Dinner at Mr. Jefferson's: Three Men, Five Great Wines, and the Evening that Changed America [Hardcover]

Charles Cerami (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 5, 2008

The Constitution was two years old and the United States was in serious danger. Bitter political rivalry between former allies and two surging issues that inflamed the nation led to grim talk of breaking up the union. Then a single great evening achieved compromises that led to America's great expansion. This book celebrates Thomas Jefferson and his two guests, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, and the meal that saved the republic. In Dinner at Mr. Jefferson's, you'll discover the little-known story behind this pivotal evening in American history, complete with wine lists, recipes, and more.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It was 1790, and Thomas Jefferson and one of his dinner guests, James Madison, were determined to work out a political compromise critical to the nation's future with their third dinner companion (and political opponent), Alexander Hamilton. This gathering around Jefferson's celebrated table involved nothing less than the creation of the young nation's finances, foreign relations and the eventual location of its capital. The dinner's results? An agreement that, Congress willing, the new government would assume the states' war debts, issue bonds to fund the national debt and make the Potomac's banks the capital's permanent site. Congress agreed. Cerami (Jefferson's Great Gamble) presents a fast-paced narrative of an event well-known but never told so brightly—nor at such unnecessary length. While Cerami puts the dinner-table agreement at his story's center, it was but one of a number of seismic events, acts and decisions of the 1790s. Cerami slights many of those when he's not giving us too much detail about other minor ones, such as Jefferson's cooking recipes and a short disquisition (and a long document) on Hamilton's role in the Coast Guard's founding. Compression would have made this inherently fascinating story pack the punch it should.
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Review

"Cerami wittily recounts the evening in rich detail, embracing the culinary details as well as the larger story of President Washington's quarrelsome cabinet, the evolution of the dual party system, and Jefferson's emergence as a persuasive national leader." (Library Journal, February 1, 2008)

It was 1790, and Thomas Jefferson and one of his dinner guests, James Madison, were determined to work out a political compromise critical to the nation’s future with their third dinner companion (and political opponent), Alexander Hamilton. This gathering around Jefferson’s celebrated table involved nothing less than the creation of the young nation’s finances, foreign relations and the eventual location of its capital. The dinner’s results? An agreement that, Congress willing, the new government would assume the states’ war debts, issue bonds to fund the national debt and make the Potomac’s banks the capital’s permanent site. Congress agreed. Cerami (Jefferson’s Great Gamble) presents a fast-paced narrative of an event well-known but never told so brightly—nor at such unnecessary length. While Cerami puts the dinner-table agreement at his story’s center, it was but one of a number of seismic events, acts and decisions of the 1790s. Cerami slights many of those when he’s not giving us too much detail about other minor ones, such as Jefferson’s cooking recipes and a short disquisition (and a long document) on Hamilton’s role in the Coast Guard’s founding. Compression would have made this inherently fascinating story pack the punch it should. (Feb.) (Publishers Weekly, October 22, 2007)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (February 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470083069
• ISBN-13: 978-0470083062
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #490,169 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A disappointment, February 16, 2008

By 

Brian Engel (Austin, TX United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dinner at Mr. Jefferson's: Three Men, Five Great Wines, and the Evening that Changed America (Hardcover)

Having enjoyed the recent profusion of books on the founders, including Mr. Cerami's excellent Young Patriots, I was disappointed by his work here.

For starters, the book offers very little that's original or unfamiliar. In essence, it assumes no foreknowledge of the founding period, so it spends most of its effort rehashing narratives that have been well-told by others (Joseph Ellis, John Ferling, Gordon Wood, David McCullough, and the author himself) within the last handful of years.

A more serious flaw was the author's willingness to brush by questions that didn't fit his narrative. At one point for example, he simply states in passing that "George Washington was not a racist". Oh really? I'd say that at the least, the question deserves greater consideration than that.

Finally, I take issue with his casual editorializing. In the midst of a narrative, he'll frequently refer to one of the principals as sneaky, haughty, or the like. It feels both sloppy and judgmental.

In conclusion, while I recognize that certain stylistic choices have to be made if a history book is meant to appeal to a popular audience, I don't feel that Dinner at Mr. Jefferson's succeeds on any level.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, May 20, 2008

By 

Jason J. Simmers "Divefool" (Loveland, CO) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dinner at Mr. Jefferson's: Three Men, Five Great Wines, and the Evening that Changed America (Hardcover)

After reading Joseph Ellis' devotion to the subject in "Founding Brother's" I was looking forward to reading Cerami's book devoted to the subject of the famous dinner of Jefferson, Madison, and Hamilton. However after reading this book I was extremely disappointed. The book is a rehash of events with little space actually devoted to the dinner. Cerami has not broken new ground here (maybe with his in depth and drawn out discussion of Jefferson's dinner habits and menu), devotes little to the actually dinner, and spends the rest of the book rehashing the old story of the Hamilton/Jefferson/Madison fued.

On top of that the scholarship is terrible. Readers would be best served going to Cerami's bibliography and reading the materials, especially since Cerami seems to believe that footnoting is a waste of time (none at all in the book). Furthermore the book is filled with assumptions that Cerami doesn't back up with evidence. On top of all this, he constently repaeats himself over and over again as if doing so makes his points better. By doing all of this Cerami seems to be attempting to capture a broader audience, but instead he has turned his book into questionable scholarship at best.

There are other issues with this book. His constant references to Jefferson's last letter to Washington being "friendly." Yet where Cerami fails here is any discussion of the fact that Washington had learned Jefferon had stabbed him in the back with his "Sampson" Letter," and Jefferson's final letter was more of an attempt to make a mends than a friend writing to another friend (especially when more evidence shows that Washinton no longer considered Jefferson a friend...a fact that Cerami leaves out of his book). Cerami devotes 4-5 pages to Hamilton's affair with a married woman, yet off handedly mentions Jefferson's relationship with Sally Hemings. Cerami paints a picture of President Jefferson holding on to Federalist in his admistration as if it were some move out of the kindness of his heart, failing to even address (and more and more facts have surfaced) the deal Jefferson made with Federalists to get break the dead-lock between him and Burr.

Do yourselves a favor, buy Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation read Ellis' chapter devoted to the subject and avoid this book.

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A MOMENTOUS EVENING REVISITED, April 24, 2008

By 

Gail Cooke (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dinner at Mr. Jeffersons: Three Men, Five Great Wines, and the Evening That Changed America (Audio CD)

Many of us remember John F. Kennedy's now famous comment to a gathering , "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House - with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone. "

History corroborates Mr. Kennedy's estimation of Jefferson's mental acuity but it does not recount how often Jefferson dined alone. Fortunately, what it does relate is the story of an evening when Jefferson hosted two guests for dinner - Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. This was a momentous time in our nation's history, and that evening is faithfully recalled by author/historian Charles A. Cerami in Dinner At Mr. Jefferson's.

In 1790 Jefferson evidently decided to resolve differences and perhaps the best way to do it was over excellent food and fine wines. To that end he invited Hamilton and Madison to dinner. The host was correct - during that meal bargains were struck: the Federal government would be responsible for Revolutionary War debts, which pleased Hamilton, and the capital would be moved, which pleased Jefferson and Madison.

While the crux of the evening is well known what delights is Cerami's description of those hours as he not only imagines the conversation but includes recipes for dishes served and notes wines enjoyed.

A remarkable reading by voice performer William Dufris literally transports the listener to that eventful dinner. The winner of thirteen Earphones Awards and voted a "Best Voice at the End of the Century" by AudioFile magazine, he delivers an estimable narration.

- Gail Cooke