A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century

A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century
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Just what I was looking for...

Life changing

One of my top five INSPIRING education reference books

Buy Thomas Jefferson books instead!

A must read for every parent

A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century
Oliver Van DeMille
Manufacturer: George Wythe College Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 096712462X

Book Description

Is American education preparing the future leaders our nation needs, or merely struggling to teach basic literacy and job skills? Without leadership education, are we settling for an inadequate system that delivers educational, industrial, governmental and societal mediocrity? In A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century, Oliver DeMille presents a new educational vision based on proven methods that really work! Teachers, students, parents, educators, legislators, leaders and everyone who cares about America's future must read this compelling book.

Customer Reviews:

Just what I was looking for..........2007-10-11

This book resonated with me on so many levels! I was disappointed in regular homeschool ideologies and methodologies and knew that I did not want to use them as a whole in educating my children. Sure there are some great ideas you can glean from them, but I did not feel forcing my children to learn what "they" felt was important, ignoring my child's own inherent talents and interests, was a true education. One-sized-fits-all curriculum does not produce independent thinking adults. Then one day I stumbled across TJEd, WOW! THIS was exactly what I wanted for my children, I wanted my children to learn how to master themselves, to read the great books, to discover who it is they are, to have the space to pursue their own life's mission, to love learning and take ownership over their own education (who wants to push a child through 12 yrs of school?), and to THINK. I just believe that this is the ultimate in educating the next generation and I am so pleased to have found this resource.

Life changing.......2007-09-28

....literally. We were planning on homeschooling our children eventually, anyway, but after reading this book, we gained courage and took the plunge. Now I feel confident that our children will be able to get the leadership education they deserve, and that I will facilitate that feat! Highly recommend this book to all who care about education and especially the education of their own children, homeschooled or not. Also recommend A Thomas Jefferson Education Home Companion, and "Core and Love of Learning: A Recipe for Success" reading available from gwc.edu for homeschooling parents of young children.

One of my top five INSPIRING education reference books.......2007-07-31

Almost ten years ago I read A Thomas Jefferson Education and since then I have been applying the principles of classical education in my own schooling and my children's schooling. I have been inspired in my own education. As John Adams said, "No effort in favor of virtue is lost." I did have to read more articles by Dr. DeMille and attended several seminars that helped me glean more insight in how to learn from the classics. "How to Read a Book" and "Transition to Scholar" have been very helpful. These materials I was able to find at the George Wythe College bookstore at www.classicbooks.com. I also found that while I still use curriculum it has helped me to discriminate better for those types that best fulfil our goal to use and focus on the classics. Using audio recordings of classics also was helpful in bringing in classics in our home-it saved my voice a little!. Another helpful book is the Thomas Jefferson Home Companion. These two books are in my top five homeschooling reference books that I go to for inspiration, guidance, and information. In case you are wondering what other company sits on the shelf with this book-The Well-Trained Mind, Charlotte Mason, and Diane Hopkin's Homeschooling is Fun.

Buy Thomas Jefferson books instead! .......2007-07-30

I was disapointed in this book. This is the author's interpretation of Thomas Jefferson's views and education. Yes, read the classic literature and historial biographies that Jefferson read and studied. But also read his letters and other writings for yourself. It is much more enlightening. Our Founding Fathers have been lumped into one broad category by many authors and textbooks. Jefferson was brilliant, enlightened and way ahead of his time. Read his writings for yourself!!

A must read for every parent.......2007-06-27

This book has changed the way I view education and how my kids will be educated. It's a real inspiration and eye opener to what is happening in our nation.

Thomas Jefferson: Author of America (Eminent Lives)

Average customer rating:

There are so many Jefferson books...
Astonishing Disappointment
Hitchens on Jefferson
Jefferson the polymath
Excellent

Thomas Jefferson: Author of America (Eminent Lives)
Christopher Hitchens
Manufacturer: Eminent Lives
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060598964
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Amazon.com

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. Situating Jefferson within the context of America's evolution and tracing his legacy over the past two hundred years, Hitchens brings the character of Jefferson to life as a man of his time and also as a symbolic figure beyond it.

Conflicted by power, Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and acted as Minister to France yet yearned for a quieter career in the Virginia legislature. Predicting that slavery would shape the future of America's development, this professed proponent of emancipation elided the issue in the Declaration and continued to own human property. An eloquent writer, he was an awkward public speaker; a reluctant candidate, he left an indelible presidential legacy.

Jefferson's statesmanship enabled him to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase with France, doubling the size of the nation, and he authorized the Lewis and Clark expedition, opening up the American frontier for exploration and settlement. Hitchens also analyzes Jefferson's handling of the Barbary War, a lesser-known chapter of his political career, when his attempt to end the kidnapping and bribery of Americans by the Barbary states, and the subsequent war with Tripoli, led to the building of the U.S. navy and the fortification of America's reputation regarding national defense.

In the background of this sophisticated analysis is a large historical drama: the fledgling nation's struggle for independence, formed in the crucible of the eighteenth-century Enlightenment, and, in its shadow, the deformation of that struggle in the excesses of the French Revolution. This artful portrait of a formative figure and a turbulent era poses a challenge to anyone interested in American history -- or in the ambiguities of human nature.

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Book Description

Customer Reviews:

There are so many Jefferson books..........2007-09-28

...and this one is not among the top ten. That should be a helpful enough review for most readers. May I recommend my own listmania--Jefferson's Shadows--as a better starting point for learning about the Sage?

Astonishing Disappointment.......2007-07-29

Wow! This book was a complete letdown. First of all...this book is only 188 pages long. And they're small pages! To think that you could even come close to encompassing even the public life of Jefferson in less than 200 pages is laughable. Secondly, instead of focusing on particular points in Jefferson's life, Hitchens attempts to cover many different topics, in no specific order and thus barely scratches the surface on any of them. To say the least, this book left me wanting more...a LOT more. I don't know if Hitchens just decided to slap together a quick book on TJ or if he was given an impossible deadline to meet by the publisher. But this book doesn't even cover one subject about Jefferson partially, let alone many subjects completely. The positive side to this book is that it is short, so the painful incompleteness only lasts a couple of hours. For those wanting a good book that encompasses more than a mere cursory look at Thomas Jefferson I would certainly recommend looking elsewhere. For those looking to burn a couple of hours who don't really care what they read...I would still recommend a different book...a good fiction or something of the like. This one gets a definite PASS!!

