Review of “James Madison: A Biography” by Ralph Ketcham

23 Thursday May 2013

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“James Madison: A Biography” by Ralph Ketcham was published in 1971 and has long been considered by many the pre-eminent single volume biography of our fourth president.  As an early editor of The Papers of James Madison, Ketcham was fortunate to have access to materials not available to earlier biographers. He is Professor Emeritus at Syracuse University (where he earned a PhD in 1956) and his most recent book “The Madisons at Montpelier” was published in 2009.

Although James Madison is not as well-known as other “Founding Fathers” he played a critical role in our nation’s earliest years – directly and behind-the-scenes.  He is considered the “Father of the US Constitution” for his role in its drafting and passage, was a primary champion and author of the Bill of Rights, was a key advisor to Presidents Washington and Jefferson, served as Jefferson’s two-term Secretary of State and was the fourth President of the United States.

Ketcham’s “James Madison” is a sober, detailed, well-researched and lengthy treatment of Madison covering most aspects of his life – from his birth in 1751 at Belle Grove Plantation (more on this interesting site in a later post) until his death at Montpelier in 1836.  While reading this 671 page tome, one imagines there must be little about Madison’s life which Ketcham did not include. And on the whole, Ketcham’s biography seems quite well-balanced and objective. Though bias in Madison’s favor shows slightly at times, the author is generally critical of Madison’s leadership style, his handling of the War of 1812, and his actions (and inactions) regarding slavery.

Ketcham provides a particularly detailed and penetrating account of the drafting, passage and ratification of the Constitution, describing Madison’s role as well as the parts played by numerous antagonists. After absorbing this section of the book and reflecting on the multitude of perils faced through ratification, it seems little short of a miracle that this pillar of our government survived the fractious political environment into which it was born.  A few books focused on the founding of our country will soon appear on my “must read” list as a result of Ketcham’s description.

As seems typical for a book of this vintage, the author’s writing style can be garrulous and difficult to traverse and the subject matter frequently proves dense.  Some have described large portions of the book as “boring” – a complaint difficult to argue, particularly when reflecting on the seemingly endless pages leading up to, and including, the War of 1812. Others lament occasionally tedious diversions into discussions of political philosophy.  But given Madison’s particular skill set, it seems difficult to imagine a complete treatment of this deep political thinker not examining in detail his core political beliefs.

More regrettable in my view is that the one thing missing from this otherwise complete biography…is Madison himself.  Despite its length and tendency for detail, the biography seems utterly devoid of vitality or warmth – or passion of any type – relating to its primary subject.  Some of the blame may rest on Madison, who has been described as erudite but austere, mechanical and emotionally distant.

However, by the end of the book I felt exceedingly well-acquainted with Madison’s political activities…yet knew virtually nothing of him or his family on a personal level.  And given her reputation as the nation’s most-loved “First Lady” I would have enjoyed getting to know better his famously gregarious wife, Dolley.  I also felt the author missed an opportunity to better describe the extraordinarily unique and powerfully symbiotic relationship between Madison and Thomas Jefferson.

But what it may lack in personality or frivolity, Ralph Ketcham’s “James Madison: A Biography” makes up for in depth.  It is a fabulously insightful, extremely detailed and objective examination of Madison’s political life, and his enormous contributions to this country.  Certainly, this biography is missing is a personal touch which would serve to humanize Madison and animate the sometimes tedious aspects of his life.  But while readers expecting a David McCullough style journey will be sorely (and quickly) disappointed, as an academic matter, this biography was excellent.

Overall rating: 3¾ stars

Moving on to James Madison!

18 Saturday May 2013

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JMOCHaving taken two months to work through my collection of Thomas Jefferson biographies, it’s time to turn to our fourth president: James Madison.

As we all know (or so the sign welcoming us to Orange County, VA informs us), James Madison is commonly known as the “Father of the US Constitution.”

Despite this impressive legacy, however, there are few great, or even popular, biographies of this early president and influential leader.  My library currently includes just three (but almost four) books on Madison.

The oldest (and the book I’m starting with) is the 1971 classic by Ralph Ketcham (“James Madison: A Biography”).  Anyone who has ever read a Madison biography seems to have read this book.  I’m about a quarter of the way into it now. Reviews are solid but not spectacular, but only time and more progress will help me render my own verdict.

