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In Pursuit of Reason: The Life of Thomas Jefferson Paperback – May 12, 1988
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The authoritative single-volume biography of Thomas Jefferson, perhaps the most significant figure in American history. He was a complex and compelling man: a fervent advocate of democracy who enjoyed the life of a southern aristocrat and owned slaves, a revolutionary who became president, a believer in states' rights who did much to further the power of the federal government. Drawing on the recent explosion of Jeffersonian scholarship and fresh readings of original sources, IN PURSUIT OF REASON is a monument to Jefferson that will endure for generations.
- Print length432 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherBallantine Books
- Publication dateMay 12, 1988
- Dimensions6.13 x 0.93 x 9.22 inches
- ISBN-100345353803
- ISBN-13978-0345353801
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From Publishers Weekly
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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The authoritative single-volume biography of Thomas Jefferson, perhaps the most significant figure in American history. He was a complex and compelling man: a fervent advocate of democracy who enjoyed the life of a southern aristocrat and owned slaves, a revolutionary who became president, a believer in states' rights who did much to further the power of the federal government. Drawing on the recent explosion of Jeffersonian scholarship and fresh readings of original sources, IN PURSUIT OF REASON is a monument to Jefferson that will endure for generations.
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Product details
- Publisher : Ballantine Books; Reissue edition (May 12, 1988)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 432 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0345353803
- ISBN-13 : 978-0345353801
- Item Weight : 1.07 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.13 x 0.93 x 9.22 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #3,125,607 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,528 in American Revolution Biographies (Books)
- #4,696 in U.S. Colonial Period History
- #5,940 in US Presidents
- Customer Reviews:
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As to be expected, the narrative favors Jefferson's position on the various controversies that he faced, most centrally his conflicts with Alexander Hamilton. However, Professor Cunningham does not go overboard and this certainly not a Jeffersonian hagiography (i.e., Jefferson portrayed as a saint). Personally, I tend to favor Hamilton's position on most matters, but this book, while not converting me, made me consider Jefferson's position in a more favorable light. I think that I now have a better understanding of what Jefferson did and perhaps an idea of why, but Jefferson still remains somewhat of a mystery to me. While rational to the extreme, the book shows that Jefferson had a blind spot regarding slavery and his actions often ran counter to his ideas of freedom and a strict interpretation of the US constitution.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants a straightforward, relatively short Jefferson biography. Having only 350 pages of text, this is not an in-depth or exhaustive study, but I believe that it hits all of the aspects of Jefferson's life. I am giving it four stars, rather than 5 because while I liked the book, I found it somewhat dry, and I definitely do not feel that it comes up to the level of the 5-star biographies of Hamilton and Washington by Ron Chernow or the biography of John Adams by David McCullough, but few books do.

