Groom has fashioned another broad historical chronicle for a general readership, presenting parallel biographies of the three Founding Fathers who were integral to the creation of the American republican government—when no one could be sure it was going to take. As he has demonstrated in his many books of history and fiction, the author is a natural storyteller, choosing relevant engrossing details about each character amid the myriad historical detail. His account of Alexander Hamilton's early life story, which opens the book, proves most compelling ... A useful selection for libraries because it imparts a solid civics lesson within an engaging historical narrative.
Historian and novelist Groom delivers an entertaining group portrait of founding fathers Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams and their disputes over how to balance federal and state power in the American system of government ... Though readers well-versed in American history won’t learn a great deal new, Groom spins his familiar tale with aplomb. This solid history reveals that the art of compromise is an essential ingredient in American democracy.
A synthesis of archived letters, popular biographies and colorful insights, with a nod or two to the Broadway hit 'Hamilton.' ... Groom begins with short biographies of his central characters ... Tying together three famous leaders for a book-length narrative is the biggest challenge for a work like Patriots. The interplay of Hamilton, Jefferson and Adams is, however, much closer than that among the subjects of Groom’s earlier works ... As a biographer, Groom develops his Founding Brothers honestly and effectively. The relationship arc, by contrast, seems at times a bit disjointed, for the story is neither chronological nor exhaustive ... As with its three predecessors, Patriots breaks no new ground and offers no unique insights. Like Groom’s other works, it stands or falls on the author’s talent for weaving engaging stories for the general reader. Here is where Groom shines.
