The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation's Call to Greatness

By Harlow Giles Unger

Book Overview

From the New York Times bestselling author, the larger than life story of America's fifth president, who transformed a small, fragile nation into a powerful empire

In this compelling biography, award-winning author Harlow Giles Unger reveals the epic story of James Monroe (1758-1831)-the last of America's Founding Fathers-who transformed a small, fragile nation beset by enemies into a powerful empire stretching from sea to shining sea. Like David McCullough's John Adams and Jon Meacham's American Lion, The Last Founding Father is both a superb read and stellar scholarship-action-filled history in the grand tradition.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0057DBD10
• ISBN13: 9780306819186
• Release Date: September 2010
• Publisher: Da Capo
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.9" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Last but not least

Our founding fathers were extraordinary men and Monroe is no exception. His dedication to our fledgling country and the sacrifices he made to ensure we prospered are nothing short of astounding. Monroe was a true revolutionary hero in every sense of the word.

A tribute to a mostly forgotten president

James Monroe was the last president to actively participate in the Revolutionary War and one of the first to preside over an expanding America that made his friend Thomas Jefferson's dream of an "Empire of Liberty" come true. He lived in exciting times, besides fighting on the Patriot side he saw firsthand another revolution, the French, going in a wrong direction, leading through ever-increasing bloodshed and terror to a new dictatorship, not a new birth of freedom. He served his home state (pardon, his Commonwealth) of Virginia and his country in several functions, not the least of which was becoming one of the few dynamic and competent leaders the nation had in the disastrous War of 1812. He was President during a time that has been rightfully called "The Era of Good Feeling" - which other Chief Executive can boast of that ? Besides, he was a happily married man whose life was free of any scandals. To sum it up, Unger's book might be full of praise, even of adulation. But it is heaped upon a character who deserves it - and with it, even almost two centuries later, the gratitude of his fellow Americans. It is a wonderful book, particularly for cozy, long winter evenings.