Garret Sheldon's short work opens up a door previously pointed out by Katcham, in which Ketcham specified Madison amongst others believed the Ten Commandments, Sermon on the Mount,and Romans to be canonical. As most of Madison's personal papers may have been destroyed this work offers an insight not frequently explored, but certainly worthy of consideration.

Sheldon explores an area of Madison's life most just generalize - his early education. Frustrated by the lack of direct Madison writings covering this early period, many authors choose simply to generalize his educational process. Sheldon uses evidence we do have about the people (John Witherspoon) and institutions (College of New Jersey) to help better define what shaped this Founding Father. Very helpful in understanding what motivated Madison - especially the time spent under the strong Calvinist influence of John Witherspoon and the College of New Jersey (Princeton).

Banning's book is a repetative, prolonged and far too lengthy an essay. He imaginatively and masterfully reinteprets Madison's ideas and actions as a member of several deliberative bodies that preceeded and followed the writing and ratification of the Constitution, finding him to be consistent throughout in his views on a central government and the powers of the states. The reading can be somewhat tedious for its redundancies, but worth the effort. Bannings scholarship is impecable, yet the book ought to be only an article in a scholarly journal.

Lance Bannings book is excellent, and long ovedue. History has left us a view of Madison that suggested he was Jefferson's lieutenant, an apostate to his nationilistic views in the 1790's, one view even diminished him to a 'trimmer' of ideas. The average person knows little of the Father of the Constituion, and as Jack Rakove stated at Princeton this February passed, we are learning what Madison always knew. Most views of Madison are not the result of individual study and research, many opinions of Madison arise from previous treatments. Banning began with the exchanges of Madison and found the consistency Madison always claimed. The actual history of Madison reveals an enormously capacious, hard working force behind the Constituion, Bill of Rights,The Federalist Papers, 41 years of public service, and the workings and definition of goverment. Viewed by friend and political foes as, brilliant and ' one adept at committee work and reasoned argument, one who could be depended on to speak and write with precision and force what others could express but vauely and in part.' Banning has surpassed those before him in Madisonian scholarship, by ardously discovering The Real Madison. The attention to detail is excellent, and the scholarship is not self defending just revealing. As Madison's true nature unfolds the consistency is revealed, from lieutenant to an independent thinker, and finally to the proper position of one the key thinkers behind American government. Being one dependent on scholars for my view of history, and granting then occaisonally the keepers of arcanum a merit they do not deserve, it is refreshing to have Lance Bannings contribution not only to Madisonian scholarship, but also to American History. The ongoing efforts by Dave Mattern and the Papers of James Madison have brought enormous information to light in the last few years, and it appears the work of Banning may be the beginning of Madison taking his deserved place in our history and common parlance, a parlance altered by the independent and ardous study this book represents.

Called an epilogue, "A Thousand Country Roads" reveals the separate pathways of Robert Kincaid and Fransesca Johnson since their torrid four day love affair in "The Bridges of Madison County". The primary focus is on Kincaid as the complexity of his background and character is explored. As he contemplates the end of his life, Kincaid is anxious about his past, concerned about leaving this earth with a broken heart and no legacy. The reader will be surprised with what he discovers. Fransesca has a minor role. Her affair with Kincaid strengthened her. While she lives with its memories, she never regrets their brief relationship.

Robert James Waller is a gifted writer with poetic prose and a creative use of settings. His weakness is how he designed the story - more like an engineer than an artist. To add drama and suspense he engineers a number of coincidences and close encounters between Kincaid and some key characters throughout the story. Unfortunately, it isn't natural or realistic. The reader often loses one's suspension of disbelief. Otherwise, Waller delivers a fine story about aging and dealing with a haunted past.

As one of the zillions that read "Bridges", I am curious if "A Thousand Country Roads" will appeal to someone that is clueless about the Roseman Bridge. Probably a mute point - only a fraction of us zillions need to try it for Mr. Waller pave quite a few roads with gold.

