The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation's Call to Greatness Review
The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation's Call to Greatness. Author: Harlow G. Unger. 400 pages. 2009
Nicholle brought this book home from the library with the intent to read it herself. I picked it up off the stack and proceeded to read it. I had little interest in James Monroe until I visited and toured his estate Ash Lawn-Highland in Charlottesville, VA a few years ago. My interest was piqued less by his presidency than by his house and lifestyle.
This book fills in some of the gaps. My previous knowledge had been limited to: The Monroe Doctrine, His estate, and his actions at the Crossing of the Delaware and his actions and grievous wounding at the subsequent attack on Trenton by the Continental Army. Beyond that I knew little or nothing.
The book is a breezy, easy, quick read which surprised me considering the subject and the era. Monroe in philosophy and style stands in the middle of two great titans of the era, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Monroe like many of the founding generation remained in awe of Washington his entire life. Yet, he was a protégé of Jefferson and a very close friend. Monroe seemed politically more inclined in form to follow the examples of Washington then the Republican virtues of Jefferson.
The book offers great insight into the interpersonal relations and passions of the founding era. The free and easy exchange of assistance between these men was a revelation. Not just letters of introduction, advice, patronage etc but real money. Often friendships and support crossed political disputes. Politics was a passionate vocation, in many ways more so than today.
This book does pay homage to Monroe, his fellows, his life, and his legacy. The author has an affinity for Monroe and seeks to present his life and legacy in a positive manner. But the presentation is not hagiography, the author is critical especially near the end of Monroe's presidency. Too often modern writers adopt the jaded pundits habit of being hyper-critical at all stages. Monroe was an accomplished man who was deeply and widely involved in the founding of our nation. His accomplishments even when not as the main actor seem almost mythical when we look at current politicians. No other President of the US, except for possibly George H. W. Bush, had as long and as varied of a government career. Some times the depth and breadth of Monroe's accomplishments seem unreal in the modern context and critics using modernity as the mirror seek to find others.
Monroe's accomplishments and influence deserve more study and acknowledgement. He was the last of the founding fathers to be President, and he was the first true foreign policy President. This book is a good introduction to both the man and his presidency.
The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation's Call to Greatness Overview
Decorated by George Washington for his exploits as a soldier, Monroe became a congressman, a senator, U.S. minister to France and Britain, governor of Virginia, secretary of state, secretary of war, and finally America’s fifth president. The country embraced Monroe’s dreams of empire and elected him to two terms, the second time unanimously. Mentored by each of America’s first four presidents, Monroe was unquestionably the best prepared president in our history.
Like David McCullough’s John Adams and Jon Meacham’s recent book on Andrew Jackson, this new biography of Monroe is both a solid read and stellar scholarship—history in the grand tradition.
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