chanman's review against another edition
2.0
This review will not necessarily follow the usual format. When it comes to the Presidential biographies that I am reading, I would like to write first about the president himself, consisting of what their life was like and his eventual presidency, through what I have learned in the text. Next, I would write a review on the text itself. I cannot do this however, since this book feels so...underwhelming.
At a scant 200 pages of actual narrative, this is one of the shortest biographies that one can find on any president anywhere, and this is so incredibly sad, given the man we have to work with. If one word could describe Jefferson, it would be enigma. He was a man who called slavery a sin, yet owned slaves himself, wrote the Declaration of Independence and still held people in bondage. He was a staunch racist yet slept with Sally Hemmings. He was a strong Anti-Federalist, yet he made the single largest land purchase in US history, while also using a system of finance to fund it that he had railed against for decades. In short, Jefferson was a man whom people far better educated than I would struggle to understand. One would think that even reading this short biography would help to resolve some of this confusion.
Sadly, though, it did not. This is mostly a cliff notes version of Jefferson's life. What would take a chapter in any other biography takes about five pages here. Friends that Jefferson had known since boyhood, and whom Jefferson called one of the best people of Virginia? The friend is name dropped, at best and we feel little impact of their relationship. The time of Jefferson abroad, serving as foreign minister to France? Given a few pages, at most. This means that, while we are given ample historical context to events, including theology, foreign policy, and law practices at the time, we never really get to know the man the book is named after. This can leave my journey with the Jefferson in this text feeling somewhat hollow and unfulfilled.
But can I really blame the book? What did I expect when I find that it has a less than 300 page count, including the appendix? As I seem to constantly have to remind myself, I suppose that I should rate this book based on what it is, rather than what I want it to be. On this case, I would say that this book is just not for me. It often goes over basic history that I know already know, while giving Jefferson a scant mention at best. The only reason that I am reading this specific bio of Jefferson at all is because I had to buy it for college, and only read a chapter of it. That said, if you are someone who has not read a history book in many years, then this may be a good book to pick up. For me, however, this text is one that I give a two out of five. Now I can get rid of this and proceed with Madison. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
At a scant 200 pages of actual narrative, this is one of the shortest biographies that one can find on any president anywhere, and this is so incredibly sad, given the man we have to work with. If one word could describe Jefferson, it would be enigma. He was a man who called slavery a sin, yet owned slaves himself, wrote the Declaration of Independence and still held people in bondage. He was a staunch racist yet slept with Sally Hemmings. He was a strong Anti-Federalist, yet he made the single largest land purchase in US history, while also using a system of finance to fund it that he had railed against for decades. In short, Jefferson was a man whom people far better educated than I would struggle to understand. One would think that even reading this short biography would help to resolve some of this confusion.
Sadly, though, it did not. This is mostly a cliff notes version of Jefferson's life. What would take a chapter in any other biography takes about five pages here. Friends that Jefferson had known since boyhood, and whom Jefferson called one of the best people of Virginia? The friend is name dropped, at best and we feel little impact of their relationship. The time of Jefferson abroad, serving as foreign minister to France? Given a few pages, at most. This means that, while we are given ample historical context to events, including theology, foreign policy, and law practices at the time, we never really get to know the man the book is named after. This can leave my journey with the Jefferson in this text feeling somewhat hollow and unfulfilled.
But can I really blame the book? What did I expect when I find that it has a less than 300 page count, including the appendix? As I seem to constantly have to remind myself, I suppose that I should rate this book based on what it is, rather than what I want it to be. On this case, I would say that this book is just not for me. It often goes over basic history that I know already know, while giving Jefferson a scant mention at best. The only reason that I am reading this specific bio of Jefferson at all is because I had to buy it for college, and only read a chapter of it. That said, if you are someone who has not read a history book in many years, then this may be a good book to pick up. For me, however, this text is one that I give a two out of five. Now I can get rid of this and proceed with Madison. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
happylatitudes's review against another edition
5.0
About once a year, I read a non-fiction book, usually history, sometimes a biography.
I visited Monticello recently and was so inspired that I picked up this biography of Thomas Jefferson and I was not disappointed.
Maybe because I have always been fascinated by Jefferson, or maybe Bernstein's depiction of his life is exceptionally readable, I found this book just as exciting and suspenseful as any novel.
