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James Madison: A Life Reconsidered

Lynne Cheney,

Eliza Foss (narrator)

3.98 · Rating details · 2,358 ratings · 287 reviews

A major new biography of the fourth president of the United States by New York Times bestselling author Lynne Cheney

This majestic new biography of James Madison explores the astonishing story of a man of vaunted modesty who audaciously changed the world. Among the Founding Fathers, Madison was a true genius of the early republic.

Outwardly reserved, Madison was the intell ...more

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Audio CD, 19 pages

Published May 6th 2014 by Penguin Audio

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May 17, 2018 Celia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: presidents, audio, 2018-read

James Madison, A Life Reconsidered

Is a biography of our fourth president written by Lynn Cheney.

I continue my quest to read at least one biography or memoir about each of our presidents.

About Madison I have learned (or was reminded) that he
• Suffered from a form of epilepsy
• Contributed to the Federalist Papers
• Wrote the Constitution
• Fell in love with Kitty Floyd, who eventually broke the engagement
• Met and married widow Dolley Payne Todd, who had one son
• Served as Secretary of State under ...more

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Dec 14, 2014 Ron rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: students of American history, biography-philes

Shelves: history, biography

Why write another biography of a historic figure, who every school child knows all about? Because modern scholarship allows the diligent researcher to retrace exchanges by letters, some in cipher, with official records and contemporary media accounts to give a fuller picture of who said and did what to and with whom. This approach is especially fruitful with eighteenth century figures whose correspondence was saved. Through these we learn that the office of Vice President was an accident, the Br Why write another biography of a historic figure, who every school child knows all about? Because modern scholarship allows the diligent researcher to retrace exchanges by letters, some in cipher, with official records and contemporary media accounts to give a fuller picture of who said and did what to and with whom. This approach is especially fruitful with eighteenth century figures whose correspondence was saved. Through these we learn that the office of Vice President was an accident, the British assault of Washington a spur-of-the-moment venture and Monroe was as often Madison’s foe as his ally.

Everyone knows Madison was The Father of the Constitution, but they don’t know the man. This tome corrects that. Often described as small and sickly, Madison was in fact cautious of recurring seizures but robust by any standards. (Once, when a rain-swollen stream blocked his way, he disassembled his carriage and carried it across in pieces, then reassembled it and went on.) He was short, simple of speech in a world of orators, and willing to change his mind in a world of closed-mindedness. He was a scholar who sought historical solutions for contemporary issues.

Politics was partisan, bitter, apocalyptic and (occasionally, in those days of duels) deadly. The media cared as little about truth as now. Often your friends blocked you as much as your enemies.

Madison, like Jefferson, owned slaves even as he troubled over the morality of slavery. Neither man found an workable solution, though Madison supported the American Colonization Society efforts to resettle freed slave in Liberia.

More importantly, Cheney leads us into the inner thoughts of the creative men and women who founded this nation to help us understand what drove them. Modern politicians would do well to consider how Madison’s opinions and actions evolved as the nation faced new challenges.

As one overlays biographies of Franklin, Washington, Henry, Jefferson, Adams and Madison on studies of state and national history, a real feeling develops for these people as people. Their greatness and their foibles recede from epic to human scale. And spotting the off-key note becomes easier. This biography of Madison harmonizes with those others mentioned.

Dolly Madison also benefits from a reconsideration which gives depth to the fashionable airhead too often depicted.

Like that entire generation of Virginia Presidents, the declining economics of slave-based plantation life left Madison impoverished in his old age. (Most recognized the immorality of slavery; none had the courage to end it and free their slaves except George Wythe.) Only Washington seems to have bucked the trend by diversifying his crops and industries.

The author is wife of the former Vice President. She acknowledges her ringside seat to Washington politics added her both motivation and access to complete this work. Her prose is clear and enjoyable. The political bias one might expect is noticeably absent.

An enjoyable read. ...more

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Sep 24, 2014 Grumpus rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, biography, history-us-revolution

Well researched but it felt (actually sounded as I listened to this as an audiobook) more like a newspaper story. Lots of reporting of the facts but it failed to weave a story that brings the reader in along the lines of a good Ron Chernow or David McCullough biography. ...more

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Jul 22, 2019 Steve rated it liked it · review of another edition

https://bestpresidentialbios.com/2019...