Hitchens on Jefferson.......2007-05-12

Part of the Eminent Lives series Christopher Hitchens has written a great fairly short biography of Thomas Jefferson that examines the man warts and all. Off most interest to many these days will be his constant battle with his conscience versus the practicality of freeing all the slaves in the South.
That while this is meant to be a short history it is by no means one that skimps. Christopher Hitchens eloquent style is well used her getting the idea across while not being too wordy. He uses Jefferson's own words and writings to demonstrate how the great man felt during his lifetime.
It is hard to describe how important Jefferson was to the history of the United States, whether it be his penning most of the Declaration of Independence to his major role in the monumental Louisiana Purchase towards the end of his career. He even managed to provide the foundation for the modern Library of Congress after the fire that destroyed 2/3s of the book in their collection. Then there is Monticello, his house and lands, of a most impressive type.
The man was not infallible as he had his troubles over slavery, his half-black mistress and his bitter rivalries with some of the other major players of the early American experience. He was an writer of note, philosopher, orator, politician and diplomat in extremis. A man not afraid to take it the enemy when needed as seen in his handling of the Muslim Barbary Pirates. A test for a young nation that Jefferson made sure they passed.
Who better than Christopher Hitchens to tell us his fascinating life's tale.

Jefferson the polymath.......2007-03-08

Hitchens has written a brilliant and concise biography of Jefferson, a complex, multitalented and flawed man. Writer, author, architecht, botanist, diplomat, president. America was fortunate that President John Adams served only one term and lost his re-election bid (barely) to Jefferson because of 3 things: 1. War on Terror; Jefferson sent the US Navy to the Barbary Coast and tamed the pirates of North Africa who kidnapped Americans and demanded ransom. Adams preferred to pay ransom. Jefferson did away with this menace once and for all. 2. Louisiana Purchase; Adams was dead set against this bargain purchase which Jefferson obtained from France for 4 cents an acre. 3. Lewis and Clark expedition; here Jefferson had a vision of manifest destiny. Adams ridiculed Jefferson's vision as fanciful and a waste of money. Had Adams won re-election, America would certainly have been different today. On a matter of character, Adams was clearly a better man. He wanted to end slavery. Jefferson (unlike George Washington) did not free his slaves even upon his death with the exception of his mistress Sally Hemmings and their 3 children. Hitchens did a great job putting the story of this complex man together in a short book.

Excellent.......2007-01-03

Hitchins is brilliant, and even if he were not, I would read anything on TJ. Good book.

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West

Average customer rating:

Corps of Discovery - a truely American Story
A courageous book!
excellent
a compelling narrative of a courageous American's contribution
A little up-and-down in its narrative

Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West
Stephen Ambrose
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684826976

Amazon.com

A biography of Meriwether Lewis that relies heavily on the journals of both Lewis and Clark, this book is also backed up by the author's personal travels along Lewis and Clark's route to the Pacific. Ambrose is not content to simply chronicle the events of the "Corps of Discovery" as the explorers called their ventures. He often pauses to assess the military leadership of Lewis and Clark, how they negotiated with various native peoples and what they reported to Jefferson. Though the expedition failed to find Jefferson's hoped for water route to the Pacific, it fired interest among fur traders and other Americans, changing the face of the West forever.

Book Description

In this sweeping adventure story, Stephen E. Ambrose, the bestselling author od D-Day, presents the definitive account of one of the most momentous journeys in American history. Ambrose follows the Lewis and Clark Expedition from Thomas Jefferson's hope of finding a waterway to the Pacific, through the heart-stopping moments of the actual trip, to Lewis's lonely demise on the Natchez Trace. Along the way, Ambrose shows us the American West as Lewis saw it -- wild, awsome, and pristinely beautiful. Undaunted Courage is a stunningly told action tale that will delight readers for generations.

Customer Reviews:

Corps of Discovery - a truely American Story.......2007-09-10

In this day of relentless boredom for most people, this book provides a venue for the imagination to travel in time that has almost been forgotten. The details of what went on before and after the "Corps of Discovery" allow the reader to understand more than the trip itself. This view from the balcony allows the reader to have closure on the leaders, members of the crew, and the adventure. If you are thinking of trying a new direction in life, read this book to see what others have gone through to explore a new frontier. You will find that the trials, discovery of wonders, and strengthening of your character can be very rewarding.

A courageous book!.......2007-07-03

Undaunted Courage is a comprehensive account of the Lewis and Clark expedition that was exhaustively researched and written by Stephen Ambrose. It will take time to read but you won't be disappointed. There are interesting stories and facts all along the way and it will give you a good slice of Amrerican History from that period.

excellent.......2007-06-24

This book is primarily about Meriwether Lewis and his role in the
expedition across the continent. Stephen Ambrose is phenomenally gifted in bringing history to life.
He sticks very close to the sources and only occasionally takes detours to make conjectures
about things about which the historical record is silent. Despite this the
book is a real page-turner. While Ambrose does an excellent job in describing the ups and downs
of the expedition, I do think that it is a very worthwhile reading the original journals.
I have only read excerpts, however, I believe they surpass even this book. Also, the recent PBS documentary
shows many of the locations described in this book. It is well narrated definitely worth seeing.

a compelling narrative of a courageous American's contribution.......2007-06-21

Many know the overall story of Lewis and Clark. Yes, those two strapping chaps who traversed across our country with that teenage Indian girl before anyone else did. Indeed, before reading Stephen Ambrose's near 600-page book "Undaunted Courage" I doubted how much truly "interesting" detail could exist in their journey. After seeing a few History Channel specials, I was convinced I knew the gist of their journey more than most, and felt that was probably sufficient. What else was there to really consider? As it is with most detailed historical nonfiction I read, I was surprised instantly. Not only did this book provide an intense examination of exploration in early 19th century America, but it is, in general, the most intriguing, intense, suspenseful, joyous, depressing, and inspiring book I've read in a long time. How Ambrose is able to exude such a variety of emotions in his writing I hope to one day discover. How Lewis was able lead people and conquer unknowns so successfully while fading so tragically I doubt I will ever be able to comprehend.

The book's title comes from a characteristic given to Meriwether Lewis both during childhood by a schoolmate, and, after his death, by Thomas Jefferson. It may seem strange that two friends of Lewis so separated from each other at such separate times in Lewis' life would choose the words "undaunted courage" to describe him, but if one is to simply observe the broadest aspects of Lewis' personality, such a description would only be expected. Indeed, the book is more of a biography of Lewis' life and his "undaunted courage" than a historical account of the journey itself. Certainly Ambrose dives into great detail of the journey, but it is always done through Lewis' eyes. The book begins with Lewis' childhood and ends with his death, giving the legendary expedition only about 3/5 of the book's content. This is not a downside by any means.