Robert James Waller's "A Thousand Country Roads" is NOT a continuation of "Bridges of Madison County" as some readers thought but actually deals with the in-between, after Kincaid left Iowa and before he died. During this time, he met up with a son he thought didn't exist and it shows how close both Kincaid and Francesca at meeting each other. Also, I am amazed that some readers wanted to know if they were going to meet even though it said clearly in "Bridges of Madision County" that they would not meet.

The author's writing skills is great and very personal. The book is short but especially intense and deep. Waller has the ability to bring and draw his readers into the story and just mesmerize his readers. Some might not like this book or feel dissatisfied because the ending is not what they want even though the ending was already determined in the previous book. I do agree that Waller should not dwell on the Kincaid past quite that much. However, I still think this is still a great story. I also highly recommend that the readers should read "Bridges of Madison County" first in order to understand better the story.

It has been a long time since we've heard these all-too familiar names: Francesca Johnson and Robert Kincaid. A decade ago, it was impossible to enter a movie theatre or abookstore without being bombarded with images of the world's all-time bestselling hardcover novel: The Bridges of Madison County. Now, we hear those names again...

A Thousand Country Roads is aptly described on the book jacket as an epilogue to Bridges. It is exactly that. This new book shows us some of the inbetween spaces in the lives of Robert and Francesca. A Thousand Country Roads aims to answer some questions about what happened to the two lovers after their affair at Roseman Bridge. What it does, and does well, is give us more insight into how the events in Bridges affected both Francesca and Robert and how they deal with it. Interestingly, for both people, a nostalgic journey is in the works.

Adding some excellent new characters and a few very clever twists, Robert Waller has recreated a lot of the magic of Bridges in this new tale. Readers who loved Bridges will anxiously follow the paths of Robert and Francesca as they explore what happened over those stolen four days, and examine what their lives have become Because of its nature though (it is an epilogue), it is certainly not going to be enjoyed by anyone who hasn't already read Bridges of Maisdon County.

The magic of Bridges is sustained in A Thousand Country Roads, and, a decade later, Robert Waller is back on the map. An execllent way to complete the picture for anyone who read and loved The Bridges of Madison County.

This book could not have been written by a Seattle native - it simply contains too many errors and ommissions. Several items are mislabeled and the dialog for each picture is vapid.

Additionally, it would not have been that difficult to match the "now" to the "then" photos. Many of the "now" pictures were taken at different angles and with the wrong lens.

A good concept but poorly executed.

I bought this book for my daughter. We both enjoy it. We have spend serveral hours together pouring over the book.

The book shows pictures of Seattle then and now covering a lot of areas like Pioneer Square, First Hill, Belltown, Fremont and some of the water front. Though I wish more of the water front would have been covered. There are a lot of historical buildings that are no longer there shown in the book. A description is given for each picture of what area it is, what the pictures is of and when it was taken. The book shows a lot of change that has occurred in the city and that fact that the Brooklyn has probably changed the least. It's a fabulous coffee table book and a great conversation piece.

REED DESPERATE FOR IDENTITY. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN 7 OR 8 MEN, ALL DESCENDED FROM FIELDING JEFFERSON, WHO MIGHT HAVE FATHERED ESTON. ALL HERESAY, WHICH VERY CONVENIENTLY DISREGARDS THE TESTIMONY OF EDMUND BACON, THE CHAP WHO GAVE EYE WITNESS TACCOUNT TO WHO LEFT SALLYS ROOM IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE MORNING ON MANY OCCASIONS. GO READ THE THOMAS JEFFERSON HERITAGE SOCIETY BOOK CALLED THE JEFFERSON- HEMINGS MYTH AND GET INTELLIGENT INFO. REED'S BOOK IS ABSURD, AND MOST CERTAINLY A SHAM. NOT THE SCHOLARLY WORK ONE WOULD EXPECT FROM A PERSON IN HER POSITION.

