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American history, best biographies, book reviews, Dumas Malone, John Boles, Jon Meacham, Joseph Ellis, Kevin Hayes, Merrill Peterson, presidential biographies, Presidents, Thomas Jefferson, Willard Sterne Randall
[Updated]
After 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 (“Jefferson and His Time”) 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. The first five volumes won the Pulitzer Prize in 1975.
Volume 1 (“Jefferson the Virginian”) covers the first four decades of Jefferson’s life, up to the point when became a diplomat in Europe. Volume 2 (“Jefferson and the Rights of Man”) covers the years 1784-1792 which Jefferson spent in Europe as a diplomat and as George Washington’s first Secretary of State.
Volume 3 (“Jefferson and the Ordeal of Liberty”) covers the last year of Jefferson’s tenure as Secretary of State, his three-year retirement at Monticello, his years as John Adams’ Vice President and his election to the presidency in 1800. Volumes 4 and 5 (“Jefferson the President”) cover his eight year presidency while Volume 6 (“The Sage of Monticello”) covers the final seventeen years of Jefferson’s life.
As thorough and comprehensive as any biography on Jefferson could possibly be, the series suffers only from being less “readable” than more recent biographies which are written in modern, well-flowing verse, and perhaps for not addressing the Hemings controversy with evidence that has only recently come to light.
Malone’s series on Thomas Jefferson reminds me 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. (Full reviews: Vol 1, Vol 2, Vol 3, Vol 4, Vol 5, Vol 6)
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Merrill Peterson’s “Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation,” published in 1970, 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 seems to contain proportionately similar granularity, it also seems to contain relatively fewer interesting conclusory remarks and insights.
Without a doubt, 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 six-volume series or Peterson’s single-volume biography, I would not hesitate to invest the additional time required to experience Malone’s series. (Full review here)
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Joseph Ellis’s “American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson” was published in 1996, three years after he published his biography of John Adams. This is by far my favorite of Ellis’s books, and the second most “enjoyable” read among the Jefferson biographies.
Like each of Ellis’s works I’ve read so far, 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. (Full review here)
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“Twilight at Monticello: The Final Years of Thomas Jefferson” by Alan Pell Crawford was published in 2008 and, despite a number of imperfections, proves quite an enjoyable and easy read. Although it exudes a slight tabloid “feel” Crawford has exploited a niche never before fully explored – even Malone’s last volume focusing on Jefferson’s retirement years seems slightly incomplete in hindsight.
By the end of the book, though, it feels as thought the author may have tried too hard to make his case. Rather than coming across as insightful and revealing, the book finally beings to feel hyperbolic and melodramatic. Nonetheless, as my next-to-last book on Jefferson, it was perfectly timed and absorbingly provocative. (Full review here)
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“Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power” by Jon Meacham was published in 2012 and is currently the most popular of the Jefferson biographies. As I’ve discovered from readers of this site, Meacham is a polarizing author. Those who love him do so because his primary mission seems to be to entertain and, only secondarily, to inform. Others find him distressing for exactly the same reason, sensing that he merely puts new wrapping paper on an old treasure.
