Overview

A revealing new portrait of James and Dolley Madison, America's first political power couple. n this comprehensive biography of James and Dolley Madison, historian Bruce Chadwick introduces the reader to """"America's first power couple."""" Using newly uncovered troves of letters at the University of Virginia, Chadwick has been able to reconstruct the details of the Madisons' personal and political lives. Based on this archive, the author argues that our fourth president--the architect of the Constitution--owed much of his success to the political savvy of his wife. And Dolley, through her many social skills, created the dynamic role of First Lady that we know today. Within the new historical papers are remarkable stories of Dolley's parties and her backdoor politicking. Their letters show Madison not as a boring, average president--as some historians have maintained--but as a vibrant, tough leader, a very successful commander in chief who changed America. These documents also help to paint a searing portrait of the Madisons' struggles with their irresponsible son and outline how their lifelong funding of his whims brought about their own demise. Blending the per

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9781616148355

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The liveliest account we have of the shared life of James and Dolley Madison, the nation's first 'power couple.' Chadwick's sharp eye for the telling detail, and the emotions that might go along with the tumultuous events they lived through, provide an intimate and exciting joint biography. Beginning with Dolley's heroic rescue of George Washington's portrait from the British troops intent on burning the White House during the War of 1812, and covering everything from the political battles of the 1790s to the nullification crisis of the 1830s, this book is a highly readable account of the public life of the early republic. --Ralph Ketcham, Maxwell Professor Emeritus of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University

Praise for Bruce Chadwick's Triumvirate: <br> <br> Chadwick tells an exciting story... His analysis will provoke further debate about this momentous period in American history. <br> --Dr. Paul Clemens, Chairman of the Rutgers University Department of History <br><br> A fascinating tale, well told. <br> --Terry Golway, author of Washington's General and Ronald Reagan's America

Author Information

Bruce Chadwick (Jersey City, NJ) is the author of twenty-eight books, most recently Lincoln for President(Sourcebooks, 2010) and I Am Murdered (New York- John Wiley & Sons, 2008). He is professor of history and journalism at New Jersey City University and a part-time lecturer in American Studies at Rutgers University.

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