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Now updated with a new author's note about the recent DNA study confirming the Jefferson-Hemings liaison

Rumors of Thomas Jefferson's sexual involvement with his slave Sally Hemings have circulated for two centuries. It remains, among all aspects of Jefferson's renowned life, perhaps the most hotly contested topic. With Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, Annette Gordon-Reed promises to intensify this ongoing debate as she identifies glaring inconsistencies in many noted scholars' evaluations of the existing evidence. She has assembled a fascinating and convincing argument: not that the alleged thirty-eight-year liaison necessarily took place but rather that the evidence for its taking place has been denied a fair hearing.

Friends of Jefferson sought to debunk the Hemings story as early as 1800, and most subsequent historians and biographers have followed suit, finding the affair unthinkable based upon their view of Jefferson's life, character, and beliefs. Gordon-Reed responds to these critics by pointing out numerous errors and prejudices in their writings, ranging from inaccurate citations, to impossible time lines, to virtual exclusions of evidence--especially evidence concerning the Hemings family. She demonstrates how these scholars may have been misguided by their own biases and may even have tailored evidence to serve and preserve their opinions of Jefferson.

Possessing both a layperson's unfettered curiosity and a lawyer's logical mind, Annette Gordon-Reed writes with a style and compassion that are irresistible. Each chapter revolves around a key figure in the Hemings drama, and the resulting portraits are engrossing and very personal. Gordon-Reed also brings a keen intuitive sense of the psychological complexities of human relationships--relationships that, in the real world, often develop regardless of status or race. The most compelling element of all, however, is her extensive and careful research, which often allows the evidence to speak for itself. Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings is a controversial new look at a centuries-old question that should fascinate general readers and historians alike. It promises to be the definitive word on the subject for years to come.

Customer Reviews (36)

Niether thorough nor persuasive
"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but not their own facts." Senator D. Patrick Moynihan

Law professor Annette Gordon-Reed and I agree on one point: professional historians have made a mess of things. Over the last 200 years journalists and historians have modified, ignored, disputed, maximized or minimized certain facts related to the issue of whether or not Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings had issue. This book brings new interpretations to some of the facts of their story but contrary to what many reviewers (those here and professionals listed on the back of the book) this book is neither "thorough" nor "persuasive." The debate will continue for she has done no better.

Contrary to popular claims, it does not review all of the evidence. Thomas Jefferson's brother Randolph is not mentioned once, yet "Uncle Randolph" was claimed by branches of the Hemings family tree for 170 years. How can we reach an objective conclusion without reviewing all of the evidence?

My edition was written before the 1998 DNA testing so we cannot fault her for not mentioning it. However, it must be pointed out that the testing only proved that TJ and descendants of Eston Hemings share a male ancestor, not that TJ was that common male. Peter and Samuel Carr, Thomas's brother Randolph and more than two dozen other suspects must be excluded to "prove" that Thomas Jefferson was the parent of Sally's children. This book only looks at the Carrs and TJ. That testing also showed that the Woodsons do not have a President, or any other Jefferson males, in the family.

Professor Gordon-Reed does point out many flaws in many scholars' assessment.For example, Madison Hemings is a legitimate source of information that deserves serious consideration, not the out-of-hand dismissal he received from some. Many consider him an unreliable witness and AGR implies that those denials were often racially motivated. Some say he was an ignorant former slave, one who must have fed the outline of a delicious story to an anti-abolitionist newspaper editor bent on getting the goods on Thomas Jefferson. While Madison's story may be accurate, it is still relatively easy to cast reasonable doubt on him as a witness by pointing out that his story does contain several errors. Most obvious to me is Madison's claim that Jefferson enjoyed robust health until the last few weeks of his life. Yet Jefferson's health problems are thoroughly documented; he suffered from many maladies for the last 30+ years of his life. Could a man with rheumatoid arthritis, incapacitating migraine headaches, chronic dysentery, and urinary and prostate troubles have had an active sex life with a lady 30 years his junior? Maybe, but with that list of known maladies, it's hard to say that TJ enjoyed robust health. Some doctors have concluded that it may have been impossible for him to have fathered children once he reached his 40's, in the 1790s.

While there are some interesting interpretations of events, many equally plausible interpretations are not considered. Did Jefferson free Sally's children because of a deal she made with him in France? AGR attempts to use this as support for the notion that he must have felt differently toward her children, therefore they must have been his children. I agree it does look suspicious. And it may be true. But if AGR could spend so many pages pursuing this idea, why not also consider that perhaps Jefferson felt kindly toward these children because they were his nieces and nephews (the daughters and sons of his brother Randolph or his nephews Peter and/or Samuel Carr). Randolph Jefferson is not mentioned anywhere in the book even though he is a very viable suspect.

Another burr under my saddle concerns the idea that Sally was mature and forward thinking enough to negotiate with her master for her (yet unborn, and maybe not even yet conceived) children's freedom. Perhaps she did but if so, why was she unaware that in France she and all future children were already free? Why would she be willing to go home to return to a life of bondage? Of the many questions AGR raises, why didn't this obvious question occur to her? Since Sally spoke French well enough to know the French word for pregnant (a word Madison picked up) she certainly spoke French well enough to begin a new life in France.

I would like to see a book from the "pro-paternity" camp as thorough and persuasive as William Hyland's recent In Defense of Thomas Jefferson. I hope this is not the best that they can do. Historians have made a mess of things but Professor Gordon-Reed has done no better.

Thomas Jefferson & Sally Hemmings
Thought it would be more narrative, but overall a good book on hearing both sides of the question.

not "unbiased" by a long shot!
I almost never leave reviews on factual books, but felt that this one deserved it for the overwhelming number of reviewers who insist with earnest expressions that this is an "unbiased" and "fair" look at the evidence supporting and discrediting the possibility that one of our Founding Fathers may have had "relations" with his slave.

While the author and publishers claim that the author has no agenda, it is fairly apparent from the introductory chapter onward that she does. It is not an examination of the facts contrasted with what different people have said (and as such, a "fair" presentation that allows the reader to draw their own conclusions, as I was lead to believe) but a commentary on the evidence and arguments people have posed *against* the affair and her response in an effort to unravel their argument.

While I do not object to an agenda (for it seems everyone has one) I did not particularly appreciate being mislead into believing this would allow me to come to my own unprejudiced conclusion. Furthermore, I found some of her arguments rather offensive in the fact that they seem to imply that anyone who argues against the validity of a possible affair has racist or sexist reasons for doing so.

jefferson and sally
this book discusses a lot of history and gives the world a very different view of thomas jefferson.if you are interested in him as a person and as a historical personage this is a good one to read.

wonderful reading
I bought and read this book before the DNA results.This is the most unbiased look at the Jefferson-Hemings story I have read so far.The author examines the facts pro and con. According to Madison Hemings, Sally's son, the child she had after returning to Monticello from Paris died.Why can't this be believed? This would explain why the Woodson DNA test was negative. Despite all his greatness, Thomas Jefferson was just a man, subject to all the weaknesses that we all possess. The true feelings that these two had for each other will never be known but I choose to believe that he loved her.That is the only way that I can forgive him for being a slave owner. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (16)

The topic is not "settled"
The issue is not settled despite what many now say.The Hemings issue is now embroiled in personal feelings and issues of race and slavery, rather than logic.Read this book, and others, and consider the topic thoughtfully.If your answer to those that say Jefferson may not be the father of Sally Hemings children is that "you are disgusting and racist", then your thinking is confused and confounded by other issues.Jefferson is one possible father, but there are others that are still as plausible.It is NOT proven.

Many now see this Jefferson as an analogy or use him as a metaphor for race in this country.He is not a metaphor.If someone is using him, a person, as a metaphor, their thinking is clouded.The debate is not slavery or race, it is about Jefferson and truth.Keep seeking truth.Anyone who now claims to know the truth about Jefferson, is clearly wrong, and has closed their mind.

Outstanding case study of the topic of Jefferson's paternity
Mr. Hyland's book provides a well-written, logical, and technically supported review of an issue which has been abused by the politically-correct crowd and those intent on rewriting history...namely, his alleged paternity of his slave's children as initially published in 1802 by a political muckraker. The issue grew legs after a highly controversial and misleading publication of the dna test and the possibility of Jefferson's paternity and spawned several books and articles denigrating Jefferson's character, motivations, and value to our country, all the while using a misleading application of said dna test, hear-say, innuendo and imagination as the mainstay of their assumptions.

Hyland brings witnesses for and against the defendant, and discusses their significance to the case; their testimony being their written statements (or books) on the subject of Jefferson's character and actions. Most interesting and surprising are those allied against Jefferson.There is an apparent concerted effort and collusion between an eminent Jeffersonian history scholar at the university Jefferson founded, together with individuals at the foundation responsible for the maintenance of Jefferson's home and other noted history and law professors, all intent on denigrating Jefferson's legacy and his effect on our nation for reasons not quite clear.

