Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power

This is a well written, fast moving biography of Thomas Jefferson. The chapters tend to be punchy and relatively brief (some as short as 5 or 6 pages long)' I once reviewed Ellis book, "American Sphinx," a biography of Thomas Jefferson. At one point I mentioned Ellis' perspective: "Thomas Jefferson, according to the author, was an American Sphinx. And, indeed, there is an elusive quality to Jefferson. As the biography outlines, he could be as vicious a political assassin as there was (e.g., his attacks on John Adams through others, while trying to keep his own hands `clean'), but he did not appear to want to accept or confront this in himself. Ellis characterizes Jefferson as (page 26) `. . .a flawed creature, a man who combined massive learning with extraordinary naïveté, piercing insights into others with daunting powers of self-deception, utter devotion to great principles with a highly indulged presumption that his own conduct was not answerable to them.'" In short, Ellis emphasized his elusiveness, his contradictions. It is a nuanced work, but there is a critical edge at points in this book. Jon Meacham's book has a different take on Jefferson. It has a more positive cast to it. One example suggests the difference in approaches. Ellis speaks of the time when President George Washington lamented to harsh attacks on him by a partisan newspaper, edited by Philip Freneau. Jefferson was a key actor in bringing the newspaper into existence. Indeed, Freneau was an employee of the State Department (which Jefferson headed). Ellis' take on this is critical, as he relates Washington's lament to Jefferson, while Jefferson revealed nothing of his own role in the newspaper. Ellis sees this as indicating a sort of dishonesty about Jefferson. Meacham sees it as an illustration of Jefferson's desire not to get caught up in unpleasantness, with which he felt uncomfortable. The book does a nice job outlining Jefferson's life, from birth to death. Meacham develops a portrayal of Jefferson that addresses his inconsistencies (his view on slavery and African-Americans is rather tortured). Jefferson is perceived as a pragmatist--not a mist eyed Romantic. Slavery is an example. He thought it an institution that would create problems in the future. He made a few efforts to address this, but withdrew and did not really take a firm stand thereafter when the political problems associated with his perceptions became obvious. The book analyzes some of Jefferson's problems in a sympathetic manner, such as his flight from the English forces while he was serving as Governor. It treats his economic policy against European countries more positively than Ellis. The book deals openly with Sally Hemings, a slave on his plantation who bore him several children. Well done is the past paced storyline of Jefferson. We move crisply through the various stages of life, from his early political career to his role at the Constitutional Convention (with his authorship of the Declaration of Independence as a major contribution), to Governor of Virginia to a diplomat living in Paris to service as Secretary of State under Washington to the vice presidency (serving with John Adams--who went from being a close ally to his bête noir) to the presidency and thereafter. The tale of the resumption of his friendship with John Adams is well told. We get a good sense of Meacham's take on Jefferson as a person. All in all, a very readable account of Jefferson that is accessible to the reader.