Next up is “Madison and Jefferson” by Andrew Burstein and Nancy Isenberg, published in 2010.  Rather than being a strict biography, this is more a tale of the extraordinary friendship and partnership between these two leading historical figures.  Nonetheless, I hope to learn as much from it as I would an ordinary-course biography.  I almost began the Madison presidency with this book but opted to start with an “old classic” instead.

Next, and currently hostage to the U.S. mail, is Richard Brookhiser’s 2011 biography “James Madison”.  Reviews are underwhelming, but this will be my first book by Brookhiser so I decided to give it a shot.  Also, I live “next door” to Madison’s home county (the photo above required about a six minute drive from my house) so I feel obliged to devote more than four inches of shelf space to his presidency.

Last is Kevin Gutzman’s 2012 “James Madison and the Making of America”. Here, too, reviews suggest something other than a gripping thriller, but I’m going to give it a try anyway.  I (usually) love an underdog…

It is worth pointing out that James Madison’s Montpelier is just a thirty-minute drive from my house, so of course I have not yet visited.  I’ve been to the catacombs in Paris, driven across the northern-most bridge in the world, and done a multitude of even more ordinary “touristy” things.  But I’ve still not visited Monticello or Montpelier despite their proximity to my my home. This will change shortly.  Hopefully.  Stay tuned.

The Best Biographies of Thomas Jefferson

16 Thursday May 2013

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Best Jefferson biosAfter nearly two months with Thomas Jefferson involving five biographies (ten books in total) and over 5,000 pages of reading, I still feel I know Jefferson less well than many other revolutionary-era figures (including some like Alexander Hamilton who I’ve only encountered through his numerous appearances in various presidential biographies).

But that’s part of the intriguing mystery that Jefferson presents – even the most dedicated Jefferson scholars such as Malone and Peterson have admitted difficulty in getting to know our third president on a personal level.  In his biography of Jefferson, Merrill Peterson acknowledged being mortified in confessing he still found Jefferson “impenetrable” after years of study.

Part of what seems to make Jefferson so complex is that he is not merely a two-dimensional figure.  The set of internal rules governing his behavior resembles a multi-variable differential equation whose output seems maddeningly inconsistent at times.  But on a basic level, Jefferson is no different than most of us – guided by a small number of core convictions, steered by a larger set of general principles, and influenced by a broad group of more nebulous forces.

Only that smallest group of convictions seemed to guide Jefferson as if they were immutable laws of physics.  His other principles and beliefs were more maleable, able to change under great strain, competing forces, or compelling circumstances of the moment.  He was a passionately private man, yet ended up in public office for most of his adult life.  He professed the evils of slavery, yet owned slaves (and may have even had a long-term relationship with one).  He was intensely afraid of the power of a broad federal government under the direction of a strong president, yet as president did very little to curb that power and in many instances did just the opposite.

These seeming contradictions are less mysterious when we ask ourselves how a biographer would see our own lives, and the various complexities we each offer. In that spirit I find it unsurprising Jefferson could, for instance, be quite civil to someone at the dinner table, yet could write a scathing indictment of that person’s political views (and even personal motivations) in a private letter written to a friend. I am equally unsurprised he could profess politically correct views on various topics, yet seem to violate those principles when it was convenient. Don’t we all know people like that?  But it does make drafting an elegant, straightforward character profile in a three- or four-hundred page book rather difficult.

Dumas Malone’s six-volume series took over three decades to complete – it was begun when my parents were not old enough to walk, and finished when I was almost entering middle school. This series, to which Malone dedicated a huge chunk of his adult life, took me just five (rather intense) weeks to read. Although this series does not receive high marks as a means of “entertainment” it receives the very best marks for its content and scholarship.  It suffers only from being less “readable” than more recent biographies written in modern, well-flowing verse, and perhaps for not possessing the evidence surrounding the Jefferson/Hemings controversy which has come to light only since its publication.

Malone’s series on Thomas Jefferson reminds me in many ways of Thomas Flexner’s series on Washington and Page Smith’s on John Adams - together, these three great works are in a class all to themselves.