But no matter your take on Meacham, “The Art of Power” is both easy and enjoyable to read. At times it is thoroughly engrossing and contains its own interesting perspective on Jefferson’s life. Although it is lighter on penetrating, recently-uncovered insights and heavier on clever one-liners than previous Jefferson biographies, it probably serves as the perfect “second” biography of Jefferson. (Full review here)
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[Added January 2020]
* In 2013, I read four single-volume biographies of Jefferson and the six-volume series described above. Since then I’ve had the chance to read a biography of Jefferson I missed on that first trip through Jefferson: Willard Sterne Randall’s “Thomas Jefferson: A Life” which was published in 1993. But while it is uniquely valuable as a study of Jefferson’s legal studies and career, it covers most of the remainder of his life – including his presidency – with less dexterity and it turned out to be my least-favorite biography of Jefferson thus far. (Full review here)
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[Added October 2021]
* I’ve also now read John Boles’s 2017 biography “Jefferson: Architect of American Liberty.” With 520 pages of text, this biography proves uncommonly thoughtful, thorough and revealing. Boles expends no small effort in attempting to unravel Jefferson’s complexity and perplexing contradictions – including the large gap between his attitude toward slavery and his actions – and here the book is quite successful. Less ideal is the relative lack of focus on understanding and revealing Jefferson’s friendships with figures such as James Madison and John Adams. And Boles’s writing style, while crisp and articulate, is rarely particularly colorful or engrossing. But overall this is perhaps the best modern, single-volume introduction to Jefferson’s life and times. (Full review here)
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[Added August 2022]
* Published in 2008, Kevin Hayes’s “The Road to Monticello: The Life and Mind of Thomas Jefferson” is a dense, detailed 644-page intellectual biography of the third president focused on the literature he read, wrote and collected. Although it provides much of the framework of a traditional biography, it is decidedly not one and cannot serve as an adequate substitute for anyone seeking a thorough and broad introduction to Jefferson. The natural audience for this book is quite limited, but for someone already familiar with T.J. who is interested in exploring his intellectual evolution through an analysis of the words that shaped his world, this book may prove ideal. (Full review here)
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[Added December 2022]
* Published two weeks ago, Fred Kaplan’s “His Masterly Pen: A Biography of Jefferson the Writer” resembles Kevin Hayes’s “The Road to Monticello” – in spirit. However, the two books are quite different in approach. This book by Kaplan looks deceptively like a traditional biography – its chapters proceed chronologically and the narrative includes large chunks of Jefferson’s non-literary life. But it’s focus is on understanding Jefferson’s character, contradictions and philosophy as revealed by his letters, speeches, declarations and books (and not by the books he bought, borrowed or merely read). As a supplemental text for readers acquainted with Jefferson, this book may prove uniquely intellectual and insightful. For readers seeking a traditional biography of Jefferson it is not ideal. (Full review here)
Best Overall: Dumas Malone’s six-volume series
Most Enjoyable Biography: “Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power”
Best Single-Volume Biography: “Jefferson: Architect of American Liberty”
My Journey Through the Best Presidential Biographies 
It’s sad how so many modern “scholars” now dismiss Malone’s work.
Reblogged this on Practically Historical.
Great website. Fantastic overviews of presidential historiography.
I believe you are a bit easy perhaps on Malone re: the Hemmings issue with “and perhaps for not addressing the Hemings controversy with evidence that has only recently come to light.”
Malone, of course did not have DNA, however, if you look closely at the evidence he did have, he systematically approached what was available to reach a preconceived conclusion. Malone knew that Sally’s children were TJ’s and wrote it otherwise. He simply could not abandon his position as the pied piper of the TJ cult.
And while his work is masterful. It is important to understand his limitations in being objective.
Unfortunately I started my book on TJ – “In Pursuit of Reason” by Noble Cunningham – before discovering your blog, and stupidly chose it only because it was $1 in my library’s bookstore. It wasn’t awful, just not terribly well written or compelling. I’ll happily admit that I’m interested in the presidents’ family lives as well as their political lives, and this was one shortcoming in Cunningham’s book, though not the only one. I think it’s a problem that the author did not even mention the Sally Hemings scandal, since it did come out during TJ’s presidency, via a man who had turned against TJ. The scandal was discussed in McCullough’s book on John Adams, and in the book I just finished on Madison (by Brookhiser). To have it ignored in a TJ bio seemed disingenuous, to put it nicely. I honestly feel I learned more about TJ the man (not the pol) from the Adams bio than from Cunningham’s book!
Just discovered your site — really good work. In your work on Jefferson did you run into any assessment of Fawn Brodie’s controversial bio?