Ambrose's detailed description of Lewis' childhood, family, education, connection to Jefferson, and military history is not only valuable in understanding Lewis' complex personality, but is beneficial in understanding how Lewis was able to manage the expedition so well. From the very beginning there is a sense, as Ambrose hints at, that Lewis' upbringing prepared him for the unknown journey ahead better than anyone could've planned. The implicit vocational thoughts that come to mind are intriguing to say the least. Ambrose's pre-expedition account doesn't stop with Lewis biographical detail and, alongside his outline of Lewis' evolution from boy to man, he examines the economic and political aspects building up to the expedition from America's infancy to its firmer nationalism. This sort of context is not only helpful, but is essential for understanding the fair-weather friendship between the American people and the expedition before, during, and after the expedition. Details given, like Lewis' firm Democratic-Republican politics, may not appear a necessary issue in understanding the men as they pursue the landscape on the expedition, but in the pre- and post-expedition situations there is high relevance to Lewis' political relations with Jefferson as well as the influential Federalist voices at the time.

After outlining the events leading up to the expedition, Ambrose dives into the detailed planning Lewis put into the journey, his uniting with Clark on the Missouri River, and their party's expedition to and from the Pacific. Ambrose's narrative abilities had, up to this point, done well enough with the biographical and political context, but now, along with the heavy use of Lewis' highly narrative journals, they completely satisfied my reading wants. With the amount of Lewis' journals used in the narrative of the journey, one could even see the book as being written by both Ambrose and Lewis. Given that Lewis may be an even better narrative writer than Ambrose, the book is enhanced to the highest level of narrative historical nonfiction one could ask for. Accounts are always detail-abundant, and mostly firsthand in their variety of descriptions: relations with Indians both peaceful and bloody; songs sung and issues chatted around the bonfire; unique imagery of the plains, Rockies, and Pacific costal forests; hunting expeditions chasing and being chased by grizzlies; feasting on elk and buffalo; starving and scraping by on horse meat and roots; arguments turned to whipping and tribunals. Nearly every aspect one could want in an adventure is given with enough narrative vigor to turn its historical detail to an inspirational asset. Ambrose covers all sides of every account he is able to attain and after it all I felt as though I knew not only Lewis, but Clark and the rest of the party's members. I knew who was a good hunter and who wasn't. Who complained and who was helpful. Who Lewis liked and who he didn't care for. These are the types of details that make you feel a part of something (and to feel a part of the Core of Discovery is no boring trip).

After experiencing both the emotional peaks of success and the devastating disasters, I felt as though I didn't want the trip to simply return and have the book end. Perhaps Ambrose understands his ability to foster intrigue, because most of the detail he delves into post-expedition would probably feel unnecessary and boring without the companionship and connection to Lewis that is developed in the book. While the last leg of Lewis' life as a politician and national hero is probably the most emotional and depressing of the book, this section would not seem so intense and personal without understanding Lewis' somewhat supernatural vitality and leadership skills exhibited up until his return. Therefore, Ambrose wraps the book up in a successful manner I would think impossible, given the complexity of Lewis as a person. I felt as though every aspect one could inquire of Lewis was covered with such comprehensiveness and wrapped up with such clarity that even the most emotionally disappointing instances were covered in full by the artistic and historical impression Ambrose impressed. The reality of it all felt more inspiring than anything.

The book is quite long and took me a considerable amount of time to "plow through", but it never felt tiresome given Ambrose's ability to convey a wealth of information in a way that is concise with its detail and both paced and climactic. I recommend this book for any American whether or not you are interested in history. It reads better than any modern fictional novel would, but it is valuable in the way it describes the type of courage and determination that this country was built on and the fact that that brand of courage was not just some author's fabrication. It is by the daring and courageous efforts of men like Lewis and Clark that we are allowed to enjoy a country not only free from countries like Britain, Spain, and France, but one that ranges from coast to coast and from sea to shining sea.

A little up-and-down in its narrative.......2007-06-05

I have two favorite historians: David McCullough and Stephen Ambrose. When trying to describe their differences to my husband, I told him that David Ambrose is a tweed jacket with patches, a snifter of brandy and a roaring fireplace. Ambrose is a shot of whisky, jeans and flannel and an audience around a campfire. I appreciate Ambrose's style, for the most part, and knowing that he actually retraced most of the voyage in doing his research leaves me in awe of him. But the nature of this narrative is rather up-and-down, particularly working up to the party setting off from St. Louis. I recognize that the pre-journey preparations were important to telling the tale, but I got the idea that he was rather bored with it, and as a result the details weren't too compelling. I had to keep setting the book aside and coming back to it. But once he got to the story of the exploration itself, the momentum picks up, and so does his writing style. I appreciated his use of the actually writings of the Captains, but there were a few places where their entries were used too frequently in place of him conveying their story in a possibly more riveting style. But over all it was a well-written book, and I would recommend it to anyone that I already knew was interested in the Lewis and Clark expedition.

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THOMAS JEFFERSON ON WINE
Jefferson the Connoisseur

Thomas Jefferson on Wine
John Hailman
Manufacturer: University Press of Mississippi
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 157806841X

Book Description

In Thomas Jefferson On Wine, John Hailman celebrates a founding father's talents as a wine connoisseur and provides unprecedented insight into a seldom explored facet of this great man. In both his personal and public lives, Jefferson wielded his considerable expertise and influence to change the views of his friends, fellow founding fathers, and the American public on the pleasures and refinements of wine.

An international wine judge and former wine columnist for the Washington Post, Hailman discusses the particular wines Jefferson sought, the ways in which Jefferson's tastes developed, and how Jefferson became one of the great wine connoisseurs of the early American republic. His recommendations governed the president's table before and after his tenure there. Thomas Jefferson on Wine explores the third president's fascination with scores of wines from his student days at Williamsburg to his lengthy retirement years at Monticello, using mainly Jefferson's own vivid words from hundreds of immensely readable and surprisingly modern letters on the subject.

Hailman examines Jefferson's five critical years in Paris, where he learned about fine wines at Europe's salons and dinner tables. The book uses excerpts from Jefferson's journals, as well as his letters to friends and wine merchants, whose descendants still produce the wines Jefferson enjoyed. Vivid contemporary accounts of dinners at the White House allow readers to vicariously experience the enjoyment of fine wine. The book concludes with an overview of the current restoration of the vineyards at Monticello and the new Monticello Wine Trail and its numerous world-class Virginia wineries. In Thomas Jefferson On Wine Hailman presents an absorbing and unique view of this towering historical figure.

Customer Reviews:

THOMAS JEFFERSON ON WINE.......2007-02-16

This book is super for anyone interested in wine-to know what was going on in wine in Jeffersons time-some European wines that we drink today but were surly different at that time.Well written as well

Jefferson the Connoisseur.......2007-02-14

Thomas Jefferson is so well known that it is difficult to find a book about him that offers new insight into his multi-faceted character. This book does: it presents Jefferson through his very discriminating taste in wine, which was so expert that his favorite French wines later became the great Classified Growths of Bordeaux and the premiere wines of Burgundy. He traveled through France, Germany, and Italy with the express purpose of selecting wines for Monticello, the house he had built in Virginia, capitalizing on an opportunity that came when he was appointed Ambassador Plenipotentiary to the French court. When he was elected President he built the wine cellar for the White House and stocked it with his favorite imported wines. All this is to his credit, and provides further evidence of Jefferson's extensive learning, which went beyond books. But he never succeeded in his pet project, of planting a vineyard and cultivating at home the fine wines he enjoyed abroad. That was for later Virginians to do, and the author provides a tour map of the wineries that now surround Monticello, fulfilling the dream Jefferson himself failed to realize.

