Customer Reviews

Thomas Jefferson: A Life

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Randall may have uncovered just about every fact there is about Thomas Jefferson. The fact that he dedicated pages evenly to each one is where this book fails. Thomas Jefferson could be the most complex figure in American history, but most people won't realize that fact from reading this biography because their minds will be numb from reading the first 300 pages of the book dedicated to his early law career that really played little role in the development of Jefferson. The author tries to justify his inclusion of all this material by theorizing that his contempt for the law system turned Jefferson's mind towards changing the system and thus revolution, and once committed to revolution his ideas on government were influenced by his law teachings, but dedicating 50 pages to Jefferson part in exploting a loop hole in Virinia law to help the First Families acquire more land serves more to make the reader flip through the pages scanning for interesting dates to resume reading. The real dissapointment in the book is that in spite of all this research, Randall fails to really tackle Jefferson's hypocricies and puzzling political movements. Perhaps he was unable to find good cause for Jefferson's motives, but to ignore his obvious faults makes this biography toothless. His borderline treasonous behavior as both Washington's Secretary of State and Adams' Vice-President, his obvious hypocrisy between champion of human equality and slaveowner, and his change of heart about the institution between his authorship of the Declaration and his ascension to the Presidency (along with the glossing over of his decision-making process during the Louisiana Purchase), are all controversial actions of a man usually considered "great" without much examination. This book would be the proper forum to defend the actions, explain the rationale behind them, or if failing to discover one, call out Jefferson for these personal blemishes. Randall does none of this, either lamely glossing over the points or omitting them altogether. After becoming president, the story gets so thin that it makes one wonder if Randall himself got bored with his research and writing of Jefferson's early career that he simply wanted to finish the book. He chose the wrong part of Jefferson's life to cut from. The book gets 2 stars for the information it contained, and doesn't get 3 more because of its presentation and lack of the information that it should have. There must be more engaging biographies of Jefferson than this one.

This may be the best single-volume biography written on Jefferson. Randall clearly has done an enormous amount of research in preparing this work, and the results are outstanding. The information is complete and useful, detailed but not dull.

Randall particularly focuses on the early years of Jefferson's life, which many other biographers have neglected. This is the strongest point of the entire work, for it provides details and information that are to be found nowhere else.

The only drawback to this biography is that the latter years of Jefferson's life are largely ignored. Jefferson's term as President is dealt with in scarcely thirty pages. Even worse, the 17 years of Jefferson's retirement (in some ways the most fascinating) are tossed away in about ten pages.

Randall perhaps should have written a book on Jefferson's early life alone, which is clearly the area he has focused his research on. That being said, this biography is extremely well-written and very enlightening. It would make a solid addition to anyone's bookshelf.

If one can get past the fact that Willard Sterne Randall's prose is ponderous, uneven and repetitive (he shows improvement in his latest biography of Alexander Hamilton), a reader will certainly be able to appreciate the diligent research, remarkable detail and exploration of Thomas Jefferson's early life as given us by the author. The early life and formative years of America's third president has never been rendered better or in greater detail, and the first few hundred pages of this book --up to Jefferson's first years in France-- are absolutely worth reading.

Randall strikes one as somewhat prudish when it comes to exploring the more human frailties of his mighty subject, almost smugly downplaying Jefferson's sexual relationships throughout his life, and dismissing, with a scholarly sniff, the notion that Thomas Jefferson might have had an intimate relationship with his slave Sally Hemings. Scientific tests performed after the publication of this almost epic biography have raised some relevant questions, and though certainly not the centerpiece of Jefferson's life and myriad accomplishments, it is evidence of the author's almost protective prose.

Nonetheless, the complex Thomas Jefferson, a pixilated, self-absorbed genius who was also voraciously patriotic and far-sighted, is clearly painted for the reader. His ability to compartmentalize his many desires and inner conflicts is fascinating --apparently, the many facets of Jefferson seldom, if ever, communicated with each other. Yet, to watch Jefferson studying law, natural science and the classics (to name but a few fields in which he would become an authority), molding himself (with a good deal of generous patronage and good fortune) into an indisputable man for all seasons, is marvelous. No recent biographer has brought this much life to Jefferson's early days, through his tenure in the House of Burgesses to budding revolutionary; from the crafting of the Declaration of Independence to his role in France.