Not in the biographies themselves, but there were numerous references to Fawn Brodie’s work in reviews I later read of the books I had read, and one of my frequent visitors makes no secret of his views: http://practicallyhistorical.net/?s=fawn+brodie
In your readings on Jefferson, did you ever run into any assessments of Fawn Brodie’s controversial biography?
None of the books I read referenced Brodie’s biography in a substantive way (not that I remember, anyway) though I recall thee book being referenced in the bibliography of a few. I shied away from Brodie when I was selecting Jefferson bios to read given the overwhelming and consistently negative feedback I saw, but it’s on my “must read” list for my second pass through the presidents – out of curiosity, if nothing else.
I also found the following assessment of Brodie’s biography thought-provoking (so much so that it convinced me to add the book to my follow-up list on Jefferson: http://practicallyhistorical.net/2013/03/06/classic-historical-takedowns-pt-1-2/
I’d also toss into the mix Henry Wiencek’s “Master of the Mountain.” Like American Sphinx, not a full bio, and even less complimentary. But a fully documented dismantling of many of the myths that surround Jefferson and much Jefferson scholarship.
I have also been reading presidential bios in order and am just finishing Trefousse’s Andrew Johnson. I’m wondering if you read Willard Sterne Randall’s Jefferson: A Life and what your thoughts were. So glad to find your blog….onto Grant!
Good luck finishing up the A Johnson bio(!) I have not read Willard Sterne Randall’s bio of Jefferson – if you have, let me know what you thought. I seem to remember looking it up and finding it got mixed reviews, and since I had what I thought was a full plate of Jefferson bios I didn’t add it into the mix.
Randall did a very good job of detailing Jefferson’s early life. His Presidency was not emphasized as much, but there are plenty of other great books that do that as you have pointed out. The focus is more on his early life and his years in France. It was a nice insight into the man. Randall’s writing style can be a bit meandering and repetitive, something that he corrects in his Alexander Hamilton bio, but overall I felt It was a worthy read.
One short bio that merits attention is RB Bernstein’s very fine study for Oxford’s series of shorter biographies. I recall a lot of insight in a very little space (<300 pages) in this volume. Felt like I had a better understanding of the man and his legacy than Meacham.
Thanks, I’ve had a couple people tell me I need to read that one (as sort of a turbo-charged substitute for an American President Series bio of Jefferson) so I’ll probably add it to my follow-up list.
I agree enthusiastically with you about the brief R.B. Bernstein biography of Thomas Jefferson.
not even a mention of Henry Adams’s work on the jefferson administration?
Steve, have you been inclined to read Chernow’s Hamilton biography, or another Hamilton work, during your journey? Reading through biographies of Washington and Adams and gearing up for Jefferson and Madison it feels like not reading a Hamilton biography would do a disservice to the revolutionary era. Also thank you for the recommendation of Ferling’s John Adams: A Life, really enjoying it.
Will, I do have a large-ish (and ever expanding!) list of biographies I would like to read about the supporting cast of characters who worked with the presidents over time. One of the first to make the list was Alexander Hamilton (I’ve owned the Chernow bio of Hamilton longer than I’ve owned his book on Washington!) I haven’t given myself the flexibility of reading these non-presidential biographies yet for fear I would never get through the presidents themselves, but I really can’t wait to read about Hamilton, Ben Franklin, Calhoun, Henry Clay, Seward, Elihu Root, etc.
I’m currently reading Brands bio of Franklin, then moving on to Chernow’s Hamilton as preludes before starting on Washington in January
I have to admit to being a bit jealous – those are two of the non-presidential biographies that are sitting in front of me begging to be read! I hope you enjoy them and let me know what you’re reading when you work through the presidents!
Six volumes for the first two presidents, doubled as I read Dumas Malone’s six volume series. This was a serious investment in time, but absolutely worth it. I found a set of 5 on eBay in very good shape with djs and had to obviously buy one separately. After finishing I felt like I had lost a friend, the books were so absorbing. Even when I am done with this journey, I don’t feel like I need to read any more on Jefferson, I understand him as much as possible as a man and politician.