The Jefferson Bible: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth

Average customer rating:

Piece of American History
The Jefferson Bible Worth Reading
Wow
Jefferson's Bible--a lens that worked for him
Founding "god" father

The Jefferson Bible: The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth
Thomas Jefferson
Manufacturer: Applewood Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1557091846

Book Description

Thomas Jefferson believed that the pure-principled teachings of Jesus should have been separated from the dogma and abuse of organized religion of the day. This led him to recast, by cutting and pasting from the gospels, a new narrative of the life and teachings of Jesus, where, according to Jefferson, "there will be found remaining the most sublime and benevolent code of morals which has ever been offered to man."

Customer Reviews:

Piece of American History.......2007-09-24

This bargain is an impoprtant piece of American history. Jefferson was a diest, which they viewed God as like a fine clock maker and made the government intself, not the constitution. They got rid of anything supernatural from the Bible. It stands along side the King James Bible and the 1611 edition of the King James, the works of Martin Luther as one of the most important reads for a Christian in American history. I liked it a lot, but it's too skimpy a volume to be a classic, but it is famous.

The Jefferson Bible Worth Reading.......2007-09-13

First, and foremost from my perspective, I liked that Jefferson focused on the man Jesus and what He taught.
As I travel my spiritual path, my focus is also on the man Jesus, what He taught, how He lived and most of all how He treated others. Much could be learned and differences could be made today in our society if this were so. The four gospels were interwoven throughout the book which makes it easy to follow, I only wish the print had been larger. I was disappointed it was so very small and this made it much more difficult for me to read.

Wow.......2007-06-27

This was recommended to me about a year ago. Very interesting and attractive book

Jefferson's Bible--a lens that worked for him.......2007-03-23

It is interesting that any religious writing that is capable of being used in some way to detract from the "authority" of the church is so often the object of great discussion. Jefferson's Bible provides such an occasion, for no doubt Jefferson questioned some of the claims of the church that he felt to be unreasonable. That's the bind. We are attracted to Jesus but often repulsed by the Church. It is only fitting that we reclaim Jesus in any way that we can. Jesus is the chief metaphor revealing humanity at its best. Through this metaphor we learn of redemptive love. Jefferson found his lens by which to connect with Jesus. The rest of us must find our own lense--and one way we can do this, perhaps, is by trying to understand what others have done. Jefferson has left us a personal "testament" by having extracted those parts of the New Testament that spoke to him. Those parts of the Scripture are for him now "framed and on the wall", so to speak, and because the book has been published, his favorite Scripture portions are spotlighted for us in this book. I'm not sure he meant his special portions of the Scripture to be on public display. Perhaps each of us who are interested might find our own set of very special parts of the Bible? If we ourselves were to do this, that would probably have pleased Jefferson, in my opinion.

Founding "god" father.......2007-02-13

This streamlined synopsis of the teachings of Jesus Christ is drawn from the gospels of the bible without any religious dogma. The parables Jesus spoke are compiled nicely and provided me with the life lessons which I attempt to live by.

My California: Journeys By Great Writers

Average customer rating:

For the Californian--or sociologist-- in your life.
Interesting and beautifully wriiten
MY CALIFORNIA:JOURNEYS BY GREAT WRITERS
I loved this book (and I normally don't read short stories)
A Wonderful Book

My California: Journeys By Great Writers
Michael Chabon
Manufacturer: Angel City Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Down to a Soundless Sea

ASIN: 1883318432

Book Description

Fly-fish the pristine waters of the Owens River. Step up to the microphone in a California honky-tonk. Surf the biggest waves California has ever seen. Mingle with ducks in an urban oasis. Roller skate through L.A.'s Union Station. See California through the eyes of 27 of the state's finest writers in this delicious travel and adventure anthology. All of the contributors to MY CALIFORNIA donated their work so proceeds of this book can benefit the beleaguered California Arts Council, an agency forced to suspend school writing and arts education programs in 2003. The arts council has earmarked money from MY CALIFORNIA for writing programs for children statewide. Join contributors Pico Iyer, Michael Chabon, Thomas Steinbeck, Dana Gioia, Matt Warshaw, Patt Morrison, T. Jefferson Parker, Edward Humes, Mark Arax, Deanne Stillman, Rubén Martínez, Percival Everett, Kathi Kamen Goldmark, Mary Mackey, Gerald Haslam, Aimee Liu, D.J. Waldie, Héctor Tobar, Firoozeh Dumas, devorah major, Carolyn See, Chryss Yost, Anh Do, Derek M. Powazek, Daniel Weintraub, David Kipen, and Veronique de Turenne in a good read for a good deed!!

Customer Reviews:

For the Californian--or sociologist-- in your life........2007-01-04

A neighbor (in Long Beach, California) loaned her copy to us--my husband was born in Long Beach--and we went out and bought copies as Christmas presents for the native Californians in our extended family. It's a book of nostalgia and confirmation for them--"I remember that! Yes, it was just like that!"--and one of sociological interest for anyone who likes people and wants to be invited into the lives and homes of a broad spectrum of the ingredients in our state melting pot.

I'm not sure I'd call all the authors "great writers" but most of them were comfortable with words.

Jessica Shaver Renshaw,
Author, Compelling Interests,
Gianna: Aborted and Lived to Tell About It

Interesting and beautifully wriiten.......2006-10-24

I really liked this book! There are many essays written in it, each one about a different area of California. It's really upbeat and interesting, and the authors are top authors who write beautifully. It's fascinating to read about times and places in California that I didn't know about. All the stories are modern stories, in that they are about growing up in California within the last forty years or so.
This book flows very quickly, and before you know it, you've finished it and wish there were more!

MY CALIFORNIA:JOURNEYS BY GREAT WRITERS.......2005-09-07

This is the book selected by the City of Long Beach,CA for their 'One book read by all' 2006,or something like that.It's a GREAT choice!.

I loved this book (and I normally don't read short stories).......2005-09-01

I loved this book too, as I see others have, and this prompted me to write a review. I have tried to give it as a gift whenever possible and will continue to do so, as I think it is a great idea to benefit CAC. I wish local bookstores would display it more prominently. I grew up in California but this book allowed me a personal look at histories from different corners of the state. Fascinating, well written and truly enjoyable.

