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mrchandler's review against another edition
4.0
This is my second foray into the world of Thomas Jefferson. My first book, Thomas Jefferson by R.B. Bernstein, was fine, but nothing to write home about. While it was an excellent book for someone who had not studied their history in years, personally, the book was filled with context about the American Revolution that I already knew. Therefore, I gave it a two out of five, because I would forget about it in a month, and gave it to my local bookstore, where someone else would find it, and appreciate it more than I did.
Ever since then, I have been looking for another book that I could read on Jefferson that provided me with a more detailed look at the man and his accomplishments. Thanks to a colleague of mine who kindly gave me a gift card, I was able to purchase it from Barns and Noble, and I began reading, excited to see what Meacham had to say on the man. Did I learn a lot about Thomas Jefferson and about his era and times? Yes…and no.
When it comes to Jefferson biographies, Meacham’s is by far the most read of the bunch and it is easy to understand why. He explores every major accomplishment of Jefferson’s with a fine-tooth comb. Everything from Jefferson’s early days in school to his work on what would become the University of Virginia is gone over with detail that gives the reader a complete look at the accomplishments and the times in which they were made. No stone is left unturned in the regard for the who, where and why, Jefferson developed his various accomplishments in history. This makes the book far more comprehensive in terms of studying Jefferson and is something I enjoyed.
Meacham also takes the opportunity to explore the more negative aspects and contradictions to Jefferson’s legacy. There is the exploration on Jefferson’s relationship with slavery. Jefferson was a man who hated the practice of slavery, calling it a serious blot on America, yet he profited and benefited from the practice literally all his life. This also includes his relationship with Sally Hemmings. Meacham does not shy away from these topics, nor tries to excuse the practice at all, but simply finds an explanation for what Jefferson believed. Meacham, in the grand scheme of things, states that Jefferson valued control (or as some may say, power) in all aspects of his life. Even if he hated the practice of slavery, he was not willing to give up the power it afforded him in his domestic life. Meacham does well to acknowledge this fact, and does not excuse it, saying that Jefferson, for all his strengths and progressive ideas, is a man of his time, and cannot escape the trappings of a rich land owner of the South in Virginia.
However, for all the balanced look at Jefferson, other aspects of the time period are noticeably absent, as though Meacham is focused strictly on what Jefferson accomplished, and little else. Take for example, The Olive Branch Petition sent to King George III in 1775. Meacham says only that it was sent to the King, and nothing came of it, as though it was barley worth mentioning, as it has little to do with Jefferson himself. On the one hand, if you are a reader of the Presidents, and have already read books on Washington and Adams, then this is nothing new to you, and can be skipped. On the other, if you choose to just randomly pick this book up, you may be scratching your head at this mention of a document. In the grand scheme of things, I do not really see this as any kind of a negative, just something to keep in mind for the reader going into this book. For all the brilliance of Meacham’s writing, he focuses strictly on Jefferson, and anything else is mentioned in passing, if not largely ignored.
Still, I believe that this text was well done, and offered me a more comprehensive view of the times that Jefferson lived in, as well as the relationships Jefferson had not only with the people around him, but also the politics of the era. Jefferson’s Presidency, his lasting legacy and how he is viewed today are also explored well. In short, I can understand why this is such a revered biography of the Third President. I give it a four out of five.
Ever since then, I have been looking for another book that I could read on Jefferson that provided me with a more detailed look at the man and his accomplishments. Thanks to a colleague of mine who kindly gave me a gift card, I was able to purchase it from Barns and Noble, and I began reading, excited to see what Meacham had to say on the man. Did I learn a lot about Thomas Jefferson and about his era and times? Yes…and no.
When it comes to Jefferson biographies, Meacham’s is by far the most read of the bunch and it is easy to understand why. He explores every major accomplishment of Jefferson’s with a fine-tooth comb. Everything from Jefferson’s early days in school to his work on what would become the University of Virginia is gone over with detail that gives the reader a complete look at the accomplishments and the times in which they were made. No stone is left unturned in the regard for the who, where and why, Jefferson developed his various accomplishments in history. This makes the book far more comprehensive in terms of studying Jefferson and is something I enjoyed.
Meacham also takes the opportunity to explore the more negative aspects and contradictions to Jefferson’s legacy. There is the exploration on Jefferson’s relationship with slavery. Jefferson was a man who hated the practice of slavery, calling it a serious blot on America, yet he profited and benefited from the practice literally all his life. This also includes his relationship with Sally Hemmings. Meacham does not shy away from these topics, nor tries to excuse the practice at all, but simply finds an explanation for what Jefferson believed. Meacham, in the grand scheme of things, states that Jefferson valued control (or as some may say, power) in all aspects of his life. Even if he hated the practice of slavery, he was not willing to give up the power it afforded him in his domestic life. Meacham does well to acknowledge this fact, and does not excuse it, saying that Jefferson, for all his strengths and progressive ideas, is a man of his time, and cannot escape the trappings of a rich land owner of the South in Virginia.
However, for all the balanced look at Jefferson, other aspects of the time period are noticeably absent, as though Meacham is focused strictly on what Jefferson accomplished, and little else. Take for example, The Olive Branch Petition sent to King George III in 1775. Meacham says only that it was sent to the King, and nothing came of it, as though it was barley worth mentioning, as it has little to do with Jefferson himself. On the one hand, if you are a reader of the Presidents, and have already read books on Washington and Adams, then this is nothing new to you, and can be skipped. On the other, if you choose to just randomly pick this book up, you may be scratching your head at this mention of a document. In the grand scheme of things, I do not really see this as any kind of a negative, just something to keep in mind for the reader going into this book. For all the brilliance of Meacham’s writing, he focuses strictly on Jefferson, and anything else is mentioned in passing, if not largely ignored.
