JAMES MADISON America's First Politician

James Madison is sometimes remembered as a man of contradictions. Jay Cost's biography of the Founding Father and fourth president explores the nuances of "America's first politician." With his warm tone, Dan Woren is easy to listen to, and his narration is both serious and accessible, like the author's style. Cost examines Madison's extraordinarily productive life--from his pivotal role at the Constitutional Convention to his term as a wartime president. Through a thoroughly modern lens, Madison is shown to be not only a keen intellect, but also a savvy politician who understood when to alter his position on key issues. While Woren's pace is a bit too languid, his confident tone deftly reflects the subject of this biography. D.B. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2022]