Are the Founding Fathers biographies good?

Thumbs up on Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Isaacson.

How many of the books you've read have you read?

I'm not really into biography, but Ellis is definitely worth a read. He make an effort at some revealing and critical analysis of Jefferson. It's not just rehash a tired subject, or worse, uncritical glorification the subject. And the guy can write. Delicious and crisp prose that makes for a very fast read.

my stepdad reads these books all the time he is a history buff and from what i hear yes they are good he keeps trying to get me to read them

the Founding Brothers by Ellis is a nice place to start(pulitzer prize winner), giving a general overview of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Hamilton, Franklin and Burr and their relationships and contributions. It's a relatively short book but effective as it "ties it all together". I'm reading it right now, and plan on moving to Ellis's biographies on Washington and Jefferson eventually.

+1 on this... good book, and Ellis is generally excellent. For Washington, take a peek at Flexner's The Indispensable Man.

Cheers,
G