Publisher's Weekly Review
One of the fruits of publishers' recent obsession with the founding fathers is a spate of books on lesser-known revolutionary figures-and none could be more welcome than this engrossing biography of George Mason (1725-1792). Until the late 1760s, Mason devoted himself principally to his Virginia plantation, his family and his health. But when Britain levied taxes on stamps and tea, he became a leader in the nonimportation movement, and as the Revolution unfolded, he emerged as one of Virginia's most important politicians, helping to raise a militia and drafting the influential Virginia Declaration of Rights and a state constitution. This biography's greatest strength is Broadwater's treatment of the post-Revolutionary years, specifically his nuanced discussion of Mason's role at the constitutional convention. Broadwater, associate professor of history at Barton College in North Carolina, shows that Mason's leadership at the convention shaped the Constitution and spells out the many factors that led to Mason's final refusal to sign it. Especially fascinating is Broadwater's speculations about Mason's relations with George Washington-the two men were neighbors, but Broadwater finds hints that at times their social relationship was strained. Broadwater's prose is vigorous and his assessment of Mason judicious; this biography is a standout. 9 illus., 1 map. (Oct. 2) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Choice Review
Not always on the winning side of an argument, George Mason (1725-92) nevertheless left an astounding legacy as contributor to US democratic ideology and practice. Broadwater (Barton College) focuses on Mason's public life with detail complementing previous biographies by Helen Miller (e.g., George Mason, Constitutionalist, 1938; George Mason, Gentleman Revolutionary, CH, Mar'76). As Virginia's arguably most respected political leader even though he avoided lofty ambitions, Mason, more often than not as collaborator, had a significant founding father role as the author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights and as a forceful leader in the Virginia Convention, the Virginia House of Delegates, Congress, the federal Constitutional Convention, and the Virginia Ratifying Convention. He was most influential in bringing on the adoption of a bill of rights. Although refusing to sign the Constitution and opposing key features of it, Mason managed to strike a position between nationalist and anti-Federalist. The author does justice to Mason as chiefly in the libertarian tradition, particularly as opposition leader against statism, power elitism, and the slave trade and as champion of individual rights. Summing Up: Recommended. All academic collections. H. M. Ward emeritus, University of Richmond