Without precedent : John Marshall and his times /
Material type: TextPublisher: New York : Riverhead Books, [2017]Description: pages cmContent type:- text
- unmediated
- volume
- 9781594488238
- 1594488231
- 347.73/2634 B 23
- KF8745.M3 P38 2017
Item type | Current library | Home library | Collection | Call number | Copy number | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard Loan | Coeur d'Alene Library Adult Biography | Coeur d'Alene Library | Book | B MARSHAL PAUL (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | 1 | Available | 50610021111567 |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
The remarkable story of John Marshall who, as chief justice, statesman, and diplomat, played a pivotal role in the founding of the United States.
No member of America's Founding Generation had a greater impact on the Constitution and the Supreme Court than John Marshall, and no one did more to preserve the delicate unity of the fledgling United States. From the nation's founding in 1776 and for the next forty years, Marshall was at the center of every political battle. As Chief Justice of the United States - the longest-serving in history - he established the independence of the judiciary and the supremacy of the federal Constitution and courts. As the leading Federalist in Virginia, he rivaled his cousin Thomas Jefferson in influence. As a diplomat and secretary of state, he defended American sovereignty against France and Britain, counseled President John Adams, and supervised the construction of the city of Washington. D.C.
This is the astonishing true story of how a rough-cut frontiersman - born in Virginia in 1755 and with little formal education - invented himself as one of the nation's preeminent lawyers and politicians who then reinvented the Constitution to forge a stronger nation. Without Precedent is the engrossing account of the life and times of this exceptional man, who with cunning, imagination, and grace shaped America's future as he held together the Supreme Court, the Constitution, and the country itself.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
The frontier soldier -- A revolutionary capital -- Debating the constitution -- Slaves and hypocrites -- Innocence lost -- Citizen genet -- Entangling alliances -- Jay's treaty -- Love and war -- Tossed into the Seine -- The XYZ papers -- The Jonathan Robbins affair -- Privateers and pirates -- The new order of things -- Showdown -- A strategic retreat -- Estrangement -- Washington burning -- Friends and enemies -- The great steamboat case -- Right remaias with the strongest -- An extravagant pretense -- A union prolonged by miracles.
Table of contents provided by Syndetics
- Introduction (p. 1)
- 1 The Frontier Soldier (p. 5)
- 2 A Revolutionary Capital (p. 20)
- 3 Debating the Constitution (p. 35)
- 4 Slaves and Hypocrites (p. 45)
- 5 Innocence Lost (p. 54)
- 6 Citizen Genet (p. 71)
- 7 Entangling Alliances (p. 87)
- 8 Jay's Treaty (p. 96)
- 9 Talleyrand (p. 114)
- 10 Not a Sixpence (p. 124)
- 11 Love and War (p. 133)
- 12 Tossed into the Seine (p. 147)
- 13 The XYZ Papers (p. 169)
- 14 The Jonathan Robbins Affair (p. 182)
- 15 Privateers and Pirates (p. 195)
- 16 The New Order of Things (p. 215)
- 17 Showdown (p. 231)
- 18 A Strategic Retreat (p. 243)
- 19 Prizes of War (p. 262)
- 20 High Crimes (p. 275)
- 21 Treason (p. 282)
- 22 Estrangement (p. 297)
- 23 The Meaning of Sovereignty (p. 306)
- 24 Washington Burning (p. 315)
- 25 Friends and Enemies (p. 326)
- 26 The Supreme Law (p. 339)
- 27 The Pirate Lottery (p. 348)
- 28 The Great Steamboat Case (p. 364)
- 29 Public and Private (p. 373)
- 30 Right Remains with the Strongest (p. 384)
- 31 An Extravagant Pretense (p. 396)
- 32 In the Conqueror's Court (p. 407)
- 33 A Union Prolonged by Miracles (p. 426)
- Acknowledgments (p. 441)
- Notes (p. 443)
- Selected Bibliography (p. 477)
- Index (p. 489)
Excerpt provided by Syndetics
Reviews provided by Syndetics
Library Journal Review
Paul (law, Univ. of California, Hastings Coll. of the Law; Unlikely Allies) teaches constitutional and international law, but his passion for history renders this book particularly unique and informative. As promised in the subtitle, this biography portrays Founding Father and Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall (1755-1835) in historical context. Consequently, Marshall's career as a jurist is but a portion of his life, and here readers gain a larger understanding of the man who played a fundamental role in the formation and early history of our country as well as his myriad roles as soldier, lawyer, politician, statesman, jurist, and husband. Beginning with Marshall's service under General Washington at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War and delving into every major facet of his life and career, this eminently readable book provides a comprehensive exploration of Marshall and the culture surrounding him. In addition, Paul explicates Marshall's major decisions as chief justice, so landmark opinions such as Marbury v. Madison and McCulloch v. Maryland receive appropriate attention and analysis. VERDICT This masterly work elucidates the indelible imprint that Marshall made on the U.S. Constitution and its subsequent interpretation. Perfect for readers of Jean Edward Smith's John Marshall: Definer of a Nation. [See Prepub Alert, 9/11/17.]-Lynne Maxwell, West Virginia Univ. Coll. of Law Lib., Morgantown © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.Publishers Weekly Review
In this comprehensive and insightful biography, Paul (Unlikely Allies), professor of constitutional and international law at UC-Hastings Law School, asserts that John Marshall (1755-1835), the fourth chief justice of the U.S., did more than anyone to "preserve the delicate unity of the fledgling republic." While clearly a fan of his subject, Paul questions Marshall's behavior, particularly his approach to slavery before and after he assumed the bench. Born of humble Virginia frontier origins, Marshall's formal education was limited to a year of grammar school and six weeks of law school. Prior to his time on the high court, Marshall served under Washington at Valley Forge and was briefly a Virginia state representative before becoming secretary of state under John Adams. Marshall's most famous decision during his record 34-year tenure as chief justice was Marbury v. Madison, which established the fundamental principle that courts had the authority to assess the constitutionality of a law. Positing that the decision was based on perjured testimony by Marshall's brother James and that "the chief justice not only knew this but probably asked him to lie," Paul explains and contextualizes the shocking ethical breach. Paul has produced an excellent treatment of an unquestionably impressive life. Agent: Roger S. Williams, Roger Williams Agency. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.Booklist Review
Paul (Unlikely Allies, 2009) brings to life the turbulent early years of the American Republic through the life of a lesser-known but long-lasting Founding Father. John Marshall was present from the beginning of the Revolution and held many roles before that of chief justice and the last of the great Federalists to serve in the federal government. Paul pays special attention to the intense partisanship and political polarization of the era, especially the feud between Marshall and his cousin Thomas Jefferson. Paul challenges the popular understanding of Marshall as a conservative roadblock and holdover from a bygone ideology at great length, describing the chief justice's decisions from the beginning of Jefferson's presidency and well into the administration of Andrew Jackson as central to our modern understanding of law, the political state, and foundation of the economy. This very human story should be of great interest to almost all readers. Well written and drawing on rich primary sources, Without Precedent lives up to its title and will be an excellent addition to American-history collections.--Pekoll, James Copyright 2018 BooklistKirkus Book Review
A biography of the fourth and greatest chief justice of the United States.John Marshall (1755-1835) was no patrician. The eldest of 15 children born to an impoverished Virginia farmer, he had only a few months of formal education but served as a foot soldier at Valley Forge, a commissioner to France during the XYZ Affair, secretary of state to John Adams, and finally chief justice, a post to which Adams appointed him to resist the partisans of incoming president Thomas Jefferson. As Paul (Constitutional and International Law/Univ. of California Hastings Law School; Unlikely Allies: How a Merchant, a Playwright, and a Spy Saved the American Revolution, 2008) notes, Marshall took over a court that "was regarded as nothing more than a constitutional afterthought [with]few cases, little dignity, and no genuine authority." He bolstered the court's prestige by inventing the majority decision and produced more than 1,000 unanimous decisions during his tenure, a testimony to his skills of persuasion and compromise. Often employing a form of political judo, Marshall expanded the authority of his court and the central government by establishing fundamental constitutional principles like judicial review, taken for granted today but hotly contested in that era, to the impotent rage of his partisan opponents. In his conduct of the 1807 treason trial of Aaron Burr, Marshall infuriated Jefferson but arguably "did more to secure free expression and prevent tyranny than any other court in our history." Much of the story necessarily focuses on abstruse issues in constitutional law, but the author turns this potential narrative problem into a strength by emphasizing the politics and personal stories underlying the court's landmark cases. He cheerfully draws readers into the factual and legal complexities involved, employing an easygoing prose style that neither condescends nor bogs down in legalese. As much as Paul admires Marshall, he doesn't shrink from exposing holes in his reasoning, occasional ethically dodgy procedure, and a sometimes dismayingly amoral approach to the law.A well-informed, perceptive, and absorbing biography of a titan of American history. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.Author notes provided by Syndetics
Joel Richard Paul is a professor of constitutional and international law at the University of California Hastings Law School in San Francisco. He is the author of Unlikely Allies: How a Merchant, a Playwright and a Spy Saved the American Revolution , which was named one of the best books of 2009 by The Washington Post. He lives in northern California.There are no comments on this title.