THOMAS JEFFERSON: THE ART OF POWER, by Jon Meacham is a great read, I enjoyed it Prologue through Epilogue. It is lively, interesting and insightful. I have read quite a lot on the Revolutionary Era, including several other biographies of Thomas Jefferson, and even so I learned a lot about Jefferson in the reading of this book. However, there are elements of the book with which I take exception. Mr. Meacham states in the Author's Notes that this biography is, in part, a reaction to recent biographies of both George Washington, John Adams and Alexander Hamilton which have revised opinions of these three men, especially Hamilton. He writes, "Then came nearly two decades of highly acclaimed biographies of John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington that understandably emphasized the virtues of their protagonist, often at Jefferson's expense"(pg. 507). He cites specifically Joseph J. Ellis's Passionate Sage: The Character and Legacy of John Adams , but I imagine he would also include in that list John Adams , by David McCullough and Ron Chernow's two most recents works: Washington: A Life and Alexander Hamilton (all of them highly readable, excellent biographies). Mr. Meacham does a good job--better than most--helping his reader understand that there was during the post-revolutionary period a real fear in certain quarters that the United States could revert to a monarchy. Not so well done in this book is separating over-heated political rhetoric from what Jefferson actually believed. The fact is, a man as unquestionably intelligent and savvy as Jefferson would have known the difference between hyperbolic political rhetoric-even his own-and reality. It is clear that by the end of Washington's second term Jefferson and the Republicans (largely whipped up by Jefferson and Madison) were frustrated and chaffing at the bit. Even then, I cannot accept, as Mr. Meacham seems to imply, that Jefferson put much store in all the monarchical conspiracy theories that had political currency at that time. On balance most historians seem to believe that it was Jefferson's actions and political maneuverings during the Washington administration which help ignite and escalate the overwrought, highly negative atmosphere that convulsed politics during Washington's second administration and beyond. However, Mr. Meacham does not see it that way. Rather he explains Jefferson's third-party maneuverings and obfuscations as a natural reaction to the situation in which he found himself and what, at his time, would have been expected of a man in his station. I did not completely accept this. Jefferson's relationship with Philip Ferneau and the National Gazette is not fully explored in this book and leaves the reader with the impression that Jefferson was only tangentially involved with the newspaper that regularly ravaged Washington and his administration. But at least Mr. Meacham does allude to the conection. What is a more egregious omission is any exploration of how duplicitous Jefferson (and especially Madison) became in dealing with Washington in his second administration. Although Washington knew and understood that he had political differences with the two men, he still considered them trustworthy confidants. He had no idea the degree to which, through indirect means, the two men were so actively working against him. Jefferson and Madison continued to allow themselves to be taken into Washington's confidence never once indicating that they were anything other that loyal friends. This I think is an essential part of Jefferson's character and should not be excluded from a biography of his life especially one whose stated thesis is to show how artful, skillful and subtle was his accumulation and use of power. The final difference I have with THOMAS JEFFERSON: THE ART OF POWER is the thesis that Mr. Meacham proposes at the beginning of the book and attempts to support throughout: that Jefferson's vision for American, which contrasted with Washington's and Hamilton's allowed him and his proteges to control the Presidency for 40 years with only one four year interruption by John Quincy Adams. It is, of course true enough that Madison, Monroe, Jackson and Van Buren were disciples of Jefferson. But Mr. Meacham's argument that Jefferson accomplished this feat by opposing and triumphing over the policies of Washington and Hamilton is not accurate. In fact, Mr. Meacham seems to believe that Jefferson was able to win the Presidency because, "He understood the country was open to--even eager for-- a government that seemed less intrusive and overbearing than the one Washington and Adams had created" (pg. 352). While it is true that Jefferson and his proteges could not wait for Washington to exit the stage, the country itself never gave that indication, not in the slightest degree. Had he run, Washington would have easily won a third term. Adams, of course, was defeated for reelection, but that was not a rejection by the voters of Washington. Adam's defeat was due more to yawning cleavage in the Federalist Party and the electoral advantage created by the 3/5 clause of the constitution giving a significant Electoral College advantage to states with large slave populations, than to any rejection of Washington, his policies or his style of governing. Moreover, what Jefferson did to consolidate his hold on power was adopted in deed, if not in word, the Hamiltonian idea that the country needed a stronger central government governed by a stronger executive. For all of Jefferson's concern over what he characterized as monarchical power grabs by Washington, Jefferson did more to increase the power of the President with the Louisiana Purchase than Washington did in his entire presidency. And that by no means was the only time Jefferson broadened and consolidated powers of the presidency. Where Washington had used restraint, Jefferson often resorted to expediency. Many such incidences are skillfully explored in this book. The inconstancy they pose to Jefferson's rhetoric are attributed by Mr. Meacham to "pragmatism." In reality, they were actions which if Washington or any other Federalist had engaged in would been haled as auguries of monarchism by the Jeffersonians. The part of this book I found most insightful and interesting is Mr. Meacham's discussion of the debt assumption crisis. I had always believed that Hamilton got the better of Jefferson in this bargain which both resolved the crisis created the debt incurred by the state during the Revolutionary War and sited the nation's capitol on the Potomac. However, Mr. Meacham does an excellent job of explaining all of the many and complicated subtleties, which seemed to be overlooked by other historians, which came in to play here. He argues persuasively how, even though Hamilton got what he wanted in the bargain, Jefferson also negotiated some meaningful concessions. The bargain struck between these two antagonists was actually much more balanced than I originally believed. Having pointed to a few differences with Mr. Meacham and his view of Thomas Jefferson, I very thoroughly enjoyed this book and will most likely read it again. It is beautifully written, meticulously researched and goes a long way to re-balance the modern image of Jefferson, reminding its readers the debt that is owed to the drafter of the Declaration of Independence and the Sage of Monticello.