A Wonderful Book.......2004-08-24

This is an amazing collection of essays and the point of the book is not just to provide eloquent perspectives on the state. Every cent that the publisher receives in revenue goes directly to the California Arts Council,whose budgets were cut by 97%. When you buy a "used" book none of that money goes to CAC. Please think twice about saving the 40ish cents.
This book is a good read and you will feel very good about your deed!

The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805

Average customer rating:

Pirate Coast
The Pirate Coast; Thomas Jefferson, The First Marines, and the Secret mission of 1805
"Nother excellent book by Mr. Zacks
The Pirate Coast (Book Review)
Great Telling of an Obscure Story

The Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805
Richard Zacks
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Naval | Military | History | Subjects | Books

19th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 140130849X
Release Date: 2006-05-31

Book Description

In an attempt to stop the legendary Barbary Pirates of North Africa from hijacking American ships, William Eaton set out on a secret mission to overthrow the government of Tripoli. The operation was sanctioned by President Thomas Jefferson, who at the last moment grew wary of intermeddling in a foreign government and sent Eaton off without proper national support. Short on supplies, given very little money and only a few men, Eaton and his mission seemed doomed from the start. He triumphed against all odds, recruited a band of European mercenaries in Alexandria, and led them on a march across the Libyan Desert. Once in Tripoli, the ragtag army defeated the local troops and successfully captured Derne, laying the groundwork for the demise of the Barbary Pirates. Now, Richard Zacks brings this important story of Americas first overseas covert op to life.

Customer Reviews:

Pirate Coast .......2007-09-21

I Just finished a book titled "The Pirate Coast" by Robert Zacks. A very interesting historical account of how a handful of Marines along with General William Eaton embarked on America's first overseas covert op. They traipsed across the Sahara in an endeavor to free American soldiers that were captured and enslaved by Barbary pirates- Moslems. It's an interesting chronicle of how Moslems enslaved Christians, Americans & Europeans dating as far back as the 1700's.

Even back then we were the only nation with the cajones to stand up to these despicable pirates. It was during a time when many nations were intimidated into paying "tribute' to these Moslem nations in order not to be enslaved/ or unlawfully seized from the waters.

It was during these troubling times when a US Navy vessel(USS Philadelphia) ran aground in the harbor of Tripoli-(now Libya) and was captured along with over 270 American soldiers. The Bey or Pasha of Tripoli - Yusef Karamanli was a ruthless thug that murdered his brother, de-throned his father, & exiled his next older brother, Hamet, while keeping Hamet's wife & children hostage in the castle; as an incentive for him not to return and stake claim to his rightful throne. Yusef enjoyed the notoriety of the first foreign ruler ever to declare war on the U.S.A.

I think you would enjoy it.

From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli....

The Pirate Coast; Thomas Jefferson, The First Marines, and the Secret mission of 1805.......2007-07-19

Courage, adventure, and political intrigue. Accurate historical account of early American foreign policy toward Muslim states. Many parallels to issues facing America today.

"Nother excellent book by Mr. Zacks.......2007-07-09

And "avoid a land war in asia" should be modified to include North Africa. medaling in the affairs of foreign governments has led us to no good outcomes for a very long time. Mr. Zacks makes is abundantly clear that the grounding of the ship Philadelphia was a minor problem compared with its premature abandonment. And that the secret mission of Pres. Thomas Jefferson and his agent Mr. Eaton led us to far more grief than if we had just arrived with the fleet and demanded an end of this open sea piracy.

A great read for all of those who love politics as theater and are interested in sea stories. Reads like a Patric O'Brien novel but has the full truth in it.

The Pirate Coast (Book Review).......2007-06-30

'Small Fonts'

My biggest issue w/ this book is that the font used is kinda tiny, about 8 or 9 pt. size. I noticed this when I started having headaches after reading it, which I didn't used to get when reading other books.

Comparing it to other Trade Paperback Books, the others normally use 10 pt., rather than the 8-9 pt. size used on this one.

Apparently, this is a rather long book, since even w/ the small font size, it is already almost 500 pages long. If they had used the normal 10 pt. font size, the book would've ballooned to 600-700 pages, adding to the costs & perhaps made the book unattractive.

The book could've likely used more careful editing, trimming it down to around 500 pages using the usual 10 pt. font size.

I sort of regretted buying this book, its kinda expensive, & am not sure if I will ever be able to finish it.

Great Telling of an Obscure Story.......2007-05-30

Richard Zacks' "Pirate Coast: Thomas Jefferson, the First Marines, and the Secret Mission of 1805" is an engrossing tale of one of the first US overseas "covert" missions. While also telling the story of the First Barbary War, Zack concentrates on the energetic and ambitious William Eaton, whose audacious plan was to march over 500 miles across the North African desert to attack Tripoli (one of the Barbary States) from land.

Eaton's successful attack on the town of Derna was a key element in the peace made to conclude the war. However, upon his return to the United States, Eaton fell into political conflict with President Thomas Jefferson and was never compensated for much of his personal expenses from the expedition - and he eventually died a broken alcoholic.

"Pirate Coast" is not a full telling of the First Barbary War, but Zacks gives enough background that the reader can follow the big picture while also focusing on Eaton's courageous and daring mission. Zacks also brings the many historical characters to life, showing how their personalities impacted the war, the mission, and the aftermath. This is an excellent book for anyone interesting in US history, military history, or who wants to learn more about this forgotten war.

A Thomas Jefferson Education Home Companion

Average customer rating:

For the highly organized and family of TEN!!
A practical handbook for applying Thomas Jefferson Education Principles
Essential Reading
Just what the doctor ordered
If you home school this is a must !!!!!

A Thomas Jefferson Education Home Companion
Oliver DeMille; Rachel DeMille; Diann Jeppson
Manufacturer: George Wythe College Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0967124638
Release Date: 2006-10-25

Customer Reviews:

For the highly organized and family of TEN!!.......2007-09-04

While I think it is highly desirable for the family unit to be the main source for each child's education, I found this book to be a bit simplistic. My daughter was sent to public school today for the first time and I know I'm more nervous about the experience she'll have than she is. Of all the books that I've read on alternatives to NoChildLeftBehind public school, the best have been by John Taylor Gatto and Grace Llewellyn. Both of them offer ways to incorporate enrichment outside of public school, and in fact, say that you will HAVE TO practically have a "curriculum" to allow your child to feel free to seek out the experiences they wish to explore. I have alot to learn and look forward to working with the system until I feel that is more of a detriment than not.

