A Perfect Union: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation

I picked up a copy of A PERFECT UNION: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation, by Catherine Allgor as research material for a novel set during the War of 1812. I had already read The Velvet Glove: A Life of Dolley Madison, by Noel Bertram Gerson, but I wanted more detail and insight regarding President and Mrs. Madison. I wasn't disappointed. A Perfect Union is packed full of information for a novelist wanting to add verisimilitude to a story. For anyone with more than a casual interest in the War of 1812, it provides fascinating insight into behind-the-scenes Washington City and a struggling new nation. Unlike most accounts, it illuminates the war and the political scene from a feminine viewpoint. For the most part, the facts presented by Ms. Allgor were consistent with my other sources. I noticed only a few factual glitches. I believe British atrocities were committed on the raid of Hampton village, not the battle of Craney Island a few days earlier. And I understand that the Capitol was still in two parts, separated by a wooden walkway, when the redcoats torched it. Overall, A Perfect Union is a fascinating look into the life and times of Dolley Madison.

Catherine Allgor serves up a great examination of not only Dolley Madison but a revealing picture of early politics in early America in A Perfect Union. I think she does a wonderful job in exposing how the Madison's, primarily Dolley, countered Jefferson in the way they operated in the young capitol. Allgor also gives us an entertaining glimpse into how an eighteeth century wife supported her husband, perhaps even out-shining him a bit. Allgor also shows us the private Dolley; the Dolley who managed a home but also liked to play cards and was pretty good at it. She also liked to drink....just a bit. These and other facts are great counterpoints to the public Dolley we've all learned about. I'm always a sucker for any book that deals with this period of American history. Early conditions in this country, especially during those years immediately following the revolution, allowed for a great deal of movement, especially socially and politically. Dolley truly shined during this era and Allgor does a wonderful job in painting that picture. As you read this book it becomes quite obvious that Allgor loves to do research. Her facts aren't in question though some other reviewers believes she goes too far. Perhaps. However, the greater value in A Perfect Union is the fact that the whole story is here A worthwhile read for sure.

A PERFECT UNION: DOLLEY MADISON AND THE CREATION OF THE AMERICAN NATION is a 'must' for any serious history holding surveying the making of early America. With its focus on Dolley Madison and her husband James, it shows the political influences of the city as experienced by the president's wife, who became one of the most celebrated people in Washington, saving the portrait of George Washington from the White House as it burned. Rich detail probes into exactly why she was so adored - and is so little known today. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

The primary research behind this biography is staggering and utterly wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I also have to say that my view of the War of 1812 has been significantly altered, from viewing it as a grievous international mistake to a domestic economic crisis which eerily forecast the American Civil War. Dolley herself as a subject is enchanting. And very funny. And charming. And moving. There are some colorful implications made by primary sources: President Jefferson was a bit of a whack job; America sided with France because the French ambassador's wife was Dolley's best friend and the wife of the British envoy was so awful the couple was socially blackballed; and Madison's strongest reason for declaring war might have been to get re-elected. While I think Allgor may go a bit overboard in all she credits Dolley with, I certainly applaud her break with traditional patriarchal history to reveal the considerable power of at least this one woman in creating a sense of American nationalism. This is very well written, by the way, and quotes from the original sources are seamlessly interwoven.

Not being a fan of the historical biography, or really all that interested in history at all, I am probably one of the few people who knew nothing about Dolley Madison's heroic act of saving the White House's famous portrait of George Washington during the War of 1812. Catherine Allgor's new book, A Perfect Union: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation, kicks off with this very moment in history, then wheels back to our most famous historical First Lady's birth and childhood, spending considerable time on her marriage to James Madison, our third President, and wrapping up with Dolley's legacy. While Dolley's life is fascinating, from her Quaker upbringing, to her role as the social center of Washington, D.C. during her husband's presidency, it is Allgor's voice that truly brings this first serious biography on Dolley for years to enthralling and entertaining life. There is a knowing wink, a mischievous suggestion, and a comprehensive knowledge of the emerging power of women, particularly political power, infusing Allgor's prose. Allgor paints a thorough and believable portrait of a woman who broke very important ground for all the women in politics who came after her. She also does a terrific job melding the thorough research of an academic text with an engaging style that will appeal to all readers.