Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Kindle
$0.00
or $9.99 to buy

Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial

Hardcover
$44.95

Paperback
$14.83

$14.83 with 29 percent savings

List Price: $20.99

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Wednesday, October 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or Prime members get FREE delivery Tomorrow, October 12. Order within 5 mins.

Select delivery location

In Stock

$$14.83 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

Amazon.com

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Returns

30-day refund/replacement

Returns

30-day refund/replacement

This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.

Read full return policy

Payment

Secure transaction

Payment

Secure transaction

We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more

Details

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

$13.83

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

Good condition book. Inspection found no major damage & only average reading wear. Great copy. Good condition book. Inspection found no major damage & only average reading wear. Great copy. See less

FREE delivery Wednesday, October 16 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or Prime members get FREE delivery Monday, October 14. Order within 5 mins.

Select delivery location

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

$$14.83 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Sold by Gotham Sundries and Fulfilled by Amazon.

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (30) from $9.83 + $3.98 shipping

Follow the author

Walter Stahr

Follow

John Jay: Founding Father Paperback – Illustrated, August 22, 2017

by Walter Stahr (Author)

4.4 403 ratings

See all formats and editions

Great on Kindle

Great Experience. Great Value.

Enjoy a great reading experience when you borrow the Kindle edition of this book with your Kindle Unlimited membership. Learn more about Great on Kindle, available in select categories.

View Kindle Edition

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$14.83","priceAmount":14.83,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"14","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"83","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"MSnTMO7wqCOTggjwcmY8ORDtOMr%2BzFtkfEGart4S6ZkCP04tJjlGSnmYBszq1XHjfRlU3KW9E2GtaUbFXL8XfjutbJqQLZd3mKuAJlOQCBESxbgXG%2FCz0%2FqyFtjwFqP0Gytdym%2FsssSoGz1BAFdgRA%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$13.83","priceAmount":13.83,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"13","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"83","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"MSnTMO7wqCOTggjwcmY8ORDtOMr%2BzFtkMg7vLH%2FvnJEN20k6QlIol5PIiBnHg5n5ip7YvZ3WvlUBpZrTDWNKoaIYofF4cxGAigSwsV5AWkrPQO7qmxc6%2BvM5N9BOHgsMGRlPGLuAaX5Ls4YX0y5R%2FLS407TEjbC2Eoy3dDoHHQrSB7LYzkyR6WCHM6tGI9F1","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

From the award-winning and New York Times best-selling author of Seward and Stanton, here is the critically acclaimed and definitive biography of John Jay: a major Founding Father, a true national hero, and a leading architect of America's future.

John Jay was a central figure in the early history of the American Republic. A New York lawyer, born in 1745, Jay served his country with the greatest distinction, and was one of the most influential of its Founding Fathers. In this first full-length biography of John Jay in almost 70 years, Walter Stahr brings Jay vividly to life, setting his astonishing career against the background of the American Revolution.

Drawing on substantial new material, Walter Stahr has written a full and highly readable portrait of both the public and private man. It is the story not only of John Jay himself, the most prominent native-born New Yorker of the eighteenth century, but also of his engaging and intelligent wife, Sarah, who accompanied her husband on his wartime diplomatic missions. This lively and compelling biography presents Jay in the light he deserves.

Print length

512 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Diversion Books
Publication date

August 22, 2017
Dimensions

6 x 1.5 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1635763363
ISBN-13

978-1635763362
See all details

This item: John Jay: Founding Father

$14.83

Get it as soon as Wednesday, Oct 16

In Stock

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

+

James Madison: A Biography

$17.94

Get it as soon as Wednesday, Oct 16

Only 2 left in stock (more on the way).

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

+

Washington: A Life (Pulitzer Prize Winner)

$12.68

Get it as soon as Wednesday, Oct 16

In Stock

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Total price: $00

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Try again!

Details

Added to Cart

Some of these items ship sooner than the others.