Let say that for those interested in the communications of the founding fathers, this is one of the books needed to understand that communication.

This book focuses on Jefferson and Madison both intellectual giants in the founding the United States. Jefferson most for his ideas and Madison for his valued sounding board to Jefferson and his finesse taking those ideas and making them part of the way of life as we know them today.

It is always a pleasure to read the letters that transpired between these two people. Most of us do not have the privilege of reading these letters first hand and have to rely on others for their interpretation. I find that this author does a fine job of this and offers good background to the letters of the time that they were written.

Those that are studying the founding fathers and especially Jefferson and Madison will like this tome, I did and I recommend it.

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights, The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, and the heart warming chapter Take Care of Me When Dead were my favorites.

Again a must read for understanding these two men and the times they came from... I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

The author is to be commended for writing about a an important event in our nation's history -- the formation of the Bill of Rights -- that has to date been the subject of very few book-length studies. While I liked much of the historical account, it seems to me that the treatment of James Madison's ideas was lacking in some respects.

Goldwin argues that Madison's principal purpose in proposing the Bill of Rights was political. Madison, Goldwin says, was concerned about Anti-Federalist opposition to the Constitution and the risk that the Anti-Federalists would succeed in calling a second constitutional convention that might undo all of the important structural features of the Constitution. Goldwin believes that Madison hoped to steal the Anti-Federalists' thunder by offering amendments whose substance was uncontroversial, but whose inclusion would help solidify support for the new Constitution in a public that was still nervous about the way it centralized national power.

Goldwin reinforces his argument about Madison's political motivations by suggesting that Madison regarded a Bill of Rights as being practically useless in preventing governments from encroaching on the liberties of its citizens. Instead, according to the author, Madison thought that the structural elements of the Constitution (separation of powers, bicameral legislature, etc.) afforded the best mechanism for securing rights against infringement by the majority. Goldwin goes so far as to suggest repeatedly that Madison was willing to propose a Bill of Rights precisely because he believed it would "leave the original Constitution unchanged . . . ." (p. 101; see also p. 153).

Goldwin may be right about Madison's political motivations in proposing a Bill of Rights; others have drawn similar conclusions. But the author's positive assessment of Madison's ideas about the intrinsic inefficacy of a Bill of Rights is unpersuasive. If Madison truly believed that including specific restraints on governmental power in a written constitution would do little directly to advance the cause of freedom, and that the Constitution as originally written would serve those ends well, in my view he was fundamentally mistaken. It is certainly true that the will of the majority would be frustrated less often if we had no Bill of Rights, or if the Judiciary had no power to enforce its provisions. But it is precisely for that reason that the freedoms set forth in the Bill of Rights would have been less secure if they had never been made a part of the Constitution.

In light of the widely held contemporary view that the Bill of Rights is an essential (even if sometimes misused) restraint on governmental power, this book would have been better if, instead of uncritically praising Madison's contrary view, Goldwin had subjected it to searching analysis. Madison's view of the role of the judiciary in enforcing the Bill of Rights, a subject not even broached in this book, would in my view be central to such an analysis. Raoul Berger pointed out in an article written several years ago that during the debates over the ratification of the original Constitution in Virginia, Madison joined John Marshall (who later became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court) in maintaining that the Judiciary had this power. And in his speech to the First Congress proposing a Bill of Rights, Madison (echoing Jefferson's sentiments in a letter written to him from France) asserted that "independent tribunals of justice will consider themselves in a peculiar manner the guardians of those rights." Madison's support for some form of judicial review is also evidenced in statements he made in the Philadelphia Convention and in The Federalist Nos. 39 and 44. Since Madison believed that the courts would have a large responsibility for enforcing the Bill of Rights, then a question which needs to be addressed is why he nevertheless regarded the amendments as a mere "parchment barrier." And what makes the other, structural elements of the Constitution which Madison looked to as the main protector of our liberties (e.g., separation of powers, limitation of Congress to enumerated powers) anything more than "parchment barriers" themselves? Finally, it would have been useful to consider not only what Madison thought immediately before and after the formation of the Constitution, but also the extent to which his views may have changed as he observed the Constitution in operation over the course of his long political career.

