First published 2020
Thomas Ricks examines how ancient Greek and Roman texts influenced America's first four presidents. After the 2016 election prompted questions about the founders' vision, Ricks returned to the classical sources that shaped their thinking. He traces how Washington absorbed classical knowledge through elite culture, Adams through Roman law and rhetoric, Jefferson through Epicurean philosophy, and Madison through systematic study of ancient politics. The book follows these men from youth to leadership, showing how Homer's Iliad, Plutarch's Lives, and works by Xenophon, Aristotle, and Cicero informed their approach to independence and nation building. Ricks argues that classical literature mattered more to the founders than commonly recognized English philosophers like Locke. By viewing Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison through this classical lens, he reveals how ancient wisdom shaped the Constitution and American government while offering fresh perspectives on these familiar figures.
Genres: biography, history, academic, american-history
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: non-fiction
Setting: America
Period: Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome
416 pages · Hardcover · Harper