The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution, 1783-1789

The most widespread summary of the founding of the United States is approximately this: “And so it was, that after the diabolical British were defeated, the noble American colonies slipped into a new era of prosperity and fellowship, and were thenceforth known collectively as the United States. Also, George Washington had something to do with it.” This idyllic and banal portrayal is not only starkly untrue, it also grossly dishonors the sacrifice, genius, and drive of the men behind the creation of the Constitution: namely, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay, and, to a lesser extent, Gouverneur Morris. In this mantling work, polished historian Joseph Ellis corrects that error.

No book could ever hope to capture the intensity and complexity of the debates, revelations, and decisions behind the forming of the Constitution, but this book comes close; it portrays the true travails and almost incomprehensible savvy of the Federalists and the difficulties they faced in a scholarly, though quite accessible, two hundred pages. The book spends little time introducing its players, preferring instead to directly delve into the intricacies of the Federalists’ plot, which thankfully advances the pace without compromising the display of the Founding Fathers’ efforts. Overall, a must-read for all Americans.