Merrill Peterson’s “Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation” was written while Malone was about halfway through his series on Jefferson. In no other single-volume biography of any of our first three presidents can a reader find a more comprehensive book, chock-a-block with such an impressive level of relevant detail.  Yet compared to Malone’s series, while it seemed to contain proportionately similar granularity, it also seemed to contain relatively fewer interesting conclusory remarks and insights.  Clearly, no serious library would be complete without a copy of Peterson’s classic.  But with the benefit of hindsight, if I were forced to choose between reading Malone’s lengthier work or Peterson’s single-volume biography, I would not hesitate to invest the additional time required to experience Malone’s series.

Joseph Ellis’s “American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson” was published in the mid-1990s, three years after publication of his similar work on John Adams. This was by far my favorite of Ellis’s books, and the second most “enjoyable” read among the Jefferson biographies.  Like each of Ellis’s works, this book is not quite a biography and should not be read as such.  In my opinion, the best way to enjoy “American Sphinx” is to first read either Malone’s series or Peterson’s biography.  Ellis not only observes Jefferson’s behavior throughout life, as have other authors, but also synthesizes his observations into a set of characteristics that seems to have defined Jefferson’s personality. This book comes as close to getting into Jefferson’s mind as any book I’ve read.

“Twilight at Monticello” by Alan Pell Crawford was published in 2008 and, despite a number of imperfections (structural, tone, etc.), was quite an enjoyable and easy read.  Although it exudes an almost tabloid feel, Crawford found a niche which had not previously been fully exploited – even Malone’s last volume which focused on Jefferson’s retirement years seems slightly incomplete in hindsight.  By the end of the book, though, it felt as thought the author may have tried “too hard” to make his points.  Instead of coming across as insightful and revealing, the book felt excessive and melodramatic. Nonetheless, as my next-to-last book on Jefferson, it was perfectly timed and absorbingly provocative.

“Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power” by Jon Meacham was published within the last year and is currently the most popular of the Jefferson biographies.  As I have discovered from readers of this blog, Meacham is a polarizing author. Those who love him do so because his primary mission seems to be to “entertain” and, secondarily, to inform with new revelations. Those who find him distressing seem to do so for exactly the same reason, sensing that he merely puts a shiny, new wrapper on an old gift.

My experience with “The Art of Power” was quite positive, perhaps because my mind was well-filled by Malone’s series and Meacham’s biography came along at just the right time.  It was both easy and enjoyable to read, at times was thoroughly engrossing, and was not without its own interesting perspectives.  ”The Art of Power” was lighter on penetrating, recently-uncovered insights and heavier on clever one-liners, but served as a perfect “second” biography of Jefferson and the most enjoyable reading experience of this portion of my presidential journey.

Best Overall: Dumas Malone’s six-volume series

Most Enjoyable Biography: “Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power”

Best Character Insight: “American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson”

Review of “Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation” by Merrill Peterson

14 Tuesday May 2013

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“Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation” by Merrill Peterson was published in 1970 and is considered by many to be the best, and most complete, single-volume biography of Thomas Jefferson.  Peterson, who died in 2009 at the age of 88, was a prolific author, having written about Woodrow Wilson, Abraham Lincoln, Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, among others.  He was also a professor of history, teaching at Brandeis and Princeton before moving to the University of Virginia in 1962 to succeed Dumas Malone, another legendary Jefferson scholar.

Peterson’s “Thomas Jefferson” was my fifth and final biography of Jefferson – counting Malone’s six volume series only once.  Having now lived and re-lived Jefferson’s life from the perspective of many authors, I was eager to experience this weighty, thousand-page classic.  In most ways I was not disappointed, though there were a few bumps along the way.

From an academic perspective, Peterson’s biography serves as a thorough and detailed reference on Jefferson, comprehensively chronicling nearly all of his legislative, diplomatic and political activities.  Had I not recently read Dumas Malone’s even more comprehensive series on Jefferson, I would have thought not a single detail could possibly have been left aside.  Peterson’s biography is often interesting, usually meticulous, and always informative.