Still, I believe that this text was well done, and offered me a more comprehensive view of the times that Jefferson lived in, as well as the relationships Jefferson had not only with the people around him, but also the politics of the era. Jefferson’s Presidency, his lasting legacy and how he is viewed today are also explored well. In short, I can understand why this is such a revered biography of the Third President. I give it a four out of five.
megmarie's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
I enjoyed listening to this over several weeks while at work.
It was fascinating to learn more about one of our founding fathers, and I definitely learned plenty I never knew, and I was reminded of plenty I'd forgotten since American history class.
I've always enjoyed learning more about American history and the Revolution, but the main reason I picked this audiobook was because Richard Gilmore was narrating and it sounded like a conversation about books between Richard and Rory. ❤️ iykyk.
I enjoyed listening to this over several weeks while at work.
It was fascinating to learn more about one of our founding fathers, and I definitely learned plenty I never knew, and I was reminded of plenty I'd forgotten since American history class.
I've always enjoyed learning more about American history and the Revolution, but the main reason I picked this audiobook was because Richard Gilmore was narrating and it sounded like a conversation about books between Richard and Rory. ❤️ iykyk.
andeaclark's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great book about Thomas Jefferson. It talked about his life, from birth to death, around the concept of power. He was an amazing man and did so much in his life. He wasn't perfect, but nobody is. This was a respectful yet accurate portrayal of Jefferson in the context of the world he lived in. It was funny to see that politics haven't really changed much since the 1700s.
chrisnin64's review against another edition
4.0
Pretty good, didn't really reveal anything super engaging or new to me about Jefferson. Good listen though!
krwalks's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The narrative reveals Jefferson to be a complicated, three-dimensional, man. The work is well-written with seamless integration of primary source materials including personal letters.
Jefferson's pragmatic approach to governing meant that he did not let his ideals get in the way of nurturing a country and working towards its stabilization, even when that meant letting go of something he believed in a concession for something else that meant more for the greater good.
His story provides lessons about self-awareness, leadership, and power. It also provides a reminder that even presidents are just people. Now matter how brilliant Jefferson was, he was still just a man.
Another aspect of this book I find so intriguing is the perspective it provides about modern-day politics and media influence. The very same partisan issues we have today were of major concern at the country's founding as well. What's old is new again--or continuous, rather.
Jefferson's pragmatic approach to governing meant that he did not let his ideals get in the way of nurturing a country and working towards its stabilization, even when that meant letting go of something he believed in a concession for something else that meant more for the greater good.
His story provides lessons about self-awareness, leadership, and power. It also provides a reminder that even presidents are just people. Now matter how brilliant Jefferson was, he was still just a man.
Another aspect of this book I find so intriguing is the perspective it provides about modern-day politics and media influence. The very same partisan issues we have today were of major concern at the country's founding as well. What's old is new again--or continuous, rather.
codybishop89's review against another edition
5.0
“We have been fellow-laborers and fellow-sufferers, and heaven has rewarded us with a happy issue from our struggles. It rests now with ourselves alone to enjoy in peace and concord the blessings of self-government, so long denied to mankind: to show by example the sufficiency of human reason for the affairs and that the will of the majority, the natural law of every society, is the only sure guardian of the rights of man.”
hanuhmckee's review against another edition
3.0
“This book, I hope, neither lionizes nor indicts Jefferson, but instead restores him to his full and rich role as an American statesman who resists easy categorization” (p. 507).
I wish I had this one sentence at the very beginning of reading this. In my quest to read and learn more about the Founding Fathers, I’ve wanted to get a full picture of each man; good and bad. In this biography, the “bad” was mentioned on occasion, but never delved into in the depth I’ve seen with other biographies. For example, the rivalry with Adams and Jefferson felt incredibly glossed over, with blame (if any) being put on Adams instead of exploring what caused the rivalry. This positive perspective put on Jefferson was especially clear when we are told “Rendering moral judgements in retrospect can be hazardous. It is unfair to judge the past by the standards of the present” (p. 477). This, to me, felt like the reader was being told to feel a specific way about Jefferson, instead of being allowed to come to a conclusion for ourselves.
Frustrations with the books perspective aside, I still get the feeling that Jefferson was a brilliant politician, but not a good person. One day I might pick this book up again, but I’d also think about finding another biography. I definitely want to see Jefferson through a more neutral perspective.
I wish I had this one sentence at the very beginning of reading this. In my quest to read and learn more about the Founding Fathers, I’ve wanted to get a full picture of each man; good and bad. In this biography, the “bad” was mentioned on occasion, but never delved into in the depth I’ve seen with other biographies. For example, the rivalry with Adams and Jefferson felt incredibly glossed over, with blame (if any) being put on Adams instead of exploring what caused the rivalry. This positive perspective put on Jefferson was especially clear when we are told “Rendering moral judgements in retrospect can be hazardous. It is unfair to judge the past by the standards of the present” (p. 477). This, to me, felt like the reader was being told to feel a specific way about Jefferson, instead of being allowed to come to a conclusion for ourselves.
Frustrations with the books perspective aside, I still get the feeling that Jefferson was a brilliant politician, but not a good person. One day I might pick this book up again, but I’d also think about finding another biography. I definitely want to see Jefferson through a more neutral perspective.