Reviews
"This is a welcome and long-overdue portrait of an essential American. Soldier, diplomat, and president, James Monroe was a vital figure in the early Republic, and Tim McGrath has given us a first-rate account of a remarkable life." --Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power and American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House "As Tim McGrath deftly demonstrates in this nimbly written and meticulously researched biography, there is much more to James Monroe than the famous doctrine that bears his name. This is the captivating story of a president who, after gaining his political reputation amid the partisan battles of the early republic, did his best to bring a nation together. That Monroe was only partially successful makes his presidency all the more relevant to our own contentious times. Highly recommended." --Nathaniel Philbrick, New York Times bestselling author of Mayflower and In the Heart of the Sea "Tim McGrath's James Monroe fills out a luminous portrait of the most underappreciated of our Founders. In this comprehensive new biography, McGrath colorfully portrays the man whose ambition transformed the shape and character of our nation. Monroe will be underappreciated no more." --Joel Richard Paul, author of Without Precedent: Chief Justice John Marshall and His Times "James Monroe has long stood in the historical shadow of Washington, Jefferson, and Jackson. In this full and fascinating new life, Tim McGrath gives Monroe his due, demonstrating how Monroe's talents and energy helped guide America from the aristocratic age of Washington to the democratic age of Jackson." -- H. W. Brands, New York Times bestselling author of The Man Who Saved the Union and Heirs of the Founders "That a president like James Monroe, who was the fiercest of partisans, could become a bridge-builder gives us hope in this era of fierce partisanship. Tim McGrath has given us a story for today." --Larry Tye, New York Times bestselling author of Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon "Excellent." -- Library Journal (starred review), "This is a welcome and long-overdue portrait of an essential American. Soldier, diplomat, and president, James Monroe was a vital figure in the early Republic, and Tim McGrath has given us a first-rate account of a remarkable life." --Jon Meacham, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power and American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House "As Tim McGrath deftly demonstrates in this nimbly written and meticulously researched biography, there is much more to James Monroe than the famous doctrine that bears his name. This is the captivating story of a president who after gaining his political reputation amid the partisan battles of the early republic, did his best to bring a nation together. That Monroe was only partially successful makes his presidency all the more relevant to our own contentious times. Highly recommended." --Nathaniel Philbrick, New York Times bestselling author of Mayflower and In the Heart of the Sea "Tim McGrath's James Monroe fills out a luminous portrait of the most underappreciated of our Founders. In this comprehensive new biography, McGrath colorfully portrays the man whose ambition transformed the shape and character of our nation. Monroe will be underappreciated no more." --Joel Richard Paul, author of Without Precedent: Chief Justice John Marshall and His Times "James Monroe has long stood in the historical shadow of Washington, Jefferson and Jackson. In this full and fascinating new life, Tim McGrath gives Monroe his due, demonstrating how Monroe's talents and energy helped guide America from the aristocratic age of Washington to the democratic age of Jackson."-- H. W. Brands, New York Times bestselling author of The Man Who Saved the Union and Heirs of the Founders "That a president like James Monroe who was the fiercest of partisans could become a bridge-builder gives us hope in this era of fierce partisanship. Tim McGrath has given us a story for today." --Larry Tye, New York Times bestselling author of Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon, PRAISE FOR THE WORK OF TIM McGRATH Give Me a Fast Ship "[McGrath's] descriptions are vivid, his commanders three-dimensional, and he evinces a genuine love of the world of white sails and black powder."-- The Wall Street Journal "McGrath has a seafarer's grasp of tactics and is a good storyteller, particularly as he weaves together the character of ships and the personalities of their captains. But it is in descriptions of the running battles at sea that he really shines.... McGrath keeps us transfixed."-- The Washington Post "Solidly researched history presented with verve and gusto."-- Kirkus , starred review "Fascinating and sprawling... McGrath never loses sight of the human dimension of his subject. He has mined archival sources largely neglected in previous histories, and the result is an exhaustively researched and fluently rendered account of the first incarnation of the American Navy."--Ian W. Toll, New York Times bestselling author of Six Frigates: The Epic History of the Founding of the U.S. Navy John Barry "That such a work is long overdue makes its achievement all the more pleasurable."-- The Wall Street Journal "Combining sophisticated use of sources with a pleasing writing style, McGrath masterfully rescues a father of the U.S. Navy from unmerited eclipse."-- Publishers Weekly "A great read and an absorbing account of a drama-filled life."-- Naval History "A fresh look at a man worth remembering, and a great summer read."-- The Philadelphia Inquirer