Jefferson was truly an exceptional person, and his influence on the world (not just the US) is still intact.
A great biography, I highly recommend it!
I visited Monticello recently and was so inspired that I picked up this biography of Thomas Jefferson and I was not disappointed.
Maybe because I have always been fascinated by Jefferson, or maybe Bernstein's depiction of his life is exceptionally readable, I found this book just as exciting and suspenseful as any novel.
Jefferson was truly an exceptional person, and his influence on the world (not just the US) is still intact.
A great biography, I highly recommend it!
literallykristen's review against another edition
4.0
This was a well-written, concise biography. I really enjoyed it. Bernstein neither apologizes for nor ignores Jefferson's shortcomings. He presents a very well-balanced view of the man and doesn’t get caught up in superfluous details.
I found this biography to be really accessible and I enjoyed the balance Bernstein was able to strike between Jefferson’s personal and professional lives. He did a great job of identifying the major events in Jefferson’s life without going overboard with details.
The one thing I was disappointed that Bernstein didn’t spend a little more time addressing was the conflict with Adams. Especially after reading McCullough’s biography of John Adams, I was expecting to learn a little bit about Jefferson’s view of his relationship with Adams. Besides that though, I was really pleased that I picked this biography of Jefferson to continue my Presidential Challenge!
I found this biography to be really accessible and I enjoyed the balance Bernstein was able to strike between Jefferson’s personal and professional lives. He did a great job of identifying the major events in Jefferson’s life without going overboard with details.
The one thing I was disappointed that Bernstein didn’t spend a little more time addressing was the conflict with Adams. Especially after reading McCullough’s biography of John Adams, I was expecting to learn a little bit about Jefferson’s view of his relationship with Adams. Besides that though, I was really pleased that I picked this biography of Jefferson to continue my Presidential Challenge!
disasterchick's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fair and balanced look at Thomas Jefferson. History has elevated him and knocked him down. Was Jefferson perfect - no, he was human. Jefferson was a highly intelligent many that was the mind behind the Declaration of Independence - a document which we put more significance on than the Constitution. However, our Constitution had many ideas borrowed from the State of Virginia Constitution which Jefferson helped write. After reading books on Washington and Adams I had lost quite a bit of respect for Jefferson. This book helped me bring back that respect, and also realzie he was only human with greatness and flaws.
jakobmarleymommy's review against another edition
4.0
Rating this book was tough for me. I'm not sure if my rating is coming from the book itself or the fact that the book changed my opinion on Jefferson's character. I hadn't given an awful lot of thought to Jefferson; I know the basics, but not the in-depth perspective. Thomas Jefferson is a complete hypocrite. Although he claimed to be a Republican with a belief in strong state government and weak Federal government, he stretched the powers granted by the Constitution to the limits. Examples include the Louisiana Purchase, the exploration of the country by Lewis and Clark, and finally, the declaration of war on the Barbary pirates; all done without the approval of Congress.
Even more troubling are his views on race. Although he claimed not to support slavery, he owned approximately 200 slaves. He said that if slavery were to end in the United States he would not want the former slaves to be allowed to stay in the country. He believed that a "colony" outside of the US be established to relocate the freed slaves. He claimed that people of color could never match the intellectual capabilities of whites. While he thought so poorly of blacks, he didn't have a problem sleeping with one of his slaves and fathering several children with her.
I wish that these things were taught in school, as i don't believe that we would revere Mr. Jefferson like we do if these things were more well known.
Even more troubling are his views on race. Although he claimed not to support slavery, he owned approximately 200 slaves. He said that if slavery were to end in the United States he would not want the former slaves to be allowed to stay in the country. He believed that a "colony" outside of the US be established to relocate the freed slaves. He claimed that people of color could never match the intellectual capabilities of whites. While he thought so poorly of blacks, he didn't have a problem sleeping with one of his slaves and fathering several children with her.
I wish that these things were taught in school, as i don't believe that we would revere Mr. Jefferson like we do if these things were more well known.
kalinichta's review against another edition
4.0
A fast primer on a complex man who was utterly frustrating in his paradoxes. Perhaps a bit too much life to cram into 200 pages, but a good place to start.
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