Show details Hide details

Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Walter Stahr’s even-handed account, the first big biography of Jay in decades, is riveting on the matter of negotiating tactics, as practiced by Adams, Jay and Franklin.” ―The Economist

“Walter Stahr writes with great insight, and this wonderful book should restore Jay’s place in the pantheon of our great Founding Fathers.” ―Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life and Steve Jobs

“Stahr’s Jay is a welcome and worthy biography.” ―The Sunday Times (London)

“Walter Stahr, an independent scholar, has written a fascinating, learned and beautifully written biography of a major figure of the American Revolution, one who has been too long overlooked. Mr. Stahr deserves consideration for the Pulitzer Prize for biography.” ―Washington Times

“Mr. Stahr is a superlative biographer, reporting the criticisms made of his subject and then showing why, in most cases, Jay knew better than his contemporary critics or later historians.” ―New York Sun

“Until Walter Stahr’s splendid new biography appeared, the most recent biography of Jay was Frank Monaghan’s John Jay: Defender of Liberty against Kings and Peoples (1935), published some seven decades ago.” ―Journal of American History

“Walter Stahr’s excellent new biography should re-establish Jay’s standing as one of America’s great statesmen. It portrays Jay’s life with a balance and command of the material worthy of the subject.” ―Weekly Standard

“Stahr . . . captures both his subject’s seriousness and his thoughtful, affectionate side as son, husband, father and friend. In humanizing Jay, Stahr makes him an appealing figure accessible to a large readership and places Jay once again in the company of America’s greatest statesmen, where he unquestionably belongs.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Stahr has succeeded splendidly in his aim of recovering the reputation of John Jay as a major founder. His biography is a reliable and clearly written account [and] makes a persuasive case for including Jay among the first rank of Revolutionary leaders.” ―Gordon S. Wood in The New York Review of Books

“Walter Stahr has not only given us a meticulous study of the life of John Jay, but one very much written in the spirit of the man. It is thorough, fair, consistently intelligent, and presented with the most scrupulous accuracy.” ―Ron Chernow, author of Alexander Hamilton

Review

Praise for Seward: Lincoln’s Indispensable Man

“[A] masterly new biography . . . [of] one of the most influential and polarizing American politicians of the nineteenth century.” ―The New Yorker

“This magnificent biography finally provides what William Henry Seward so justly deserves―a full, terrific and complex portrait of his endlessly fascinating life.” ―Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of Team of Rivals

“Politician, diplomat, raconteur, a figure of controversy and power, Seward has finally found a biographer equal to his importance.” ―James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era

“This formidable figure has finally gained the biographer he’s long deserved…a first-rate biography.” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Diversion Books; Reissue edition (August 22, 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1635763363
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1635763362
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.5 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #337,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #206 in Lawyer & Judge Biographies
- #274 in American Revolution Biographies (Books)
- #729 in U.S. Revolution & Founding History

Customer Reviews:
4.4 403 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Walter Stahr

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

After graduating from Stanford University and Harvard Law School, Walter Stahr practiced law for more than twenty years, both in Washington and Asia, before starting work on his first book, a biography of John Jay. He is now the NY Times bestselling author of four biographies: Jay (2005), William Henry Seward (2012), Edwin Stanton (2017) and Salmon Chase (2022). He is working on a fifth book, a life of William Howard Taft. Stahr lives in Newport Beach, California, with his wife, Dr. Masami Miyauchi Stahr, who teaches mathematics at St. Margaret's Episcopal School. His website is walterstahr.com.

Customer reviews

403 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Customers say

Customers find the biography informative, well-researched, and fascinating. They describe the writing quality as well-written, interesting, and readable. Readers praise the book as excellent, enjoyable, and first-rate. They appreciate the author's erudite and straightforward depiction of Jay.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Biography quality Writing quality Readability Writing style Piety Sturdiness

46 customers mention "Biography quality"43 positive3 negative

Customers find the biography informative, well-researched, and insightful. They say it depicts a lesser-known figure in the early days of the United States. Readers also mention the book is wonderful and a must-read for American history lovers. They appreciate the attention to the genesis of the judiciary.