A practical handbook for applying Thomas Jefferson Education Principles.......2007-07-31

Save yourself some time and get this book to start applying principles and techniques of Thomas Jefferson Education that took me ten years to figure out! I first read A Thomas Jefferson Education almost ten years ago and since then have been incorporating techniques to apply it into my everyday homeschooling and personal education. Suffice it to say when I read this book I was nodding my head in agreement in several places. I love Dr. DeMille's answer to the overwhelmed mom that empathizes with her and then inspires her(and the rest of us) in his response. Rachel DeMille and Diane Jeppson are inspiring and knowledgeable in their writing as well. The chore chart that Dianne suggests has worked well for my cousin who uses it while I work from the motivatedmoms.com chore list.

Essential Reading .......2007-07-05

A Thomas Jefferson Education is a thought provoking, stimulating look at the ideas that drive a classical education. As a springboard for discussion the book is ideal; as a guide to quality education it is essential. The book inspires critical thinking while providing ideas to all who want to experience education devoted to the love of learning, to the expansion of knowledge and to the promotion of leadership. As homeschool and alternative educational ideas abound books such as the Thomas Jefferson Education can lead us home once again.

Just what the doctor ordered.......2007-06-17

This book along with the Thomas Jefferson Education are the only two books I needed to homeschool my four children. When I started this system of education I had no idea what I was doing, then Diann's book came along as the "companion" and all was right with the world. The forms, systems and processes in this book work hand-in-glove with Dr. Demille's book. I recommend both books as the core system for homeschoolers wanting to raise leaders.

Diann's writing style and easy-going approach to homeschooling will leave you feeling totally in control and not wandering around in the dark forest of philosophy. Her systems are easy to use and her language is easy to read.

Janine Bolon, financial coach, speaker, radio talk show host, and author of [ASIN:1411643437 Money...It's Not Just for Rich People!]]

If you home school this is a must !!!!!.......2007-01-04

If you already have read "A Thomas Jefferson Education" then you can guess what this book has to offer. I have been using Oliver DeMille's book for 8 years and have been reaping the rewards. I feel sorry for people who have a desire to home school and are intimidated by it, but have not read this book and the "Thomas Jefferson Education" together. I have not met a person who has read this book and didn't wish they had know about it earlier. What ever you think home schooling is, you will see it and life very differently after reading the two books together. I own and enjoy horses and think that homeschooling without this book is like owning a horse without Clinton Anderson or Pat Pereli training.

Thomas Jefferson : Writings : Autobiography / Notes on the State of Virginia / Public and Private Papers / Addresses / Letters (Library of America)

Average customer rating:

A brillant mind but still bound by his times.
QUOTATIONS OF THOMAS JEFFERSON
The other customer reviews seem to be about another book
The writings of a one of the Great Americans - a must have!
Excellent Comprehensive Collection

Thomas Jefferson : Writings : Autobiography / Notes on the State of Virginia / Public and Private Papers / Addresses / Letters (Library of America)
Thomas Jefferson
Manufacturer: Library of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 094045016X

Book Description

The most comprehensive one-volume selection of Jefferson ever published. Contains the "Autobiography," "Notes on the State of Virginia," public and private papers, including the original and revised drafts of the Declaration of Independence, addresses, and 287 letters.

Customer Reviews:

A brillant mind but still bound by his times........2007-09-09

Mr. Jefferson was a brilliant man. I enjoy reading his works and appreciate this opportunity to gain insight into his logic and thought process as it evolved throughout his lifetime. His intellectualism and that eternal curiosity about his world place him head and shoulders above those men of his time. He bought Louisiana upon the suggestion of Thomas Paine and our nation spread westward as a result. He no doubt made major contributions towards the creation and founding of this nation. Thousands of accolades for his brilliance and achievements are in order. I'm not putting him on a pedestal, there was a dark side. He did own slaves. He was however in many ways morally and intellectually bound by the time he lived in. His thoughts regarding the mentality of slaves scream racism. His solution was to abolish slavery and export them back to Africa. He believed most would never fit in to American culture based on their resentments against enslavement and the racism they endured from white society at the time. His letters to American Indians in which he addressed them as "My Children" and assured them of his eternal blessings belied the fact that their lands were being taken away from them and they were being forced to be assimilated or slaughtered. He did not foresee the industrialization of America and wanted to leave manufacturing to the Europeans to preserve the American way of life. In short, Mr. Jefferson was all too human, who no doubt would be appalled at the antics of modern day Republicans and Democrats.

QUOTATIONS OF THOMAS JEFFERSON.......2007-01-18

At approximately $10.00 I expected a little more material than this 32 page, index card size book, provided.

The other customer reviews seem to be about another book.......2006-12-18

I have this book (I checked the IBSN#). It's 32 pages of quotes, and that's it. No papers, no index, etc. I think the other customer reviews are innacurate in that they are probably about an entirely different book.

So about *THIS* book, I love it. It's got the well-known quotes like "Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." and lesser-known quotes like "When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on."

It's not a scholarly work. It doesn't have citations to explain where the quotes came from, but it was exactly what I was looking for.

If you are a fan of Liberty, this book is a must buy.

The writings of a one of the Great Americans - a must have!.......2005-05-09

What a difference of few decades make. When I was a youngster the founders were all revered and taught in school. Nowadays, they are almost ignored and condemned for not conforming to our modern view of morality. Of course, the present view is both arrogant and ignorant because we assume that future generations will believe as we do and lacks the humility to realize that the human condition is fraught with weakness and sin as well as triumph and wisdom.

Thomas Jefferson was one of the most remarkable men this country or any country has ever produced. All you need do is sample these writings and you will begin to understand the powers of his mind, the charisma he manifested, the range of his interests, and the paradoxical foibles as well. The writings included here are his autobiography, his Notes on Virginia, all kinds of essays, letters, speeches, and selected other papers.

He writes of philosophy, English prosody, natural history, political observations, the history of the Founding, theological beliefs, and many other topics. Both of his inaugural addresses are included as well has his notices to Congress (what we now call State of the Union Addresses used to be handled in a letter). There are also letters to Indian tribes that are quite interesting.

The idea that the Indian tribes would want to remain as they were seemed a mistaken to notion to Jefferson and his contemporaries. They needed to understand that realities of their world had changed forever and they had great opportunities for improving their lives (as he saw it). Their rejection of overtures to assimilate seemed evidence of an imprisoned mind rather than what we would call a "lifestyle choice".

This is another of the great volumes from the Library of America. It includes a chronology of Jefferson's life, great notes on the texts included, and an index.

Something you really should have on your shelf of American History and our Founding.

Excellent Comprehensive Collection.......2003-04-26

This edition of Jefferson's writings is an excellent comrehensive collection. Edited by Jefferson biographer Merrill Peterson this volume is a treasure.