Congrats on getting through so many volumes in your first three presidents! With limited time I don’t think you can go wrong with Chernow (Wash), McCullough (Adams) and Meacham (Jefferson) but the Flexner, Smith and Malone series on those three really provide penetrating, readable depth that’s hard to find in single-volume biographies. I can’t wait to see where you go from here!
This one may answer my question! Loved Chernow’s Washington and am now finishing McCullough’s Adams, which I’ve also enjoyed. Given that, and given that I want to stick to one volume, would Meacham be your recommendation here?
Thanks!
If I had to read a single-volume bio of Washington I would probably choose Meacham’s (with Ellis’s in second place). But be forewarned…based on comments I’ve gotten it is clear that “The Art of Power” appeals to most people (as it did me) but there is a not insignificant group who felt let down by the book for one reason or another. If you read it let me know what you thought! (As you probably know I loved the Washington and Adams bios you read. LOVED them.)
Finished “The Art of Power,” it was a bit up and down for me, but I liked it on the whole, as I thought that it gave a really good insight into the way Jefferson thought and worked. I did find it to be lacking in detail and context for many of the events Jefferson lived through. McCullough and Chernow, for example, seemed to delve more deeply into the events of Adams’s and Washington’s lifetimes and give you a better sense of understanding of the age. Meachem seemed to give a very brief (couple paragraphs) intro, then moved immediately to how Jefferson interpreted it and exercised his power. They also seemed to spend more time than Meachem introducing and providing meaningful insight on the other power players so you had a better sense of the people their subjects were working with/around.
Having said that, I thought it provided a really fair assessment of TJ, without overly glorifying him and didn’t ignore his many faults. I also thought it did a nice job of going out of its way to be fair to Hamilton’s point of view, and noted that neither Jefferson or Hamilton was the caricature that their opponents (up to the modern day) have painted of them. On the same note, however, I felt it was at times unfairly critical of Adams, but maybe that was just because I had just finished McCullough’s book!
Maybe since Jefferson was more of a personal enigma than Washington or Adams, that’s what consumed Meachem’s efforts, but I felt that if I hadn’t already had a fairly strong grasp on the events of the 1770s-1800s I might have been lost at certain points in this book.
Taking a bit of a presidential break and moving to Hamilton and Lafayette bios next, but I’ll be back for Madison soon, so I’m sure you’ll hear from me again!
I’m curious if anyone has an opinion about Fawn Brodie’s, “Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History,” which I just started reading on the heels of completing Ron Chernow’s superb Washington biography. Brodie is interesting so far, but it doesn’t seem to be in the first rank of presidential bios. Any thoughts?
I’ve not read Brodie’s biography but it receives reviews “all over the map.” These two discussions caught my eye back when I was deciding which Jefferson bios to read: Gary Wills’ note and Practically Historical blog’s view.
Thanks Steve! I’ll check ’em out.
Excellent job with your website. It is one of a kind. Thank you. I agree with your reviews and rankings of biographies — at least the ones I have read. I have not read as many as you.
For example, the FDR biographies you reviewed and the ranked order of those books is spot on.
For Thomas Jefferson, I think an important brief book to add to your list is “Thomas Jefferson” by R.B. Bernstein. A brief biography of this character, who I understand and love (despite his shortcomings), is nearly impossible. I loved this brief book.
Again, thank you for your website.
I am curious if you’ve looked at, or if any one else has, Alf Mapp’s two volume bio on Jefferson from the 1980s, “Passionate Pilgrim” and “The Strange Case of Mistaken Identity.” I own this set but haven’t read it yet. I’ve generally heard good things about it, and know it was well regarded upon its release.
I never ran across these biographies until well after I finished Jefferson. Because they seem rarely read, I haven’t come across any particularly insightful reviews (not that I’ve looked all that hard) so I’ve got these sitting in a list that’s the literary equivalent of purgatory – I’m not sure whether to make them part of the my follow-up list or whether to avoid them altogether. If you or anyone else does or has read these volumes, I’d love to know what the verdict is…!
