Selected Writings of James Madison (The American Heritage Series) - Hardcover

This valuable anthology of the framer's essential writings allows readers to experience the panoramic depth of Madison's mind. For those just beginning their study, Ketcham's choices offer a meaningful introduction to Madison's complex view of the whole. . . . Of special note is the final section, in which Ketcham provides a selection of Madison's treatises on issues that cut the Union asunder in the decade prior to the Civil War. In this reviewer's mind, the editor is to be praised for his efforts in assembling such a comprehensive, cohesive, and concise collection. Summing Up: Essential. --M. J. C, Taylor, CHOICE [Ketcham's] writing is crisp; his tone inviting. His Introduction consistently and persistently locates Madison's reasoning within its political context . . . Above all else, it had on me the proper effect: it made me want to read Madison himself. --Paul Rahe, University of Tulsa The introductory essay is well-written: tight, succinct, and clear. Ketcham does a fine job explaining and contextualizing difficult theoretical concepts in a way that students will find accessible. --Howard Lubert, James Madison University

The writings collected here reflect the Madison who emerges from the best scholarship of the last thirty years--scholarship to which Ralph Ketcham, as editor of The Papers of James Madison and in many other ways, has made stunning contributions. Ketcham's Introduction, a brief chronology, the text of the Constitution, and an index further distinguish this collection.