"...It brings together Jay's lifelong multitude of accomplishments. From the cover jacket, the author appears to be a lawyer/novice at writing books...." Read more

"...He has a solid bibliography and it is clear that he has done his homework...." Read more

"...for overall quality and the fact that it provides illumination on a generally neglected historical figure." Read more

"...This biography is a solidly researched and enjoyable reading experience...." Read more

27 customers mention "Writing quality"24 positive3 negative

Customers find the writing quality of the book well-written and interesting. They say it's a biography of one of the Founders who is less well known. Readers also mention the author writes in an easy and accessible manner.

"...The writing and research are great. One gets not only a feeling for who Jay was as a person, but also what his place in history is...." Read more

"...Stahr is a great writer and he writes in an easy and accessible manner that will appeal to a broad audience...." Read more

"...Walter Stahr's competent if unspectacular biography of Jay is quite readable and shines a light on this somewhat obscure political figure...." Read more

"...Stahr is a strong writer. The writing is engaging, transitions are smooth, and the organization is excellent...." Read more

20 customers mention "Readability"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book excellent, enjoyable, and well worth reading. They say it does a good job of showing how influential John Jay was. Readers also mention the book is interesting and informative.

"Stahr's book on John Jay is absolutely first-rate...." Read more

"...I still think that that book was excellent and well worth the long investment involved in reading it...." Read more

"...This is a work well worth reading to gain insight into one of the major Founders of the United States." Read more

"...Altogether, it is a very informative and enjoyable book which has fostered for me a new appreciation for John Jay." Read more

7 customers mention "Writing style"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style erudite and comfortable to read. They say the author paints a vivid portrait of who Jay was and his importance to the world. Readers also appreciate the depth and breadth of Jay's involvement.

"...The writing style picks up, the story line becomes distinct and the book becomes a pleasure...." Read more

"Came in excellent shape and timely." Read more

"...One of the strengths of this volume is a pretty straightforward depiction of Jay...." Read more

"...Starr's writing style is erudite but yet comfortable to read...." Read more

3 customers mention "Piety"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the author pious. They also say he's a fine man and wholesome.

"...His wisdom, gravity, piety, and kind disposition won him respect among his peers and ultimately among the nation that he served...." Read more

"...A lawyer by training, he is a warm, wholesome man, totally devoted to his country." Read more

"Fine man, rather dull biography..." Read more

3 customers mention "Sturdiness"3 positive0 negative

Customers find the book sturdily constructed. They also mention it's in excellent condition.

"...yet the kind of government they envisioned was broad, brooding, and strong...." Read more

"...It was reasonably priced, in good condition as advertised and was delivered when it was scheduled to be delivered...." Read more

"Excellent condition - new as stated" Read more

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Howard Schulman

A fantastic book about a truly under-appreciated founding father

Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2005

Verified Purchase

Stahr's book on John Jay is absolutely first-rate. Surprisingly, Stahr mentions that it has been almost 70 years since someone has done a full biography on Jay. This makes the book all that more appreciated.

In short, although Jay was not as important and revered and talked about as Washington, Jefferson, and Hamilton, he clearly played a major part in launching this nation for over 25 years, so much so, that one wonders how he slipped under the radar screen. Here goes....He was a member of the Continental Congress in 1774 and 1775, and was President of it in 1779. He lead the peace negotiation in 1782-3 at Paris which resulted in a very favorable treay for the US. From 1784 till 1790 he was Secretary of Foreign Affairs for the Confederacy, but more importantly, during this most fragile period in our history when most of the members failed to attend and rotated out after one year, he gave continuity and competency to the new national government. He was the most important figure in getting a very reluctant New York State to approve the new Constitution. He was the nation's first Supreme Court Chief Justice. He was governor of New York State for two terms. There's more.