Lynne Cheney’s “James Madison: A Life Reconsidered” was published in 2014, about a year after I read four biographies of the fourth president in my quest to uncover the best biography of Madison. Cheney is the author of more than a dozen books, including several written for children such as “We the People: The Story of our Constitution” and “America: A Patriotic Primer.” Lynne Cheney is the wife of the 46th vice president of the United States.

This 458-page https://bestpresidentialbios.com/2019...

Lynne Cheney’s “James Madison: A Life Reconsidered” was published in 2014, about a year after I read four biographies of the fourth president in my quest to uncover the best biography of Madison. Cheney is the author of more than a dozen books, including several written for children such as “We the People: The Story of our Constitution” and “America: A Patriotic Primer.” Lynne Cheney is the wife of the 46th vice president of the United States.

This 458-page biography of Madison is comprehensive, chronologically-organized and frequently full of insight relating to the early years of the “great American experiment.” It begins with an excellent 10-page prologue which promises a gripping, colorful, and penetrating narrative of one of our most important Founding Fathers. Unfortunately, the ensuing eighteen chapters – judged as a biography – are largely disappointing.

To its credit, this biography tackles Madison’s life from perspectives not found in most other biographies – his curious and recurrent health issues, for instance, are quite closely examined and considered. Cheney also occasionally demonstrates an eye for detail that other biographers miss or under-emphasize. Finally, much of her narrative relating to the War of 1812 (during Madison’s presidency) is excellent.

For the most part, however, this biography is inferior to other books covering Madison’s life. Rarely does she provide a roadmap – or guidance of nearly any sort – relating to where the narrative (or Madison himself) is heading. Important characters who are likely to be unfamiliar to readers (such as Philip Freneau) are rarely given more than a one sentence introduction. And surprisingly little is revealed of his most important relationships – including those with his wife, his derelict step-son and even distinguished figures such as Thomas Jefferson.

Any great chronicle of James Madison’s life will inevitably include a compelling review of his role drafting the U.S. Constitution. But Cheney’s summary falls short of the accounts offered by many other biographers, and her story of the Constitutional Convention – while occasionally interesting – reads more like a historian’s precis of events than a biographical sketch told from her subject’s unique point of view.

More fundamentally, Cheney fails to capture much of Madison’s intellectual curiosity and astonishing political genius. But numerous other shortcoming are also evident such as the fact that his childhood elapses far too quickly (and with too little depth), the fact his precarious financial situation only becomes evident in the final chapters, and the fact that the reader never feels part of Madison’s “world” or sees events from his perspective. Finally, the entire book exudes a strange sense of anti-climax, with no sense of suspense or drama. Instead it is a mostly “matter of fact” re-telling of events from a historian’s remote and too-often lifeless perspective.

Overall, Lynne Cheney’s biography of James Madison is far less a biography of Madison than a chronicle of the early American Republic he helped shape. Readers familiar with the era will find that her research fills in some blanks…but may tend to confound, confuse or frustrate others. “James Madison: A Life Reconsidered” is a far better “history” than “biography”…and far from ideal for readers seeking an introduction to the inimitable James Madison.

Overall rating: 3¼ stars ...more

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Apr 06, 2014 Tex Reader rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: yy-fr-rvw-grp-auth, history-bio-nonfic, a-own-pb-or-aud

3.5 of 5 stars – An Interesting Bio of a Fascinating Man in American History
(I'm excited to have won this as a Goodreads First Read – so thanks!)

I love history and bios, particularly those of the revolutionary era, but I hadn’t yet read one devoted to this intriguing founding father. Cheney does a good job of capturing Madison and enlightening us on the details of his life, accomplishments and times.

I’ve read a number of bios of American revolutionary figures (Washington, J.Adams (my personal fa 3.5 of 5 stars – An Interesting Bio of a Fascinating Man in American History
(I'm excited to have won this as a Goodreads First Read – so thanks!)