Amazon.com

Well timed to coincide with Ken Burns's documentary (on which the author served as a consultant), this new biography doesn't aim to displace the many massive tomes about America's third president that already weigh down bookshelves. Instead, as suggested by the subtitle--"The Character of Thomas Jefferson"--Ellis searches for the "living, breathing person" underneath the icon and tries to elucidate his actual beliefs. Jefferson's most ardent admirers may find this perspective too critical, but Ellis's portrait of a complex, sometimes devious man who both sought and abhorred power has the ring of truth.

Book Description

For a man who insisted that life on the public stage was not what he had in mind, Thomas Jefferson certainly spent a great deal of time in the spotlight--and not only during his active political career. After 1809, his longed-for retirement was compromised by a steady stream of guests and tourists who made of his estate at Monticello a virtual hotel, as well as by more than one thousand letters per year, most from strangers, which he insisted on answering personally. In his twilight years Jefferson was already taking on the luster of a national icon, which was polished off by his auspicious death (on July 4, 1896); and in the subsequent seventeen decades of his celebrity--now verging, thanks to virulent revisionists and television documentaries, on notoriety--has been inflated beyond recognition of the original person.

For the historian Joseph J. Ellis, the experience of writing about Jefferson was "as if a pathologist, just about to begin an autopsy, has discovered that the body on the operating table was still breathing." In American Sphinx, Ellis sifts the facts shrewdly from the legends and the rumors, treading a path between vilification and hero worship in order to formulate a plausible portrait of the man who still today "hover[s] over the political scene like one of those dirigibles cruising above a crowded football stadium, flashing words of inspiration to both teams." For, at the grass roots, Jefferson is no longer liberal or conservative, agrarian or industrialist, pro- or anti-slavery, privileged or populist. He is all things to all people. His own obliviousness to incompatible convictions within himself (which left him deaf to most forms of irony) has leaked out into the world at large--a world determined to idolize him despite his foibles.

From Ellis we learn that Jefferson sang incessantly under his breath; that he delivered only two public speeches in eight years as president, while spending ten hours a day at his writing desk; that sometimes his political sensibilities collided with his domestic agenda, as when he ordered an expensive piano from London during a boycott (and pledged to "keep it in storage"). We see him relishing such projects as the nailery at Monticello that allowed him to interact with his slaves more palatably, as pseudo-employer to pseudo-employees. We grow convinced that he preferred to meet his lovers in the rarefied region of his mind rather than in the actual bedchamber. We watch him exhibiting both great depth and great shallowness, combining massive learning with extraordinary naïveté, piercing insights with self-deception on the grandest scale. We understand why we should neither beatify him nor consign him to the rubbish heap of history, though we are by no means required to stop loving him. He is Thomas Jefferson, after all--our very own sphinx.

Download Description

Following his subject from the drafting of the Declaration of Independence to his retirement in Monticello, Joseph Ellis unravels the contradictions of the Jeffersonian character. A marvel of scholarship, a delight to read, and an essential gloss on the Jeffersonian legacy, American Sphinx is "history at its best" (Chicago Tribune).

Customer Reviews:

Entry point for Jefferson.......2007-09-21

This book is a good entry point for a look into the man who was Thomas Jefferson. He is one of the most influential founding fathers of the USA and any serious historian cannot get through American history without studying Jefferson.

Jefferson was a man who wanted to free slaves, but still owned slaves. He wanted personal freedom to trump government intervention, but used the government for the Louisiana purchase. He thought a revolution was good every once in a while but did not like the turns that the French revolution took. Contradictions, brilliance all were a part of this man.

This book is well written. Ellis is a master-historian and I enjoy his books. I can't say I formed a stronger opinion of Jefferson after reading this book, but I can relate to him more after studying his life. We all have contradictions in what we believe, we all are not perfect, same as Jefferson.

Good book - JVD

The title of the book says it all........2007-09-02

Having grown up learning by rote the pablum that was taught in our school system's about our founding fathers, I was a "Founding Fathers" fan. Thinking my entire life that Jefferson penned "The Declaration of Independence" by himself, without any editing and in his own words and finding out that this is false as Washington cutting down the cherry tree is a slap in the face of our educational system. I did not care for Jefferson after having read the book on John Adams by David McCullough. My thinking was turned around 180 degrees about Adams in that book as well as Jefferson. This book merely confirmed my beliefs. In later years Jefferson let others do his dirty work behind the scenes to allow people to believe in his legacy of 1776. Adams was the real hero of the revolution and The Treaty of Paris. What this book proves is that our heroes are fallible and have feet of clay. The reason Jefferson did not free his slaves was because it was not convienent for him and his plantation. Not out of any moral obligation to keep them from the cruel white (and free) world. Jefferson is like another Virginian ,Robert E. Lee, whose myth has grown over the years. Lee was thought invincible until Lincoln found some real generals like U.S. Grant who showed Lee what "total war" was all about. Anyone who fought for the South as a sense of duty to his "country", i.e. Virginia, and the cause of slavery should be labeled what he his, a flawed character much like Jefferson. it is hard to realize that the truths you grew up with were false, but the facts are the facts

Brilliant in spurts, but fatally flawed in its fundamental conclusions.......2007-08-08

This book reminds me of physicists who perform mathematical calculations, decide they must be correct, and then strain to make physical reality fit those equations.

First, credit where it is due. The book is written brilliantly. Ellis has a rare mastery of language, something especially noticeable in the dry historical genres. Many times, I marveled at his use of the PRECISE word or metaphor that conveyed his points the best. Unfortunately, his points, in totality, do not convey Jefferson accurately.

Ellis' thesis is that Jefferson was at heart a naive idealist who preferred simple black-and-white, us-versus-them views of the world, and most of Ellis' analysis of Jefferson is seen through this lens. Though insightful initially, and applicable at times, it grew more strained as the book progressed, eventually distorting Jefferson to make him fit the "theory."

I am neither a Jefferson worshipper, nor hater, and I have read thousands of his letters -- Jefferson is not easy to grasp. Initially I thought Ellis had done what most historians deem impossible, and solved this puzzle, but the further his analysis proceeded, the further it diverged from the real Jefferson. Ellis' interpretations are dangerous because he writes so well -- the arguments are beguiling, and the biases and inconsistencies are masked in the honey of the language. Laypeople in particular may be duped.

Jefferson truly believed in individual freedom and very limited government, and though he is clever and subtle, Ellis cannot mask his disdain for this latter view. Ellis is a liberal, and his personal politics have tainted his interpretation of Jefferson. This isn't about a support or dislike of liberalism, it is about historical integrity.

At times Jefferson's views were too idealistic to translate into prudent policy, or a tenable society, but at other times they are the heart of what made America great. Ellis summarily dismisses Jefferson's views on the evils of debt, the tyranny of judicial review, a society with strong states, etc. . . In dismissing these things, and offering interpretations of history that assume the necessity of big government as a backdrop for almost all analysis, he trivializes some of Jefferson's most core beliefs, and the solutions to modern problems that they might offer. Solutions, unsurprisingly, that are based on principles of limited government, low debt, low taxes, empowered localities, limited federal government, etc.

