Thomas Jefferson: The Biography
There was a time when Americans wholeheartedly revered Thomas Jefferson as perhaps the greatest of the Founding Fathers. At the time he was alive, though, he was a controversial figure. In recent years, controversies have resurfaced, mostly around the issue of slavery.
How can we reconcile Jefferson’s political ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all with his failure to release more than two slaves in his lifetime? What can we make of a man who supports abolition, but takes his slave for his mistress and never frees her?
As you read this book, you’ll find that Jefferson’s life was marked by contradictions. He claimed to prefer a simple life, but spent many years wrangling in the government. He claimed to be against central government, but was active in a variety of positions in the nation’s capital, including a two-term run as president.
Jefferson’s life, loves and careers show a truer story of his character than any words he might have said or written. Yet, his words in the Declaration of Independence helped form the central character of a nation.
Is a man of contradictions a hypocrite, or is he simply a man who hasn’t yet figured out what is truly right? Jefferson never fully embraced his ideals with his actions. Yet, if humans were immortal, his quest for learning along with his natural optimism would surely have brought him to the conclusion that all people everywhere are created equal and that ideas aren’t worthwhile without corresponding actions.
At the same time, although humans are not immortal, Jefferson’s ideas and words continue to impact world history now, over two hundred years later. Jefferson was a man of contradictions, yes. But he was also a man who influenced us all in our search for meaning as citizens of the world.
We are all imperfect, and Jefferson’s life proves that imperfect people can make powerful contributions. After reading this biography, you’ll understand and appreciate Jefferson’s legacy in a brand new way.
Thomas Jefferson: The Biography
There was a time when Americans wholeheartedly revered Thomas Jefferson as perhaps the greatest of the Founding Fathers. At the time he was alive, though, he was a controversial figure. In recent years, controversies have resurfaced, mostly around the issue of slavery.
How can we reconcile Jefferson’s political ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all with his failure to release more than two slaves in his lifetime? What can we make of a man who supports abolition, but takes his slave for his mistress and never frees her?
As you read this book, you’ll find that Jefferson’s life was marked by contradictions. He claimed to prefer a simple life, but spent many years wrangling in the government. He claimed to be against central government, but was active in a variety of positions in the nation’s capital, including a two-term run as president.
Jefferson’s life, loves and careers show a truer story of his character than any words he might have said or written. Yet, his words in the Declaration of Independence helped form the central character of a nation.
Is a man of contradictions a hypocrite, or is he simply a man who hasn’t yet figured out what is truly right? Jefferson never fully embraced his ideals with his actions. Yet, if humans were immortal, his quest for learning along with his natural optimism would surely have brought him to the conclusion that all people everywhere are created equal and that ideas aren’t worthwhile without corresponding actions.
At the same time, although humans are not immortal, Jefferson’s ideas and words continue to impact world history now, over two hundred years later. Jefferson was a man of contradictions, yes. But he was also a man who influenced us all in our search for meaning as citizens of the world.
We are all imperfect, and Jefferson’s life proves that imperfect people can make powerful contributions. After reading this biography, you’ll understand and appreciate Jefferson’s legacy in a brand new way.
Thomas Jefferson: The Biography