Indeed, many sources contemporary with Jefferson call him a great man. Meacham, however, avoids writing a hagiography. Instead, he advances the thesis that Jefferson's genius was that he both sought great power and used it effectively. He does not gloss over Jefferson's failure as governor to protect Virginia from the Redcoats during the Revolution. Indeed, he was pursued into the mountains by the vicious Tarleton, a fictionalized version of whom appears in Mel Gibson's The Patriot. This, however, appears to be a momentary glitch against the entire sweep of Jefferson's career. Member of the colonial Virginia House of Burgesses, member of the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence for the Continental Congress, long-serving minister to France (leaving only upon the storming of the Bastille in July, 1789), amateur scientist, accomplished linguist and friend of the classics, and, finally, only the second two-term President of the United States. In that role, Jefferson cemented the nation's course. Contrary to the wishes of Adams, his predecessor, and other Federalists, the United States would not again become a part of the British Empire--much less being ruled by a king or queen. The 1800 election was thrown into the House of Representatives, as Jefferson sought to deny his former friend John Adams a second term. It was not until February, 1801, that the election was decided in Jefferson's favor. Incidentally, Meacham chooses to open the book with a depiction of this fateful day before flashing back to Jefferson's origins as a son of privilege among Virginia planters. During those two terms, Jefferson presided over the Louisiana Purchase, pivotal to the new nation's future development. He managed to avoid war with England (it wouldn't come until 1812, when his protege James Monroe was president), even though the British insisted on boarding American ships in search of deserters from their own and occasionally impressing American citizens into the British Navy. Jefferson also dealt with a long-running battle against the Barbary Pirates, who raided commerce along the North African coast. Through it all, Jefferson worried constantly about the nation's viability. Even after he left the White House for his beloved Monticello, it was never far from his mind, As his own death approached, in 1826, he watched the ascendancy of Andrew Jackson with alarm. The backwoodsman from Tennessee seemed to him unsuited for leading the nation. Herein lies the contradiction of Jefferson's life. While advocating democracy with ever ounce of his considerable power, he was never far removed from his elitist origins. Jefferson may not have found royalty inviting, but he certainly believed that some men were created more equal than others. More equal than women, for instance. Bearing multiple children in just a few years led to his wife's death at a young age. Jefferson freely sought the bed of his slave, Sally Hemings, while all the time refusing to acknowledge the children she bore him. More equal than people of color: Jefferson was opposed to slavery in principle, but he could never bring himself to emancipate his own slaves or try to resolve the enormous contradiction from the founding of the Republic that would lead to civil war forty-five years after his death. One wonders what Jefferson would have thought of Abraham Lincoln, another westerner who faced down the issue Jefferson's generation ducked. Meacham kept me reading, sometimes until late hours, a narrative that both enthralls and educates. Under his pen, Jefferson lives and so do most of those with whom he came into contact. Meacham quotes freely from contemporary writings, but even their archaic language seems to soar and draw the mind to a different age. If the book has a flaw, it lies in the relatively sketchy way Meacham handles Jefferson's years in the President's House. One sometimes yearns for more details about, say, Lewis and Clark's Voyage of Discovery. For all of this, the hours required to delve into TJ:TAP will be rewarded with a deeper understanding of a formative character in our nation's origins and development. One will also be lifted up by the skillful use of language and the honesty of the author's approach.

There are any number of good biographies of Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826). Some authors such as Appleby and Hitchins have written short books; others, such as Dumas Malone with his magisterial 6-volume study, have contributed much longer volumes. Jon Meacham's much acclaimed bio runs around 700 pages, but it is unique in several aspects. First, Meacham has chosen not to try and cover everything in detail as Malone did so well. Rather, he rather skims along on TJ's life, occasionally analyzing some aspects in detail, but more generally just giving us a general overview of the events in Jefferson's life. However, this does not mean the volume lacks "meat" and substance, because of a second decision by Meacham. Much of the detailed information is situated in the 174 pages of end notes. As the title of this review indicates, I believe it absolutely essential to read the notes to each chapter if you really want to benefit from the book. The best method is to read a chapter, then read the corresponding notes to that chapter. The notes are simply a treasure house of important information and add vital context to the general discussion in the text. It takes some time, but the effort is well worth it in dividends. A third important decision by Meacham is periodically to offer some insights into what made Jefferson "tick," but not to make this one of those psychological bios where such concerns are a major focus. So, Meacham offers theories about TJ's views on slavery and why he got so deeply into debt, and does so concisely. He sees the primary motivating factor in TJ's makeup being a desire for power, control and command. In short, Meacham offers some perceptive insights into Jefferson and "the art of power." Particularly interesting I found his remarks about how TJ liked to stay in the background and like a puppeteer pull the strings. The book proceeds chronologically and is divided into 9 chapter groupings. While his discussion of the Declaration of Independence is quite compact, unlike most studies Meacham devotes significant attention to TJ's service as the first Secretary of State. It is during this period that Jefferson becomes edgy with Federalist power, including individuals such as Adams, Hamilton, and even Washington. As Meacham notes, TJ feared "rule by priests, nobles and kings." His chapters on Jefferson as VP are likewise more detailed and perceptive. By contrast, the chapters on the TJ presidency are somewhat sketchy, but do well illustrate Meacham's views about the Jeffersonian use of power. Finally, the chapter on Jefferson in retirement, a period I find most interesting for understanding the man and his further contributions, such as the University of Virginia, is quite well done. As the notes indicate, the author has done a tremendous job of research, relying particularly on Jefferson's papers (including the Retirement Series), manuscripts, and published sources. There are several sections of illustrations, including one entirely in color with portraits of the leading actors. Yet, the book does not strike the reader as being "academic" in the usual sense, probably because the notes are separate and the writing is so effective and engrossing. I am tempted to say that if you can read only one book on Jefferson, this is that book. But experienced students of our sometimes perplexing third president will gain amply from the book as well.