I don't think Ellis was trying to be intentionally distortive. I think deep in his bones Ellis is a liberal, and without realizing it, he considers the small government Jefferson was fanatical about a deranged absurdity. By pecking word by word, sentence by sentence, page by page, at the tenability of limited government, he is, in some subconscious way, simultaneously distorting and demeaning Jefferson's views while advocating his own.

To repeat, many of Jefferson's views were untenable, but I just don't think Ellis is truly unbiased in his analysis. What a shame.

Finally, one must, unfortunately, question the integrity of a man who has fabricated Vietnam War service, and lied to many, including his own students. Ellis also put his name to ads supporting Clinton during the impeachment, and then came public with Hemings' (the slave Jefferson supposedly fathered the children of) information during this impeachment, presumably (but this is not certain) to make what Clinton did seem a historically mundane, and therefore pardonable, act. I could care less about Clinton in this context, but I want a historian who tries to be unbiased, or admits his biases, rather than one who is a documented liar, and distorts every view through the spectacles of collectivism. How surprising that a man who himself lied about his past was willing to forgive a leader that did the same? It is naïve to think that this morality (or lack of it) will not creep into his work, and it has. Character matters, not just in leaders, but in our historians--we all have partisan views, but in analyzing our Founders, I expect more integrity and objectivity from renowned historians.

A good addition to the Thomas Jefferson Legacy.......2007-08-07

Joseph Ellis provides a very good biography of Thomas Jefferson and the contradictions in his nature. This book is not meant to be a day by day account of Jefferson's life but a look at the times when Jefferson's thoughts were forming and how those conclusions were reached. The book does jump around quite a bit and leaves out some years that I think the reader would like to know which is the main reason for the four stars instead of five. While Ellis shows how American's have misunderstood Thomas Jefferson he spends a lot of time trying to justify Jefferson's decisions that we clearly have little historical evidence for. Jefferson may remain one of our least understood figures and Ellis approach tries to summarize what we conclusively know without taking too many liberties. The legacy of Thomas Jefferson takes up almost the final 50 pages of the book and Ellis explores how current philosophers and historians are trying to interpret the messages Thomas Jefferson left behind. Much of this philosophy is based upon letters exchanged between Adams and Jefferson after they made peace. The surprising contradictions of Jefferson's character lead the reader to still have an air of mystery even after reading this book. There is little doubt of the man's political genius and this is a must read for fans of the American Revolution, political philosophy or the early republic. It puts a lot of things in perspective and while I wish it had covered more areas it does a wonderful job of those that it does.

The Founding Father for whom the 'Spirit of 76' often trumped anything the U.S. Constitution proclaimed........2007-06-28

The man you think you know, whose spirit spoke so much to the future, whose words resonate even now, actually looked askance at the grand bargain of the US Constitution under which we still live; exalting as he did, the spirit of 1776 over the miracle of 1787-88---the world's oldest, and most successful, written Constitution. "Unlike Madison, who had a deep appreciation for the Constitution as an artful arrangement of juxtaposed principles and powers with abiding influence over future generations, Jefferson tended to view it as a merely convenient agreement about political institutions that ought not bind future generations or prevent the seminal source of all political power---popular opinion---from dictating government policy" (p.192). Jefferson, of course, wasn't involved in the horse trading during those heady days that produced the document of 1787 so he was less invested in it than the Declaration of Independence, which, of course he crafted himself, right?

"All men are created equally free and independent and have certain inherent and natural rights..., among which are the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety." Sounds familiar, but different too, right? Well that's because it's not all Jefferson. "On June 12 the Virginians unanimously adopted a preamble [for the Virginia state constitution] drafted by George Mason that contained these words." Yes, this was 1776. Jefferson had a standard response for when those inclined to try to put 2 and 2 together and question who wrote what first on more than one occasion offered this: "'Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing,' he explained, he drew his ideas from 'the harmonizing sentiments of the day, whether expressed in letters, printed essays or in the elementary books of public right, as Aristotle, Cicero, Locke, Sidney, etc.'" (p.64-65).

So, let's say Jefferson did exactly what was asked from him by John Adams, namely codifying into a document the ideas that were driving America's Founding Fathers on the eve of independence. Of course, Jefferson put a lot of himself into it too & we are fortunate that such a fine hand was employed for the task. ( Though Gouverneur---his mother's maiden name---Morris, who similarly put his stamp on the American Constitution, gets almost no credit for similar work: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." That's Morris, but other than Morris Avenue/Park in the Bronx (on land that he once owned), I cannot think of any memorials to, in Richard Brookhiser's phrase, "The Rake who wrote the Constitution.")

Jefferson wasn't only the drafter of the Declaration of Independence, of course; he was a paradox too. Jefferson, the gentlemen farmer who lived beyond his means and was less than successful in this endeavor desired America to be nation peopled primarily of citizen farmers. Jefferson was a gentlemen who waged a nasty campaign against John Adams while denying doing so; and was a man who championed equality but never made a gesture like Washington did; (calling for emancipation but doing nothing himself by way of putting words into action). Jefferson was the champion of states' rights, but also the purchaser of the Louisiana Territory, an (albeit laudatory) action with huge repercussions that was taken over the heads of the states. And we also have Jefferson, the man who championed individual rights like few others, but excused away the terror of the French Revolution seemingly as the 'ends justify any means.' (On the French revolution: "My own affections have been deeply wounded by some of the martyrs to this cause, but rather than it should have failed I would have seen half the earth desolated. Were there but an Adam and an Eve left in every country, and left free, it would be better than it is now.") The Revolutionary French government having carte blanche to run roughshod over anything and everything was OK for a long time with Jefferson, despite those French having blood on their hands. Yet anything Federalists did (with hands clean of blood) was vociferously castigated. Ellis quotes herein Chief Justice John Marshall, whose biography of George Washington, includes these words: "[T]he continent was divided into two great political parties, the one of which contemplated America as a nation, and labored incessantly to invest the federal head with powers competent to its preservation of the union. The other attached itself to the state authorities, viewed all the powers of congress with jealousy, and assented reluctantly to measures which would enable the head to act, in any respect, independently of the members." And Jefferson was the head and/or Godfather of the latter party. But Jefferson was optimistic, even utopian. This spirit, Jefferson's embodiment, notwithstanding the contradictions inherent in it---and all the contradictory impulses enumerated above---is why Jefferson remains ever present, even as his character defies definitive characterization. Hence the title of this engaging book---which is more snapshot than chronological biography---by Mr. Ellis (who finds much to respect in Mr. Jefferson). (07June) Cheers

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