I love history and bios, particularly those of the revolutionary era, but I hadn’t yet read one devoted to this intriguing founding father. Cheney does a good job of capturing Madison and enlightening us on the details of his life, accomplishments and times.

I’ve read a number of bios of American revolutionary figures (Washington, J.Adams (my personal fav), Jefferson, Franklin) and latter day prezes (Jackson, Lincoln, both Roosevelts, Truman), as well as some revolutionary histories (my fav: Angels in the Whirlwind). This bio fits right in there as interesting, well-researched and informative.

I appreciated that this book fulfilled one of the reasons I like reading about this period – I got an understanding of how these historical figures fit into the broader social, economic, and political forces, reinforcing and adding to what I already knew about the founding of our country. That also certainly added to the heft of the book, which may make it a bit long for non-history buffs, but it’s fine for those who want to get some good info and background.

Despite the book’s strength of detail, I found it to be a bit more descriptive than explanatory – describing in detail what happened, not as much the how and why of the man. Having a psychology background, I would have liked to have seen more about Madison’s psychological core, development and motivations. This is a little hard to explain, but Cheney talks about Madison’s behavior and characteristics, not as much of where they come from and what drove him. There was indeed some, just not a complete psychological picture. Admittedly, though, digging deep is has been found to be quite the challenge for any number of revolutionary figures who appear to us today as more historical icons than human beings.

All in all, this is an interesting bio of a fascinating man in American history. ...more

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May 17, 2014 John Daly rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Book 19 of 40 for 2016

It's hard to believe that I've never read a stand alone biography of James Madison. Earlier this year I read "The First Congress" which gave a great amount of insight into James Madison's work in making the First Congress work. I picked up Lynne Cheney's James Madison when it came out two years ago.

Cheney does a great job of keeping the book moving and not getting bogged down but giving a lot of great information.

It was interesting to learn that one of the reasons that Madi ...more

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Jun 24, 2016 Larry Bassett rated it liked it · review of another edition

First let me comment on the title of this book: A Life Reconsidered. The author notes that she feels that James Madison has often been slighted in his role as president. She wished to revisit that historic view. I also want to note for what it's worth that the author is the wife of former Vice President Dick Cheney. My own recollections of reading about James Madison in other presidential literature is that James Monroe who was Madisons Secretary of State is sometimes given significant credit fo ...more

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Jun 06, 2014 Mike added it · review of another edition

This is one of the best books I have ever read. Undoubtedly, it is the best non-fiction book I can remember reading in the last 20 years. If all history books were written like this, history would be much more widely known and understood. This reads like a historical fiction novel, but it is the real history of James Madison. The prose and writing have you turning each page as if it was a cliffhanger. I have a fairly good knowledge of American history, particularly the Continental War for Indepe ...more

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May 29, 2014 India M. Clamp rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Exceptionally researched and well written.

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Sep 25, 2020 Bill rated it liked it · review of another edition

This is a serviceable biography of James Madison for those who want something a little more in-depth than a typical selection from one of those mass-market presidential biography series, but not as in-depth as Noah Feldman's far-superior Madison biography that came out a few years later. It's good but not great; well-written but not enthralling; studious but not penetrating.

Unlike other Presidents who distinguished themselves in battle, or in diplomacy, or who followed other pursuits altogether This is a serviceable biography of James Madison for those who want something a little more in-depth than a typical selection from one of those mass-market presidential biography series, but not as in-depth as Noah Feldman's far-superior Madison biography that came out a few years later. It's good but not great; well-written but not enthralling; studious but not penetrating.

Unlike other Presidents who distinguished themselves in battle, or in diplomacy, or who followed other pursuits altogether before entering politics, Madison was a political creature through-and-through, spending virtually his entire life absorbed in politics and government - from the very formation of our government as the driving force behind the Constitution, to the administration of that government as President. He wasn't well-travelled, and didn't pursue many outside interests, so there are no grand adventures to recount in telling his life story. This can make him a difficult biographical subject, because he was a man of ideas more than action.

