James Monroe: The Quest for National Identity

Rating:
Summary: Good book, could've been better
Review: This is without a doubt THE definitive biography of James Monroe, but, unfortunately, it was not written with the same aplomb as McCullough's John Adams or Joseph Ellis' book on Thomas Jefferson (American Sphinx). I agree with some of the other reviewers who said the book is long on detail, but short on analysis. Still, I am glad I read it and feel that I learned a lot about Monroe. I just wouldn't classify it as a great biography. Just the best one available about James Monroe.

Rating:
Summary: Monroe overload
Review: Though published over thirty years ago, it is easy to see at a glance why Ammon has never been bettered. This is an exhaustive examination of the political life of our fifth president -- and an exhausting one. Ammon goes through Monroe's life with a thoroughness that makes this a book an excellent source of information about Monroe, but at the price of making it an excruciatingly dull read at times. If you want to know EVERYTHING there is to know about Monroe's political career or about diplomacy in the Federalist Era, then this is your book; otherwise, I would recommend Noble Cunningham's "Presidency of James Monroe" or possibly the volume on Monroe in "The American Presidents" series when it is published.