There is some allusion to an effort at moral equivalency with the timing of the Jefferson/Hemings dna release coinciding with the Clinton impeachment.Then there are those who are apparently intent on making Jefferson the posterboy for racial inequality, mysogeny, and miscegenation and making up history, or dismissing documented history, to effect their ends.Throughout the book the underlying idea is that Jefferson is being assaulted by loosely termed (and in some cases discredited) "historians" with the idea of "presentism"; or a manner of reviewing and judging the subject through the glasses of our present social myopia instead of basing the history on known facts from another place in time.It is one thing to assume that because one child of Hemings carried a Jefferson paternal haplotype (along with about 24 other sexually mature male Jeffersons) that he was related to a Jefferson; it is another thing entirely to base one's credibilty on the available facts and decree that Jefferson fathered any or all Hemings' children.

This book is a refreshing new look at this issue without the emotional, racial, and political foment that has been wrought by those with an axe to grind.

What does the jury say?
I write this review as a reader who was dissatisfied with this book, and as one who enjoys responding to Herb Barger's pendantic diatribes.

I agree with the reviewer who complains that Hyland's book is full of historical errors. This is not scholarly history, and many of the facts are out of context or sloppily presented. The research is extremely weak, and few, if any primary resources are cited.The truth is that this book is not history.It is an argument, a lawyer's brief.However, I think the book is worth reading, if for no better reason than it clearly and rationally outlines many of the reasons why some people can not accept the alternative point of view.Mr. Hyland defends the opinion of Herb Barger and the other defenders of Jefferson's reputation as a lawyer would.In a court of law, one needs only to defend his client by introducing doubt, but proof is not required.I think that Hyland does a wonderful job of introducing doubt, and does a good job of keeping the jury undecided, but his book does not constitute proof nor even a strong argument.Stronger, more thoroughly researched, and better presented arguments have been made by the opposing side.

The best chapters are those that explain what the DNA evidence really proves, the political background to Madison Hemings' interview for Life Among the Lowly, and why Randolph Jefferson is a good alternative candidate.However, why Randolph Jefferson was never blamed by the family and has only become a candidate since the DNA evidence suggested a Jefferson fathered Eston Hemings is never discussed.Why drag the name of the Carr brothers through the mud, especially as Randolph died before his brother and had less to lose by reputation?The weakest chapters are the first ones, particularly the unsupported arguments that Jefferson's health was too poor,and the oft repeated family stories, which are not weighed with the same level of scepticism as Madison Hemings'.The attempts to demean Annette Gordon Reed and Lucia Stanton, among others come across as offensive, particularly as the source of these stories appears to be Herb Barger!Rather than attack these people on a personal level, which happens repeatedly in this book, I would have preferred stronger debate of the facts.

There are better and shorter books that defend Jefferson and are worth reading.It is clear that Hyland borrows heavily from them.I'm sure that Herb would be willing to provide a list.

An Ugly Book
It would take at least two books to address all the inaccuracies in William G. Hyland Jr.'s poorly written book.But wait, those books have been written.For anyone interested in the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, I highly recommend that after reading Hyland's book you read or re-read Annette Gordon-Reed's two books: "Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy," and "The Hemings of Monticello: An American Family."Gordon-Reed demolishes Hyland's arguments that Thomas Jefferson was not the father of Sally Hemings children.Hyland falls into the same mindset as those who argued and continue to argue against the Jefferson-Hemings relationship.Specifically, (1) Hyland discounts the statements of Madison Hemings and other African Americans and accepts without question those of Jefferson's white relatives and other whites, (2) He falls back on the character defense that posits that Jefferson was too refined and sophisticated to have a sexual relationship with a slave.Really?Jefferson owned from 150 to 200 slaves for most of his adult life.He had slaves who ran away hunted down and brought back to Monticello.He had "uppity" slaves whipped.And, unlike other Virginians, such as Edward Coles, he freed only a handful of slaves (guess which ones?)So much for the character defense. (3) When the DNA evidence linked a Jefferson to being the father of Eston Hemings, thereby demolishing the Jefferson apologists favorite poster boys--Samuel and/or Peter Carr--for fatherhood of Sally's children, Hyland trots out Randolph Jefferson based in part on a laughable genetic hypothesis as the father. But Hyland's most egregious efforts are reserved for character attacks on Gordon-Reed and other Jefferson scholars.Hyland comes across as mean-spirited and paranoid.The attacks have the same tone as those on Sally Hemings' character by James Callender and contemporary Thomas Jefferson paternity deniers.

If you want the truth about "revisionist" history read this book!
The last 40 years in American historiography have seen the rise of the "revisionist" historian. These historians take a political stance and ramrod all history through this prism. The larger issues of race and gender as well as the "hot potato" of slavery has clouded the judgment of many people when considering the EVIDENCE of the Jefferson-Hemmings "affair".They want to take down the heroic image of a "rich, white, man" and elevate the stature of a poor slave woman. This is all well and good IF and ONLY IF the evidence bears this out. Unfortunately for many paternity believers, the historical evidence points toward another Jefferson as the father of Eston Hemmings (the DNA match). We can see the same brand of revisionism at work in communist theory "popular histories", feminist theory histories, and queer theory histories that manipulate the evidence to prove Jefferson raped a 14 year old slave, or Michelangelo was homosexual, or Julius Caesar was attempting to overthrow Rome's bourgeoisie and thus was murdered. Believe it or not, books have been written attempting to prove all this.

As someone who reads a lot of history, I can give the reader of this review an easy way to tell if you are reading good, solid history, or revisionist BS -- if the author is "psychoanalyzing" the person in question it's bunk. Ask any psychologist if they would feel comfortable offering authoritative statements about a person they have never had "on their couch."Historians can't use Freudian approaches to come to new conclusions about people who lived centuries ago.

If you think Jefferson had a sexual relationship with Sally Hemmings, read this book. Then read a pro-paternity book. Ask yourself who uses more evidence and who is relying on psychological interpretations and modern ideas to establish historical FACT. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

work of art
What a fantastic book.

First let's consider the printing and binding quality. I recently got into these history books with included reproduction artifacts and they are a lot of fun. Most have magazine quality printing though that can be hard to read when the writing is reduced down. Not this book though, the color reproductions are printed at a higher dpi than others, on paper that is a nice flat texture. The design of the document pockets is more elegant than others, and the quality of the printing and the level of the text is clearly directed at an adult level rather than at the pre-teen school market of many other books in this niche. The book comes in a box and the cover of the interior book has a lovely elegant design.

The content is great, there is a lot I didn't know about the wide variety of architectural projects Jefferson took on, and the writing is engaging and flows well. There is a lot of interesting context, such as a review of the work and impact of Renaissance architectural genius Palladio, and we see clearly how Jefferson intentionally sought to make design references to the ancient Roman Republic's influence on the new American Republic.

Five stars are WAY too few.......
I am not an architect like the previous reviewer; I'm a historian of Mr. Jefferson. This is one of the most wonderful works you shall ever see...I have no idea how many years Mr. Wills spent on it, but the results are worth the effort. Fabulous pictures, reproductions of priceless charts, letters, and drawings, all lovingly, and perfectly, rendered. A true work of art in the finest sense of that term.

Thomas Jefferson would, of course, still be important had he never made a drawing, or designed anything. He was a statesman, attorney, philosopher, natural scientist, and probably had enough training to qualify as a physician; he functioned as such for his neighbors. BUT, he would also be important as an architect if that were all he was. His "fans", like me, know that. We spend years studying him, and NONE of us has him "figured out". Others need to know. I have read dozens of books about him, and never cease to marvel.

This is a "coffee table" book, but don't waste your money, or insult Mr. Wills, just to set it on a table. Buy it from Amazon...I paid the John Marshall House $50 for mine; oh well, they need the money worse. Buy it, read it, study it. Absorb beauty and perfection. Be amazed. Be grateful that one so great walked among us. Twenty stars, at least.

Excellent
I have not only been a fan of Thomas Jefferson' architecture for a long time, I have also spent years writing and researching his work. As an architect myself, may I say that this book is long overdue and a treasure of wonderful photographs. But most importantly are the stunning reproductions of Jefferson's original hand-drawn architectural drawings that are included within the book. It is also very low priced for the intricate arrangement of pockets and overlays within the book. Overall an excellent work. ... Read more

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A seminal biography of Thomas Jefferson and a fascinating exploration of his relationship with Sally Hemings.With a novelist’s skill and a scholar’s meticulous detail, Fawn M. Brodie portrays Thomas Jefferson as he wrestled with the great issues of his time: revolution, religion, power, race, and love—ambivalences that exerted a subtle but powerful influence on his political ideas and his presidency. Far advanced for its time, Brodie’s biography was the first to set forth a convincing case that Thomas Jefferson was the father of children by his slave Sally Hemings. In a new introduction, Annette Gordon-Reed, the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Hemingses of Monticello, explores the impact of Brodie’s groundbreaking book and explains why it is still such a powerful account of one of our greatest and most elusive presidents. 16 pages of illustrations ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Study of the Man first, History second
This was a different type of biography in that it truly concentrated on the psyche of the subject instead of a spattering of personality and a strong brush stroke of history.There is something to be said about feeling as if you're reading a psychological analysis of our 3rd President, but to be honest, I felt wanting when it came to events like the Louisiana Purchase.This is the type of book that you read if you've already read a Jefferson biography or are planning on reading another.It's a good complement to an ongoing Jefferson read.

