Customer Reviews

Jefferson and Monticello: The Biography of a Builder

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This is a very informative and well written account about the 3rd President of the United States, the immortal Thomas Jefferson. This biography about the man and his passion for architecture are written down in easy to follow text that is difficult to accomplish about the complex man. The planning of Monticello and the labor of building and re-building are fascinating to think of, especially in the timeframe of which it was built. Jefferson was a true genious in his inventions and insight of how he wanted Monticello to work and function. People seem to forget that Jefferson was a gifted man of many talents, and in my opinion, one of his greatest gifts was architecture. In architecture of Monticello and the University of Virginia, Jefferson gives an insight to the man himself. Simple yet very complex. Jefferson enjoyed simplicity on the surface, but peel away the layers of the man, you found a very complex and intellectual person. The way Monticello was built and rebuilt due to Jefferson changing tastes and ideas says alot about the mans personal life himself. The only disturbing thing about Monticello was the human cost of labor that was used in it being built. The African-American slaves was the backbone of building to Jefferson's whim. This must of took a heavy toll of labor and lives, due to the magnificence of Monticello. This by the man who wrote that "all men are created equal". An interesting point to ponder. Overall, this is an excellent read and highly recommended to any history enthusiasts and enthusiasts of early American architecture.

Reading this book before a recent visit to Monticello tremendously enhanced the experience. The book provides so much detail on the design and construction of this beautiful home that you almost feel as if you have been there. A wonderful combination of biography and architectural writing. Highly recommended.

This is much more than a discussion of Jefferson and his home. Interwoven throughout the narrative are threads of colonial life. Slavery, Jefferson's personal relationships, the lower class white aristsans of Monticello are all discussed in detail. This makes the book a good biography, and a great social history.

Having just toured Monticello, I was intrigued to learn more about the man that conceived and built this home and the many clever mechanisms within it. The book more than fulfilled my hopes of giving substancial insight into Jefferson's mindset and rationale for the many changes he made to it. If you like learning how and why unique structures like this come to be, you'll love this book. It was as satisfying as a similar book, The Builders Behind The Castles by Taylor Coffman which covers a similar reflection on the building and constant changes to Hearst's San Simeon.

This is a masterly work which was interesting not only to the amateur or professional architect but to the historian in each of us. Anyone who has visited Monticello is struck by what I can only call an 18th century "laboratory of ideas." His incessant tinkering, updating, adding, replacing demonstrate a vibrant and open mind. I was struck that Jefferson did not consider his being President, Sec of State or the Declaration of Independence author as the REALLY important facts of his life. They were the design of a new nation, founding the Univ of Virginia and last, but certainly not least, as a builder/architect. A wonderfully illustrated, vivid portrait of the man and his times. Jefferson was and is a hero not because of but in spite of his faults.

Well worth the price. May have to go back to Monticello and take my time this time.

This book was easy to read and understand. It went into a lot of detail about Thomas Jefferson and his passion with building Monticello. I found it to be very interesting and a book that should be read by all Jefferson enthusiasts.

Readers who enjoyed "jefferson and Monticello" may be interested in my newest book, a piece of historical fiction based on Colonial Williamsburg: "Williamsburg, Virginia on the Eve of Revolution." It is available on Amazon.com under its title. See also my website:
williamsburgthenovel.com

I bought this book after visiting Monticello and after reading it I would like to visit Monticello again. This book is very informative on Jefferson's life and the building of Monticello. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Jefferson's life.

Undoubtedly, Mr. McLaughlin did his homework when he prepared to write this book. I enjoy biographies, am very fascinated by Thomas Jefferson, and was intrigued by the creative approach Mr. McLaughlin took to tell us about Jefferson by using Monticello as a "prism through which [we] view [Jefferson's] life ...".

Unfortunately, the execution didn't meet expectations and this is most noticable in the areas related to the editing. I had difficulty getting past the meandering style. The anecdotes hop around chronologically, and are not tied together well. There is unnecessary repetition within the annecdotes. Even the grammar is off. (I'm not an editor, so as soon as I extend criticism I'm opening myself up as a target, but I recognize a few errors that would've made my high school English teacher cringe. Where one does this professionally, a higher standard is expected.)

Mr. McLaughlin's book could have been tightend up considerably, and structured in a less meandering way for me to have found greater benefit from reading this book.