A very thorough history of John Marshall - soldier, diplomat, secretary of state, then the chief justice who defined the early supreme court. This is a big book, but a relatively easy read.

His full biography is given, mostly contrasted with cousin (and antagonist) Thomas Jefferson. Marshall's time as a revolutionary war soldier is not often mentioned, but I enjoyed reading about his easy comradery and the leadership of the men he served with. This book also pulls no punches with the issues of slavery and the treatment of indigenous peoples, divisive topics from the initial Declaration all the way through the civil war.

The politics of Jefferson and the Federalists are also a major focus, and TJ is painted as a pretty serious villain here. I did appreciate the distinctions of court cases, how Marshall chose to build bridges with his majority (and often unanimous) opinions, even with occasionally dubious legal precedents. Marshall's time as Secretary of State was brief, but the section dealing with that time feels even shorter here.

Overall, an extremely interesting and readable biography about one of America's less well known founding fathers - definitely recommended.