The author of several books on the US founding fathers portrays the politics and pleasure-loving life of the rarely credited draftsman of the Constitution's final form and author of its "We the people" preamble, during the American and French Revolutions. The cover likeness shows his wooden leg. Annotation #169;2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

This biography ought to rehabilitate an appealing, major if second-ranking figure of the early nation. Gouverneur Morris has been overlooked, surmises Brookhiser (America's First Dynasty: The Adamses, 1735-1918), because he was among "the solid rather than the glittering." If so, Morris had a more penetrating mind, a more buoyant disposition and a more lusty character than most of his contemporaries. He may have been a rake, but he appears to have been a lovable and admirable one-a thoughtful lover (greatly loved in return by women, including Talleyrand's mistress, whom he shared with the Frenchman), a keen observer of history, an early opponent of slavery, and an optimistic and unembittered man despite grievous bodily injuries. More important, he played key roles in the nation's first years. We owe the Constitution's great preamble, as well as many of the document's key phrases and all of its style, to Morris's pen. Observing the French Revolution up close in Paris and serving as ambassador to France at the height of the Terror, he recorded what he saw in a classic diary. The author's characteristic strengths are on display here, no doubt because he's writing of another of the founding generation's conservative figures, his longtime subjects. Sometimes letting facts suffice for interpretation, Brookhiser, a senior editor for the National Review and a columnist for the New York Observer, leaves a reader unsure of where to place Morris, how to understand his significance. But no one will fail to be charmed by this man of fortitude and achievement who "savored life."Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Acclaimed historian Brookhiser provides an absolutely delightful biography of America's least renowned Founding Father. Revisiting the life and times of Gouverneur Morris, he has also added a new chapter to the history of the Constitution. Born to an aristocratic New York family, Morris was exposed to the politics of both the loyalists and the revolutionaries at an early age. Opting to throw his weight behind the cause of liberty, he became a member of the Constitutional Convention, reshaped and reworded the proposed Constitution, and penned the celebrated Preamble. Equally as interesting as his political contributions was his colorful private life. An inveterate womanizer, the witty, fashionably attired, one-legged Mr. Morris entertained a string of mistresses across two continents. The third installment in Brookhiser's series of tributes to the Founding Fathers (Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington, 1996; Alexander Hamilton, American, 1999) offers another fascinating portrait of a man at the crossroads of American history. MargaretFlanagan. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

As time passes, the lights often dim on central figures in events that changed the course of history. To help refocus the light, Brookhiser (senior editor, The National Review; biographer of George Washington, Founding Father: Rediscovering George Washington, 1996, and Alexander Hamilton, American, CH, Jul'99), has written a first-rate and well-rounded biography of Gouverneur Morris. Although coming from a family with split allegiance, Morris was an unapologetic advocate for the creation of a new nation. He served in numerous positions in the formative years, but the most important may have been his service on the Constitutional Convention's Committee of Style. Entrusted with the responsibility of styling the Constitution for publication, the committee left the task to Morris, whose pen gave life to the emotionally charged Preamble. Suffering from disabilities that would derail others, Morris moved easily between the political arena and the private sector for the remainder of his life. Although the book is light in size, Brookhiser has knowledgeably covered his subject in a manner that will not disappoint readers. Not just for scholars, this book should be in all libraries. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All collections. General Readers; Lower-division Undergraduates; Upper-division Undergraduates; Graduate Students; Researchers/Faculty; Two-year Technical Program Students; Professionals/Practitioners. Reviewed by J. J. Fox Jr.. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.