Dr. Cheney ably describes the action, such as it is. But her book is not as good at delving into Madison's ideas. She describes events, taking us from Point A to B to C, but rarely do we get into Madison's head or really dig into his thoughts, motives and influences. And while her acknowledgements indicate that she did a lot of primary research, her end notes are overflowing with secondary sources - it seems like every time I came upon an interesting anecdote that made me curious where she got it, the end note indicated it was from someone else's book.

Feldman's "The Three Lives of James Madison" may be too long, too scholarly and too much of a heavy lift for some. And Dr. Cheney does devote some more space than Feldman does to Dolley Madison, and she spends a good deal more time discussing Madison's health and probable seizure disorder. So the book has its moments.

But given that Dr. Cheney's goal was to “clear away misconceptions” and “brush off cobwebs that have accumulated" around Madison and his achievements, she only succeeds to an extent. Her book will teach you more, perhaps, than you knew before picking up a biography of one of our slightly-lesser-known Founding Fathers. But in the end, it may leave you wanting more, as though many of those "cobwebs" obscuring Madison's thoughts, achievements and impact remain fully intact.
...more

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Jun 21, 2017 Ann rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Another truly remarkable man in the line-up of America's Founding Fathers ! I came away from this biography with a great respect for James Madison and his contributions to the beginnings of our great country. Our country owes a great deal to the brilliant mind of this man who was, in his twenties, a member of the Virginia legislator, and who saw, early on, the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and became committed to a stronger form of government for the new nation. In his early 30's ...more

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Apr 08, 2017 Cami rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

James Madison has always been one of my favorite presidents. He was humble, calm and an incredible writer. I was always curious about his portrayal as shy and weak. This book really helped me better understand his life and personality. He was an incredible man and this book was well written and engaging.

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Feb 17, 2018 Karen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: presidential-biographies, 2018-chunky-book-challenge

Lynne Cheney's book on James Madison is very well researched and very readable. Some of the information was a repeat for me, since I had read biographies of Washington, Adams and Jefferson prior to this, but I have to admit that I really didn't know much about the War of 1812. ...more

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Apr 18, 2018 Rachel Jorgensen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I’m enjoying reading (or more accurately listening to on audible) about the presidents but it’s beginning to get depressing to see how much fighting and party tactics have been happening since the very first presidents. I guess some things never change.

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Feb 03, 2018 John rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: history, american-history

TL;DR: Though I was nervous about potential political undertones to the work, I was pleasantly surprised by a balanced, well-told account of Madison's life.

I want to immediately say that I approached this book with some trepidation. Lynne Cheney is the wife of Dick Cheney, a man with whom, to put it mildly, I have some political disagreements. I decided to give it a shot because I have been reading through the Founders’ lives lately, and I thought that a more recent biography might be a better TL;DR: Though I was nervous about potential political undertones to the work, I was pleasantly surprised by a balanced, well-told account of Madison's life.

I want to immediately say that I approached this book with some trepidation. Lynne Cheney is the wife of Dick Cheney, a man with whom, to put it mildly, I have some political disagreements. I decided to give it a shot because I have been reading through the Founders’ lives lately, and I thought that a more recent biography might be a better choice than older ones. This review is written largely from this initial apprehension because my guess is that I’m not the only one.

I want to be clear from the start: My fear that this book would backdoor politics into its subject matter was unfounded. Because I was primed to think that this work might be biased, I looked for information that might verify my worry (you have to love confirmation bias, right?). To put it simply, I could not find it. There was one passage that I thought was a bit off of the subject (she mentioned a brief bit about someone being a bit too liberal), but it was so brief that in reviewing the book I cannot even find it. Honest. I tried. The rest of the book was very well written and betrayed no inherent leaning one way or the other. I only want to add a qualifier on this: I am not a Constitutional scholar, nor am I more than a history enthusiast; if there is a bias, it was so subtle (or I am so ignorant) that I simply could not find it. She stuck to her subject and told it in a fairly clear, objective way.

