John Marshall

Critics Review

• “Read. Be proud of our country.”

  New York Post

• “A rousing, eye-opening life and times of one of the
  most underappreciated figures in American history…As an account of the
  courtroom dramas in which Marshall was involved, the foreign and domestic
  intrigues, the clashes of temperamental geniuses, Unger’s book is unsurpassed.”

  American History

• “Highly readable…Unger’s rigorously
  researched book offers a window into the everyday life of eighteenth- and
  nineteenth-century North America…Unger’s biography of John Marshall reveals how
  he saved the nation but also democracy’s fragility.”

  New York Journal of Books

• “Unger is a masterful storyteller. As he unfolds
  Marshall’s personal life, his career at law, and his service as chief justice,
  Unger also provides a concise tale of the birth of the United States as a
  unified country under the Constitution. This biography serves the dual purpose
  of explaining Marshall’s critical role in saving the nation from chaos while
  giving a concise account of the social and political forces at play during the
  nation’s salad days…In telling the story of Marshall, Unger provides keen
  insight into the very foundation of the United States of America and an
  excellent introduction to the United States Constitution and the Supreme Court,
  especially for those who want to know the story without having to read volumes
  of case law and sometimes arcane exegetical texts.”

  Roanoke Times

• “Those interested in the founding fathers will appreciate this scholarly, accessible title.”

  Library Journal

• “Unger offers a comprehensive account of Marshall’s
  life and career that provides interesting insights into his personal qualities
  and political sympathies…But Unger is at his best covering the history-altering
  judicial activities of the court under Marshall, especially as the court
  clashed with the executive power of the Jefferson and Jackson administration…A
  well-done tribute to the man who made the judiciary a truly coequal branch of
  the national government.”

  Booklist

• “Unger chooses to present all aspects of Marshall’s life, including his military
  heroism and his extraordinary devotion to a chronically ill wife and their
  children…Well-researched, and the author is skilled at
  portraying the characters and viewpoints of Marshall’s political friends and
  foes. Thomas Jefferson comes across as a stubborn, politically motivated, and sometimes hypocritical man, and Unger employs the Marshall-Jefferson enmity
  effectively, adding tension to the narrative. A vigorous account of an influential American life.”

  Kirkus Reviews

• “By
  varying his tone, pacing, and volume, narrator Robert Fass brings this portrait
  of Chief Justice John Marshall to dramatic life. The adjustments in his reading
  style seem natural and appropriate. In quoting the fiery Patrick Henry, Fass
  nearly yells (although the editor adjusts the volume, so the effect is there
  without shattering the listener’s eardrums). Then he takes a more theatrical
  tone with the words of Daniel Webster. For Marshall himself, he adopts a
  studied tone, which is fitting for the champion of a centrist judiciary. Fass
  generally takes a solemn approach for quoting court rulings. In the rest of the
  work, Fass carries the reading along smoothly, with an engaging tone. It would
  have been easy to fall into a somnolent rhythm, but Fass resists.”

  AudioFile