A genuine waste of time
I read this book only because a friend gave it to me as a present.It is little more than a soap opera account of Jefferson's relationship with Sally Hemmings.The author does not qualify as a serious Jefferson scholar.Thankfully, she is dead and can no longer encumber history with her swill.

An interesting read, not a factual one
Fawn Brodie has a beautiful voice for writing biographies that have a way of pulling the reader into the story, rather than just telling it, and it is for this reason alone that I recommend this book.

There are many other Jefferson biographies out there that will give you a much more accurate picture of our third President, but there are few that will give you such a human story.

The problem with this book is that it spends a great deal of time in fantasy and theory. There are points in this book where I found myself literally rolling my eyes at the theories that Brodie puts forth. It is clear that she had read too much Freud before publishing this book. When Jefferson states "Tranquility is an old man's milk," Brodie suggest that what he really means is that he is looking for "a young breast on which to lay his head." There are many points in the book like this, where Brodie attempts, maybe too hard, to put a different light on a well studied subject. It only serves to interrupt what is otherwise an enjoyable read.

Taken as a semi-fictional biography, it is worth the read. If you are looking for a more factual history, I would steer clear of this particular book.

A must read, drawn back to it over and over.
This book is described by author Fawn Brodie as being written after studying Jefferson's corresponce.So, of course it is not a typical biography as everyone reads different things into what they have read.It is as if we are learning about what makes him tick and why he did the things he did, from the letters.You end up thinking of him as a complex intelligent man and not only as a President and writer of the Declaration of Independence.Don't let the unfavorable reviews keep you from the enjoyment and one of the best books I have read (over and over).

Fantasy, lurid psychobabble, twisted imagination but no history
The book's title: Thomas Jefferson, An Intimate History has no relation to the book's text.The author weaves a lurid and unflattering view of our third president by simply exerting unrestrained imagination. The tale told simply cannot be called history just tabloid stuff. History is based on ascertainable facts.The book is lacking on this regard.Skip this book and you will miss very little, that is, if history is what you are after. ... Read more

Product Description
Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book is a compilation of Jefferson's own horticultural diary, along with many of his letters, drawings, and memoranda relating to his beloved gardens at Monticello and Poplar Forest. Compiled and annotated by the late Edwin Morris Betts, this classic volume captures the planning and planting, successes and failures of Jefferson's ambitious and experimental gardens. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book 1766-1824
Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book (1766-1824) annotated by Edwin Morris Betts is a book for the historical gardener and those who like to read of and about Jefferson's beautiful gardens of Monticello and Poplar Forest. This book contains relevant extracts from Jefferson's other writings making for a very interesting read.

This "Garden Book contains the most varied entries of all of Jefferson's memorandum books.The book that began as a diary of the garden became a written repository for numerous interests of Jefferson.Jefferson's entries range from contracts with overseers, plans for building roads and fish ponds, and observations on the greatest flood in Albemarle, to comments on Mrs. Wyethe's wine and figures on the number of strawberries in a pint measure.

This book contains a lot of Jeffersonian minutiae
and also shows Jefferson's love for nature and a very intensely observant eye as it caught almost every passing detail.
The tone of the narrative changes as to the subject written about, but nevertheless,you can read the emotions and the intensity.

Jefferson began the "Garden Book" in 1766 and continued it until the autum of 1824, two years before his death.The lapses in it were due to the time Jefferson had spent away from Monticello.Even in the years in which he spent much of his time at Monticello, the entries are often irregular.Planting activities, successes and failure are all noted within these pages. That introducing new plants into cultivation was a passion with Jefferson, he note them throughout the "Garden Book." ... Read more

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Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, was also its first great architect. The Jeffersonian Classical style has been so influential that, along with Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson, Jefferson is one of the three most recognized architects in American history. Although never formally trained as an architect, Jefferson intensively studied the architecture of Paris when he resided there as minister to France and read extensively on classical architecture, particularly Palladio's Four Books on Architecture, all of which gave him a firm footing in the classical tradition.

Monticello, his own home, was constantly redesigned by Jefferson during his life time, and he referred to it as his essay in architecture. The University of Virginia, which he founded and conceived the architecture for, is perhaps the greatest campus of any American university and certainly one of this country's greatest public spaces anywhere. Both of these are well served by the beautiful panoramic photographs in this volume, which show them in the landscape they are situated in, an integral part of Jefferson's design. Less well known, but included here, is the balance of Jefferson's work as an architect: the Virginia State Capitol and over a dozen private homes which still stand today. Illustrated with splendid color photography by the same author-photographer team that created Rizzoli's Wright for Wright, this is the first volume to combine all the extant work of Jefferson.
Amazon.com Review
Thomas Jefferson, Architect: The Built Legacy of Our Third President, with text by Hugh Howard and photos by Roger Straus III, shows that the third U.S. President not only shaped democracy but also made the classical style of architecture an American architecture. Today, more than any other style, the columns and rotundas of classical Greece and Rome suggest "U.S. government building." Jefferson was a Renaissance man--inventor, politician, philosopher, scientist, doctor--but the dwellings and civic temples he designed are the only tangible legacy of his most Americans actually see every day. Arguably the crown jewel of Jefferson's architectural oeuvre, his Monticello mansion in Virginia receives a worthy 33 pages, with plenty of interior and exterior photographs. The Virginia Capitol also gets a chapter, as does his other home, Poplar Forest, along with other private dwellings Jefferson designed. Also in focus are public buildings such as the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, with its Rotunda at the head of a great lawn flanked by the copious colonnades-a design familiar now in campuses nationwide. Throughout the book, Howard guides us through the halls, sitting rooms, and grounds with writing that is knowledgeable but not overly technical. Straus' photos show off the estates and edifices in peaceable, natural light, illustrating some interiors as they would have been lit in Jefferson's day (i.e., by the sun). If not for Jefferson's vision, the book implies, our nation would look quite different today.-Eric Reyes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

JEFFERSON
Thomas Jefferson was an amazing man, granted, because of his inherited wealth and his slaves doing all the work on his plantation he had all the time in the world..to the manor born so to speak, but still, this man was special.I love Georgian architecture and Jefferson was an amazing interpreter of the style.This book really captures his work, the images are very good and the text highly informative.Eventhough, Monticello is his most famous work, its the UVA campus that I love, it's just perfect.To me that was the apex of his work.Overall, nice book on the architecture of the iconic Jefferson.

Simply splendid
I live in Virginia, and have relative easy access to many of Jefferson's architectural accomplishments. I've enjoyed many, many good books about the man and his brilliance with buildings. Both of these things said, Mr. Howard's thoughtful, engagingtext coupled with the truly breathtaking photography by Mr. Straus make this work a must-have treasure for anyone with more than a passing interest in Jefferson the architect. Icannot convey in words how Mr. Straus's skill with his many cameras give the viewer such a sense of immediacy about the buildings shown in this work. I've been on the grounds of several of Mr. Jefferson's buildings shown in this book - and photographer Straus's pictures truly give the viewer a sense of simply standing there on the grounds, seeing it all, "live and in person". As for the writing, it is all too common that sometimes a grand picture book has terribly dry and uninviting writing. Not so with this book. The writer has a highly engaging style that is yet not too obvious in its inviting charm, and, well, had me up reading the text this morning around 3. Three a.m. The writing is that good - and could stand alone even without those incredible pictures.
The book also does a beautiful brief salute to the remarkable Fiske Kimball, who published a book in the early 1900s by the same name. The work was a landmark compilation of Jefferson's architectural drawings.Those readers familiar with Kimball's life accomplishments will appreciate the fresh photographs of his private home Shack Mountain and its many grace notes to Jefferson's influence.
I had one small disappointment with the book but it is more puzzling than a showstopper: the pictures of "Bremo" , a property here in Virginia reputed to be more Jefferson than Jefferson himself in architectural style, just shows pictures from a historical archive. I wish Mr. Straus could have gained access to the property to show us all Bremo today as he does so remarkably with the other buildings. The other small regret is that I did not buy my copy of this marvelous book from Amazon. I paid full price at a local Roanoke bookshop - no regrets in supporting an excellent local business but the book's full price at first glance is steep. But you will quickly notice the book's very fine paper, binding and those other finishing touches that are hallmarks of truly beautiful books.
A treasure of a book. Especially if you love Jefferson's touch with architecture. ... Read more

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"Burstein's Jefferson's Secrets takes a different tack [than recent Jefferson biographers], one that is more subtle, more penetrating and ultimately more rewarding." (Washington Post)

When Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, he left behind a series of mysteries that have captured the imaginations of historical investigators for generations. In Jefferson's Secrets, Andrew Burstein draws on sources previous biographers have glossed over or missed entirely. Beginning with Jefferson's last days, Burstein shows how Jefferson confronted his own mortality. Burstein also tackles the crucial questions history has yet to answer: Did Jefferson love Sally Hemings? What were his attitudes towards women? Did he believe in God? How did he wish to be remembered? The result is a profound and nuanced portrait of the most complex of the Founding Fathers.