Although he seems to skim over certain events rather quickly – such as the Marbury vs. Madison case and the suicide of Meriwether Lewis – I found his treatment of other historical matters such as the Burr Conspiracy and the Louisiana Purchase unusually thorough and interesting.  And although Peterson’s sympathies with Jefferson are not difficult to uncover, his partisan tendencies prove much less obtuse than I had been warned to expect.

It is only fair to highlight that this biography may not provide the casual Jefferson fan with a fun and carefree experience.  Most readers will find this is not a book to be read purely for pleasure.  It is often dry and distant, almost appearing to be a lengthy political news story crafted by a punctilious Associated Press reporter without a publication deadline.  Except in this case, the story is assembled with paragraphs that routinely take up more than an entire page.

Disappointingly, Peterson provides little insight relating to Jefferson’s immediate family, and even less of his friends and more distant relatives. This is a book focused nearly exclusively on Jefferson’s professional, rather than personal, life.  Exceptions to this include his academic, scientific and literary interests and talents.   Peterson also seems not to follow Jefferson’s attitudes towards slavery to any final conclusions, leaving the obvious contradiction between his stated views and his lifelong ownership of slaves to be judged by history – or the reader.

Readers unfamiliar with Jefferson’s life will, at times, become lost in a sea of complex details.  Those with some familiarity merely risk losing the forest for the trees, particularly when topics turn to foreign affairs.  But for those with a full understanding of the times, Peterson’s biography will fill in interesting details the reader probably did not even know had been missing.  In one area, Peterson’s biography does feel stuck in a time warp, however: on the topic of Jefferson’s rumored relationship with his slave Sally Hemings, Peterson had no access to the evidence that has only recently come into existence.  In the book he finds the relationship “difficult to imagine” but (wisely) goes little further.

Structurally, the book is smartly divided into eleven sections reflecting the major periods of Jefferson’s life (and further subdivided into topical, rather than chronological, chapters).  However, it is both weighty and dense.  As a result, though Peterson’s writing style is straightforward and easy to read, it is not always as easy to comprehend or completely digest.

Overall, however, this is an excellent, substantive and comprehensive study of Jefferson that should appeal to anyone with a serious interest in presidential history.  Peterson’s book is designed to be read for enlightenment and with serious purpose, not necessarily for “fun”.  It requires some patience and a bit of stamina, but in return is immensely enriching and rewarding.  For its nearly pure focus on Jefferson scholarship – devoid of contrived conspiracy theories and imputed psychic intuitions – it is nearly perfect.  As an instrument of entertainment, to be read at leisure with a cocktail by the pool, it is less well-suited.

Overall rating: 3¾ stars

Monticello as Never Seen by Thomas Jefferson

11 Saturday May 2013

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Monticello2Monticello from ~ 2,700 feet MSL in a Cirrus SR20

As I may have mentioned once or twice, one of the best things about being a pilot is the ability to see things from a unique perspective.  On a recent flight home from Asheville, I realized I would be flying past one of Virginia’s most marvelous and historic homes and quickly reached for my camera.  How fortunate to be able to see Monticello from a vantage point that was never available to Thomas Jefferson – one can only imagine what he would have thought!

The photograph may not be postcard-quality, but the scene itself is spectacular, looking north over the house and a significant portion of its grounds, including Jefferson’s vegetable gardens and the Weaver’s Cottage.   Not present until the early 1960s, Interstate 64 is visible near the top of the photo.

Thomas Jefferson began construction on Monticello in 1769, although extensive work to clear and level the mountain started the previous year. Work on the “original” Monticello was largely complete by the time Jefferson sailed to Europe in 1784 to join John Adams and Benjamin Franklin as a diplomat in Paris.

After Jefferson’s service as George Washington’s first secretary of state, he “retired” to Monticello and soon began extensive renovations and remodeling which were to last throughout his presidency.  Interestingly, many of the materials used were sourced locally – timber and limestone from Jefferson’s land and nails from his own nailery.

Because Jefferson died with debts far exceeding the value of his assets, his family had no choice but to liquidate most of his estate including Monticello and its furnishings.  The property changed hands several times over the ensuing century and was finally sold to its current owners (the Thomas Jefferson Foundation) in the early 1920s.