As well, I had heard that the quality of the writing was very poor. This threw me off so much that I actually went to a brick and mortar store to read a bit before purchasing the book. My initial impressions were that the materials were not, as one reviewer put it, sophomoric. The writing was not quite as good as other pop-history writers (McCullough comes to mind), but it was as good as others who are widely read (David Price). Her writing was suited to its subject, meaning that I had no trouble following it. It also struck the right tone between her presentation and the research that she had done; she sprinkled in quotes that illustrated her purpose throughout, and each was chosen for a specific reason—nothing was put into the work in a superfluous manner. This concern about the quality of the work was thus likewise put to rest. After having finished the book, I believe I can honestly say that I feel the negative attacks through this site are based on people who simply do not like Cheney’s husband and who are attacking him through her as proxy. While I thought I might fall into that category, I can confirm that I do not. She is professional in her approach to the content and it shows throughout.

I do have one issue I want to point out. I work with history teachers, so I have at least some idea of the rigors that they expect in their academic works. This is not an academic work (nor does it pretend to be), but it does make at least one rookie mistake that would get a first-year history major excoriated. At one point in the book, Cheney notes that we should not judge history by looking backwards; this comment was presented in the context of a potential relationship between Madison and his early love interest, and Cheney merely opined that had the relationship succeeded, we never would have received Dolley Madison. While I personally don’t have an issue with this type of presentation (she at least calls attention to it and excuses herself for this one slip), I want to note it in fairness for anyone who reads the book and thereafter thinks my review might be too accommodating. She did this only once. I think unless we are terribly strict, this ‘slip’ is understandable.

Regarding the subject matter: Cheney accomplishes her purpose and does so well. Her work is engaging and kept me coming back for more. She treats Madison with respect and brings his life forth in vivid detail by taking the time to make him human. Cheney’s work deserves to be read by anyone who wants a good entry point to Madison’s life.
...more

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Jul 03, 2014 Katherine Wacker rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Lynne Cheney’s James Madison: A Life Reconsidered, a biography of the 4th President of the United States, is a comprehensive look at one of the most important yet unknown of America’s founders. The book begins with highlights from Madison’s childhood, his college days, and his battle with epilepsy. It continues with his views on the War for Independence, the writing of the Constitution, the Presidency, and the War of 1812. This is perhaps the most important recent work done on the man who had th Lynne Cheney’s James Madison: A Life Reconsidered, a biography of the 4th President of the United States, is a comprehensive look at one of the most important yet unknown of America’s founders. The book begins with highlights from Madison’s childhood, his college days, and his battle with epilepsy. It continues with his views on the War for Independence, the writing of the Constitution, the Presidency, and the War of 1812. This is perhaps the most important recent work done on the man who had the greatest influence on the political structure of our Republic.

James Madison is a well-written, well-researched, and scholarly book. Cheney does a masterful job at presenting the subject’s views in his own words with little intrusion. That is, Cheney refrains from editorializing. Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and Patrick Henry, Madison’s contemporaries, were given the same platform when necessary. As a result, the reader must get a feel for the language to understand the political theory being discussed.

To his credit, and because of his own research, Madison understood the role of government and its implications better than anyone in his day and could articulate them effectively. He was able to build a consensus of his fellow Founders who had strong and differing opinions themselves, and through his work in The Federalist, he explained the importance of the republican system of government to the American people. He also had the intellectual honesty to change his mind when he thought there was a better way for the country.

Apart from his scholarly brilliance, his surprisingly warm personality, his insatiable thirst for knowledge and, most importantly, his obvious love and affection for Dolley, his wife, make this book entertaining and enjoyable. James Madison is a must-have for those interested in early American History. It is also an essential work in regards to government philosophy and political theory. Mrs. Cheney should be applauded for her efforts to make our history accessible for this and future generations. I give James Madison: A Life Reconsidered five stars.

I was given a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review

...more

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May 26, 2014 Sarah rated it liked it · review of another edition

I didn't finish, got halfway, and its due back at Library and cannot renew because there is waitlist.