"The result is stunning." (Baltimore Sun)

"An absorbing book." (Christopher Hitchens, Wilson Quarterly)

"Burstein's deft analysis will be a welcome read for anyone wanting to delve into the exquisitely human aspects of this man of contradictions." (Cleveland Plain Dealer) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Revelations onThe Enigmatic Character of Jefferson ApproachedThrough Analysis of His Latter Years
Andrew Burstein's often uniquely gleaning analysis of Jefferson's views and actions on such issues ashis inexorable protection of his historical personal,political and public legacies,his interminable,vexing personal ambivalent resolve towards slavery, his "Enlightened" rationalization of just about everything from sexual behaviour to dying ,and more, is most inciteful,perspicacious,and endearingly real as told throughthis historian's trenchant research into the letters and papers of Jefferson and his contemporaries.
Burstein's genius in this book is to ask the commonly asked questions of the character of this most complex and gifted Founding Father in ways that heretofore have been unexplored. This book is a must addition in any library for any student of Jefferson and the nascient political years of this great republican experiment into nation-building.

RHF

Having It Both Ways
The good stuff in this book is invaluable to anyone with a serious interest in Jefferson. I'd award five stars for such unique scholarship, but I've subtracted two stars as a rebuke to the author and to his editors, if there were any, for perverse self-indulgence. The readability of "Jefferson's Secrets" is damaged by its repetitiousness; Burstein even repeats the same quotations from Jefferson's letters in three and four chapters, without significantly adding to his exegesis. But a more serious flaw is Burstein's rhapsodic admiration of Jefferson's mind at the same time that he protrays the man as a consummate hypocrite and egotist--not only a slave-owner and unreconstructed racist but an exploiter of servants to the point of callously making one his concubine, a Jacobin in rhetoric who lived in the style of an ancien regime aristocrat, a man who gave his daughters a decorous education yet maintained that women had no claim to equality. Burstein's defense seems to be that we should forgive Jefferson's inconsistencies because he was conflicted, and a man of his times. Indeed, the central theme of the book is to demonstrate exactly how Jefferson was a man of his times, whose world-view was shaped by the ideas and particularly the scientific knowledge of the Enlightenment. That's the good stuff, the analysis of what Jefferson himself thought he meant by what he said and wrote, given the "vocabulary" of his time and place. However, in the next breath Burstein proceeds to declare that Jefferson was in some sense the first Modern Man, a harbinger of Romanticism precisely because of his ambiguities, the very same ambiguities that Burstein has just dispelled. Really, Professor Burstein, it seems to be YOU who are conflicted, by your adulation of the "timeless" Jefferson even while you pin the human Jefferson to the cultural matrix of his lifetime!

Extremely disappointing biography of Jefferson
There is next to nothing here that caught my interest.I was looking forward very much to this work, and I was extremely disappointed in it.I had just finished an excellent biography of John Adams, which impelled me to try this one.I can only recommend that you don't waste your time.Every moment on this book was, to me, a complete waste of time.

His own way of looking at things....
Thomas Jefferson was a great and brilliant, but flawed and unconventional man. What can the zillionth book add that hasn't already been said? Quite a lot. It should not be anybody's first book on Jefferson, but it should be everybody's second, or third. Of course, Burstein hasn't got Jefferson "figured out", but neither does anyone else.....

This wonderful volume focuses on Mr. Jefferson's later years, and does give us a good view of his thought processes. Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, and Jefferson can be quoted to "prove" ANYTHING. "Nothing is more certainly written in the book of fate than that this people are to be free,..." The inscription on the wall of the Jefferson Memorial ends with a period, but look up the rest of the quote. I use the comma deliberately. He who said that "All men are created equal" also had things to say about the orangutang. And he also had sex with his slave, Sally? Well...maybe. In any event, he documented his views on this subject, too, complete with charts. The ongoing arguement with John Marshall gets coverage, too. It has been more completely documented elsewhere, but Burstein does an excellent job. This feud is truly one of the most profound topics in American history. It spanned from their early years till the day Jefferson died, and beyond, going from a rivalry, to disagreement, to blind, unreasoning, hatred after the Aaron Burr treason case of 1807. My own opinion is that the cause of the whole mess was multifaceted, involving familial, personal, political, and philosophical elements. {Not religious; they agreed about that} In this battle of giants, we have the origin of the Civil War, and of much of our political conflict today. An athiest who "swore on the altar of God"? This is covered, too. Jefferson may not have been orthodox, but he was assuradely not an athiest. A slave owner who hated slavery? Not unusual...the same is true of George Washington, Patrick Henry, John Marshall, George Wythe, and Robert E. Lee. {Lee inherited his slaves, and freed them before he had to}. A word of caution; though some of the founding fathers did not believe in slavery, they certainly did not believe in Black equality, either.

Andrew Burstein has produced a superb work. As I said, NOT a first book on the subject, but an essential one. For a first book, see Joseph Ellis, or Noble Cunningham. Dumas Malone is, of course, definitive, but few will mine the gold in those six profound volumes.

The Inner Jefferson
Burstein has written an insightful book on the Jefferson, as he says, that has usually been ignored by many other historians, i.e. in the period after his presidency. Specifically, Burstein analyzes the thoughts and attitudes held by Jefferson on life, the role of women and slaves in society, religion, freedom of thought, politics and other topics. The Jefferson that emerges from Burstein's study is a multi-faceted man who both inspires awe for his intelligence and his abilities but also sets him in place as a creature of his time, especially concerning the issue of slavery.

Burstein is especially keen on observing Jefferson's use of words to convey his inner most feelings and thoughts. He is especially observant of the medical terminology that Jefferson uses in discussing many different subjects. As Burstein mentioned, he usually didn't give his correspondent everything he was looking for in terms of revealing his innermost thoughts and secrets. After his presidency, Jefferson preferred a retreat from the public sphere and generally guarded his privacy. But we do get to understand Jefferson's devotion to his family, his sometimes very contradictory statements on human liberty and freedom especially when juxtaposed against the very present institution of slavery, his views onrepublican government and many other areas that he expounded on.

There are friends, family members, well-known politicians, doctors, thinkers and others who emerge in Burstein's book, mainly through the correspondence that Burstein uses to help bring light to the elusive aspects of Jefferson's attitudes and sensibilities. The controversies surrounding Jefferson and the institution of slavery are discussed, especially concerning the generally accepted sexual relationship with Sally Hemings, with interesting insights by Burstein on Jefferson's attitudes on sexual relationships, racial differences and so forth. Though he would be considered a racist today, he was a creature of his time, with an odd, but seemingly well-thought out view of the nature of the races (not that his view was right).

Burstein really does try to understand the foundations of Jefferson's inner beliefs and sensibilities. Jefferson was a devotee to the rights of man (though this didn't include everyone in his day), his family (he was especially close to his granddaughter Ellen), and the principles of republican government. Interestingly, despite his advocacies, he often turned to others to make the effort to combat his political opponents, we see this in his wanting to combat the histories written by such Federalists as Chief Justice Marshall.

The reader will get to see snippets of the inner Jefferson in this book. Burstein, as he stated he wanted to accomplish, succeeds fairly well in presenting the living Jefferson as opposed to the dying Jefferson, though we do read of the effects of aging and other health issues that gradually took their toll on his physical body. We see the many facets of this highly intelligent human being who was such an influence in his day and through his words, actions and ideals continues to be to the present. The debates go on. ... Read more

Product Description

Thomas Jefferson's was one of history's greatest voices for the importance of individual freedom. His eloquence on this fundamental right became the cornerstone of our nation and a central theme of the Enlightenment. And yet, Jefferson presided over a society that depended on slavery and was himself the holder of numerous slaves. How are students of history to reconcile this contradiction in the third president? Now celebrated biographer and historian Natalie Bober presents a life of Jefferson that does not evade this difficult question. Bober explores the slave community that built and maintained his home, Monticello--and what their lives under Jefferson tell us about him and about slavery as an early American institution.

To assess fully what Jefferson might mean to our time, we must first understand what it meant to be a man of his own time. From the first page, the world he inhabited is made vivid--and so, too, is Jefferson himself, standing before us as a freckled and, for the eighteenth century, unusually tall young man. Bober follows him through a life in which the presidency was just one of many accomplishment. As designer of Monticello, he was one of the great architects of his era; as founder of the University of Virginia, he was one of the nation's early champions of higher education. His greatest legacy is perhaps as author of the Declaration of Independence, a nearly unrivaled instance of words giving tangible meaning to life. The Jefferson revealed here is distinguished by his often contradictory nature but also by his optimism, his curiosity, his exceptional sense of history (including the history still to be made).

