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The Founders at Home: The Building of America, 1735-1817
Why the American Revolution, of all the great revolutions, was the only enduring success.
Through the Founders' own voices--and in the homes they designed and built to embody the ideal of domestic happiness they fought to achieve--we come to understand why the American Revolution, of all great revolutions, was the only enduring success.
The Founders were vivid, energetic men, with sophisticated worldviews, and this magnificent reckoning of their successes draws liberally from their own eloquent writings on their actions and well-considered intentions. Richly illustrated with America's historical and architectural treasures, this volume also considers the houses the Founders built with such care and money to reflect their vision for the fledgling nation. That so many great thinkers--Washington, Madison, Hamilton, Jefferson, John Jay, the Lees of Stratford Hall, and polemicist William Livingston--came together to accomplish what rightly seemed to them almost a miracle is a standing historical mystery, best understood by pondering the men themselves and their profound and world-changing ideas.
Through impressive research and an intimate understanding of these iconic patriots, award-winning author Myron Magnet offers fresh insight into why the American experiment resulted in over two centuries of unexampled freedom and prosperity.
Through the Founders' own voices--and in the homes they designed and built to embody the ideal of domestic happiness they fought to achieve--we come to understand why the American Revolution, of all great revolutions, was the only enduring success.
The Founders were vivid, energetic men, with sophisticated worldviews, and this magnificent reckoning of their successes draws liberally from their own eloquent writings on their actions and well-considered intentions. Richly illustrated with America's historical and architectural treasures, this volume also considers the houses the Founders built with such care and money to reflect their vision for the fledgling nation. That so many great thinkers--Washington, Madison, Hamilton, Jefferson, John Jay, the Lees of Stratford Hall, and polemicist William Livingston--came together to accomplish what rightly seemed to them almost a miracle is a standing historical mystery, best understood by pondering the men themselves and their profound and world-changing ideas.
Through impressive research and an intimate understanding of these iconic patriots, award-winning author Myron Magnet offers fresh insight into why the American experiment resulted in over two centuries of unexampled freedom and prosperity.
480 pages, Hardcover
First published November 11, 2013
64 people are currently reading
286 people want to read
About the author
Myron Magnet
17 books19 followersMyron Magnet, editor-at-large of City Journal, is the author of The Dream and the Nightmare and Dickens and the Social Order. He was awarded a National Humanities Medal by President George W. Bush in 2008. He lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 1, 2017
This book looks at the American Founding Fathers, including both well-known and lesser-known founders, and how their private and professional lives impacted the founding of the country. The author's thesis is that the American Revolution, unlike most other revolutions, was focused on limiting the government to give people more freedom for private and professional pursuits, rather than trying to create a utopian society. The author goes to each Founder's home, and provides a biography of each person. The biography includes their work in government, but also talks about their professional lives, and how this impacted their work on the founding.
May 19, 2017
"Since power is of an encroaching nature, Madison warned, "all men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree." One can argue that honesty is the best policy or that considerations of reputation and religion ought to make officials behave virtuously, but experience shows that they don't - and they especially don't in large groups like legislatures, where "passion never fails to wrest the sceptre from reason." pg 338
The beauty of this book is that Magnet let the founders speak for themselves a lot. The book flows smoothly, adding to my knowledge of these men and the influence they had in the formation of our country. In addition to this it discusses their homes architecture, furnishings and summary history of the home.
The men covered are William Livingston, Richard Henry, Arthur, and Lighthorse Harry Lee (Brothers) George Washington, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
We can find things to dislike about almost any one, there are hysterical people who cannot see the forest for trees when it comes to the founding generation. These would be the same people who would say don't judge if you pointed out something about them you didn't like. We must realize, as the book says in the introduction, that ours was the most successful of all the great revolutions, resulting in 2 centuries of freedom and prosperity. Very enjoyable read.
The beauty of this book is that Magnet let the founders speak for themselves a lot. The book flows smoothly, adding to my knowledge of these men and the influence they had in the formation of our country. In addition to this it discusses their homes architecture, furnishings and summary history of the home.
The men covered are William Livingston, Richard Henry, Arthur, and Lighthorse Harry Lee (Brothers) George Washington, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
We can find things to dislike about almost any one, there are hysterical people who cannot see the forest for trees when it comes to the founding generation. These would be the same people who would say don't judge if you pointed out something about them you didn't like. We must realize, as the book says in the introduction, that ours was the most successful of all the great revolutions, resulting in 2 centuries of freedom and prosperity. Very enjoyable read.
October 23, 2020
The Building (and founding presidents' buildings) of America
Magnet’s book is excellent! I read it in an effort to update my own book “George Washington’s Liberty Key,” which deals with Mount Vernon’s Bastille Key. I was especially attracted by the title’s “At Home.” As other reviewers mention, however, the book’s correlation of personalities and architecture, to the extent that there is intended correlation, seems to be minimal. Nevertheless, the book is full of astute observations. I was really pleased to find comments within pages 182-7 which deal with the three aspects (character, culture, constitution) to Washington’s key “to” liberty I distilled and highlighted in my own book. I would like to mention one dissenting note. On page 128, Magnet gives full credit to William Prescott at Bunker Hill for the words “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.” Actually, it’s questionable as to who said it there, as various eyewitness accounts and histories give credit to Prescott, Putnam, Stark, or Gridley, or all of the above, since it was a common phrase at the time. But, again and as a fellow author, I believe the book was very well done!