Here was my parting view of Monticello looking southward as I descended into the Washington DC area:

Monticello from ~2,800 feet MSL

Review of “Twilight at Monticello” by Alan Pell Crawford

08 Wednesday May 2013

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“Twilight at Monticello: The Final Years of Thomas Jefferson” is Alan Pell Crawford’s third and most recent book, published in 2008.  Breaking away from the tradition of most Jefferson-focused biographies, Crawford’s work spends the bulk of its energy not on Jefferson’s time in public office, but on his seventeen-year retirement.

At first blush, it might seem strange that anyone would set out to describe in two-hundred or so pages the same period that Dumas Malone spent five-hundred pages chronicling in his sixth and final volume on Jefferson written thirty-five years ago.  What eventually becomes clear, however, is that Crawford’s book is no ordinary accounting of the last years of one of our most revered presidents.

“Twilight at Monticello” begins with a prologue which takes the reader to a day in 1819 when one of Jefferson’s grandsons is seriously injured in a fight with his brother-in-law.  Much of this section seems to fall into the category of historical fiction, describing what Jefferson ”may” have eaten for breakfast that morning and what he ”perhaps” did the rest of that day before learning of the altercation.  It seems intended to set a dramatic tone for the remainder of the book, but is unnecessary.

Crawford then takes the reader on a fifty-page whirlwind tour through Jefferson’s youth, his time as a lawyer, legislator, governor, diplomat, secretary of state and his two terms as president.  This brief reference to Jefferson’s upbringing and public life is too superficial and rushed to serve as a meaningful introduction to the man, but does provide a quick reminder of how Jefferson spent his time prior to retirement.

The author then takes a more leisurely-paced and wonderfully detailed stroll through Jefferson’s post-presidential years.  But rather than providing what might reasonably be described as an impartial, if critical, look at Jefferson’s last years of life, Crawford crafts a story of persistent heartbreak, misery, scandal and intrigue.  There are few moments of homage to a man of great deeds, love for friends and family (particularly his daughter Martha), and fervent in his desire to establish the University of Virginia.

Most of all, we are reminded (constantly) of the almost unending misery borne by Jefferson and his family in his last decades of life: of the death of friends and family, alcoholism and domestic abuse within his extended circle, mental illness among his siblings, of achingly persistent financial woes and of his own ill health.  The author seems to take special delight in highlighting Jefferson’s pervasive pangs.  The Old Testament’s “Job” almost seems to have been fortunate by comparison.

Far from sympathizing with Jefferson’s misfortune and (often) self-inflicted woes, Crawford describes an impractical, self-focused and often delusional dreamer – a profligate shopper unable to control his spending, whose life and family is wracked by so much dysfunction and so many contradictions that it is a wonder his likeness is carved into Mount Rushmore.

The anguish and pain, the incomprehensible personal contradictions and Jefferson’s crushing financial debts are well-described and Crawford provides remarkable and penetrating insight into these darkest of shadows.  He also describes the Jefferson/Hemings controversy in a comprehensive and balanced manner, repeating the conclusion of many (based on DNA studies) that Jefferson almost certainly fathered at least one of Sally Heming’s children.

One of the book’s missed opportunities, however, was the chance to more fully describe the renewed friendship between Jefferson and John Adams during their respective retirements.  Their prolific correspondence, terminating only with their nearly simultaneous deaths, provides history with rich insight into these two unique men.  And although his book might have served to complete the psychological profile provided by Joseph Ellis’s “American Sphinx,” Crawford stopped short of fully exploring how Jefferson’s lifelong pain (and fear) of loss shaped his character.

“Twilight at Monticello” does not end with Jefferson’s death, but goes on to tell the sorry tale of the years that followed, with Monticello virtually abandoned, Jefferson’s estate largely liquidated to repay old debts, and his family scattered geographically while attempting to recover from the shock of almost complete-ruin. Nowhere else have I seen such a fulsome and candid description of the fallout which followed Jefferson’s death.

Crawford’s book is far from perfect and it seems clear that his “angle” was to focus on the most miserable and contradictory aspects to an otherwise impressive (if enigmatic) life.  What is left unconfessed is that many of these challenges, and contradictions, are present in almost every family.  But most of us don’t author a Declaration or serve as president, or profess the evils of slavery while owning slaves.  And in his fame, Jefferson seems to invite special attention.

