James Madison

James Madison is a full-length biography of the man often called the Father of the Constitution, written by Lynne Cheney. It follows the fourth president of the United States from his early years through a public career that did as much as anyone's to give the young nation its shape.

Madison was a reserved man, but his mind drove the creation of the Constitution. His political philosophy, set out in the Federalist Papers, helped win ratification of the document, and his skill at practical politics helped the new government get moving once it was approved. The book traces how an intellectual who preferred to work quietly became one of the most effective figures of the founding generation.

Cheney also covers his years in office. As Thomas Jefferson's secretary of state, Madison oversaw the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the size of the country. As president, he led the United States into the War of 1812, its first war under the Constitution. With no precedent to rely on, he had to show that a republic could defend its honor and independence without abandoning the principles of its founding charter.