I debated reading this book. After all, the author is the wife of Dick Cheney. The book does not list Cheney's credentials for writing this book. Since this biography seems to have received pretty good reviews, I read it as a brief overview of the life of James Madison.
It's a pretty good book, dry with few conclusions, but acceptable.
The author speculates continually on Madison's health. Was he an epileptic? There is evidence to indicate that he was. In any event, he had health issues all of his life even though he lived into his 80's.
Cheney plays up Madison's struggles against organized religion. His exposure to the Scottish enlightenment certainly had its effects.
She plays up Madison and Jefferson forming the original Republican Party but she falls short of giving proper credit to the Federalists, who deserve the credit for getting the country off to a strong start.
She makes reference to the "Revolution of 1800" when Jefferson was elected on the 36th ballots in the House of Representatives. I still do not understand this change of power from the Federalists to the Jefferson/Madison and their so-called Republicans.
Madison lived a life of personal profligacy like Jefferson. He never freed his slaves. Dolley had financial problems the rest of her life also.
James Madison is eternally interesting to me.
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