Norman K. Risjord is emeritus professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he taught for over three decades. He is the author of Chesapeake Politics, 1781-1800 and Jefferson's America, 1760-1815. He is general editor of the American Profiles series for Madison House.

• Part 1 Preface Part 2 Introduction: American Romanticism Part 3 The Political Theater: Andrew Jackson versus John Quincy Adams Chapter 4 The Soldier and the Diplomat: Fortuitous Allies Chapter 5 Contrasting Styles of Presidency Chapter 6 Old Man Eloquent Part 7 Literary Romantics Chapter 8 Palph Waldo Emerson, Philosopher-Poet Chapter 9 Margaret Fuller: The Romantic as Feminist Chapter 10 Nathaniel Hawthorne: The Romance and the Reality of Domesticity Part 11 Impulse to Reform Chapter 12 Horace Mann: "In a republic, ignorance is a crime" Chapter 13 Frances Wright: The Cost of Social Change Chapter 14 Catharine Beecher: The Limits of Reform Chapter 15 Theodore and Angelina Grimke Weld: The Antislavery Dilemma Part 16 (Un)Common Lives Chapter 17 Prince and Fed: Varieties of Slave Experience Chapter 18 Lucy Larcom and Sarah Bagley, Lowell Girls Chapter 19 Free Frank, Subtle Entrepreneur Part 20 Of Men and Nature Chapter 21 Osceola: The Tragedy of Indian Removal Chapter 22 Jedediah Strong Smith, Mountain Man Chapter 23 John C. Fremont, Destiny's Agent Part 24 Index

An outstanding book by an outstanding scholar. Professor Risjord continues to produce sound scholarship in clear, muscular prose, useful to the educated layman as well as the experienced scholar. These Representative Americans volumes are especially appropriate for college classes where readers know the bare bones but not the nuances and ironies and complications of their nation's history. The Romantics hits the high spots—a few political leaders and a good many more intellectual leaders and mavericks—but it also examines unknown, ordinary folk, who are as 'representative' as the big shots in their own way. Indeed, the adventures of free blacks, slaves, factory girls, and mountain men dramatically remind the reader that history includes everyone. Above all, Risjord pictures flesh and blood men and women. The famous are given their official due in a lively fashion and also shown to be all too human with their full share of foibles. The obscure are skillfully drawn from the shadows and granted their full humanity too. Overall, this is a fine book, wide-ranging but easy to follow, enlightening, even academic, but also downright entertaining.