I also think that Goldwin's insistence that both the Federalists (including Madison) and the Anti-Federalists believed that the Amendments "changed nothing in the Constitution" (p. 177) is misleading. This characterization not only distorts the views of both groups and obscures their important philosophic differences, but also trivializes the subtantive import of the Bill of Rights. How can it be said, for example, that the privilege against self-incrimination set forth in the Fifth Amendment "changed nothing," when in its absence Congress would have been able to compel the defendant to testify in a federal criminal proceeding?

What is it in a story that takes it to the New York Times Best Seller List for three years or 156 weeks? When I read this book, that was what I wanted to know. I look at the book on the shelf and think, "What was there that I just did not get?"

The love story set in the 1960s is about Robert Kincaid, a renowned photographer, and a Francesca Johnson, a farm wife. The story is based on her diaries and the personal effects he had sent to her after he died.

She is secluded and alone much of the time. When Robert comes to photograph the bridges, her family is away at the state fair. They are, like Romeo and Juliet, star-crossed lovers who will only remain in each other's hearts and minds for all of their life, though they only shared four days. Her diaries indicate that for about thirty years Francesca maintained the emotional contact she committed to Kincaid by seeing his photography in National Geography, news clippings, and reading the articles written about him.

It is easy to be in love for four days. Anyone can. New love is exciting, romance is thrilling, and a new lover's touch is magical. Yes, it will last forever -- if you do not have to wake up to reality. It was simple to see this aspect of the enchantment about their story. Francesca wrote of the agony that she felt when choosing whether to go with Kincaid or stay with her family, her children. This was the crux of her story; stay with her husband and children, or run off with a stranger.

I could never understand that, my child is first. Today the book is on my daughter's shelf, and she knows more about the emotions that drove Kincaid and Francesca than I ever will. I am too practical; but she tells me I have never loved as they did -- and she just might be right because I still wonder why this book sold millions. Suspend disbelief and enjoy the romantic interlude.

Perhaps I should have seen the movie (I am a Clint Eastwood fan). For me the book was worth three stars, but the millions of people who loved this book and movie cannot all be wrong, so it must be a five. I guess I will give it a four.

Victoria Tarrani

"The Bridge of Madison County" by Robert James Waller.

To a casual reader, the book appears to be just another juicy love story between a divorced man, Robert Kincaid, a writer-photographer from Bellingham, Washington and Francesca Johnson, a farmer's wife in Madison County, Iowa. In August 1965, he was 52 and she was 45. To a serious sensible reader, the book is much more than that. It is a powerful book.

Kincaid was on an assignment to photograph covered bridges in Madison County for 'National Geographic' when he dropped in on a farmhouse on a country road. A woman was sitting on the front porch. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm looking for a covered bridge out this way, and I can't find it. I think I'm temporarily lost," he said. "You're pretty close. The bridge is about two miles from here," she said. "I'll be glad to show it to you, if you want."

They spent next four days together in the farmhouse. Francesca's husband Richard and her son Michael, 17, and her daughter Carolyn, 16, were at Illinois State Fair. They fell hard for each other in these four incredible days. They danced in the kitchen to candlelight, and they made love in the kitchen, in the bedroom, and in the pasture.

Then he was inside her again, whispering soft words into her ear as he loved her, kissing her between phrases, between words, his arm around her waist, pulling her into him and him into her. And she murmured, softly, breathlessly, "Oh, Robert . . . Robert . . . I am losing myself." He was an animal. A graceful, hard, male animal who did nothing overtly to dominate her yet dominated her completely, in the exact way she wanted that to happen at this moment.