I’d suggest leaving Mapp’s books in purgatory. Your follow-up list is already massive (and will undoubted grow), includes three (four if you count Dr. Wood’s Friends Divided) Jefferson titles already, and the Jefferson literature is vast enough to keep it there.
By the way, Friends Divided is a wonderful book. The last few chapters dealing with their reconciliation and correspondence are the best parts. Summed up nicely by the final sentence comparing Jefferson’s Idealism v Adams’s Realism: “That’s why we honor Jefferson and not Adams.”
How would you rate Mapp’s books? Since I already own them, I’m curious now if they’re still worth reading, or if they’re only sub par. Given the amount of Jefferson scholarship, I can see why you’d recommend not adding them to the follow-up list, even if they’re worth reading. They may not offer anything unique enough to warrant reading them after having already read so much! I do plan on reading Malone’s 6 volume work first, as I already own that one as well.
I don’t think you can really understand Jefferson until you understand Hamilton. I suggest Alexander Hamilton by Chernow.
That is the very first “non presidential biography” I’m planning to read once I get through Obama…!
I would love some advise on choosing a single-volume biography on Jefferson. I am interested in Meacham’s “The Art of Power,” But I’ve also seen good reviews of the 2017 bio “Jefferson: Architect of American Liberty” by John B. Boles.
Most posts above were made prior to the latter’s publishing. I would love to hear some thoughts on either (or both for those who have read them). With opinion of Jefferson being so varied and he being so complicated a person, I am looking for the most “fair” and informative bio.
Thanks.
For what it’s worth, I’m also looking forward to hearing from anyone who has feedback on Boles’s biography. Earlier this year I read Willard Sterne Randall’s bio of Jefferson but wonder whether I should have tackled Boles’s instead…?
I’ve read both Boles and Meacham, but not Randall (not yet, at least). I think Boles’s book was definitely more on the “informative” side of the scale, as compared to Meacham’s, which is more on the “entertaining” side. So for anyone trying to choose between the two, it really depends which kind of treatment is most appealing to you.
To me, Boles’s book was more factual and straightforward and not as much of an enjoyable, engaging read, to the point that his depiction of Jefferson made him feel a little lifeless and passive – things just happened to Jefferson and he went along with them, as opposed to Meacham’s depiction of an active, ambitious Jefferson who knew what he wanted and controlled his own destiny. I get the sense the truth was somewhere in between.
Joseph Ellis’s was my favorite Jefferson book, but I think you have to read a full-scale biography like Boles or Meacham first before you can fully appreciate Ellis.
So while they all have their strengths, none, to me, stand out as being a definitive single-volume Jefferson biography. Maybe he’s just too complicated to cover in just one book!
Six months later you have probably solved this dilemma, but I have read the Meacham book and the Ellis book. In my opinion the Meacham book reads like a collection of chronological facts about Jefferson with not much attempt to provide any insight into Jefferson or any context for his actions.
The Ellis book is much better in my opinion but it is not a biography, as stated above. You might want to read the Meacham book first just to get an idea of what his life was like. You might also want to read a general history of America during the Revolution and the Early Republic years just to get a sense of historical context to Jefferson’s actions.
Your note & observation underscores one of the numerous reasons I’m now glad I didn’t initially choose “just one” biography per president to read – different authors with differing styles, often from different eras themselves, with access to different information each create a uniquely informative view of their subject. Reading several books on someone (like Jefferson in particular!) provides a far more nuanced, colorful and often complicated portrait of the person. I do think Meacham and Ellis create a particularly interesting duo when attempting to uncover Jefferson (who, I must say, remains a mystery to me even today)…
Has anyone read:
1. The Life of Thomas Jefferson. Three volumes. by Henry S Randall? or
2. The Life of Thomas Jefferson William Linn?
These are efforts from the 1800s.