“Twilight at Monticello” is an unconventional look at an already complex and mysterious former president.  It is a skillfully written, entertaining and well-researched book focusing on the less transparent aspects of Jefferson’s last years.  That the book seems imbued with a tabloid patina may be inevitable given the focus of the book, but in any respect it also seems somewhat unbalanced.  For the reader with a robust existing knowledge of Jefferson’s life, “Twilight at Monticello” will likely provide greater color and some new insight to his final years.  For others, the book will seem a strange jolt, inconsistent with fading memories of Jefferson acquired in a history class years ago.

Overall Rating: 4 stars

Review of “American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson” by Joseph Ellis

06 Monday May 2013

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“American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson” by Joseph J. Ellis was published in 1996 and won the 1997 National Book Award in Nonfiction.  Ellis is a well-known author and history professor focusing on the revolutionary era. He is probably best known for his Pulitzer Prize winning book “Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation” and has written about Presidents Washington and Adams as well.

“American Sphinx” has been described by some as a “psychological history” of Jefferson, but it is really much more than that: it is part character analysis, part personality profile and part history book.  What it is not is a traditional biography or even an abbreviated narrative of Jefferson’s entire life - but as I have discovered by now, this is par for the course for a Joseph Ellis book on a revolutionary-era president.

Instead of following the story of Jefferson’s life in a single, continuous arc “American Sphinx” focuses on five significant periods in his life, observing his thoughts and actions during each of these periods and considering what can be learned about this enigmatic man.  In this manner Ellis reflects on the many contradictions Jefferson presents as well as the difficulty he offers those who wish to portray Jefferson either as a hero or a villain, when he is certainly far more complex than that.  (Not unlike many of us, he is a little of both…)

But rather than focusing dogmatically on just those five specific periods of his life (while he was in Philadelphia during the Second Continental Congress, in Paris as a diplomat, at Monticello after resigning as secretary of state, during his first presidential term and during his ultimate retirement to Monticello), Ellis pulls as much historical context from the “uncovered” periods as is needed to fully understand appreciate the points he makes and the conclusions he draws.

This book has been called dense by some and, less frequently, one-sided.  But it is neither.  In contrast to his previous character analysis (“Passionate Sage” about John Adams written three years earlier), Ellis’s book on Thomas Jefferson is surprisingly sprightly and effervescent, lacking the overtly academic feel of the earlier work.  And it is remarkably well-balanced; throughout “American Sphinx” Ellis is careful to note Jefferson’s brighter and darker sides, observing his flaws and singing his praises where due.

Of particular interest toward the end of the book, Ellis examines Jefferson’s legacy – noting those aspects which have survived the past two-hundred years undiminished (his emphasis on religious freedom, for instance) and those which have been forced to bend to the will of American history and changing times (for example, his zealous pursuit of limited government in almost all circumstances…except when he was president, of course).  It is at this point that one of Ellis’s central points – that Jefferson’s actions cannot be easily judged outside the context of his time in history – is most forcefully made.

Overall, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed “American Sphinx,” particularly as Ellis’s previous character analysis (on John Adams) possessed an overly dry and academic tone.  ”American Sphinx” on the other hand was colorful and dynamic, while also deep and insightful.  But make no mistake- this is not the perfect book for someone just getting acquainted with Jefferson. Even though Ellis replays a great deal of Jefferson’s life in order to fully support his conclusions, this is not a comprehensive account of Jefferson’s entire life.  However, as a third or fourth book on Thomas Jefferson, “American Sphinx” truly excels.

Overall rating: 4¼ stars

Review of “Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power” by Jon Meacham

30 Tuesday Apr 2013

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“Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power” is author Jon Meacham’s fifth and most recent book, having been published in late 2012.  Meacham received the Pulitzer Prize for his 2008 biography of Andrew Jackson, and has also written about Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill as well as the civil rights movement and the influence of religion in American politics.

