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Title: What Kind of Nation: Thomas Jefferson, John Marshall, and the Epic Struggle to Create a United States by James F. Simon ISBN: 0-684-84871-6 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 10 March, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.15 (20 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Thomas Jefferson as Adversary
Comment: On a recent vacation to Colonial Williamsburg and Monticello, my 14-year-old nephew commented that Thomas Jefferson didn't get along with Alexander Hamilton. The four adults accompanying him replied patronizingly that Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr certainly didn't get along, but didn't remember anything between Hamilton and Jefferson...
Of course, my nephew was absolutely correct. In an effort to rectify my obvious educational deficiency, I immediately embarked on a reading plan which led me to "What Kind of Nation", where I discovered that Thomas Jefferson also didn't along with John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.
By the time I got to this book I had a pretty good feel for the politics of the period, having read "Founding Brothers" by Joseph Ellis, "Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington" by Richard Brookhiser, "Alexander Hamilton: American" by Richard Brookhiser and "James Madison" by Garry Wills. I believe this background helped me to maximize my enjoyment of "What Kind of Nation" because I was able to focus on Marshall's brilliance and perseverance in establishing the authority of the Supreme Court on an equal footing with the executive and legislative branches of the federal government. Jefferson's antics were amusing, but old news. The way that Marshall dealt with Jefferson who was, after all, the President of the United States during the first 8 years of Marshall's 34 years as Chief Justice, is fascinating.
James Simon does a great job of telling the story without getting overly technical with the legal side of things. I think he strikes just the right balance, so that the lay reader (i.e., non-lawyer) can appreciate the significance of Marshall's extraordinary accomplishments.
Rating: 4
Summary: a riveting, but slanted account
Comment: Mr. Simon has nicely outlined the titantic struggle between two cousins and their different views on the proper government and role of that government in America. This account is fairly readable, but dips into legalistic prose at times. The most remarkable aspect of the book is how little these two relatives shared in common. A point of detraction is that Mr. Simon fails to point out the many basic things the two cousins must have shared - like patriotism, belief in popular sovereignty, etc. Also, Mr. Simon seems to take a rather negative view of Jefferson. This is rather voguish these days, but I am not entirely convinced by the evidence Mr. Simon suggested. Suffice it to say that this is the best comparison account available that chronicles these two men and their opposing views.
Rating: 5
Summary: How We Got Here
Comment: If you have read the Founding Fathers and the Constitution, and wonder how we got from there to here, this is an excellent book. It traces the evolution of the Supreme Court during the early years of our republic.
It frames this evolution in the thoughts of Thomas Jefferson and John Marshall. We see Jefferson's thinking that the Supreme Court would be some sort of advisory board, and that federal law should not reign supreme over state law. On the other side, we see John Marshall's strongly held beliefs that the Supreme Court should have equal power with Congress and the President, and that federal law should be considered superior to state law.
We see the various court battles that brought about judicial review and that cemented John Marshall's views as American policy.
A very interesting and thoughtful book.
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Title: John Marshall : Definer of a Nation by Jean Edward Smith ISBN: 080505510X Publisher: Henry Holt & Company, Inc. Pub. Date: 15 March, 1998 List Price(USD): $22.00 |
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Title: James Madison: (The American Presidents Series) by Garry Wills, Arthur M. Schlesinger ISBN: 0805069054 Publisher: Times Books Pub. Date: 02 April, 2002 List Price(USD): $20.00 |
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Title: America's First Dynasty : The Adamses, 1735--1918 by Richard Brookhiser ISBN: B00009V2NP Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: 12 February, 2002 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson by Joseph J. Ellis ISBN: 0679764410 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 07 April, 1998 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: The Republic According to John Marshall Harlan (Studies in Legal History) by Linda Przybyszewski ISBN: 0807847895 Publisher: Univ of North Carolina Pr Pub. Date: September, 1999 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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