The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation's Call to Greatness [Paperback]

From theNew York Timesbestselling author, the larger than life story of America's fifth president, who transformed a small, fragile nation into a powerful empire

In this compelling biography, award-winning author Harlow Giles Unger reveals the epic story of James Monroe (1758-1831)-the last of America's Founding Fathers-who transformed a small, fragile nation beset by enemies into a powerful empire stretching from sea to shining sea. Like David McCullough'sJohn Adamsand Jon Meacham'sAmerican Lion,The Last Founding Fatheris both a superb read and stellar scholarship-action-filled history in the grand tradition.Acclaimed historianHarlow Giles Ungeris a former Distinguished Visiting Fellow at George Washington's Mount Vernon. Named one of the nation's premier presidential biographers for his biography of James Monroe(The Last Founding Father), Unger is the author of twenty-four books, including eleven biographies of America's Founders and three histories of the early republic. Another engaging biography from HarlowUnger that captures the human drama of James Monroe, one of America's greatheroes and statesmen. Unger vividly portrays Monroe's military heroism duringthe American Revolutionary War and his unflagging service in Congress and as adiplomat to France and Britain, governor of Virginia, U.S. secretary of state,U.S. secretary of war, and as America's fifth president. The Monroe Doctrine,safeguarding the Western Hemisphere from foreign intervention, has been anintegral part of U.S. foreign policy ever since its enunciation during Monroe'slast year as president in December 1823. On a more personal level, Ungertenderly describes Monroe's forty-five-year romance with his wife Elizabeth,his intimate friendship and political connection with Thomas Jefferson andJames Madison, and the way in which he saved the lives of the family of theMarquis de Lafayette, a comrade in arms and a dear lifelong friendlC3