Sehat on Young, Nash, and Raphael, eds., REVOLUTIONARY FOUNDERS (2011).

Alfred F. Young, Gary B. Nash, and Ray Raphael, eds., Revolutionary Founders: Rebels, Radicals, and Reformers in the Making of the Nation (New York: Knopf, 2011). ISBN:978-0307271105. 464pp.

Review by David Sehat
Georgia State University
June 2011

Over of the last fifteen years, there has been an enormous upsurge of interest in the Founding Fathers. Take the example of Benjamin Franklin. In my own university library, I count twelve formal biographies of Franklin published since 2000 alone, and that excludes books in which he is a principal figure or is used as a lens into other issues. The same can be said of many other Founders. So at first glance it might seem that Revolutionary Founders is the latest in a long line to be cashing in on this publishing trend. But if so, it cashes in from a slightly contrarian position.

Sehat on Young, Nash, and Raphael, eds., REVOLUTIONARY FOUNDERS (2011).

Alfred F. Young, Gary B. Nash, and Ray Raphael, eds., Revolutionary Founders: Rebels, Radicals, and Reformers in the Making of the Nation (New York: Knopf, 2011). ISBN:978-0307271105. 464pp.

Review by David Sehat
Georgia State University
June 2011

Over of the last fifteen years, there has been an enormous upsurge of interest in the Founding Fathers. Take the example of Benjamin Franklin. In my own university library, I count twelve formal biographies of Franklin published since 2000 alone, and that excludes books in which he is a principal figure or is used as a lens into other issues. The same can be said of many other Founders. So at first glance it might seem that Revolutionary Founders is the latest in a long line to be cashing in on this publishing trend. But if so, it cashes in from a slightly contrarian position.