Fritz takes a straightforward chronological approach to The Great Little Madison, although she says little about Madison's childhood and youth. She takes as the main interest of her biography Madison's work during the Revolutionary War, his efforts during the Constitutional Convention, and his life as president of the United States. As such, she gives The Great Little Madison three main movements, each with its own beginning and end. Although her account of Madison's life during the Revolutionary War and the Constitutional convention are interesting, her account of his life in Washington may be the most interesting part of the biography, due in part to Dolley's irrepressible presence.

In this third movement, Fritz's concise phrasing that summarizes large ideas in small spaces is at its best. For instance, there is Madison's attitude toward war: "Peace with justice as long as possible; war if the nation's honor was...