While primarily aimed at young readers, the book is a substantial work of scholarship, based on several years research of primary-source materials (including black oral history) and the most current writings, and like Bober's earlier works should attract students of history of all ages. This book faces the fact that Jefferson was a flawed human being--and insists that this does not disqualify him as a hero.

Customer Reviews (5)

Well written, but selective history
As a life long Jefferson fan, I enjoyed this book immensely, but am concerned that Bober does not offer a critical analysis of her subject. She says that one of her goals in writing this book is to make Jefferson appear more human. While she goes into great detail about Jefferson's family values and other interests aside from politics, she omits any mention of his mortal flaws which are exactly what make him human. Any reader can tell that Bober reveres Jefferson like a Revolutionary God (and indeed he was one), but she is unable to maintain any degree of impartiality as a biographer.

For instance, Bober enthusiastically discusses the various ways Jefferson tried to bring an end to the peculiar institution of slavery through his writings, but she never questions why if this was so important to him, he failed to take advantage of his executive power as president to ensure that the Louisiana territory he purchased in 1803 remained slave free? Why didn't he fight harder to retain the clause prohibiting slavery in his original draft of the Declaration of Independence? The Jefferson of Bober's imagination is not capable of such double standards or inconsistencies in character.

Bober only briefly mentions that while Jefferson professed to be against slavery, he owned several hundred slaves at Monticello and his other plantations. Why was his rhetoric inconsistent with his actions? Bober conveniently ignores the fact that Monticello was built entirely by slaves. (This I know because I have a degree in history, but a less informed reader would be misled). Jefferson may have thought that ending slavery was a good idea, but he did not pursue this cause with the same passion with which he fought for the freedom of white Americans from the British.

Bober dismisses the notion that Jefferson had an affair with his slave Sally Hemings and instead suggests that the president's nephew was the father of Sally's children, yet Bober's evidence to support her argument is scant. In fact, she spends as little time as possible on this topic, preferring to discuss Jefferson's contributions to his country. While this approach is refreshing when compared to the massive number of volumes out there on "Jefferson's scandals," Bober has neglected an important part of Jeffersonian history. Recent DNA testing has proven that Sally Heming's children were fathered by a Jefferson male which could be Thomas or possibly someone else.

All this said, Bober does an excellent job of bringing Thomas Jefferson to life and articulating his accomplishments in a meaningful way. It's a shame that her work is decidedly unbalanced and therefore irresponsible from an historical point of view.

The Most Lively Biography On The Market
Thomas Jefferson is to me: one of the most admirable people in history.This book has anamazing fictional aproach but yet it is still factual and educational and you can still be one of the biggest Jeffersonbuffs out there and not have to do years of studying.This book is to me themost animated biography that mosturizes dry facts to fertile entertainment.

My Review
I was really intreged by this book because it was understandable, interesting, and filled with facts about this amazing man that I've never read or heard about before.

Exceptional
Probably one of the best books I've ever read- it is very informative, but I was able to read it like I would a novel- a rare trait in nonfiction literature.It was written in a way that even one who is not a historybuff can enjoy it.It shows that Jefferson was quite ahead of his time,but he was not superhuman as some sources lead us to believe.

Excellent
A magnificent book for an incredible man.Told in story book fashion, as all history should be, Bober's writing style is a mesmerizing tribute to the subject.It is a shame that a man of Jefferson's character and visionwould probably be unelectable in today's visionless sea of pluralism andstatus quo where the details of the day outshine the necessities oftomorrow. ... Read more

Product Description

In this comprehensive account of Thomas Jefferson's constitutional thought, David N. Mayer offers a fresh perspective on Jefferson's philosophy of government. Eschewing the "liberalism versus civic republicanism" debate that has so dominated early American scholarship in recent years, Mayer examines Jefferson's thought in Jefferson's own terms- as "whig," "federal," and "republican." In the interrelationships and tensions among these three essential aspects of Jefferson's theory, Mayer explaines Jefferson's response to the particular constitutional issues and problems of his time. In contrast to other studies that view Jefferson as a champion of democracy, Mayer's book emphasizes Jefferson's commitment to liberty and his distrust of government.

Customer Reviews (4)

The Constitutional Thought of Thomas Jefferson
This single volume is the most comprehensive study on Thomas Jefferson's view of federalism and the limits of power, ergo simply that the states are everything unto themselves in domestic affairs and united in respect to all foreign concerns. In these pages Jefferson is no enigma, he is well grounded, and a recognizable libertarian even to us today. America is right because Jefferson was! An important addition to any serious admirer of the author of liberty.

The Real Jefferson, Not the Reinvented One
I've always maintained that the best way to understand the founders is to understand them on their on terms. Mayer believes this too and does an excellent job at profiling the constitutional thought of Jefferson and his political philosophy. Too often, shoddy partisan scholarship like that of Richard Matthews gets it quite wrong on the founders. They do so quite purposefully choosing to dwell statically on one quote or episode instead of objectively highlighting the development of their subject. Mayer explains Jefferson on his own terms, as "whig," "federal," and "republican," hence his First Inaugural Address. Jefferson was an adament defender of federalism, state's rights and the Constitution. His alleged "radical egalitarianism" was more than tempered by his mistrust of central government and the huddled urban masses and his rejection of majoritarian tyranny. "Democracy is not practicable beyond the limits of a town," avows Jefferson. Despite his occasional contradictions, his early tenacity of youth and sympathies with the French Revolution, he was a true Whig and a classical republican, and advocate of limited government. He is an enduring founding father who deserves careful study and admiration for his statesmanship.

Also recommended: Alexander Hamilton and the Constitution by Clinton Rossiter.

Excellent
This is indeed the finest study of Jefferson's political thought to date.Unlike other authors, Mayer penetrates to the core of Jefferson's political philosophy, revealing him to be fundamentally a "real whig," withemphasis on his distrust of government.

Valuable resource for Thomas Jefferson historians
Having consumed most of the recent volumes on the life and times of ourthird president, I would have to say that Mayer's book is one of thestrongest when it comes to the concrete exploration of his politicalthought processes.

One of the reviewers on the back cover copy says that"Mayer allows Jefferson to speak for himself. This alone wouldrecommend the work." Indeed. This is one of the strengths of the bookwith its extensive referencing to the words of one of our founding fathers.It also does the same justice to the philosophers and statesmen whoinfluenced Jefferson throughout his life.

One of the most interestingaspects of the book is the scholarly analysis of what it meant (toJefferson) to be a Whig. I was also compelled by the discussion of the whigconcept of a government is more republican (small r) if it is founded injealousy, and not in confidence.

Mayer is not reluctant to point to manyof Jefferson's overly optimistic or downright naive assumptions on thepractical implications of running a government.

One area I wished Mayerspent more time exploring was Jefferson's thoughts on bicameralism andseparation of powers; and more specifically on the original contention thatthe Senate served as a break on run away emotions protecting minorityinterests (to avoid tyranny of the majority that Madison was so fearful of,but not Jefferson).

All told, this book is of value for those who admireJefferson, who are critical of his standing, and for those who quote hisexamples without really knowing what they are doing. ... Read more

Product Description
Tells of Thomas Jefferson's trip to France in 1784, and all the exotic foods he learned about and then introduced to America, including ice cream, macaroni and cheese, and tomatoes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Great Find
This book (and many others like it) have been a great find for my family.I am homeschooling a second-grader and these books have been the key to getting him interested in reading, and have become the foundation of our reading curriculum this year.Since we are studying American history, they are relevant, fun, and are about topics to which he can relate.His interest in both reading and history has increased, and he can't wait to get to the next book.At this point level 3 readers are easy for him, level 4 readers are just hard enough to be a challenge (but not too much) and level 5 readers will be tackled in the spring.

Thomas Jefferson's Feast is great because you get to know the everyday T.J. and things that he liked.We found out that he was responsible for introducing thingsto this continent that we really love such as tomatoes and macaroni and cheese.My son loved the story.

This book is great paired up with "A Prairie Dog for the President" about the Lewis and Clark expedition.

The book is great for what it is
All of the books in this series take one personality trait of a famous person and talk about it.The trait they chose for Jefferson was that he liked to eat.The fact that the "feast" happened over several parties as opposed to one meal is not an important enough piece of "fiction" to justify saying that the book is bad.The book does not talk about Slavery.That is covered in the book about Harriett Tubman, which is also a very good book.This is a Step Into Reading book, not a complete history of Thomas Jefferson book.Although the reading level is 2nd - 4th grade, the content is PreK - 1st.