Furthermore, everyone in his times and now agrees that he handled all these tasks with competency to a fault, being admired by friends and opponents alike. Like Hamilton, he was a person who got things done, but, unlike Hamilton, he seemed to get along with everyone.

The writing and research are great. One gets not only a feeling for who Jay was as a person, but also what his place in history is. It's not a profound book or a book that comes to new conclusions and insights, but a book that exposes Jay's life for what he did and what he was worth. It brings together Jay's lifelong multitude of accomplishments. From the cover jacket, the author appears to be a lawyer/novice at writing books. Great first effort!

I'd have to say that this is probably a book for people who already know something about the beginnings of the United States and are looking to fill in the gaps. Jay was clearly a team player, and this book focuses on Jay and not the overall picture.

Lastly, several years ago I visited the Jay homestead in Rye, New York. It's a beautiful piece of land by the water. Apparently the building itself just barely escaped the wrecking ball, hard to believe. I'd recommend a visit.

32 people found this helpful

Helpful

J. Hughes

Jay the Forgotten Father

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2014

Verified Purchase

Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, Schuyler, Greene, Hamilton, and Hancock are just a few names that will surface in nearly any book about the American Revolution. And why shouldn't they? These men each played a distinct role to help lay the foundation for the blessings of liberty that we currently enjoy. However, there is one name that will often appear on a list of influential fathers but will rarely be elaborated on: John Jay. Most know the role that he played as the first Chief Justice of the United States but we often forget the important role that he played nearly every step of the great American Revolution. His wisdom, gravity, piety, and kind disposition won him respect among his peers and ultimately among the nation that he served. For 75 years there has hardly been a solid work on John Jay until now. In Walter Stahr's "John Jay" he carefully and respectfully tries to impart to the reader a fresh vision of one of the great minds that helped put this country on a solid track toward independence and prosperity. Stahr's work is relatively new but it was long overdue, and I think it will serve as a force of scholarship in the field of early American history. Here are some of the reasons why I think this work would be an excellent addition to anyone who is serious about investigating the founding fathers and their influence.

It is easy to gloss over Jay and not because he is not important or essential but because his life is not marked by anything unusual. Jefferson for example is a colorful man with many shades of contradiction while Washington seems to be a riddle to the reader. John Adams was pugnacious as well as controversial while Franklin is known for political acumen and flirtatious trysts with women half his age. Jay is something of a straight arrow that lives a very ordinary life; yet, Jay left a huge footprint on the political landscape of the American Revolution. Born to a tradesman in New York City Jay showed a quick, nimble mind from an early age. He entered King's College at the age of 14 and finished his studies at the age of 18. By the time he was 22 years old he had finished his masters and was on his way to becoming one of New York's up and coming lawyers. He may have lived a distinguished life were it not for his path colliding with the American Revolution and this was what transformed Jay among others from an ordinary citizen of the British Empire into a pioneering founder of the nation. Jay did all that was in his power to avoid any break between the colonies and their "mother country" but when it came time to call independence Jay was there and stood behind the decision whole-heartedly. Jay was among many things a patriot of his native homeland and while he was soft towards the British he knew when to stand up against them.

Over his long career Jay served the nation in a variety of capacities including: as delegate to the Second Continental Congress, Drafter of his State Constitution, Chief Justice of the New York Supreme Court, Peace Commissioner to France and Spain, Peace Commissioner to Great Britain, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Contributor to the famous "Federalist Papers," Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and Governor of New York. Because he wore so many hats Jay had his hand in influencing the many government leaders he came in contact with. He was a temperate man who tended to be cautious about everything and everyone, and his policies were typically "middle of the road." His pragmatic and realistic nature endeared him to most people in Congress, and he was the kind of man who was able to get things done because of it. He was a real family man who practiced his faith very devoutly. In our time, there is always question about the founding fathers in regards to their faith and the general consensus is that most were not solid believers in organized religion or the authority of the Bible. It so happens that Jay was one of our founders that happened to be very strong in the way he practiced his faith and was an adamant believer in the power of the Bible. He not only practiced his faith in theory but practiced it in real-life through active civic engagement, devotion to family as well as friends, and piety in his ecclesiastical relationships.