“The Art of Power” is by a significant margin the most popular and widely-read Jefferson biography available today.  Well-written and fast paced, Meacham’s accounting of Jefferson’s life is both entertaining and enjoyable, and requires little patience or fortitude on the part of the reader.  With about five hundred pages of text, Meacham’s work seems to occupy a desirable space for modern biographies – it is comprehensive enough to cover the most salient aspects of its subject’s life, but is not so lengthy that it requires an exorbitant commitment of time or attention.

In contrast to the exhaustive accounts of Jefferson’s life authored by Dumas Malone and Merrill Peterson, Meacham’s narrative almost seems to sprint through the eight decades of our third president’s life. Where Malone spends nearly twelve hundred pages describing Jefferson’s terms as president, Meacham sets aside slightly fewer than one hundred.  But that is part of the delight of this biography: in relatively few pages it manages to capture the essence of Jefferson, describing his core principles and philosophies, outlining his primary accomplishments and failures, and highlighting the contradictions he offers posterity.

But following my five week journey through Dumas Malone’s series on Jefferson, I am reminded that brevity comes at a price.  Important nuances in Jefferson’s decision-making and complex threads within his life must be ignored in order to maintain the book’s brisk pace.  Key moments in Jefferson’s presidency and the early life of our nation (such as the Embargo of 1807 and the Burr conspiracy) are only afforded minimal attention.  But happily, such a pace provides the book no opportunity to find itself bogged down in unnecessary detail or to pursue trivial tangents.

What Meacham accomplishes brilliantly, in my view, is efficiently summarizing and synthesizing the various (and often contradictory) aspects of Jefferson’s personality and offering his own view of why Jefferson acted – as a patriarch, as a scientist, as a politician and as a friend – as he did.  Though I found many of the author’s conclusions less grand and sweeping than they were presumably intended to be, Meacham’s perspective on Jefferson was nonetheless insightful and cogently argued.

“The Art of Power” has been criticized by some for portraying Jefferson in too flattering a light. I did not detect this fault, and Meacham seems to harbor no greater sympathy for Jefferson than most biographers do with their subjects. Although Meacham does seem to admire Jefferson, his affection is not without qualification.

Others have pointed out that although Meacham seems to have been quite diligent in his preparation for writing this book (the endnotes and bibliography alone consume over two hundred pages), it contains little that is truly new or revealing.  Only Meacham’s central thesis – that Jefferson was successful because he was simultaneously a philosopher and a politician, an idealist and a tactical strategist – seems to add a new dimension to a president who has been so thoroughly explored and described.

Finally, I admit to disappointment in Meacham’s treatment of the possible (perhaps even likely) relationship between Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemings.  Rather than describing the controversy which has pervaded this issue for over two hundred years, Meacham treats the topic as fully resolved. Only in the extensive endnotes does the reader find a multi-page note admitting to, and describing, the controversy.

In most ways, however, “Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power” lived up to the hype which has surrounded the book since its publication.  I found it easy, entertaining and enjoyable to read.  It required relatively little from me, but offered disproportionately greater rewards.  As a serious student of Jefferson, this would not be my first (or even second) stop on the lengthy journey to understanding Jefferson.  However, as an efficient, wonderfully descriptive and generally comprehensive introduction to Thomas Jefferson, I am unaware of better biography.

Overall Rating: 4½ stars

Spring Break: Thomas Jefferson Style

20 Saturday Apr 2013

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Ah, it’s that time of year for those of us with young kids: spring break!  The real trick is to find a way to take an ordinary vacation opportunity and attempt to turn it into something  ”educational.”  Even better (for me, if not my wife and kids) was finding a way to tie my family’s spring break trip to my journey through the best biographies of our US presidents.

Since I’m currently in the midst of reading several biographies of Thomas Jefferson, what better trip could I take (ignoring a sleepover at Monticello) than one to The Homestead resort in Hot Springs, VA?

The Homestead was founded in 1766 (when Thomas Jefferson was in his early 20s) and since that time has hosted 22 US presidents.  Visitors feel an immense sense of history when walking its halls and lounging in its parlors.  Of course, naming various rooms and lounges after its most famous presidential guests and hanging portraits of each presidential visitor helps emphasize its storied past.