as a student of early America I've read many a Jefferson biography in my day, from 19th century hagiographies to the dullest textbooks to modern criticisms, and this one blew me away—that's hard to do. trust me, I don't praise biographies lightly. many biographies (especially of the Founding Fathers—those controversial men!) either worship or rail against the subject, smack of presentism, prioritize engaging the reader at the expense of accuracy and end up with something more like a historically-inspired novel, or risk a dull read by conveying perfectly accurate knowledge with the most "meh" prose. Meacham avoids not only one or two, but all of the above, which I can say for a fact is quite uncommon and genuinely deserving of praise. somewhere between a meticulous psychological profile and a gripping biography of a long and eventful life, Meacham introduces you to Jefferson the man, while immersing you in his life in times in a wonderfully vivid manner. I couldn't put it down, honestly. what really struck me was his ability to reconcile (or at least hypothesize reconciliation for but, hey, I'm convinced) the basis of Jefferson's contradictions with the most elegant approach I've ever read. research, scholarship, and genuinely fine analysis synthesize here to make a biography for the ages. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an introduction to Jefferson, but do not think that means it lacks rigor. as someone who thought I knew everything there was to know about Jefferson, Meacham still has absolutely fascinating points to make. honest without vilification, sweeping without disorganization and rigorous without being inaccessible, Meacham has truly outdone himself with this biography. bravo! p.s.: if it matters to the reader of this review as well, I wouldn't say this biography has political biases. of course, some enjoy that (different strokes for different folks!), but if you don't, no need to worry of that here—I read this about a month ago, but I don't recall anything particularly partisan. credit was readily given where credit was due to Jefferson, yet there was no shying away from the man's flaws and contradictions. I think both Jefferson sympathizers and Jefferson critics would find that it's incredibly fair. I am neither Democrat nor Republican, and I enjoyed it

I only got this book today, but already I'm enjoying it quite a bit. It's a very detailed and interesting look at one of the most important figures in our great nation's history. I always admired Jefferson because of his accomplishments, but I never really read the story of his life. Now that I have this book I'm really looking forward to finishing it. The only problem that I have is the book didn't exactly arrive in the best condition. There was a wrinkle in the cover. (I ordered the paperback) and the whole book is slightly bent as though the package itself was under something heavy. I'm not angry enough to want to go through the hassle of returning it, but it's still frustrating that I paid full-price for something that didn't arrive in the best condition.

A friend of mine, who at the time was deputy commissioner of a state agency in Georgia, had a very large portrait of Jefferson hanging on the wall outside his office. Each occasion I had to visit his office found me in the anteroom taking in the painting. On one such occasion, he stepped out to hand something to his secretary and smirked at my obvious admiration of both the painting and the man. "Like that?" he asked, as he nodded toward the painting. "Definitely," I replied. "A damn kook," he said. "You want the painting you can have it." I didn't take it, but our exchange pretty much defines feelings toward Jefferson in these United States, even after two centuries. Jefferson stood at the epicenter of a social and political revolution that now defines our world, and such people will invariably draw polarized reactions to anything they do. Jon Meacham knows that. Even so, what Meacham does in this book is to portray the many complexities of Thomas Jefferson and how those traits were brought to bear on the changing world of the eighteenth century. Meacham's portrayal of Jefferson is one of a confident man, a visionary thinker in many realms - politics, religion, science, and philosophy, to name the most obvious. But Meacham goes to pains to point out that Jefferson didn't live in the clouds; over and over, Jefferson himself proclaimed that an idea was simply an idea unless one had the ability to implement it. Toward that end, Meacham's Jefferson knew how to articulate ideas, particularly in writing (he was a less-than-imposing public speaker), and he knew every trick of political power of that time. He made many mistakes in exercising power, but he learned from them. Beyond politics, he designed his Monticello home and devised many inventions within it. He spoke and read a number of languages. He carried on friendly correspondences with a number of prominent people, both in the newly founded United States, and in Europe. He lost his cherished wife early in his life, and following his period of grief, he apparently carried on a number of liaisons, both here and abroad. He cherished his friends and family, but paid little apparent attention to the multi-racial children he sired with Sally Hemings. He was a life long friend of John Adams, but for a while their politics made them adversaries. And he constantly feared that the European urge to monarchy would poison the new republic he helped form. It would be easy in writing of this era to be seduced by events, to leave Jefferson as a supporting character to history. But Meacham resists this. Instead, he stays close to Jefferson the man, the friend, the father, the politician. As such, many readers will likely feel cheated by this book, as many of the events of the Jeffersonian era are given only passing note. Early in the book Meacham repeats himself in places, which always unsettles me a bit. But his prose is elegant, his portrayal of Jefferson fair and, I think, honest. It's a book worthy of the man he portrays, and I believe it's a significant addition to the many books already written about Jefferson. My rating: 18 of 20 stars