"What are we going to do? he asked at the end of four days. "There is this damn sense of responsibility I have. To Richard, to the children. Just my leaving, taking away my physical presence, would be hard enough for Richard. That alone might destroy him," she said. "On top of that, and this is even worse, he would have to live the rest of his life with the whispers of the people here. And children would hear snickering of Winterset for as long as they live here. As much as I want you and want to be with you and part of you, I can't tear myself away from the realness of my responsibilities."

"Oh, Michael, Michael, think of them all those years, wanting each other so desperately. She gave him up for us and for Dad. And Robert Kincaid stayed away out of respect for her feelings about us. We treat our marriages so casually, and we were part of the reason that an incredible love affair ended the way it did," said Carolyn after reading the letter her mother left. "They had four days together, just four. Out of a lifetime."

Yes, Francesca and Robert spent only four days together out of a lifetime. They wanted each other so desperately. And yet, they endured the rest of their lives away from each other. Why? For what? To do the right thing. The right thing for Francesca was to think of Richard and their children. The right thing for Robert was to respect the feelings of Francesca. Herein lie the strength and power and moral of the story "The Bridges of Madison County."

In this book a woman named, Francesca, falls in love for a photographer named, Robert. When this occurs her husband, Richard, is away with their children. She ends up finding a new part of herself with-in the four days they have together. When Robert tells her he is leaving soon, she has to make a decision whether or not she will go with him. She decides to stay with her family and hold her love secretly inside her. I have not read a lot of books like this, out of the ones I have this on really gets to you. This book has an aspect of love that most other books don't deal with. This is where one of the partners that has fallen in love is torn between her lover and her family. Some do deal with this but it is the part where that partner torn stays with the family. Here Francesca is married, and Robert is dedicated to his work of photography, and neither wanted to give up there lives. I loved it because some books that have this certain situation, they usually let the other person they ar einvolved with go. But not this one, no, he leaves and she stays. I loved it so much because it goes to show that even if you are married and committed there could be someone that you meet and fall in love with them. Even if it's not love you could become infatuated or obssessed with the thought of being with them. Everyone likes the feeling of being in a secure relationship and this book proves not everything si guaranteed. Robert is a calm and cool collected and I strive to be like this character. It's the way he talks so gently and forcefully that Francesca just has to listen. Robert says there love is,"in a universe of ambiguity, this kind of certainty comes once." This book is not for everyone, especially if you feel that your partner is cheating or if you have a fear that someone couldn't commit ot you. This could make you more afraid or suspicious. Or it could do the exact opposite and you find that all of your fears are not needed. If you like general romance books you'll like the subtleness of this one.

Very poorly orginized. Concepts are referenced before being introduced. Explanations are at best superficial. Elemental information is nonexistent. Numerous mistakes in the text and diagrams. Feels like extra information thrown just to bulk it up.

This book tries too hard to cover all aspects CNC and all types of CNC machining. It fails on both fronts. Conversational programming methods are woefully simplistic and often inaccurate. The diagrams are confusing and repetitive. There are not enough examples of actual CNC programs and proper explanations of each individual code. There are far better CNC books on the market. Anyone with no CNC background will gain little form this book. Those with CNC experience will shake their hands and correct the numerous mistakes in the text.

I am a beginer on cnc so I want you give me some detail book I can chose it Thank you for your help

If you are looking for a biography of James Madison, look elsewhere. Rutland's subtitle, "The Founding Father," makes it clear what this book is about: Madison's participation in the creation and passage of the constitution and the Bill of Rights. Although it does cover most of his life, the focus is definitely on Madison's role as founding father.

The book deals with the major issues of Madison's political life, often in too minute detail, but does not satisfy the biographical aspects of his life. There is absolutely no mention, for example, of Madison's birth date, or even the year he was born in! Further, the book failed completely to engage me. I set it aside for weeks at a time before I finally finished if off, despite its modest size.

