(#2) "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis (2000)

Joseph J. Ellis is a fairly prolific writer of Revolutionary era biographies.  He has written about John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and the relationship between John and Abigail Adams.  "Founding Brothers" discusses six different stories from the era:

1.  The Alexander Hamilton/Aaron Burr duel.
2.  The agreement between Alexander Hamilton and James Madison (aided by Thomas Jefferson) whereby Hamilton got support for his plan to have the federal government assume the states' war debts, and Madison got support for the new capital being located on the Potomac.
3.  The effect of failure of the founding fathers to put an end to the slave trade.
4.  Washington's farewell address after the conclusion of the Revolutionary War.
5.  The relationship between Adams and Jefferson before that relationship deteriorated as a result of the contentious elections of 1796 and 1800.
6.  The marriage of John and Abigail Adams, and the renewal of the friendship between Adams and Jefferson in their old age.
.
At 248 pages, and covering six topics, it isn't surprising that Ellis just hits the surface of each these issues.  Indeed, Ellis took his research from the last topic and turned it into an entire book about John and Abigail Adams' marriage ("First Family," which, incidentally, will be the topic of my next book review).  As such, it's a good introduction to many of the most important players in the founding of our country.  From here, the reader can seek out more detailed biographies, many of which, as noted, Ellis has written.  Therefore, I think this book is best suited for someone who hasn't read a lot about this period.

There was one thing about Ellis's style that bothered me somewhat, and that's his excessive use (in my opinion) of the semi-colon.  At times, it made sentences stretch out too long, and I'd forget at the end of a sentence what was at the beginning.  I think his writing could have been much more succinct, which would have made the book easier to read.

Also a minor quibble, is that there were no pictures in the book.  Yes, I know this isn't a children's book; but biographies almost always have a few pictures in the middle of the book. For a reader who is new to this period of history, some pictures might make the characters come alive.  I know that I like seeing what the people I'm reading about looked like, particularly if it's someone with whom I'm less familiar. 

All in all, I think I probably was not in the target audience for this book, as I've read extensively about much of these stories.  Therefore, for me, it wasn't in-depth enough to really keep my interest.  I would recommend the book, however, for someone who is interested in reading about this era for the first time.

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars.