other four? Madison matched their brilliance and with wit with a mind that constantly questioned any idea that challenged his vision of our country as written in the Constitution. He was not a literalist - he knew the Constitution was broad enough for change brought about by time and growth and even during his dying weeks he was looking for a solution to the question of slavery that he prophesied would lead to civil war.
  Mr. Stewart's writing style is as conversational as possible given that he is a scholar and historian. Take your time as he unveils the deep friendships upon which our country was built.