It is a shame Randall does not give us more balance in presenting the whole of Jefferson's life, but the founder of the University of Virginia was more than complex.

In his book, "American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson," Joseph J. Ellis rightly describes Jefferson as such, and Randall's earlier effort offers the reader an even grander panorama --indeed, Jefferson's entire life-- through which to observe this eccentric, frustrating and frustrated champion of an American agrarian utopia.

Thomas Jefferson cannot be praised highly enough, and Randall needn't have put Jefferson's overall image on a modest pedestal. But enough of the essential Jefferson, if any parts of him can be truly known, are shown here to the reader through Randall's minute research and sweeping presentation (Randall's stinting on Jefferson's life after about 1790 not withstanding).

The book isn't without faults (it isn't exactly a page-turner), but the observations offered equal or outweigh Randall's sometimes brilliant, often bumbling, prosaic narrative. Jefferson outshines the author, and like a Sphinx, raises more questions than are answered. Still, this may be the closest modern readers of a single volume biography will get to Jefferson's many worlds. Five stars for Jefferson, less two for Randall's uneven effort.

Having read, what i believe to be the best book regarding Jefferson, "Understanding Jefferson" previous to this, i felt that there was no way Randalls book could compare. However, by the end of the book I was amazed at how incredible to book was. While most books on Jefferson examine the same famous aspects of his life, the Declaration of Independence, the Lousiana Purchace, and his presidency, this book does not focus on those subject. Instead it examines less famous aspects of Jeffersons life. From his early childhood to the time he spent in France. This provides another different look at Jeffersons life. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to know more about our most accomplished president. However, if you are looking for an introductory "quick" read on Jefferson I would also suggest "Understanding Jefferson."

Other reviewers have complained that this book gives too brief a treatment to Jefferson's presidential and post-presidential years, and certainly, if you're interested in a thorough study of Jefferson's presidency, this isn't the book for you. But it is, after all, called "Thomas Jefferson: A Life", not "Thomas Jefferson: A President". About 50 pages are devoted to the eight years of Jefferson's presidency, out of a touch less than 600 pages. Not an unreasonable percentage to devote to eight years out of a touch over eighty. Granted, his post-presidential years are skimmed over quite briefly, and could have been given a bit more attention, but it's a minor quibble.

The major quibble is that the writing style can get a bit ponderous at times; I occasionally found myself struggling to keep my eyes open if at all drowsy. But the book is certainly worth a read for anyone interested in a close look at our third president, and the writer of the Declaration of Independence.

This is a well written book containing a personalized account of pre-revolutionary to post-revolutionary America. Randall does a good job of discussing the intellectual sources (e.g. John Locke) of Jefferson's essential documents (e.g. Declaration of Independence). Randall also is strong in his explication of Jefferson's private and diplomatic life in France. Interestingly, Randall shows both the personal and political events of Jefferson's lifetime.

However, Randall is very sparse and fairly week in details after Thomas Jefferson returned from France and became Secretary of State. The author only devotes one fifty page chapter (in a 600 page book) on Jefferson's presidency. It seems as if the editor or author had a deadline to meet and therefore could not devote the same time and effort on the end of this book as was put on the begining.

Mr. Randall seems to be in possession of vast amounts of information on Thomas Jefferson, and he desperately wants to share it. The problem is that he can not decide how to organize the information. We are presented with chronological narrative that suddenly changes to subject related narratives then digresses into topics that relate to people discussed as part of an anecdote. As if this weren't enough much of the same information is discussed multiple times. The editing on this book was poor and the writing is disjointed, very hard to follow. Information presented ranges from the important and interesting to the mundane and boring. I give the book 3 stars only because of the amount of information contained in this book, other than that it would have been a low 2. Having read and enjoyed Mr. Randall's book on George Washington I found it hard to believe I was reading the same author.