Magnet’s book is excellent! I read it in an effort to update my own book “George Washington’s Liberty Key,” which deals with Mount Vernon’s Bastille Key. I was especially attracted by the title’s “At Home.” As other reviewers mention, however, the book’s correlation of personalities and architecture, to the extent that there is intended correlation, seems to be minimal. Nevertheless, the book is full of astute observations. I was really pleased to find comments within pages 182-7 which deal with the three aspects (character, culture, constitution) to Washington’s key “to” liberty I distilled and highlighted in my own book. I would like to mention one dissenting note. On page 128, Magnet gives full credit to William Prescott at Bunker Hill for the words “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes.” Actually, it’s questionable as to who said it there, as various eyewitness accounts and histories give credit to Prescott, Putnam, Stark, or Gridley, or all of the above, since it was a common phrase at the time. But, again and as a fellow author, I believe the book was very well done!
September 7, 2019
If you love history, especially the history of our Nation’s founding, you will greatly enjoy Myron Magnet’s latest book, “The Founders at Home: The Building of America, 1735-1817. In this book Magnet selects some great men from the Colonial and early Republic stage of our Nation and he recounts how these architects of history helped give birth to a Nation. In his rubric, Magnet then describes where these great men lived, their States, their homesteads and their homes. It is an interesting concept but Magnet only partially accomplished what he set out to do. That said, to the extent that Magnet followed his original thesis, this book is a gem. This book could be improved with more information regarding, well, the founders at home.
Magnet subscribes unapologetically to the “great man” theory of history. So Magnet masterfully and succinctly describes how great men like John Jay, the Lees of Virginia, Washington, Jefferson, and Madison were key architects of our American Republic. Magnet was effective in explaining the tensions caused by the opposing worldview of the Federalists and the Republicans. This book effectively demonstrates how a talented, committed man can change the course of history. This book also is a sober reminder that life is short and history moves on when one dies. The question is this: what is your legacy? For this thought alone this book is worth the read. Magnet is always engaging and he is always expanding my vocabulary. Happy reading!
Magnet subscribes unapologetically to the “great man” theory of history. So Magnet masterfully and succinctly describes how great men like John Jay, the Lees of Virginia, Washington, Jefferson, and Madison were key architects of our American Republic. Magnet was effective in explaining the tensions caused by the opposing worldview of the Federalists and the Republicans. This book effectively demonstrates how a talented, committed man can change the course of history. This book also is a sober reminder that life is short and history moves on when one dies. The question is this: what is your legacy? For this thought alone this book is worth the read. Magnet is always engaging and he is always expanding my vocabulary. Happy reading!
April 5, 2018
Don't ask. I finally managed to slog my way through this book. It was tedious, overly stocked with complicated sentences and underperformed on information. In our home we refer to things we dislike as a "Two Timer"......first and last in one visit. This author clearly falls into that category to me.
March 22, 2018
This is a must read. It's informative , educational and entertaining about the founding fathers lives and how rhey and where they lived.
June 12, 2023
The author is from New York City. That explains why he loves Hamilton but seems to hate Jefferson, Madison and Adams. 'nuff said.
December 31, 2014
This work of non-fiction provides a brief biographical overview of several of the founding fathers of America including William Livingstone, the Lee family, George Washington, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison. This book did an excellent job of giving a fairly in-depth biography of each man and family, as well as their political contributions. Additionally, (although somewhat overstated in the title and summary) the book gives an overview of the family home of each of the men described, including its history, renovations, and fate after the founder's death.
Although I am still a little unsure of why the author chose the particular founding fathers that he did, especially since some were prominent while others were lesser known men, I enjoyed learning interesting tidbits about all of them. For example, I knew very little going in about the five Lee brothers of Stratford Hall, one of which would go on to father General Robert E. Lee. George Washington's lesser known title is that of "Father of the American Mule" after the king of Spain sent him two prize jackasses "as a mark of his esteem" (179). When one died, he proceeded to breed the creature with an American mare, and spawned a dynasty of mules.
I anticipated this book to be largely about the founders' home life and their houses. Although it turned out to be largely about their political careers with some information about their homes, I still enjoyed what I did learn. The author includes photos and floor plans of most of the homes, and analyzes how their homes reflect the men themselves. For examples, George Washington's home is a combination of a manor house and farmhouse. "For all his ambition, he built the house of a citizen, not a seigneur, and the endearingly homey Mount Vernon turned out to be a large but undoubted example of what Greenberg calls America's architecture of democracy" (120). Poor Hamilton Grange, home of Alexander Hamilton, has had an awkward history of being moved multiple times, once to be shoved sideways between two much larger buildings, with its verandas cut off, to be used as a rectory of a church. However, today it has been largely restored. Likewise, President Madison's home Montpelier has had a long evolution from the house Madison's father built in the mid-1760s to the renovations made by the president, to ballooning into a fifty-five room mansion under the ownership of William du Pont.
