History of the United States of America During the Administrations of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison

Garry Wills has written a book about Henry Adams' mostly-forgotten nine volume history of the Administrations of Jefferson and Madison. According to this book review from today's Washington Post, Adams' attempt to become an American Gibbon has largely been forgotten, in part because it was feared that he would unjustly defend his great-grandfather; John Adams (he didn't). Apparently, Adams pioneered archival research, and he had a remarkable ability to put then-recent history into what has proven to be a correct context. Garry Wills has a similar set of skills; I think he is brilliant, and everything of his I have read is great. I particularly commend his book on the Gettysburg address and his history of the University of Virginia. He is the consummate popular historian; Steven Ambrose without the plagarism and David McCullough without the Parson Weems revisionism. Expect a review soon.