The latest review of this biography is two years old. Maybe it's time for a new one, with a different perspective from the other very helpful reviewers.

In writing a biography of Thomas Jefferson, Randall tackled an insurmountable problem: either the book must be interminable, or it must be incomplete.

Jefferson's long, active life spanned the most interesting political era of modern times. He participated fully in that era, not as a mere observer, but often as a prime mover, from the days of the British American colonies, through the growth of the need to be independent, to the struggle for that independence, through the long and difficult period forming and stabilizing a nation unlike any other, through the growth of that nation into a continent-spanning empire.

Committed and tied to Virginia, he was an untitled aristocrat. Yet he was even more committed to the Union. He actively opposed slavery, yet owned slaves, one of whom - probably the half-sister of his deceased wife - was his unofficial and only concubine for many years (the only relationship legally allowing them to live in the same home and have children together).

One of the truly brilliant lawyers of his day, Jefferson drafted revolutionary documents, and founded them upon legal principles. He was a great political/legal theorist, who would override his own theories to benefit his country.

His interests and accomplishments were legion: designing a better plow, pushing for tax-supported public education, founding the University of Virginia, architecture, agriculture, English prosody, trade, etc., etc.

He challenged England's George III, worked closely with Franklin, Washington, Adams, Madison and Monroe, outmaneuvered and outlasted Napoleon, and on and on.

For the biographer, the bottom line is that any readable biography of Jefferson will be incomplete. One element of Randall's work worth appreciating is the very complete 32-page index. The better, more interesting biographies tend to focus on one or two aspects of Jefferson. So it may not be fair to criticize Randall for not covering all the bases. But it is fair to criticize something like his treatment of Jefferson's relationship with Sally Hemmings.

Many readers will want to dig into some of Jefferson's own writings. The Declaration of Independence reveals him as one of the great stylists of the English language; so reading him is a pleasure, and always informative. For someone who wants more than Randall has provided, but does not want to get bogged down, I'd recommend The Library of America's one volume selection, "Thomas Jefferson: Writings" or a similar collection which includes "A Summary View of the Rights of British America," his brief Autobiography, and, even though parts may not interest today's reader, "Notes on the State of Virginia."

A well-written and informative biography of Thomas Jefferson, much of Randall's focus is on Jefferson's early life. In many ways it's a superior biography because of it. The reader is exposed to the educational and early vocational world that shaped Jefferson's outlook.

Jefferson's study of law is interesting in itself. His own experience in the legal field is contrasted with other early founding fathers such as Patrick Henry who, also a lawyer, followed a different avenue towards the law which was more bombastic and less founded on legal realities. The early legal education is important because much of his later writings are extensions of ideas accepted within common law. Also important is his time as a real estate lawyer, which influenced heavily his concept of private property and speculation.

There is a lot to cover in a biography of Jefferson, his years as governor of Virginia, as ambassador to France, the building of Monticello, architect of the Declaration of Independence and founder of UVA. Randall does well with this overwhelming task. Jefferson left a large amount of writings in letters, journals, articles and books that should make a biographer's job easier, but in reality has had them scratching their heads attempting to read the nuances and subtleties of his beliefs.

"Thomas Jefferson: A Life" is a worthwhile, rewarding read and an excellent starting point for introduction into his fascinating life.

Thomas Jefferson: A Life by Willard Sterne Randall is well researched, documented and written in a easily read narative. Many things can be said about Thomas Jefferson, but boring he is not.

This book trys to encompass a long and rich life of one of the most prolific writer of letters of any early President of the United States. We have a very good book for the early years of Jefferson, but toward the ebbing years of his life, we are not provided with as much. But the author covers the bases well and we are not disappointed. We can feel the pain as Jefferson gets older and his health is in decline.

Trying to get everything involved with Jefferson in a single-volume is quite a feat. Again this author's scholarship is evident as the narative is quite good and he gives us Jefferson in the flesh.

This is an excellent book bringing out Jefferson's playful intellegence and his struggle to maintain balance of his powerful emotions.

I enjoyed reading this brilliant work... I hope you do as well.