I have not read either, but Randall’s may be interesting. He was the first (only?) biographer to interview Jefferson’s immediate family.
For reading and historical purposes there are probably much better options, but the immediacy of it is interesting.
Thank you for your comments. Randall looks interesting.
I’d like to have your thoughts on Boles’ Jefferson: Architect of American Liberty. Having just read Chernow’s Hamilton, which is pretty negative about TJ, I’ve seen comments that Boles offers a more balanced perspective.
I haven’t read Boles’s biography of Jefferson yet. It was published after I’d already gotten through my biographies of Jefferson, but I’ve added it to my “follow-up” list and plan to read it later this year.
I finally got a chance to go over to the next town and hit their used bookstores.
I was able to procure an immaculate like new set of Dumas’ 6 volumes for just $35 total.
Also found Rayback’s Millard Fillmore (Easton Press edition) for just $10.
And then I ran over to the other store and found a copy of Peterson’s Jefferson biography for $7.
Was completely happy with my trip as I have all the biographies I wanted for the first 3 presidents.
I wish my town had a next-town-over with a bookstore like that!
I posted briefly on the Madison discussion about Meacham’s Art of Power, and I was just really disappointed by that one. Unfortunately, unless I venture into Malone’s six-volume series, I might not find what I am looking for (and even with this there is still no guarantee). The one beacon of hope of finding a good one-volume bio might be with Boles. I am really hoping you can review that soon, because I really don’t want to sit down for another disappointing Jefferson experience!
In my opinion, Meacham gives only a very broad overview of the life of Jefferson. All of the details, especially the political interactions, seem to be given only superficial treatment. So many of the concluding thoughts of the author read like a high school term paper (like somewhat cringe-worthy filler material). It seems strange that I obtained a better understanding of Jefferson’s mind through his cameo appearances in other books. This is surprising, especially considering that over 200 pages of this volume are dedicated solely to notes. Even then, some of the conclusions are suspect.
For example, Meacham states that the causes of the revolution are not quite clear, and then goes on to suggest it was merely the brainchild of plantation owners who were heavily in debt to Britain and who didn’t like the idea of being taxed, and that Britain’s treatment of the colonies really wasn’t all that bad. Maybe this is true for some folks in Virginia, but thankfully I found much more thorough explanations in recent reads of H.W. Brands’ biography on Franklin and Les Standiford’s Desperate Sons. I was also disappointed that there was hardly more than a couple of pages dedicated to the debate and internal controversy of the Louisiana Purchase, as well as over the repeal of and passage of new Judicial Acts. These seem to be the most important parts of the Jefferson presidency, and yet, I learned next to nothing.
For a book titled “The Art of Power”, I really expected a greater in-depth look at the political dealings of Jefferson. Instead, we just get a broad overview of his personal life, and politics seem somewhat ancillary to that discussion.
Of all the books I’ve enjoyed over the years, this is the one that people seem to disagree on the most. In hindsight, most of the criticism is well-deserved but at the time I remember finding Meacham’s treatment more readable and penetrating if not quite as thorough as much of what I read elsewhere (with Malone and Peterson most notably and in most instances).
I was hoping to fall in love with Willard Sterne Randall’s bio of Jefferson, or perhaps John Boles 2017 biography. The former was disappointing. The latter is on tap for later this year!
I just finished Boles’ biography and it is one of the finest biographies I’ve ever read. It is well-written. He is even-handed. His discussion of slavery and Jefferson’s relationship with Sally Hemings is thorough. I cannot imagine a better treatment of the Jeffersonian paradox: a man who enslaved other human beings, but was also thwarted in his efforts to move the country toward gradual emancipation – and then he didn’t even free most of his own slaves in his will (paradox x 2). Boles ponders the questions these facts raise. He covers all periods of Jefferson’s life. It is well-researched. And the bibliographical essay at the end almost by itself makes owning the book worthwhile. I could not have been more pleased. Thanks, Steve, for your excellent work.