Where are the slaves?
There are enough facts about Thomas Jefferson to easily fill a book hundreds of pages in length. So why, a reader might wonder, would an author choose to even partially fictionalize a 48-page-long children's book. Six pages are filled with specific information about a feast that did not take place, and although clarified in the author's note, it seems that young children are unlikely to distinguish fact from fiction in a biographical book. Additionally, the idea of a man who owned 100-200 slaves at any given time preparing an entire feast by himself is nonsensical. Only two pages portray slaves: one shows a smiling man at the door of a dumbwaiter; another, two small figures working the land. Their almost-absence, when recounting the life of a man whose existence depended so heavily on their labor, borders on revisionism. The illustrations are very good; the factual parts of the story are excellent; and the inclusion of several French words, complete with meanings and pronunciation, is a bonus; but the truth is overly bent. Abe Lincoln's Hat by Martha Brenner, another in the Step Into Reading series, is equally good, but all true.

Terrific Book!
This is a wonderful children's book about our third president (US).It provides a fun story about how he loved to read and write and eat!He brought foods back from France that weren't popular here and made them famous.Jefferson got people to finally try love apples or tomatos, thought to be poisonous here in the US, but eaten often in France. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

20/20 Hindsight recommendation
After being bored to tears for many years in public school, I was ready to offer my children a better education.I consulted my friend (who has successfully homeschooled her four children into honors programs in college), and she said if she had to do it over again, she would use the Thomas Jefferson Education method.

Now that I have read this book and have put it into practice, I completely agree.What a great way to get my children to actually think about their opinions instead of memorizing and regurgitating what they're taught!!Admittedly, I've supplemented the approach taught in the book (by using the "Explode the Code" series to teach them how to read, for example), but all in all I'm amazed at their vocabulary (including my four-year-old!) and their ability to articulate.

I whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone who feels confident enough to explore homeschooling their child(ren).In fact, I'd even recommend this thought-provoking book to anyone who wants to supplement what their child is learning in public school.The end result is the same: a "win" for the child.

A book that will change your life!
I read this book 5 years ago.It convinced me to bring my children home and give them a leadership education.It makes sense!I have never regretted my decision.I own this book, the newer version A Thomas Jefferson Education and now the DeMille's latest book, Leadership Education.I highly recommend them all!The DeMille's live these principles and very generously share them with those of us who want something better for our children -- and our future!

An inspiring read for improving education!
We've been homeschooling for six years. A Thomas Jefferson Education (along with other works of Oliver DeMille) has inspired us to mentor our children in the classical style so we can help them develop a lifelong love of learning. This is not a how-to book. What TJEd is, is a set of principles that can be applied to any education setting (home or school). These principles help children develop into independent-thinking, solid-grounded leaders--something our worlds needs more of!

For a how-to I like The Well-Trained Mind, which I apply using principles found in A Thomas Jefferson Education. TJEd is not exclusionary or dogmatic. You can customize it to suit the unique needs of your children or students. I highly recommend A Thomas Jefferson Education or any of the other works by Oliver DeMille!

This has changed our lives!
We've been homeschooling for 8 years using this book as our foundation. Thomas Jefferson Education isn't a curriculum or a method but it's a set of principles that can be applied to any educational setting. You can choose to use the resources that you think are best for your family while applying them in a way that will be the most effective. This book really changed our family for the best as we have learned to not focus just on academics but instead focus on character and leadership. The academics are coming along beautifully but more important has been the kind of people that I am seeing my children become. I HIGHLY recommend this book and it's newer edition!

A rare, life-altering book
Very few books can reach into your mind and heart and be the catalyst to making concrete changes in your daily life.A Thomas Jefferson Education is one of these powerhouses.A newer version has been released and I recommend you start with that one.But prepare yourself to challenge the way you have always thought about education and start an exciting, new journey - for yourself and your kids. ... Read more

Product Description
A simple presentation of the third president's life from childhood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

interesting details
good book for student wanting (or needing) to know more about Thomas Jefferson.Interesting details & easily read.

Review of A Picture Book of Thomas Jefferson
This Book explains the life of Thomas Jefferson.It starts out explaining how his father died when he was very young, leaving him the man of the house and with a lot of responsibilities.The book also explains how Jefferson always loved reading and decided that it would be good to go to college for law.He was the person who wrote the declaration of independence and was the secretary of state for George Washington. He also served two years as president himself and established the University of Virginia.The book also tells how upset Jefferson was when he lost his wife and daughter.
I liked this book because it told about Jefferson's life in a way that wouldn't bore children.It was really colorful and it was fairly easy to read.It is a book that children could pick up and really get into where as other biographies might just be boring and something children would only read when they had too.
I think that the message this author is trying to send out is just what an important person Jefferson was.It seems that he really wants children to be able to get into books with biographical context and not find the subject to be dull and boring.The book also has the pictures that really jump out at you which children really love.

Kid friendly biography
Adler does a superb job in the "A Picture book of..." series. The book has lots of biographical information but presented in such a manner that young students will not be bored. Great illustrations on each page give little ones lots to look at while listening. The book concludeswith a timeline of important dates. Good resource material for grades K-3as an initial introduction to key people in US history. ... Read more

Product Description

In this unique biography of Thomas Jefferson, leading journalist and social critic Christopher Hitchens offers a startlingly new and provocative interpretation of our Founding Father—a man conflicted by power who wrote the Declaration of Independence and acted as ambassador to France yet yearned for a quieter career in the Virginia legislature. A masterly writer, Jefferson was an awkward public speaker. A professed proponent of emancipation, he elided the issue of slavery from the Declaration of Independence and continued to own human property. A reluctant candidate, he left an indelible presidential legacy. With intelligence, insight, eloquence, and wit, Hitchens gives us an artful portrait of a complex, formative figure and his turbulent era.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

Good Overview of Jefferson
This is a fairly short but thorough review of Thomas Jefferson.It captures the highlights.Gives you insight into one of the more interesting, important and yet flawed individual who was central to the founding of our nation and of establishing freedom of belief and of the Louisiana Purchase.Hitchens doesn't skimp, all the racist views are in there, as are his rather heretical ideas about religion. At the same time, you get a good understanding of why Jefferson is so important to American History and why any history of America that doesn't include him (Texas), is flawed.It would be impossible to understand our country without understanding Jefferson.This book is good, short, and interesting. Worth reading.

Thomas Jefferson was a renaissance man living in a revolutionary era
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was a renaissance man living in a revolutionary era. Jefferson was the third president of the United States serving two terms; the governor of Revolutionary War Virginia; the founder of the University of Virginia; American Ambassador to France and the first Secretary of State in Washington's cabinet. He was also a bibliphile whose library was sold to the Library of Congress; a scientist, author and champion of religious freedom. His greatest fame will always be his authorship of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
In this short biography by Christopher Hitchen, Vanity Fair contributing editor, atheist and author of such books as "Hitch 22"; "Why Orwell Matters" and numerous essays we get a succinct but competent biography of the Sage of Monticello.
Hitchens tells us that Jefferson was a great US President due to:
1. His victory over the Barbery Pirates in Northern Africa protecting American shippping.
2. The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 which doubled the land mass of the United States.
3. The Lewis and Clark expedition which was a great scientific and exploration venture into the American West.
Hitchens portrays a Jefferson who was a foxy politician and also a hypocrite on racial issues. His longtime mistress was Sally Hemings a woman of color by whom he had several children. Unlike Washington, Jefferson never freed his slaves though he thought slavery an evil. Jefferson believed in white supremacy. Jefferson was an Anti-Federalist whose greatest opponent was Alexander Hamilton and the Federalist Party. Jefferson was in favor of the French Revolution but grew disenchanted with its violence. The embargo he established on American commerce during his second term was not popular. He hated England and favored States Rights.
Jefferson comes across as a great man but one deeply flawed by his antiquated and wrongheaded racial beliefs.
Christopher Hitchens, the contrarian, is always worth reading.

Doesn't read like Hitchens but still good.
I'm no student of history but I am a Hitchens fan and have read several of his books so I decided to give this one a try. I enjoyed the book and learned a good deal about Jefferson. He is of course a very interesting figure and much of the governmental structure of the USA is based on his philosophy (or at least used to be based on it). The book does not really read like a typical Christopher Hitchen's book in writing style. It is a history book and not really open to as much interpretation or opinion as the subjects he normally writes about. The typical Hitchen's wit and wisdom had to be much toned down for this subject. If you love Hitchen's style you may not like this book as much as the rest of his works but I do recommend it simply for the historical knowledge to be gained.

Excellent...Albeit Short
It is very hard to sum up the life of so great a man as Thomas Jefferson, but Hitchens has done it in this masterful work. This book offers a glimpse of the founding father that is often neglected in other writings. Hitchens has captured the essence and the ideals of Jefferson, focusing more on his philosophy and the ethos of the Enlightenment than most authors do. I recommend this book to any lovers of Jefferson, America, History, or Hitchens. This book provides a brief look at and epic man.

