James Monroe (The American Presidents) (Hardcover)

by Gary Hart (Author)
Key Phrases: impartial neutrality, United States, James Monroe, Great Britain (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Neither as literary as Josiah Bunting III's Ulysses S. Grant (2004) nor as utterly revelatory as Charles W. Calhoun's Benjamin Harrison (2005), Hart's presentation of the first genuinely forgotten president is just as absorbingly eye-opening. Now known only for the "doctrine" bearing his name, Monroe (1758-1831) was a career soldier, diplomat, and politician. A Jefferson-Madison protege, he differed with them on two crucial matters: a standing military and a national bank. He shared their enthusiasm for westward expansion but realized that a permanent military was needed to defend development against major imperial powers, and he eventually budgeted to build it. To prevent government bankruptcy from real crises, such as the War of 1812 (in which he participated in the battle for Baltimore), he advocated a national bank. So doing, he increased central government authority and in the Monroe Doctrine flexed its muscles. Moreover, although he was a southerner, he signed the Missouri Compromise that staved off secession for 40 years. He was arguably a greater president than either of his mentors. Ray Olson
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Product Description
James Monroe is remembered today primarily for two things: for being the last of the -Virginia Dynasty+-following George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison-and for issuing the Monroe Doctrine, his statement of principles in 1823 that the western hemisphere was to be considered closed to European intervention. But Gary Hart sees Monroe as a president ahead of his time, whose priorities and accomplishments in establishing America+s -national security+ have a great deal in common with chief executives of our own time.Unlike his predecessors Jefferson and Madison, Monroe was at his core a military man. He joined the Continental Army at the age of seventeen and served with distinction in many pivotal battles. (He is prominently featured at Washington+s side in the iconic painting Washington Crossing the Delaware.) And throughout his career as a senator, governor, ambassador, secretary of state, secretary of war, and president, he never lost sight of the fact that without secure borders and friendly relations with neighbors, the American people could never be truly safe in their independence. As president he embarked on an ambitious series of treaties, annexations, and military confrontations that would secure America+s homeland against foreign attack for nearly two hundred years. Hart details the accomplishments and priorities of this forward-looking president, whose security concerns clearly echo those we face in our time.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Times Books (September 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805069607
• ISBN-13: 978-0805069600
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #219,018 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars rchaupt, March 27, 2006

By	Ric Haupt "rchaupt" (Amherst, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I don't often write reviews, but I thought this book deserves one. Having read over 10 of the books from the American President Series, this is the weak link. I was skeptical by a book authored by Gary Hart, but I trusted the series since all the other books were solid works. Hart quotes Henry Ammon so much that you may as well read Ammon's book on James Monroe, published only 15 years prior to this. Hart also repeats himself often. Although this is a minor complaint, the chapters could use some subdivisions. Again, if you are looking for a good biography on James Monroe, you'll probably want to read Henry Ammon's version.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good introduction, September 28, 2005

By	Buck Leonard "Buck" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

Having Gary Hart write about James Monroe is one of the more inspired ideas this series has conjured up. Hart understandably frames Monroe's career around the idea of him as the nation's first national security president, and most of the book deals with the Monroe Doctrine.
This is good, but it does so to the deteriment of virtually every other issue during the Monroe Administration, including a very cursory mention of the Missouri Compromise. This is one of the book's weaknesses.
Hart also can't resist a cheap shot at the Bush Administration, taking it to task for projecting the Monroe Doctrine worldwide via the War on Terror/Iraq. A very cogent argument, except that the Monroe Doctrine was never mentioned as justification for Bush's military moves, and Hart earlier in the book says that Monroe believed in vigorous projection of American power in the service of democratic ideals. One senses Hart's discomfort would not be shared by Monroe.
This series continues to be very enjoyable, and this is a worthy addition.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Too Bad Hart Couldn't Resist...., January 13, 2006

By	joham (Cave Creek, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

letting his own political bias show through at the end. This is a well written, concise, very readable biography of the first "national security" president. Monroe is one of the most underrated and under appreciated presidents in our nation's history. Hart's book should help assuage that injustice. I have only two criticisms. Hart seemed to take the easy way out by utilizing previous research rather than conducting his own in the use of innumerable quotes from other biographers/historians. This in no way detracted from the book. It just seems to say, "Why do my own research when I can use what others have done before me?" My second criticism is that Hart injected a totally superfluous and politically biased conclusion to his discussion of the Monroe Doctrine by slamming the Bush administration and attempting to advance his own political agenda. Viewing Hart as a politician, I respect his right to do that. Viewing Hart as a biographer/historian, I lament the fact that he felt compelled to prostitute his otherwise commendable book for the sake of partisan politics.