Here is the scene which greeted us upon our arrival:

Homestead

And here’s the scene we awoke to the next morning:

Homestead 2Thomas Jefferson’s journey to The Homestead took place in 1818 when he journeyed to Hot Springs (about 90 miles west of Monticello) to spend three weeks enjoying the natural warm spring waters.  Jefferson apparently took to the warm springs three times a day in an effort to alleviate symptoms of his rheumatism.  If the waters didn’t provide an efficacious medical treatment, the natural beauty of the Allegheny Mountains probably did.

Although The Homestead’s main campus hosts both an indoor pool and a traditional outdoor pool, the resort also maintains its famous Jefferson Pools just a few minutes north of the main campus – appropriately named in honor of our third president who enjoyed its waters.

Jefferson PoolsBut before we leave our intrepid adventurer, scholar, scientist, planter, lawyer, legislator, book-lover, philosopher, author and ex-president it is interesting to note that Hot Springs, VA is very near the point where Jefferson made the furthest journey *west* of his life (at a place called Falling Spring Falls).  I found this ironic since he was responsible for the Louisiana Purchase…but never ventured further west than his home state of Virginia.

As I was to discover in planning this trip, the furthest west Jefferson ever travelled is not only well-marked, but is also quite breathtaking.  If you ever happens to find yourself near the edge-of-nowhere just north of Covington, VA, a quick stop at Falling Springs Falls is a must.  This site is mentioned in his “Notes on the State of Virginia” which he authored in 1781.

Falling Spring FallsThe FallsNow…I’ll get back to Jon Meacham’s “Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power.”   A review of that recently published and well-read book coming soon-

Review of “Jefferson and His Time: The Sage of Monticello” (Vol 6) by Dumas Malone

12 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by in Book Reviews, President #3 - T Jefferson

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“Jefferson and His Time: The Sage of Monticello” is the sixth and final volume in Dumas Malone’s groundbreaking biographical account of Thomas Jefferson’s life.  This volume marks the apex of the series and the end of nearly four decades of work by Malone.  Just more than a year after its publication, in recognition of his vast contribution, Malone received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Covering Jefferson’s life from the end of his second presidential term to his death, this volume surveys the final seventeen years of one of our most revered but enigmatic presidents.   After a difficult last term in public office, Jefferson returned to his beloved Monticello in 1809 undoubtedly seeking a peaceful retirement.  But while his twilight years proved more numerous than might have been expected, they were also more painful – particularly in terms of his ongoing health and personal financial situation.

Consistent with earlier volumes, Malone’s writing becomes aggressively detailed at times and the pace lurches back and forth between intensely slow and well-paced. Nonetheless, this was the easiest of the six volumes to read and was by far the most enjoyable.  One can almost sense Malone’s relief at the series drawing to a close, but also the author’s gratitude to Jefferson for providing such a rich and complex history to digest, analyze, reconcile and chronicle.

The chapters concerning the sale of Jefferson’s personal library to Congress, his personal financial situation (which was surprisingly poor) and his renewed friendship and extensive correspondence with John Adams were highlights. On the latter front, however, I was surprised to find the story somewhat underplayed, particularly given how much of interest is revealed in the letters these two former presidents exchanged in their last years of life.  (I’m also surprised given Malone’s propensity for never missing an opportunity to describe in several chapters what might be more concisely written in a few pages.)

Most strenuous of the chapters were those relating to the War of 1812 and his initial efforts to create a common vision – and ongoing funding – for what is now the University of Virginia.  Both of these topics were presented with so much detail that they eventually became difficult to follow. We learn nothing more of the Sally Hemings controversy that seems to preoccupy contemporary Jefferson scholarship, and Malone skirts past the seeming inconsistencies in Jefferson’s public and private positions on slavery.

Nonetheless, Dumas Malone clearly saved his best work for last, and of all six volumes in this series, this final volume is also perhaps the one best-suited to be read on a standalone basis.  Though Malone never evolves into the storyteller we seem to expect of modern-day presidential biographers, he has without a doubt chiseled from primeval stone a great work – laboriously, meticulously and with inordinate care.  Although this is just the first of several Jefferson-oriented biographies I plan to read, it is hard to imagine finding more rigorous scholarship in any other work on Jefferson, or more commitment on the part of any author.

Overall rating:  4 stars

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