Somewhat insightful, but not an arresting effort (3.25*s)
This book, while biographical in nature, represents a more free-form approach by British intellectual and polemicist, Christopher Hitchens, in examining the lengthy public service career and profound life of Thomas Jefferson. Hitchens essentially acknowledges the indebtedness that America has for both Jefferson's ideas, in particular his democratic inclinations, despite his aristocratic background, seen in both his words in the Declaration of Independence and his vigorous opposition to the neo-aristocratic policies of the Federalist in the 1790s, and his policy initiatives during his presidency, such as finally suppressing the pirates of North Africa, doubling the land size of the US through the Louisiana Purchase, and enthusiastically backing the exploration of this newly purchased land by Lewis and Clark, reflective of his lifelong interest in botany, and the like.

Jefferson's contradictions and difficulties seem to be a main focus for the author, not so much for purposes of condemnation, but more for ensuring a balanced approach. Clearly, Jefferson's ambiguities concerning the actual equality of all men resonant most strongly in the modern era. As a Southern planter and beneficiary of its non-free labor system, he could not satisfactorily reconcile his principles with his practices in that regard. Jefferson's lengthy association with his house servant Sally Hennings, including the fathering of several children, is never in doubt. Interestingly, the author shows that Jefferson, though not an aggressive individual, was fond of attractive women. A more serious situation for Jefferson in his lifetime was his hasty retreat from British troops during his last days as governor of Virginia in 1780, providing ammunition for his detractors in regard to his courage, a not insignificant matter for gentlemen in colonial society.

Jefferson was, hands-down, America's foremost intellectual of his time. His vast accumulation of the latest books from throughout Europe was a lifelong obsession. In the aftermath of the burning of the Library of Congress during the War of 1812, Jefferson sold his personal collection of 6500 volumes to the Library, a substantial start for any great library. The downside to Jefferson's intellectualism, was his tendency to romanticize revolutionary thought and actions. He turned a blind eye to the excesses of the French revolution far beyond any objective assessment. He was given to intemperate views, though not necessarily publicly stated, such as regarding the periodic spilling of blood as a means of renewing revolutionary ideals or holding that one generation owed little to their successors and that government and most institutions should begin anew. The author, given his well-known religious disinclination, is more than mildly appreciate of Jefferson's fairly successful efforts, mostly in Virginia, to orchestrate legislation to curb the dominance of organized churches in social and political affairs. Jefferson's specific religious ideas remain somewhat vague, yet his lifelong support of Thomas Paine, an infamous infidel and Revolutionary era hero, may be telling.

The book is mildly informative concerning the major activities and impact of Jefferson. Jefferson remains a remarkable man in Hitchens' telling, though not without flaws. However, the book is somewhat selective in what is covered. Other principals of the era make mostly cameo appearances. The author brings a few scattered insights that perhaps lie outside a conventional biographical focus, not to mention his occasional literary phrasing, but given the author's reputation for polemics, it might have been expected that sharper critiques would have been offered on Jefferson's actions and significance. The complete absence of notes or an index in the book is indicative of the author's indifference towards conventional biography or history. A few books are mentioned in an acknowledgements section. It has to be said that the book is not an arresting effort, falling short of expectations.
... Read more

Product Description
The highly praised one-volume biography of Thomas Jefferson that provides illuminating new insights into his public and private life--by the award-winning author of A Little Revenge: Benjamin Franklin at War with His Son and Benedict Arnold: Patriot and Traitor.Amazon.com Review
A biography of Thomas Jefferson,who despite his legendary intelligence and political savvy, could beruthless, not to mention lawless, in his efforts to preserve his causes.Jefferson operated on two levels, as his opposition to slavery as aslaveowner attests. But as Willard Sterne Randall argues, this duality iswhat made him so effective. Whether Jefferson's 1784 draft of Virginia'sconstitution "prefigured the founding documents of republics in Europe, Asia,Africa and South America, as well as the Confederate States of America," asRandall claims, is questionable, but his impact on international trade,diplomatic discussions and the success of the state of Virginia cannot bedisputed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (31)

Great Biography, a little slow at times
Tackling a subject as well known as Jefferson must be a daunting task but Randall has created a very commendable piece of literature. Randall seems to have uncovered every piece of information about Jefferson that he could get his hands on and I definitely learned a great deal about the man.

Not only did Randall focus on the most well known times and achievements of Jefferson's life but he also focused on his childhood, early adult years, as well as the time he spent in France all in great detail. There were times when the author jumped around a little bit to stay with certain themes, which hurt the flow in certain areas but all in all it was a very enjoyable read and I have come out of the experience respecting Thomas Jefferson even more as one the most exceptional men of our history. We can thank him for many of the freedoms that we enjoy today.

Pleased, but not completely satisfied
Thomas Jefferson: A Life by William Sterne Randall was a highly enjoyable read. The book flowed well, particularly the second half. Randall presents a dignified portrait of his subject throughout, carefully avoiding getting bogged down in any of the tabloid-ish myths that so many biographers relish. I appreciate that.

In the latter half of the book Jefferson really comes alive through the pages. One section in particular stands out for me. It is the portion of the book that covers Jefferson's years in Paris. This was not a section I was looking forward to and planned to rush through. However, I got completely pulled into the narrative, and now this is the most memorable part for me.

I do have a couple of minor disappointments with the book though. First, I felt short-changed on the parts dealing with Jefferson's drafting of the Declaration of Independence. I would have loved to have gotten more inside the mans head as he wrote those words. I also would have appreciated more of the interaction between he, Franklin, and Adams in the refining process. But I guess too much detail here would have required a good bit of conjecture so I guess I should be grateful. Another unpleasant surprise was the fact that Jefferson's entire presidency is covered in one chapter. More time was spent on his diplomatic ventures in Europe than on his executive duties in America. I almost got the feeling the author got to that portion of the book and just got tired of writing or realized his deadline had arrived! Overall, though I am very glad I read the book.

I Dislike Jefferson (Damm Liberals), But Loved The Book
Jefferson is held up as the Founder of the democrat party. Of course there are some really difficult jumps needed to make this work, but that is another problem for another day. Another reviewer stated the book did not provide enough depth on some topics, this is true. However, I would argue that not all that he did was worthy of such depth. Jefferson was a mortal, not an inhabitant of Olympus. Aside from that Randall provides enough depth to gain the needed insight into how Jefferson became the man he did. What we see is that he was a shy person who loved books more than people. His books would shape his mind for all his days, but did not prepare him for the day to day political struggle he would inhabit as President. We also learn that his ideology would only extend to convenience, as he authorized the LA Purchase. Randall gets the background for these major decisions and Jefferson's training right, so do not worry, there is enough there to inform all but the most well read TJ scholars.

Thomas Jefferson? A Life
The author researched his subject extremely well.He had so much detail in the book.Also, I liked that it covered Jefferson's entire life - or from his first memory.It contained information I had not found in other books I have read on Jefferson.I continue to re-read portions of the book.

Though books on Thomas Jefferson, one of the first US Populists..(read rest of review for text)...
...could fill a library, there has long been
a need for an authoritative, single-volume
biography that captures both the public and
private man. This is THE volume to consult!

The author, a fine historian and investigative
journalist, lays to rest many of the canards
that have been bantied about for the last
several decades. He was almost an as influential
a Founding Father as George Washington and James
Madison. This volume is especially good for
helping younger Americans understand the Col-
onial period, when I country was young and on
the right path - that of the far-political middle
and Populism. Forget the 'political-stupidity'
being bantied about today - this book is the
'real deal'. ... Read more

Product Description
In the introduction to this work, Frederick Doveton Nichols observes, "Jefferson stands alone as the most distinguished native architect of the Early Republic."The drawings collected in the pages that follow this assertion bear out the truth of Nichol's words.From the graceful floor plans of Monticello to the public buildings of Williamsburg and the pavilions of the University of Virginia, the maginative and mathematical mind of Thomas Jefferson takes shape in the architectural sketches for these landmark structures.A detailed checklist is appended to the text and provides a thorough overview of Jefferson's drawings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An Armchair View of Jefferson's Architectural and Drawing Sk
Jefferson's architectural drawings, edited and compiled by a noted architectural historian who taught at the university which Jefferson founded, give the general reader a perfect opportunity to observe Jefferson's talents not just as an architect but as a draftsman and artist. The drawings of the 1st and 2nd Monticello convincingly reveal to a general audience how the design and shape of his beloved home evolved from that of a two-story villa derived from the designs of the famous Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio to the red-bricked, octagonal, and domed three-story Neoclassical building that we see today. The drawings of Jefferson's other architectural masterpieces like the University of Virginia, Virginia State Capitol, and Poplar Forest also show this extraordinary Virginian's knowledge and mastery of the concepts of Classical architecture. This book is a must for all who admire Thomas Jefferson the architect and for all who want to know how he designed and built such beautiful buildings without any professional training as an architect. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Quotable Jefferson
Wonderful book.Organized in an easy to use manner. I've used it already in papers for my doctorate!

Jefferson in his own words
I have been reading about the founding fathers for some time and decided to get this book because Jefferson is an obsession of mine. The Quotes in this great book range from his thoughts on the governments of the U.S. and France, thoughts on family, contemporaries, food, books, morals and everything in between. The quotes are funny and inspiring. If you have an interest in Jefferson, then this book is for you.