Stahr is a great writer and he writes in an easy and accessible manner that will appeal to a broad audience. He has a solid bibliography and it is clear that he has done his homework. In terms of the subject matter itself it would appear that he tends to be even-handed for the most part. Stahr exhibits a clear admiration for his subject matter; this is not necessarily a negative attribute. Caring for one's subject matter allows an individual to write in a very passionate and meaningful way. However, the downside is that he is sometimes too soft on Jay. Like anyone Jay had his share of conflicts and I am sure that he was often at least a small part of the problem. When Stahr speaks about these conflicts it seems that he rarely implicates Jay as part of the problem and tends to place more of the responsibility on the other parties. I certainly expect that he would paint his subject in the best possible light, yet at times I felt that I did not really gain a solid sense on the Jay's shortcomings. I do not expect Jay to be painted as devilish or evil, but I do think that a great feature of biography is learning our subject's failures. Jay was not a man of great ardor which allowed him to reach across aisles that others were not always able to do so. However, I am not saying that Stahr that was not objective but rather that I felt this was an area that was not developed properly. I still think that that book was excellent and well worth the long investment involved in reading it.

Of course, it goes without saying that Jay's most important role was serving as the First Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and his appointment to said position reflects well on the ability of George Washington to spot the right man for the right job. Jay was so cautious and moderate in many positions that he was right man to set necessary precedent for that role; albeit, it would be John Marshall who would accomplish the most in setting precedent for the job of Chief Justice. However, where he is often neglected is in regards to his work in negotiating a peace settlement with the British. He tended to be pragmatic but when it came time to sit down and hash out a peace agreement Jay did not mind doing everything he could to make sure that America got the most out of the deal. He drove a hard bargain but he was the right man for the job. He was the missing piece of the puzzle when one considers that he was the middle point between Adams and Franklin. His even nature made his more palatable to the English than Adams, yet his rigid and formal nature was easier on british tastes than Dr. Frankin. He was very active in writing, editing, and submitting both the first and second drafts of the treaty that secured independence. After the war it was essential to promote a more filial relationship with the British Empire and Dr. Stahr argues that it was Jay's treaty that paved the way for future relations with the British. He was an excellent ambassador who not only exhibited poise, candor, and good humor but who made sure that he did all within his power to get as much as possible for his native country.

What am I walking away with as I completed my journey with Jay? I think that Dr. Bernstein was correct when he said that the founding fathers did not have a cohesive vision for what they hoped America would look like. As I read this book, I realized that Jay's vision of America with a robust and powerful central authority is in many ways still at play. I don't imagine that the nationalists of the time ever thought we would be wiretapped in our own homes yet the kind of government they envisioned was broad, brooding, and strong. The reality is that as I get to know these men I come to find that they each had competing views of America's future and the America we have inherited is in part the one they gave us. That is not a popular view but it seems to be so. Take for example: Dr. Ferling discusses how Madison and Hamilton were concerned about the growing sense of egalitarianism and the democratization of the American public before the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Nevertheless, this was exactly the sort of society that Jefferson and Patrick Henry were hoping to see. My point is that Jay was a strong nationalist and while I respect his amazing talents and contributions I recognize that his support for a strident, far-reaching government would be something that I could never support today. That being said, I have a great deal of respect for Justice Jay and without him we might not have some of the blessings of liberty we enjoy today.

I give this book: 1 star = Research. 1 star = writing. 1 star = bibliography. 1 star = readability. The final star I reserve due to the previously mentioned critique and because there were spots where the book hit some boring lulls.

7 people found this helpful

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Feli-Mar Barbero

great book

Reviewed in Canada on August 18, 2019

Verified Purchase

great book reading

P Leyshon

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 29, 2015

Verified Purchase

Excellent

See more reviews

Return this item for free

Return this item for free

Image Unavailable

Follow the author