The Founders at Home: The Building of America, 1735-1817
The Founding Fathers have provided plenty of fodder for fiction and nonfiction alike. In this series of biographical sketches, Magnet has taken a different and wholly original tack. In addition to reviewing what this group of luminaries said and wrote about the concepts of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, he also shows how they lived and how the homes they designed, cherished, and inhabited reflected the values and ideals they claimed for themselves and desired for their fellow countrymen. Individual profiles of William Livingston, Arthur Lee, Henry Lee, Richard Henry Lee, George Washington, John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison also include detailed descriptions of their hearths and homes. This collective biography has crossover appeal, featuring enough new information to satisfy both Revolutionary-era enthusiasts and architectural buffs. -Margaret Flanagan