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9781101980057

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The narrative offers informed, exacting characterizations of the uncertain political alliances, strained interactions and ideological growing pains that elites of the post-revolutionary decades put the country through. As a work of history, the book is a disciplined, agreeably constructed synthesis. As a human interest story it is no less agreeable. -Andrew Burstein, The Washington Post Bringing these men together as a group draws attention to how their thought and action unfolded in response to new challenges and dispels any illusion that they were a monolithic bloc. Cheney is an adept writer who makes no wrong steps. --Library Journal An accessible group portrait of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe . . . Cheney selects anecdotes wisely and writes gracefully. The result is an informative introduction to four of America's most important founding fathers.--Publishers Weekly Debates over power and justice are as old--even older, really--than the Republic, and Lynne Cheney has given us a thoughtful and illuminating account of how a group of distinctive Americans, all Virginians, confronted essential questions at the beginning of our common journey. --Jon Meacham, author of The Soul of America From a plantation-rich cluster in colonial Virginia, four men were cultured who would shape the birth of our nation. This wonderfully readable narrative explores their complex relations with each other and the way they wrestled imperfectly with reconciling their ideal of liberty with their lives as slaveholders. The values and flaws they ingrained in our nation are with us still today. --Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin and Steve Jobs

The narrative offers informed, exacting characterizations of the uncertain political alliances, strained interactions and ideological growing pains that elites of the post-revolutionary decades put the country through. As a work of history, the book is a disciplined, agreeably constructed synthesis. As a human interest story it is no less agreeable. -Andrew Burstein, The Washington Post Bringing these men together as a group draws attention to how their thought and action unfolded in response to new challenges and dispels any illusion that they were a monolithic bloc. Cheney is an adept writer who makes no wrong steps. -Library Journal An accessible group portrait of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe . . . Cheney selects anecdotes wisely and writes gracefully. The result is an informative introduction to four of America's most important founding fathers. -Publishers Weekly Debates over power and justice are as old-even older, really-than the Republic, and Lynne Cheney has given us a thoughtful and illuminating account of how a group of distinctive Americans, all Virginians, confronted essential questions at the beginning of our common journey. -Jon Meacham, author of The Soul of America From a plantation-rich cluster in colonial Virginia, four men were cultured who would shape the birth of our nation. This wonderfully readable narrative explores their complex relations with each other and the way they wrestled imperfectly with reconciling their ideal of liberty with their lives as slaveholders. The values and flaws they ingrained in our nation are with us still today. -Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin and Steve Jobs

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Lynne Cheney is the author and coauthor of twelve books, including six bestsellers about American history for children. The wife of former vice president Dick Cheney, she lives in Wilson, Wyoming.

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