Keeping a fledgling government on a steady path was no easy task after the first founding fathers went out of office. Dolley Madison and her husband James had a formidable task coming to office after Washington, Adams and Jefferson. With James’ highly developed intellectual skills and Dolley’s highly developed social/political skills, they pulled it off in spite of war and political intrigue. In Catherine Algor’s biography, A Perfect Union – Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation we learn that the stakes then were very high. The new nation came dangerously close to falling apart. Had it not been for Dolley’s fierce commitment to dialog and social interaction the political players of the early 19th century may have lost everything gained in the American Revolution. Given the role of women in those times her actions were remarkable and made her a beloved figure. This book contained a great deal of repetition in the author’s attempt to emphasize Dolley Madison’s feminism. Over all it is a fascinating study. -Mary Louise Hartman