I really only picked this up to make an evaluation of Lynne Cheney (yes, that Cheney). I've concluded she's a good historian, and a fair writer. This did not grab me in the same way many other historical books have (think McCullogh or KearnsGoodwin). Do not know if that is me, Lynne or the material. Madison, while very active in the forming of our government, didn't really "do" anything. He didn' ...more

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Jan 28, 2018 MBJ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I had a difficult time reading this book. Lynne Cheney‘s research is impeccable, but writing is not her strong suit. Readers have become a bit spoiled by the quality of writing that is prevalent in most non-fiction today. It was a challenge to stay focused on a book that to me read more like an encyclopedia than a captivating biography. Nonetheless, Ms Cheney deserves high marks for the integrity and completeness of her work.

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Nov 24, 2014 Julie rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks

If you're a fan of past participle, passive voice, and blanks in history filled with, "One imagines...", then this book is for you.

I didn't listen to the last 3 hours of the audiobook because, quite frankly, I didn't care anymore. ...more

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Dec 26, 2016 Lynn Diane rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2016

Equal parts of fascination and boredom.

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Jul 18, 2020 Karen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I am enjoying my personal challenge of reading a biography of each president in chronological order. I did enjoy reading of the incalculable impact that Madison had on our country, though I was disappointed that the book didn't give me any insight into Madison himself.

What I did gather in this book, was that Madison was a strong-willed and persistent man who overcame his health obstacles through sheer drive. At a time when epilepsy was a mystery with dark connotations and many medicinal remedies ...more

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Jul 20, 2020 Mike Kanner rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Since I often cite Madison in my American politics courses, I was excited to see this at a discount for my Kindle.

While nominally a biography of Madison, the real benefit of the way in which Cheney discusses the politics and individuals of the period. She shows that the Founders were NOT the secular saints they are often portrayed as. Nor did they act out of a selfless pursuit of liberty and freedom. They were flawed individuals that acted out of their self-interest and worldviews.

Shedding a l ...more

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Aug 17, 2018 dr_set rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A good biography of the main intellectual autor of the democratic system as we know it today. Madison was perhaps the least spectacular of the founding fathers, but he was also the most responsible for the intellectual political achievements of the American revolution. His contributions are well documented in a sober manner by this biography without incurring in the excessive partisanship that is usual in this kind of book. This may be due perhaps to the more conflict adverse nature of Madison h ...more

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Oct 31, 2018 Derek rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Excellent

This was a compelling read that did an excellent job of humanizing Madison while also giving a well rounded picture of his trials and tribulations. Don't let Lynne's last name fool you into thinking this will be a partisan book. She brilliantly and fairly critiques Madison. If you are looking for an interesting and invigorating biography on James Madison, I can not recommend this enough. ...more

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Mar 05, 2019 Jeffrey rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Never thought an author could make the War of 1812 come alive but Lynn Cheney succeeds in this compelling, well-written biography of James Madison. Helped me understand how much opposition there was to the constitution initially, why we fought the War of 1812, how many groups seriously considered seceding - both northerners and southerners - early on, and the key role of Madison's vision in setting up our form of government. Recommend for anyone interested in American history and the founding of ...more

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Jan 07, 2019 Sarah rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I was originally hesitant to start reading this book, because I thought it'd be arduous to read and boring. But the writing was rather easy to read and I learned a lot. ...more

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Aug 26, 2020 Ellen Spes rated it really liked it · review of another edition

History is a good teacher.

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Mar 24, 2017 Matt McAlear rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: biographies

Long book but worth the read. Very interesting to know Madison's trials and how he overcame them. ...more

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Mar 24, 2018 Martin Lowery rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Lynne Cheney, wife of evil Hollywood character Dick, writes her own biography on the father of the American constitution. The book was well worth the read, focusing mostly on Madison's early life and his philosophy underpinning his constitutional predilections. ...more

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Dec 08, 2019 Chet added it

Shelves: biography

The audio book is fails to engage the listener on what should otherwise be a most interesting biography. The author tells the reader how to imagine scenes versus being descriptive and letting the reader visualize for themselves. My rating for this book is clear.

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About Lynne Cheney

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Lynne Ann Vincent Cheney, is a novelist, conservative scholar, and former talk-show host who is the wife of former Vice President Dick Cheney.

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