James Monroe

March 15, 2020
The life of "the last Founding Father to hold the presidency." In this deliberative take on Monroe (1758-1831), McGrath, a two-time winner of the Commodore John Barry Book Award, mines the Revolutionary and post-1812 eras, concentrating on Monroe's two-term presidency. A mentee of Thomas Jefferson and Revolutionary War hero in his home state of Virginia, Monroe served as a delegate on the Continental Congress and notably voted against the ratification of the Constitution. He was partly embroiled in the revelation of Alexander Hamilton's being blackmailed for his affair with Maria Reynolds--did Monroe reveal it to Jefferson? The bad blood would nearly cause them to fight a duel a few years later. As the author shows, Monroe certainly helped stoke the political animosity between Jefferson's supporters and Hamilton's Federalists. Serving as George Washington's ambassador to France when the mood in Paris was still dangerously revolutionary, Monroe was recalled due to his handling of the Jay Treaty, and his veneration of Washington was deeply shaken. McGrath follows Monroe from his time as governor of Virginia to his role as Jefferson's envoy in negotiating the Louisiana Purchase. Later, he served as James Madison's secretary of state and secretary of war, at the same time, while war with Britain raged. As president, he was able to defuse political tensions between the parties, and the Federalists were neutralized. Under his tenure, "he sought an Indian policy that would please both white and Native Americans, and came up woefully short," and he freed only one of his more than 200 slaves. McGrath, whose wide-ranging research is evident from the extensive list of primary sources, considers Monroe's legacy as "put[ting] his country on the world stage, for better and worse, for all time." It's a sturdy, straightforward text that will appeal to fans of presidential biographies, if not general readers. A proficient, readable life, though McGrath does not convincingly explain why a new biography on Monroe is necessary now.

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April 6, 2020
In this dense, painstaking biography, historian McGrath (Give Me a Fast Ship) credits James Monroe (1758–1831) with “creat the presidency as Americans have come to know it.” Wounded in the Battle of Trenton during the Revolutionary War, Monroe returned to Virginia, where he studied law under Thomas Jefferson. Though “bitterly disappointed” not to have been selected as a delegate to the 1787 Constitutional Convention, he played a decisive role in Virginia’s ratifying convention as a voice of compromise. He went on to serve as ambassador to France, governor of Virginia, negotiator of the Louisiana Purchase, and secretary of state and secretary of war—simultaneously—during the War of 1812. After entering the White House in 1816, Madison became the first president to tour the country, earning praise from journalists for inaugurating the “Era of Good Feelings.” In an 1823 address to congress, he issued what would later become known as the “Monroe Doctrine”—a foreign policy marked by opposition to European colonization of the Western Hemisphere and neutrality in European conflicts. McGrath makes a convincing case for Monroe’s pivotal role in American history, but occasionally grinds the narrative to a halt with accounts of endless partisan debates, political bickering, and diplomatic maneuvers. This exhaustive deep-dive corrects the record on one of America’s most overlooked founding fathers.

Starred review from May 1, 2020

Most readers likely know that James Monroe was the fifth U.S. president (and the creator of the Monroe Doctrine), but they may not be as familiar with the turbulent economic, diplomatic, and political events that shaped U.S. history before, during, and long after his presidency. Award-winning author McGrath (John Barry) ably outlines the complex and dramatic issues surrounding Monroe's (1758-1831) life-long public service as a soldier, diplomat, Founding Father, state legislator, governor, senator, cabinet officer, and president. The author highlights Monroe's evolution as a shrewd statesman who, mentored by Thomas Jefferson and advised by James Madison, attempted to emulate George Washington's gentlemanly demeanor and rise above partisan politics, despite being stymied by bitter political, diplomatic, and personal intrigue. As a diplomat and president, Monroe tactfully negotiated to expand and define U.S. borders while avoiding hostilities with European powers and maintaining U.S. strength and sovereignty. McGrath doesn't shy away from Monroe's history as a slaveholder, nor his preferences to send freed slaves to Liberia, and Native Americans to the West. VERDICT An excellent, exhaustively researched, thoughtful biography with appeal to armchair historians and academics alike.--Margaret Kappanadze, Elmira Coll. Lib., NY

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