Well…now I’m REALLY looking forward to reading Boles’s bio of Jefferson later this year (currently scheduled for September)!
Hi Mark, if you don’t mind my asking, how well did Boles’ go into other controversial details? For context, I should have been a bit more specific in my criticisms of Meacham in my earlier comment. In terms of Sally Hemings and the contradiction of Jefferson’s slave ownership, I think that this was actually the strongest aspect of the Art of Power (although I have read some criticize that perhaps Meacham did not explore the nature of the relationship more, i.e., the possible power and subservient dynamics of such a relationship). I was instead concerned with other controversies and contradictions that may not be as popularly known, but which I find fascinating. Some examples, all of which are either glossed over or not mentioned at all by Meacham:
1. Chapter 23 of Hamilton: “Citizen Genêt … wanted the United States to extend more funds to France and supply foodstuffs and other army provisions. Much more controversially, he wanted to strike blows against Spanish and British possessions in North America and was ready to hire secret agents for that purpose. Jefferson became his clandestine accomplice when he furnished Genêt with a letter introducing a French botanist named André Michaux to the governor of Kentucky. Michaux planned to arm Kentuckians and stir up frontier settlements in Spanish Louisiana. Jefferson’s aid violated the policy of neutrality and made Hamilton’s unauthorized talks with George Beckwith seem like tame indiscretions in comparison.” I don’t know what others believe, but this seems borderline treasonous to me.
2. Chapter 2 of “Three Lives of James Madison” notes that as governor of Virginia, Jefferson secretly imprisoned British General Henry Hamilton in the dungeon of the Williamsburg jail for nearly two years, even after General Washington advised Jefferson to release him (Madison was also complicit in this). The implication was that they might have been attempting to conceal atrocities committed by the Virginia militia against native civilians, and that Hamilton’s release was conditioned on his silence.
3. Jefferson’s many contradictions regarding the French Revolution, not the least of which his previous admiration of Louis XVI and subsequent ambivalence over his murder and several other officers who served alongside American soldiers in the Revolutionary War.
4. Freneu’s newspaper – Jefferson putting an obviously unqualified person on the State Department payroll in order to entice (i.e., bribe or finance) a partisan newspaper.
5. Completely brushing off Shay’s Rebellion – “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants”. Incomprehensible words, really, from a figure in government.
Thank you in advance for indulging me! I know this is somewhat detailed and specific. Just hoping to not have to dive into the six-volume series if Boles does the job.
Hi Brandon: I’m not sure my response will make your decision any easier, but here goes.
1. Boles’ definitely discusses Genet and Michaux, but to me Jefferson does not come across in the book as a clandestine accomplice.
2. I am finishing a book on Baron de Steuben now and the “Three Lives of James Madison” is my next book. I regret to say that I remember nothing about Henry Hamilton in Boles’ book and there is no mention of the name in the index under Hamilton. I should add that the text of the Boles book is a mere 520 pages. He mentions in the acknowledgements that he submitted a much longer manuscript. Perhaps his discussion of this episode ended up on the cutting room floor.
3. Certainly, there is much in the book about Jefferson’s attitudes toward France and his time there. My sense is that the Federalists – Hamilton, Adams, and Gouverneur Morris – were more hypocritical in their views of the revolution than Jefferson. They clearly viewed the revolutionaries in France as the rabble. Jefferson enjoyed the finer things that France offered and this can appear as an inconsistency. But ultimately, he was true to his republican principles, Boles would say almost to a fault. Boles states, Jefferson “was almost in a state of denial regarding matters in France, or, perhaps more accurately, he was willing to tolerate dreadful means for such an important end.” 242. Without question, Boles includes some Jefferson quotes that can make Jefferson seem callous when it comes to bloodshed and loss of life. But Boles does a good job of contextualizing Jefferson’s statements to make them a bit less damning.