I picked up this book because I was to attend a conference on Madison and wanted to know something more than the murky recollection I had from school of this less well known "founding father." I was fascinated to learn how it came to pass that after initially opposing the Bill of Rights Madison was the guy who actually got it through the first Congress. The early years were interesting, but this book rather quickly turned into a rather bewildering discussion of the ins and outs of trade with Europe and the problems that led up to the War of 1812--which sounded like a totally forgettable incident in American history. Madison was by and large an untalented president--his greatest achievements were complete by the time he was 30--the Bill of Rights and, before then, the Federalist Papers. Maybe the book went downhill with the career of its subject, but I thought the writing could have been a lot clearer and a few sentences of background information each time a new subject was introduced would have helped this book alot.

not like Jefferson & Hamilton or celebrated like Washington & Franklin. My fellow reviewers seemed disappointed in this as a biography. But it was not Mr. Rutland's goal to write a personal story of Mr. Madison's life although his later years were covered quite well. I am glad however, I took the easy way out by listening to the audio version (unedited). As if I was in Mr. Rutland's class as he was giving a lecture. The years after The Revolutionary War, The Federalist Papers, The Constitution & The Bill of Rights, are the real meat of this book. Madison's behind the scenes leadership in Congress was consummate. If we do not appreciate how important he was 200 years later, it seems that he contemporaries did. To his sorrow he was, with Jefferson, responsible for creating the two party system we now operate under. That he wanted to heed Washington's advice against the party system is evident. But he found this advice quickly outdated. As a result Washington, & to a lesser extent Adams were the only unaffiliated presidents in our history. Happily, none of this two-party stuff is cluttering up our Consititution. As Secretary of State under Jefferson & President on his own he was unremarkable. Any one could have mucked things up as well as he did. Indeed his best years were his early years. What seemed to me remarkable was the love, respect & friendship that existed between Madison & Jefferson all of their adult lives. It was an alliance of two great men that never wavered & recreated the "republican" type government of ancient Greece. Mr Rutland was obviously impressed by this relationship & alludes to it several times. I appreciate biographies that teach me something about history I didn't know. How great is this book? Hard to say. But it fit the bill.

I was just looking around for something intersting, something just to read. Then one day my mother came in with this book that they had given to her, I saw the cover and thought this wasn't my kinda book, after leaving it on top of my t.v for a few weeks I decided to see what it was about, I picked it up and started reading, soon I couldn't put it down. This book is the kind of book that puts you in the front seat and makes you realize how much it can hurt to loose someone you deeply love. It kinda makes you wonder how bad that feeling is, and not wanting to but having to let go, of falling in love so deeply but just knowing that it just can't be, and that it has to not be. It's just a book you can read to pass the time, and to learn form someone else's point of view. If you like these kind of stories, this one is one to read.

I just finished reading my copy of St. James' book a few hours ago and in all honesty I'm not completely sure how to feel. The writing of Jana St. James is actually very good; descriptive with lots of detail, and the emotions that she and Waller feel are written so clearly/elonquently that we can feel what they felt as if we were there with them or it was one of us in this situation. But, like the other reviewers, I too am confused as to why she would bring all this out in the open twentysomething years later when the affair is so long over. Why would she do that when he's moved on with his wife Georgia, and he and Georgia are obviously happy, knowing that the publication of this novel could do damage to their relationship? It's almost as if St. James wants to stir up trouble. If she really felt the need to write about this time in her life to get it out of her system, she should have written this book exactly as she has done-except write it as a novel, with ficticious names/characters. However the writing is good, as I said before, and she writes about the emotions well, making her story all too believable. Three stars is about the fairest review I can give this book.

I read the book in one sitting, I could not tear myself away. I felt like I was there, I could feal all the love and emotions. Memories of Madison County is at the top of my favorite list, I haven't read a book this good in along time. Thank You