Some historians have criticized James Monroe as a man of modest talent who provided the country with feckless leadership during the crucial international, economic and political crises of his times - the collapse of the Spanish empire in the Western Hemisphere, the Panic of 1819, and the Missouri Compromise of 1820, respectively. However, Ammon argues rather persuasively that these critiques are either unfair or overblown. Monroe's conduct in the White House was guided by his deeply held republican principles, which maintained that executive power was subject to strict limitations. To compare Monroe's leadership performance to that of 21st presidents is, in Ammon's opinion, supremely unjust.
But even taking such thoughts into consideration, the truth is James Monroe was not a great man - and Ammon doesn't claim that he was. He notes, for instance, that the correspondence between Jefferson and Madison covered a full range of intellectual topics, from philosophy and science to government and literature, whereas letters to Monroe kept strictly to practical political concerns. Indeed, Ammon describes Monroe as a man of rather pedestrian abilities, but with a highly developed sense of republican principles and political drive who was much more instrumental in directing US policy than traditionally given credit for.
If Monroe was a failure, it was in his ambitious attempt to restructure the American political system following the War of 1812. Ammon maintains that the proposed reconciliation and amalgamation of the triumphant Republicans and crippled Federalists (the so-called "Era of Good Feelings") was the primary objective of his administration, and in that endeavor Monroe failed utterly and completely.
What is most striking in Ammon's narrative is Monroe's multifarious contribution to early American government: staff officer to Lord Stirling during the Revolution who was wounded in a gallant charge against the Hessians at Trenton and later suffered the privations of Valley Forge; delegate to the Constitutional Convention; United States senator; Republican minister to France during the Federalist administration of Washington; special envoy to Paris to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase; minister to England during the Jefferson administration; governor of Virginia; secretary of state during the Madison administration and then secretary of war during the War of 1812; and, finally, two-term president. His lifelong commitment to public service, which left him financially destitute upon his retirement in 1825, is worthy of the sincere gratitude of posterity.
Ammon is an able historian and this biography is a credit to subject and author alike. At 573 pages, however, it is a rather dense tome and the casual reader should stay away. But for those interested in a serious review of an important character in early American history, Ammon's "James Monroe: the Quest for National Identity" is highly recommended.
Not only like Thomas Jefferson and John Adams who both died on the very same day July 4, 1826, but James Monroe died on the Fourth of July five years later, bringing the struggle for independence more sharply into focus. This book takes us from the Virginia Tidewater in Monroe's life, to his service in the revolutionary army, where he was wounded and later recovered and served in the Washington administration, the United States Senate and governer of Virginia, he served with the Madison administration as Secretary of State and War. Later being elected to the presidency of the United States.
If anything can be said, this biography does justice to James Monroe as it is exhaustively researched and documented. The scholarship is perceptive and it sheads light on the politics and personalities, making this work indespensible. I found that the author narrative to be a little dry... maybe because I read it after reading David McCullough's "John Adams." But, in all fairness, the narrative needs a little "juice" to liven it up, as somnolence is a severe side effect.
James Monroe was not as well known as some of the others that served as president, but his accomplishments, nervertheless, were of noteworthiness as to establishing the national identity of the United States of America.
Ammon did a good job of listing the activities in which James Monroe partook but I feel he gave me little in the way of any new understanding of them. The exceptions would be Ammon's description of James Monroe's diplomatic service to France during George Washington's administration. Ammon's description provided new insight to about this time period that I had not previously understood. I also liked his portrayals of the friendships he had with his contemporaries in particular Madison, John Quincy Adams and Lafeyette.
Other than that, I felt the book a little dull.