This is a very good biography of Thomas Jefferson. It is engaging, well written and refreshingly candid about Jefferson's relationship with Sally Hemings. But I must say that I was quite disappointed that the author ignored a very important aspect of Thomas Jefferson's character: his duplicity. Though Jon Meacham does explain how journalist James Callender reported Jefferson's illicit relationship with his slave, Sally Hemings, Meacham completely ignores the fact that Jefferson paid Callender to libel John Adams while Adams was president and Jefferson was vice-president. This act destroyed a friendship that had flourished since Adams and Jefferson had served together in the Continental Congress back in 1776. Jefferson basically stuck a knife in his friend's back so that Jefferson's chances of winning the presidency in 1800 would be improved. Since Meacham's overall thesis was that Jefferson pursued power, one would think he would include this side of Jefferson's character. Jefferson was willing to bash a friend to gain power. Joseph J Ellis, in his biography of Jefferson, AMERICAN SPHINX, brings out the whole tale. Ellis tells us that Callender's libelous accusations against Adams were "in fact, subsidized and approved" by Jefferson. When Jefferson became president, he did not give Callender a position he wanted, postmaster in Richmond, Virginia. As a result, Callender distributed Jefferson's letters to the Federalist newspapers. "I thank you for the proof-sheets you enclosed me," Jefferson had written to Callender, "such papers cannot fail to produce the best effect." Callender had written that John Adams was mentally deranged, that he intended to have himself crowned as an American monarch, and that he planned to appoint his son John Quincy as his successor to the presidency, all of which was patently untrue. Abigail Adams, who had also been close to Jefferson, wrote to him to explain "what has severed the bonds of former friendship . . ." During the Election of 1800, Jefferson was guilty of "the blackest calumny and foulest falsehoods." Jefferson wrote Abigail back and claimed he would never be involved with such "dirty work." "This," says Ellis, "was a lie." Ellis says, "When confronted with the charge that, despite his position as vice-president, he had paid Callender to write diatribes against the president, Jefferson claimed to know nothing about it. Callender subsequently published Jefferson's incriminating letters, proving his complicity, and Jefferson seemed genuinely surprised at the revelation, suggesting that for him the deepest secrets were not the ones he kept from his enemies but the ones he kept from himself." Adams perhaps should have learned from George Washington about Jefferson's tendency to back-stab, because Jefferson had also paid Callender to attack that venerable figure in print. One of the criticisms of Meacham's biography of Andrew Jackson was that he was too kind to Jackson and overlooked many of Old Hickory's faults. There is a similar weakness in Meacham's biography of Jefferson. He seems to want to present the third president in a more positive light. But isn't the job of the biographer to find the truth? That Meacham completely ignores this revealing episode in Jefferson's life is a major flaw in an otherwise enjoyable biography.

Great read, very interesting read. Originally read about Lincoln, then George Washington, Ulysses Grant. With Washington and Jefferson being political friends and foes, it made sense to read Jefferson’s story. Worth reading, would highly recommend it to history buffs.

I know the book has been widely praised for its style and scholarship and rightfully so. I personally found myself sensitive to the following two elements. The author provides us with a keen sense of the importance of this presidency in shaping the future course of American history. Its not entirely the great man theory but Jefferson attracted a significant following which enabled the politics of optimistic democracy American style. Secondly this book brings back to life the manners and mores of an exciting moment in history, the early days of the American republic. A wonderful book not just for history buffs

Great picture of Jefferson!

Really good

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