November 22, 2016 Book Talk Highlights James Madison’s Pivotal Role in American Government

Michael Signer will discuss and sign his new book, “Becoming Madison: The Extraordinary Origins of the Least Likely Founding Father” (Public Affairs, 2015) on Tuesday, Dec. 6 at noon in the Whittall Pavilion, located on the ground floor of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St., S.E., Washington, D.C. Co-sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and the Law Library of Congress, this event is free and open to the public; no tickets are required.

Seventy-five years ago, the historian Irving Brant wrote, “Among all the men who shaped the present government of the United States of America, the one who did the most is known the least.”

Michael Signer responds to Brant’s complaint with a comprehensive biography that shows how Madison became Madison, the somewhat reluctant fighter who pushed his colleagues to fulfill America’s vast potential.

Much of “Becoming Madison” was researched in the Library of Congress Manuscript Division, which holds the papers of 23 U.S. presidents, including Madison’s.

Signer is an author, advocate, political theorist and attorney. He has taught political theory, leadership and governance at the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech and the University of California. He is the author of “Demagogue: The Fight to Save Democracy from Its Worst Enemies.”

The Library’s Center for the Book, established by Congress in 1977 to "stimulate public interest in books and reading," is a national force for reading and literacy promotion. A public-private partnership, it sponsors educational programs that reach readers of all ages through its affiliated state centers, collaborations with nonprofit reading promotion partners and through the Library’s Young Readers Center and its Poetry and Literature Center. For more information, visit Read.gov.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States—and extensive materials from around the world—both on site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov, and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.