4. Boles definitely addresses the Freneau newspaper controversy. It’s hard to tell whether it would be in sufficient detail to satisfy you. Hamilton’s use of John Fenno was almost, not quite maybe, as objectionable. I think the closeness of these politicians to these newspaper men shocks our conscience today, but rules regarding conflicts of interest and the like were a little less formal back then. Despite his mild manners, Jefferson could be a no holds barred type of guy. The fact that Jefferson wasn’t drummed out of government when the whole Freneau thing came to light shows the differences between then and now.
5. I thought I remembered the language you quoted, but I couldn’t find it when I went back to look for it. (That doesn’t mean it isn’t in there; I just couldn’t locate it.) Nonetheless, Boles does reference Jefferson’s views on Shay’s Rebellion. Of course, it’s critical to keep in mind that Jefferson was in France when it occurred. Boles states, Jefferson “missed how seriously many in the United States took the threat.” (Please see answer to #3 about Jefferson’s callousness.)
What I liked about the Boles book is his effort to contextualize the things that Jefferson said and did, but it didn’t come across as hagiographic. I loved the book, but Jefferson as a person continues to disappoint as compared with the Jefferson many of us were taught to revere in grade school.
That’s all I’ve got. Not sure this really helps you. Boles does a stellar job in 520 pages, but it’s tough to compete in terms of comprehensiveness with six volumes.
Totally agree with your assessment of John Boles’ biography of Jefferson. I found him sympathetic but critical to his subject – a masterful, thoughtful treatment of a life lived in its historical context. I felt he spoke effectively to many of the contemporary controversies surrounding Jefferson’s legacy. Have you read Kevin Hayes’ The Road to Monticello? Another terrific insight into Jefferson’s life.
I realize I’m replying to my original reply, but I was drawn back to this page by the recent activity (see below). Regarding Tim Rosenfield’s comment, which should be above, and Steve’s subsequent review, I wondered the extent to which Kevin Hayes in The Road to Monticello addressed the evolution of Jefferson’s views on slavery. How did he evolve from someone who apparently at one point believed in gradual emancipation to someone who didn’t free most of his slaves at his death? Is this discussed in Hayes’ book? (I still haven’t read the Hayes book despite the comment below.) Are there other recent studies of Jefferson that delve into this topic in any detail? Thanks.
I have not read the Hayes’ book, but it looks interesting. I will add it to my very long list. Thank you for the recommendation.
Thank you so much for this website and all the work you have put into it (and time spent reading)! Have you heard much about Christopher Hitchens’ “Thomas Jefferson: Author of America”? I was discussing my presidential reading campaign with my English professor the other day (some 12 years after I took his class) and he said it was excellent. Hitchens seems like an interesting fellow, though maybe a little sharp around the edges, and am curious how a personality like that examines a president like Jefferson. Thanks again!
I’ve heard about it but haven’t read it. Hitchens was, indeed, a fascinating fellow, and at some point I’ll probably read his book on Jefferson. But for the moment I have too many traditional biographies to get to, so I’ll probably wait on this for awhile.
Hi there! I am such a fan of this site and probably browse it daily at this point, reading various reviews, etc.
I would love to know which of TJ’s biographies gave the most extensive treatment of the Burr Conspiracy. Do you remember off hand?
Thank you!
The Malone series probably provided the most thorough review, followed by Merrill Peterson’s biography. After that, I’d say the most useful coverage was probably Jon Meacham’s.
Malone, of course, will win on sheer page count. However, he his rarely objective when it comes to TJ the man of marble. Always the highest and best motives attached, whilst is opponents make up a who’s who rogue gallery of miscreants and Burr is enemy number one.
There are a number of book length studies on the conspiracy as such that provide a more balanced approach and wider source use than Malone.
The debate over Burr will never end because it rests at the very interpretation of what America could be, should be and sometimes actually is. Thus every generation will rework the Burr conspiracy influenced by more contemporary events.