Carpe Librum

The Great Little Madison is a wonderful summary of an exciting period in American history. Beginning shortly before the Revolution and ending after the War of 1812, the reader learns that the country has been divided down party lines literally since it's inception. Though the founding fathers did not intend for it to be this way, there has always been political fighting, badmouthing, and lack of unity in the United States. Madison is one of the people who stood up for unity and freedom - even his rivals' freedom to insult him. There are plenty of little interesting facts given in this book to hold the interest of the age group it is written for, but it is still an worthwhile quick read for the history buff, as well. I did not like the way the author presented Jay's Treaty under Washington with a very negative tone. I have read other books which have praised Washington for making this unpopular treaty because the US was not prepared for another war with England at this point. Of course, we are reading about Madison's point of view, but I felt the author could have presented historical facts in a more unbiased fashion. Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about this time period or the "father of the Constitution."