melisscharber's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
historical_bookworm's review against another edition
2.0
Couldn't finish the book. Seemed very biased on things discovered about Jefferson not being true and using whatever information they could to prove their point while ignoring evidence to the contrary.
jaredmiller's review against another edition
4.0
This book does a wonderful job of looking at popular misconceptions about Thomas Jefferson, all the while using primary sources to establish the truth. The author, David Barton, uses the 5 popular ways that people tend to look back at his history: deconstructionism, poststructurism, modernism, minimalism, and academic collectivism. Barton explains how these ways of looking at history do not work through the examination of writings by Thomas Jefferson and writings of others from the same time. The only criticism that I do have with this book is that Barton definitely has a evangelical bias, and in the final section of the book, about whether or not Jefferson was an atheist, Barton's personal views and opinions are made very clear. However, the evidence remains unbiased, and even with the personal bias of the narrator, the boom still works wonderfully.
dmwade's review against another edition
4.0
A very detailed and well documented book about the lies we've been fed over the years regarding Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was a complex man, with a strong faith and this book shows how he really felt about God, slavery and the separation of Church and State. Primary sources were used, which is always the best way to determine what someone said and what they meant. The book shows that history has been revised by people with an agenda, who want to pick and choose what they want us to believe about our Founding Fathers.
annewithabook's review against another edition
5.0
I remember visiting Monticello in my teenage years, and hearing of the story of Sally Hemmings by a so-called "informed" tour guide. It was strange to me, considering the more writings I read by Jefferson, this and many of the claims laid against him (his racism, secularization, etc.) didn't fit with his beliefs. Thus, I picked up this book out of curiosity after seeing a few videos by David Barton. Many people claim Barton isn't a real historian. I won't attempt to argue what makes a historian, because I think an argument should stand on its own. A good argument, after all, is still good even if an imperfect person makes it. In reading this book, I was curious to see how effective Barton's arguments would be. And I found them to be very effective. He uses many primary sources, quoting them to include context, which I rarely find in many modern history books. The level of details filling this book is astonishing. Saying that, clearly Barton has a pro-Christian, pro-Jefferson bias. The question is then: does that lessen his arguments? I personally didn't find it to be, and I can say this book thoroughly impressed me with its detailed sources given to support Barton's argument. Even if you don't agree with Barton's conclusion, I can easily say he makes a brilliant argument.
jaredmiller's review
4.0
This book does a wonderful job of looking at popular misconceptions about Thomas Jefferson, all the while using primary sources to establish the truth. The author, David Barton, uses the 5 popular ways that people tend to look back at his history: deconstructionism, poststructurism, modernism, minimalism, and academic collectivism. Barton explains how these ways of looking at history do not work through the examination of writings by Thomas Jefferson and writings of others from the same time. The only criticism that I do have with this book is that Barton definitely has a evangelical bias, and in the final section of the book, about whether or not Jefferson was an atheist, Barton's personal views and opinions are made very clear. However, the evidence remains unbiased, and even with the personal bias of the narrator, the boom still works wonderfully.
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