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    James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights
    James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights
    James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights
    Audiobook11 hours

    James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights

    Written by Richard Labunski

    Narrated by Richard Poe

    3/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Today we hold the Constitution in such high regard that we can hardly imagine how hotly contested was its adoption. Now Richard Labunski offers a dramatic account of a time when the entire American experiment hung in the balance, only to be saved by the most unlikely of heroes--the diminutive and exceedingly shy James Madison. Here is a vividly written account of not one but several major political struggles which changed the course of American history. Labunski takes us inside the sweltering converted theater in Richmond, where for three grueling weeks, the soft-spoken Madison and the charismatic Patrick Henry fought over whether Virginia should ratify the Constitution. Madison won the day by a handful of votes, mollifying Anti-Federalist fears by promising to add a bill of rights to the Constitution. To do this, Madison would have to win a seat in the First Congress, which he did by a tiny margin, allowing him to attend the First Congress and sponsor the Bill of Rights. Packed with colorful details about life in early America, this compelling and important narrative is the first serious book about Madison written in many years. It will return this under-appreciated patriot to his rightful place among the Founding Fathers and shed new light on a key turning point in our nation's history
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateFeb 27, 2008
    ISBN9781449801991
    James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights

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    Reviews for James Madison and the Struggle for the Bill of Rights

    3/5

    3 ratings3 reviews

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    • 4/5
      An excellent review of Madison's early rejection of a Bill of Rights and later their adoption.
    • 4/5
      Lots of struggle, not much of what it was overFirst of all, I do want to say that author Richard Labunski did a fine job detailing the trials and travails of the road to the first Congress travelled by James Madison, one of our most indispensable Founders. Labunski reminds us that history was, while in the making, not nearly as foregone as it seems this far removed. Madison could have lost his election to the First session of the House of Representatives after the new government was formed causing the Constitution to perhaps lose the addition of the Bill of Rights and that would have been calamitous, indeed.I enjoyed the story of Madison's road as told by Labunski. Madison has been one of those founders who's position as a great Founder has been rocky. Up one decade and down another. Sometimes he has been considered a far lesser light than he deserves to be considered. Currently, he seems to be up which is fortunate. I think he should remain there. He is by far one of the most brilliant Founders we had and it is good that Labunski treats Madison with the respect he deserves.Here is where I feel the book was lacking, though. Why was the Bill of Rights so important? What were the philosophies, the influences, the reasons the amendments were fought over? Labunski does not take much time to delve further under the surface to ferret out those reasons. He briefly mentions things here and there as the book moves along those lines, but I think his book would have been more complete with a bit more of it.I found myself wondering what all the fuss was over far too much while reading the book and feel Labunski shorted the reader a fuller explanation.Still, I give the book a pretty good rating. It is a good tale that is not often told (which is why I think he should have gone deeper, by the way).It come recommended by me, anyway.
    • 1/5
      A hard slog...page by page. Couldn't finish