In this book the theme Joseph Ellis is going to compare Hamilton, Burr, Jefferson, Franklin, Washington, Adams, Madison. He tries to convey how although these men were great men that did great things can at the same time had many flaws. He also tries to convey that with all the obstacles the men were facing they still managed to overcome them and be very successful in some way. All in all he tries to show that although these men didn't always work together, but they pave the way for the nation.
As I read the book I do feel Joseph Ellis achieved what he wanted to do in the perpuse of this book. This book was well written and at the same time easy to understand. Ellis proved a lot of first hand researching instead of getting it "second hand". I actually started to appreciate what all these men have done for our country. The author seemed to be pretty objective, being such a well-educated writer he wasn't taking sides as but he was more content of what these men did for our country. If there were any objections it would be for Thomas Jefferson, Ellis has written the book American Sphinx that is the Character of Thomas Jefferson. In that book as well as the one you could say he "talks up Jefferson" more. Other than that he tried to convey everyone as equal with equal contributions.
In this book there were numerous references to what Ellis used to get all his statics from. There are twenty-nine pages of notes and references. I feel this shows what an intelligent man Ellis was. As far as a recommendation to this book. I believe it lies within the fact it won the winner of the Pulitzer Prize.