On Sept. 16, Dr. Gary Rose held a book talk in the Loris Forum. A professor of political science for 40 years, Rose has received a number of awards and published 14 books.
His newest book, “James Madison, Public Servant: A Biography,” was published in 2024, and it aims to help readers to understand the life of James Madison and the legacy of this Founding Father. It starts in his early life and follows through to his role in writing the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Source: Nicholas Maisano, Staff Writer and Photographer
Later in the book, Rose touches on Madison’s time in office, along with his public service acts and how they tie into today’s world. Madison, during his time, faced many similar obstacles to the ones that we face in today’s society, and the Constitution that he created was made to be able to deal with the problems our country faces today.
“After reading this book, it helped me to better understand the government and our rights, which will allow me to better understand how to navigate any challenges that come up in today’s government and or society,” said junior Sophia Falco.
The Tuesday night book talk was filled with Sacred Heart University students, staff and alumni. The opening delivery was made by graduate student Anna Macaulay.
The crowd had their notebooks and tablets ready at the start of the night to take notes and further their education on the topic of James Madison and the Constitution. Rose gave a synopsis on his book and spoke upon the reasons why he was motivated to write this type of piece.
“In light of the political chaos that is pulling our country apart, I felt it was important to write about the Founding Father most responsible for the United States Constitution, as it is the Constitution that is holding our country together,” said Rose. “Moreover, because I am the faculty member who teaches Constitutional Law at SHU, I have a particular interest in the history of the Constitution, how the Constitution came into existence, and the important values that are ingrained in that document. So much of how we live as free people comes back to the work and foresight of James Madison.”
“James Madison was a man who was loyal to public service, and that is something that should influence today’s society,” said junior Amy Southall.
“Throughout his entire adult life, Madison worked for the public’s interests. He served in the Virginia legislature, was the lead delegate at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, served as a member of the U.S. Congress, Thomas Jefferson’s Secretary of State, and as our nation’s President for two terms,” said Rose. “Even in retirement, he performed several public tasks to better society. James Madison modeled what public service is: his work was always with the people in mind and not for his own personal interests.”