If anything, this book makes me want to continue to gain a more in-depth understanding of the founders' homes and their history. Magnet has shown that their homes were one way of understanding these great men that contributed greatly to the country we still know today.
Although I am still a little unsure of why the author chose the particular founding fathers that he did, especially since some were prominent while others were lesser known men, I enjoyed learning interesting tidbits about all of them. For example, I knew very little going in about the five Lee brothers of Stratford Hall, one of which would go on to father General Robert E. Lee. George Washington's lesser known title is that of "Father of the American Mule" after the king of Spain sent him two prize jackasses "as a mark of his esteem" (179). When one died, he proceeded to breed the creature with an American mare, and spawned a dynasty of mules.
I anticipated this book to be largely about the founders' home life and their houses. Although it turned out to be largely about their political careers with some information about their homes, I still enjoyed what I did learn. The author includes photos and floor plans of most of the homes, and analyzes how their homes reflect the men themselves. For examples, George Washington's home is a combination of a manor house and farmhouse. "For all his ambition, he built the house of a citizen, not a seigneur, and the endearingly homey Mount Vernon turned out to be a large but undoubted example of what Greenberg calls America's architecture of democracy" (120). Poor Hamilton Grange, home of Alexander Hamilton, has had an awkward history of being moved multiple times, once to be shoved sideways between two much larger buildings, with its verandas cut off, to be used as a rectory of a church. However, today it has been largely restored. Likewise, President Madison's home Montpelier has had a long evolution from the house Madison's father built in the mid-1760s to the renovations made by the president, to ballooning into a fifty-five room mansion under the ownership of William du Pont.
If anything, this book makes me want to continue to gain a more in-depth understanding of the founders' homes and their history. Magnet has shown that their homes were one way of understanding these great men that contributed greatly to the country we still know today.
February 28, 2014
I love bio-histories from the founding of this nation, and this book adds a great deal of insight into the personalities, convictions, contributions, and home lives of some of our greatest men. I now know much more about Washington...how he merited the "first in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen" description. A truly amazing man, perhaps truly the "father of our country." The other men about whom I was very pleased to learn more were John Jay and Hamilton. Jay set the bar for international diplomacy, while reinforcing everything Washington knew about the clay feet of government. And Hamilton was truly an exciting individual, the key federalist. We do not realize how difficult it was to actually persuade all the states to become part of "a more perfect union." The segments on Jefferson and Madison, while appropriate, interested me less. At times we get a bit too much architectural description of the homes of these men...their roles as founders were my primary interest. But, this is the perspective of the book. I should mention that we also learn about William Livingston and the Lees, who played important parts in the eventual revolution. For lovers of American history, a worthwhile read.
October 5, 2015
Dr. Al Mohler gave us this book as a gift after visiting us in our 1843 home in Lexington, Kentucky. His teaser was that the book would help us learn how to talk about our house. Indeed, the book has an interesting hook. An intimate look at the architects of our nation, "The Founders at Home" observes how much we can learn about these nation builders from the homes they built. While it delivers on that proposition, the book goes way beyond the connection between architecture and the founders. It dives deep into the characters and personalities of the founders and their relationships with one another. It's a thorough introduction to the building of America from 1735-1817. Magnet is an amazing historian, and I learned much about this period--enlightening insights into the character of Presidents and other statesmen, plus basics facts that I probably should have learned while I was asleep in Mr. McCord's 8th grade history class. (Hey, it was right after lunch.) Dr. Mohler did one of his "Thinking in Public" interviews with the author, Myron Magnet, that I found to be a great supplement to the book: http://www.albertmohler.com/2014/03/3...
August 26, 2014
At first glance this looks like it will be about the homes of the founders and it does include photos and information about the residences, but there is much more. There is a lot of American history that is presented with personal viewpoints. For example, when Washington was shown a broadside critical of him, he exploded. He "got into one of those passions where he cannot command himself," Jefferson recorded; "...that by God he had rather be in his grave than in his present situation; that he had rather be on his farm than made emperor of the world; and yet they were charging him with wanting to be king."
Not just a picture book, this is a well written history with the appropriate subtitle: "The Building of America, 1735-1817."
Not just a picture book, this is a well written history with the appropriate subtitle: "The Building of America, 1735-1817."
February 18, 2014
DH gave me this book for Christmas because he knows I am a Founding Fathers junkie. The book presents biographical sketches of many of the key actors, and ties their lives back to their homes, which was an interesting approach. There wasn't much new here from a biography perspective but I enjoyed the tie to the architecture. I also appreciated the author's enthusiasm for visiting those homes; it was clear that he felt closer to the people he was writing about as a result of seeing where they lived. Made me even more interested in visiting some of those places.
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November 9, 2013I haven't read it but I would like to.
June 10, 2014
Brilliant concept and execution.
January 2, 2016
Explores some of the thinking behind the nations founding through the lens of their homes and families. Interesting read though unnecessarily wordy at times.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews