James Monroe: Fifth President of the United States (Encyclopedia of Presidents)

Rating:
Summary: An informative look at the presidency of James Monroe
Review: This juvenile biography of James Monroe for the first series of the Encyclopedia of Presidents series begins where most standard American history textbooks end with their consideration of this particular president, namely with the foreign policy doctrine that bears his name. Christine Maloney Fitz-Gerald gives the Monroe Doctrine credit for keeping European nations out of the Western Hemisphere and a war involving the United States for almost a century, giving the young nation time to grow, settle the West, and become a first-rate world power. There are certainly other reasons for European non-involvement on this side of the globe, but at least the idea here is clearly to credit Monroe with a significant accomplishment.

This book details the story of Monroe's life, although because Monroe managed to preserve his privacy in a way guaranteed to make all other occupants of the White House jealous, his biographers are at a disadvantage. Consequently, Fitz-Gerald deals mainly with Monroe's public life, from junior officer on Washington's staff during the Revolution, to a distinguished diplomatic career in Europe, and his great service during the War of 1812 when he served as both Secretary of State and Secretary of War in the administration of James Madison. The strength of this particular juvenile biography of Monroe is on the issues and accomplishment of his two terms as president. Young readers will get a much better sense of what else he did besides announce the Monroe Doctrine, such as his three-month tour of the country, the issue of Spanish Florida, and why it was the people of the newly formed nation of Liberia named their capital Monroeville after the American president.

This volume is illustrated with mostly engravings and drawings contemporary to the life and times of James Monroe. There are even a few choice editorial cartoons included, one of which is from the end of the 19th-century with the Monroe Doctrine being emboided by the Great White Fleet sent around the world by Theodore Roosevelt. Although these first series volumes in the Encyclopedia of Presidents series always look like they were printed up in the fifties, these are very informative presidential biographies. For those who already have a basic understanding of Monroe's political career, this volume will provided additional layers of information.