Serpent in Eden

In Serpent in Eden, Tyson Reeder vividly depicts an early American republic obsessed with fears of collapse through foreign meddling. Bitterly divided, the republic's leaders often invited the very manipulation that they dreaded. Deeply researched and beautifully written, Serpent in Eden offers the best account of the interplay of diplomacy and politics in our nation's origins. That story offers a lively yet sobering reflection for our own consideration. * Alan Taylor, Author of American Republics: A Continental History of the United States, 1783-1850 * The high-stakes drama of political and international conflict crackles on every page of this thrilling, thoroughly researched, and sharply rendered book. With superb storytelling panache, Reeder reveals the Founders' fears of foreign interference on the new United States, which animated partisan politics and became self-fulfilling prophecies. By focusing on foreign intrigue in James Madison's democratic republic, Reeder gets to the heart of fundamental debates about American ideals, as well as its real vulnerabilities. * Benjamin L. Carp, Author of The Great New York Fire of 1776: A Lost Story of the American Revolution * In Serpent in Eden, Tyson Reeder demonstrates that the United States has occupied a contentious place in the midst of a messy international community from the very beginning. European powers exploited internal partisan divisions in pursuit of their own imperial aims, while politicians welcomed foreign interference on their behalf and decried similar attempts by their opponents. Reeder offers a highly-accessible, shockingly relevant story of Early America that reminds us that while history doesn't repeat, it often rhymes. * Lindsay M. Chervinsky, Presidential historian and author of Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic * Serpent in Eden is political history at its best, with gripping stories of politics and intrigue that illuminate the shaky position of the early United States, internally divided and facing strong European empires and independent Native nations. * Kathleen Duval, Author of Native Nations: A Millenium in North America * Serpent in Eden is a delightfully written look at foreign involvement in America in the early days of the Republic. Domestic politics, diplomacy, and economics were inextricably linked from the earliest days of our country, as they remain today. The notion that ""politics ends at the water's edge"" was true of only the briefest period of our history. Students of both history and diplomacy will learn much from this engaging book. * Ronald Neumann, Former ambassador to Algeria, Bahrain, and Afghanistan * Tyson Reeder shows us that foreign meddling in American politics goes back to the founding of the republic. Featuring a colorful international cast of characters, including spies, diplomats, and politicians, with James Madison at its center, Serpent in Eden offers an important new perspective on the American founding with verve and style. * Frank Cogliano, Author of Revolutionary Friendship: Washington, Jefferson, and the American Republic * In this beautifully written book, Tyson Reeder has put his finger on a critical but overlooked aspect of America's early years of independence. He reveals the complex intrigues, traumas, and tensions inherent in securing unity for a new nation and building a state in an age of profound uncertainty, conflict, and ongoing revolution. It is a splendid addition to a dynamic field. * Patrick Griffin, University of Notre Dame * Serpent in the Garden brings to life a surprisingly neglected aspect of the United States' early history: the repeated attempts by European spies and diplomats to bend the new republic to their will. Blending the story of James Madison, the book's central figure, with a host of colorful characters, Tyson Reeder shows how foreign intrigue brought the union to the brink of collapse, culminating during the War of 1812 in the capture of the nation's capital and the burning of the White House by British soldiers. This is a book whose lessons are as relevant today as they were two hundred years ago. * Eliga Gould, Author of Among the Powers of the Earth: The American Revolution and the Making of a New World Empire * An excellent summary of a complex and important period that is too much overlooked by historians of American diplomacy. * Sam Negus, Law & Liberty * Serpent in Eden recounts the volatile political atmosphere in the US between independence and the conclusion of the War of 1812...His research is exhaustive and impeccable, as one might expect given his former role as an editor of the Papers of James Madison. Fortunately, the book is also quite well written. With Madison as the focal point, readers see both his brilliance and his limitations as a leader. Students of the early republic will find this book engaging and enriching. * Choice *