Thomas Jefferson-Essential Letters And Quotations
Thomas Jefferson was a man of many facets. Among these were the power of words,
chosen carefully from the English language. He loved and excelled in writing letters,
and this book contains over 500 subjects that he chose to write about. Tho the book is small in size with over 500 pages, it gives one an insight into the enormity of this
President's capacity. ... Read more

Product Description
Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's magnificent mountaintop home in Charlottesville, Virginia, has attracted public attention ever since Jefferson's day, when sightseers regularly visited the grounds in hopes of catching a glimpse of the former president. Today, each year more than half a million people from around the world visit Monticello, the only home in America on the United Nations' list of World Heritage Sites that must be protected at all costs.

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello is a superb collection of essays, adorned with beautiful color photography, that showcases this American treasure. Designed by Jefferson himself, Monticello is a model of elegance and symmetry. It is also home to Jefferson's world-class collection of art and porcelain from France, scientific instruments from England, the finest American furniture from Philadelphia and New York, and enduring furnishings made in Monticello's own joinery by enslaved craftsmen. The celebrated gardens and grounds form an experimental yet breathtakingly lovely landscape featuring flowers, fruits, and vegetables of the Old and New Worlds.

Featuring essays by Monticello's scholarly staff, this stunning book explores all aspects of Jefferson's home. A section on the plantation and the enslaved community at Monticello provides a larger context in which to place and understand the house, its activities, and its owner. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

excellent book-detailed with great photos
This is a wonderful book for those who have visited Monticello and want a "souvenir" and those who are admirers of Thomas Jefferson and want to know more about his personal life. He was a fascinating man and there is much to be admired.

Exquisite Photography
No need to keep Monticello in memory alone!Return home to Monticello with this exquisitelyphotographed book produced by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. This is the keep sake sold at Monticello gift shops. Perfect size for a coffee table, but not too large or cumbersome. Spectacularglossy photos of both the interiors and grounds in all seasons! Some photos comprise entire page. Chapters include: Essay in Architecture; A Look Inside; Furnishing Monticello; The Gardens; The Plantation. Also a fantastic "amazon" price for thisbeautiful, high quality book. Definitely a MUST purchase!

A credit to Jefferson's Monticello
I have toured Monticello, and the stunning pictures in this tastefully put-together book does Monticello proud. Also the writings and diagrams within the book describing how Monticello came about, and something about the genuis patriot who designed it is very well done and most interesting. This book is well worth the price, and would make a wonderful gift.

Like Visiting Monticello!!
After visiting Monticello and being awestruck, I could hardly wait to visit again. This book makes me feel as if I am there again. The photography is superb and the text so engaging. I am in love with this book as much as I am Monticello itself. I highly recommend it!!

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello
Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, an essay in architecture, takes readers on a historical tour of the third U.S. president's cherished home near Charlottesville, Virginia, through well-written text and gorgeous, full-color photography. The book includes floor plans and photographs of Jefferson's original architectual elevations, as well as drawings of the finished building that we are most familiar with today. It describes Jefferson as art collector and plantation life on Monticello's farms, and it explores thefour seasons in Monticello's gardens. Published in 2002 by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc. ... Read more

Product Description
Includes A Summary View of the Rights of British America and Notes on the State of Virginia complete; seventy-nine letters; "Response to the Citizens of Albemarle," 1790; "Opinion on the Constitutionality of a National Bank," 1791; and many other writings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good book
Neat book.has a lot of the pertinent documents that Jefferson wrote and correspondences he had with people in his time.I wish there were some more biographical information in it, but it's a great source for primary material.

The Words Of The Sage Of Montecello
"The Portable Jefferson" consists of a vast collection of Jefferson's works.It provides us with valuable insights into his mind and his world.

The longest entry is "Notes on the State of Virginia".It provides a multifaceted assessment of the Virginia known by Jefferson.Politics, the economy, topography, populations, flora and fauna are all included in this report.I read with particular interest the reports on areas of French settlement in what is now Illinois, areas in which my ancestors were living but to which Jefferson had never traveled and about which he had to have learned from the reports of others.Many insights into the Virginia of his day are very interesting.

Jefferson's July, 1774 tome on "A Summary View Of The Rights of British America" give a preview of America's grievances on the eve of the Revolution.

The next segment consists of Jefferson's public papers and addresses.Some are well known, such as the Declaration of Independence, while others are obscure, but often no less interesting.

The last segment of the book consists of many private letters written to a host of correspondents.Some of these are rather mundane matters of personal interest, while others are occasions for expositions of political views and comments on the news of the day.I found particularly interesting his comments on developments in France during its Revolution.

I have long had an interest in Jefferson.This book enables the reader to see him in new and deeper lights.His thought, the breath of his interests and his genius shine on the pages of his book.This is a book to read and then keep handy for reference. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Dear Mr. Jefferson....
This a good book for intermediate children on up.The author knows how to write to inform without a lot of fluff.Thomas Jefferson was a very complicated man.He lost his wife after only 10 years of marriage, his grief over this lasted 6 months, and then into the political man that we all have learned and loved.Yet, his inner man struggled with equality of each person, especially with the black slaves that he owned.In many memoirs, he expresses this thought-provoking justice, yet he does not free those slaves.In examining Thomas Jefferson, itshould allow us to examine ourselves, as the inner-person struggles on the deep pains of the heart.

An excellent book for elementary school children
My second-grader decided to research Thomas Jefferson for a school report.I ordered this book and was quite pleased.It has lots of good information without being wordy.In the back of the book is a two-page spread of quotes from Jefferson, as well as a timeline of his life.The illustrations are beautiful!Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
"Jefferson aspired beyond the ambition of a nationality,
and embraced in his view the whole future of man."
--Henry Adams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A Look into the mind of Jefferson
Because the letters and other writings have been written in the English of Jefferson's time, the book is somewhat difficult to read. I had to read it slowly to take in Jefferson's ideas and feelings. The book includes the Declaration of Independence which spells out the reasons for the American colonies to declare independence from Britain. Jefferson's letters to John Adams are included as well. Adams and Jefferson were long time friends but became disconnected later in their lives. Finally, they make amends close to the end of their lives. There are also letters to a French woman who Jefferson was in love with while he was Ambassador to France. One of the most interesting concepts was Jefferson's idea of the separation of church and state. Jefferson believed that the religion should not intermingle in the affairs of the state. As Ambassador to France, Jefferson learned about the problems of authoritarian rule of a king over the common people. Jefferson was appalled at the poor representation and meager powers of the civilians of France compared to the powers of the King of France. Overall, this book is a good inside look at the ideals, beliefs, and feelings of one of the founding fathers of the United States.

Useful selection
I once met Luthor Evans, the foremost expert on the complete works of Jefferson, and had dinner with him once with a friend who worked at the United Nations. I didn't know much about Jefferson except what I learned in school, but it was interesting to listen to Evans talk about Jefferson and his achievements, and what a true Renaissance man he was. Evans was also the first director general of UNESCO, and a former Librarian of Congress, a position often used to honor the most outstanding American historians, I hear. But getting back to the present volume, I found it a useful selection of his works, even if I can't seem to find the collected works of Jefferson on Amazon, and I owe much of my appreciation of Jefferson to that evening I once spent with Evans. I'm not sure I'm up to reading the complete works, as Evans did in his prime, but I'm at least up to reading a good compilation, and this one served a useful purpose for that.

Jefferson the " American Mind"
This study is a wonderful compilation of the life and writings of Thomas Jefferson. The introduction by Koch and Peden of Jefferson's long and fruitful life is rich and complete. Jefferson's greatness shines forth in the pages of this volume. His Anas, Autobiography, Essay of the Anglo Saxon language, Notes on Virginia, And his numerous public papers and letters show the reader the depth of this great man. Koch and Peden clearly admire Jefferon which is a welcome respite from the sad and anti-intellectual deconstructionist philosophy of modern historians. No PC here. For a student of Jefferson, or someone attempting to familiarize themselves with his ideals, this is a great buy!

A excellent anthology for your library
We added this book to our library when I was doing research for a doctoralproject on Racism. In one volume, is Jefferson's autobiography, traveljournals, essays, biographies of other historical figures, notes andcorrespondence.It is a wealth of material into a foundation stonepersonality of our American identity.

Lately Jefferson has drawn firebecause of his position on slavery and his philandering activities as aplantation owner. Still, within this volume you can observe the full storyhistorical context provides.

In my favorite passage in connection withthe slavery issue he writes,

"And can the liberties of a nation bethough secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction inthe minds of thepeople that these liberties are the gift of God?That theyare not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my countrywhen I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever;that considering numbers,nature and natural means only, a revolution of thewheel of fortune, an exchange of situation is among possible events; thatit may become probably by supernatural interference!The Almighty has noattribute which can take side with us in such a contest." (Notes onVirginia, Query XVIII; p. 278 Modern Library Edition)

I think everyfamily should have a copy of this volume in their library.It isenlightening, powerful and life changing material. ... Read more