Without Precedent:
Chief Justice John Marshall and His Times
by Joel Richard Paul
512 pages
Riverhead Books
Release Date: Feb 20, 2018
* * *
Without exception, the Founding Fathers were a fascinating bunch. And while every American is aware of George Washington and Alexander Hamilton, relatively few appreciate the humble origins or exceptional leadership provided by John Marshall.
A Revolutionary rifleman who survived the harsh winter at Valley Forge, Marshall later became a lawyer, member of Congress, served as Secretary of State and, in the waning hours of the John Adams presidency, was nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court. Here, of course, he made his most visible and durable contributions to the new nation.
By all accounts, Joel Richard Paul has written a balanced, compelling and richly detailed biography of a man whose life leaves a stronger impression on our country than most of us appreciate. I am planning to read this biography in alongside Jean Edward Smith’s highly regarded “John Marshall: Definer of a Nation.”
Third-party reviews and links:
- Wall Street Journal review dated Feb 16, 2018 (by Fergus Bordewich)
- National Review review dated June 21, 2018 (by Matthew Spalding)
- San Francisco Chronicle review dated Mar 7, 2018 (by Kate Galbraith)
- Kirkus review dated Feb 20, 2018
- Joel Richard Paul’s authors’ web page
From the publisher: