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Jefferson and His Time #6
The Sage of Monticello (Volume 6)
The Sage of Monticello is the sixth and final volume of Dumas Malone's epic masterwork, Jefferson and His Time, a biography begun in 1943 and awarded the Pulitzer Prize in history in 1975. More wide ranging than the preceding volumes, The Sage of Monticello brilliantly recounts the accomplishments, friendships, and family difficulties of Jefferson's last seventeen yearsincluding his retirement from the presidency, his personal tribulations, and his major role in the founding of the Library of Congress and the University of Virginia. This is a fitting final chapter in the life of one of America's greatest men.
551 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
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About the author
Dumas Malone
158 books29 followersDumas Malone, 1892–1986, spent thirty-eight years researching and writing Jefferson and His Time. In 1975 he received the Pulitzer Prize in history for the first five volumes. From 1923 to 1929 he taught at the University of Virginia; he left there to join the Dictionary of American Biography, bringing that work to completion as editor-in-chief. Subsequently, he served for seven years as director of the Harvard University Press. After serving on the faculties of Yale and Columbia, Malone retired to the University of Virginia in 1959 as the Jefferson Foundation Professor of History, a position he held until his retirement in 1962. He remained at the university as biographer-in-residence and finished his Jefferson biography at the University of Virginia, where it was begun.
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May 13, 2018
The final volume covering the long life of Thomas Jefferson, with this one being solely devoted to his years in retirement at his mountaintop home, Monticello. Jefferson lived for seventeen years after leaving the presidency. Dying at age 83, he lived much longer than the average life expectancy of that time period. Dumas Malone, as is his custom, covers it all in painstaking detail, sifting through various aspects of Jefferson's time as a sage and icon in the young country. As was the case with the two volumes covering Jefferson's presidential years, Malone chooses a topic-based theme to his chapters more so than a chronological one.
Malone, as is no surprise to any readers of this series, remains strongly pro-Jefferson, constantly referring to him as an “enlightened gentleman”, etc... whenever possible. While not afraid to offer some lukewarm criticism of Jefferson here and there, it is quite diluted and does not nearly equal the amount of superlative praise that Malone continuously dishes out. One might think that, after five books, I would have gotten used to this. I suppose on one level I did, but I never ceased to find it annoying. Despite Malone's favorable treatment, I come away with a distinctly negative opinion of Jefferson. And it is not really due to any of his policies (most Presidents have some good ideas mixed in with some clunkers), but more because of Jefferson's duplicity and his behind-the-scenes maneuvering that characterizes his entire public career. Malone, while acknowledging that Jefferson's operating style was that way, does not criticize him for it. In Jefferson's battles with John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, and others, Jefferson's views are always the right ones, according to Malone. While the others may have some points, it is usually Jefferson who is the one with the best intentions and most empathy towards others.
The story of Jefferson selling his impressive collection of books to the Library of Congress is quite interesting. The British burned the Capitol and the Executive Mansion during the War of 1812. Virtually all of Congress' books were destroyed. Meanwhile, as was the case for most of his life and for all of his retirement, Jefferson was struggling to pay off his many debts. He was cash-poor and land-rich. He devised a plan to sell his library (which was considerably better than what Congress had prior to the British arson) in exchange for paying off a good chunk of his debts. Looking at it now, Congress really got the better end of the bargain as Jefferson's collection of books seemed to be worth more than what he was willing to take for them. And in an ironic twist, as soon as the books were shipped off to Washington, Jefferson began creating a new library, thus adding further debts to his name.
Much of the second half of the book revolves around Jefferson's involvement in the founding of the University of Virginia. While this certainly was one of the things that Jefferson was most proud of, and thus it deserves considerable coverage from Malone, once again he just overdoes it. At one point he starts writing about which professors lived in which areas on the campus, and who accepted appointments to teach and who didn't. Malone gets bogged down in minutiae and, at least for me, the narrative once again began to drag. After completing this series, I really do not understand why Malone had to go to such excessive detail about basically everything that Jefferson touched through his life.
Throughout all six of these books, one thing seems to be missing to me: Jefferson's actual personality. For all of the laudatory writing that Malone does, I am still somewhat at a loss to peg what Jefferson's sense of humor was like, or if he even had one. Is this the fault of Malone? Or is it due to the many complicated shades of his subject? Or perhaps both? I get that he was a caring grandfather, and that he tried to help his friends out, and that he supposedly treated his slaves well (that is an oxymoron just writing that last part; I am glad that he did not abuse those unfortunate souls – but I remain disgusted that he felt no moral or ethical quandary about owning other human beings, or, if he did, it wasn't strong enough to free them). But I still wonder just what it was like to have been around the man.
While this series overall certainly has relevance for anyone interested in Jefferson or the American Revolution, the amount of time it takes to get through all of these books is rather intimidating. Unless you are specifically looking to learn everything that you can possibly know about Jefferson, I cannot recommend Malone's works, despite their excellent scholarship.
Grade: C-
Malone, as is no surprise to any readers of this series, remains strongly pro-Jefferson, constantly referring to him as an “enlightened gentleman”, etc... whenever possible. While not afraid to offer some lukewarm criticism of Jefferson here and there, it is quite diluted and does not nearly equal the amount of superlative praise that Malone continuously dishes out. One might think that, after five books, I would have gotten used to this. I suppose on one level I did, but I never ceased to find it annoying. Despite Malone's favorable treatment, I come away with a distinctly negative opinion of Jefferson. And it is not really due to any of his policies (most Presidents have some good ideas mixed in with some clunkers), but more because of Jefferson's duplicity and his behind-the-scenes maneuvering that characterizes his entire public career. Malone, while acknowledging that Jefferson's operating style was that way, does not criticize him for it. In Jefferson's battles with John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, and others, Jefferson's views are always the right ones, according to Malone. While the others may have some points, it is usually Jefferson who is the one with the best intentions and most empathy towards others.
The story of Jefferson selling his impressive collection of books to the Library of Congress is quite interesting. The British burned the Capitol and the Executive Mansion during the War of 1812. Virtually all of Congress' books were destroyed. Meanwhile, as was the case for most of his life and for all of his retirement, Jefferson was struggling to pay off his many debts. He was cash-poor and land-rich. He devised a plan to sell his library (which was considerably better than what Congress had prior to the British arson) in exchange for paying off a good chunk of his debts. Looking at it now, Congress really got the better end of the bargain as Jefferson's collection of books seemed to be worth more than what he was willing to take for them. And in an ironic twist, as soon as the books were shipped off to Washington, Jefferson began creating a new library, thus adding further debts to his name.
Much of the second half of the book revolves around Jefferson's involvement in the founding of the University of Virginia. While this certainly was one of the things that Jefferson was most proud of, and thus it deserves considerable coverage from Malone, once again he just overdoes it. At one point he starts writing about which professors lived in which areas on the campus, and who accepted appointments to teach and who didn't. Malone gets bogged down in minutiae and, at least for me, the narrative once again began to drag. After completing this series, I really do not understand why Malone had to go to such excessive detail about basically everything that Jefferson touched through his life.
Throughout all six of these books, one thing seems to be missing to me: Jefferson's actual personality. For all of the laudatory writing that Malone does, I am still somewhat at a loss to peg what Jefferson's sense of humor was like, or if he even had one. Is this the fault of Malone? Or is it due to the many complicated shades of his subject? Or perhaps both? I get that he was a caring grandfather, and that he tried to help his friends out, and that he supposedly treated his slaves well (that is an oxymoron just writing that last part; I am glad that he did not abuse those unfortunate souls – but I remain disgusted that he felt no moral or ethical quandary about owning other human beings, or, if he did, it wasn't strong enough to free them). But I still wonder just what it was like to have been around the man.
While this series overall certainly has relevance for anyone interested in Jefferson or the American Revolution, the amount of time it takes to get through all of these books is rather intimidating. Unless you are specifically looking to learn everything that you can possibly know about Jefferson, I cannot recommend Malone's works, despite their excellent scholarship.
Grade: C-
December 6, 2013
http://bestpresidentialbios.com/2013/...
“Jefferson and His Time: The Sage of Monticello” is the sixth and final volume in Dumas Malone’s groundbreaking biographical account of Thomas Jefferson’s life. This volume marks the apex of the series and the end of nearly four decades of work by Malone. Just more than a year after its publication, in recognition of his vast contribution, Malone received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Covering Jefferson’s life from the end of his second presidential term to his death, this volume surveys the final seventeen years of one of our most revered but enigmatic presidents. After a difficult last term in public office, Jefferson returned to his beloved Monticello in 1809 undoubtedly seeking a peaceful retirement. But while his twilight years proved more numerous than might have been expected, they were also more painful – particularly in terms of his ongoing health and personal financial situation.
Consistent with earlier volumes, Malone’s writing becomes aggressively detailed at times and the pace lurches back and forth between intensely slow and well-paced. Nonetheless, this was the easiest of the six volumes to read and was by far the most enjoyable. One can almost sense Malone’s relief at the series drawing to a close, but also the author’s gratitude to Jefferson for providing such a rich and complex history to digest, analyze, reconcile and chronicle.
The chapters concerning the sale of Jefferson’s personal library to Congress, his personal financial situation (which was surprisingly poor) and his renewed friendship and extensive correspondence with John Adams were highlights. On the latter front, however, I was surprised to find the story somewhat underplayed, particularly given how much of interest is revealed in the letters these two former presidents exchanged in their last years of life. (I’m also surprised given Malone’s propensity for never missing an opportunity to describe in several chapters what might be more concisely written in a few pages.)
Most strenuous of the chapters were those relating to the War of 1812 and his initial efforts to create a common vision – and ongoing funding – for what is now the University of Virginia. Both of these topics were presented with so much detail that they eventually became difficult to follow. We learn nothing more of the Sally Hemings controversy that seems to preoccupy contemporary Jefferson scholarship, and Malone skirts past the seeming inconsistencies in Jefferson’s public and private positions on slavery.
Nonetheless, Dumas Malone clearly saved his best work for last, and of all six volumes in this series, this final volume is also perhaps the one best-suited to be read on a standalone basis. Though Malone never evolves into the storyteller we seem to expect of modern-day presidential biographers, he has without a doubt chiseled from primeval stone a great work – laboriously, meticulously and with inordinate care. Although this is just the first of several Jefferson-oriented biographies I plan to read, it is hard to imagine finding more rigorous scholarship in any other work on Jefferson, or more commitment on the part of any author.
Overall rating: 4 stars
“Jefferson and His Time: The Sage of Monticello” is the sixth and final volume in Dumas Malone’s groundbreaking biographical account of Thomas Jefferson’s life. This volume marks the apex of the series and the end of nearly four decades of work by Malone. Just more than a year after its publication, in recognition of his vast contribution, Malone received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Covering Jefferson’s life from the end of his second presidential term to his death, this volume surveys the final seventeen years of one of our most revered but enigmatic presidents. After a difficult last term in public office, Jefferson returned to his beloved Monticello in 1809 undoubtedly seeking a peaceful retirement. But while his twilight years proved more numerous than might have been expected, they were also more painful – particularly in terms of his ongoing health and personal financial situation.
Consistent with earlier volumes, Malone’s writing becomes aggressively detailed at times and the pace lurches back and forth between intensely slow and well-paced. Nonetheless, this was the easiest of the six volumes to read and was by far the most enjoyable. One can almost sense Malone’s relief at the series drawing to a close, but also the author’s gratitude to Jefferson for providing such a rich and complex history to digest, analyze, reconcile and chronicle.
The chapters concerning the sale of Jefferson’s personal library to Congress, his personal financial situation (which was surprisingly poor) and his renewed friendship and extensive correspondence with John Adams were highlights. On the latter front, however, I was surprised to find the story somewhat underplayed, particularly given how much of interest is revealed in the letters these two former presidents exchanged in their last years of life. (I’m also surprised given Malone’s propensity for never missing an opportunity to describe in several chapters what might be more concisely written in a few pages.)
Most strenuous of the chapters were those relating to the War of 1812 and his initial efforts to create a common vision – and ongoing funding – for what is now the University of Virginia. Both of these topics were presented with so much detail that they eventually became difficult to follow. We learn nothing more of the Sally Hemings controversy that seems to preoccupy contemporary Jefferson scholarship, and Malone skirts past the seeming inconsistencies in Jefferson’s public and private positions on slavery.
Nonetheless, Dumas Malone clearly saved his best work for last, and of all six volumes in this series, this final volume is also perhaps the one best-suited to be read on a standalone basis. Though Malone never evolves into the storyteller we seem to expect of modern-day presidential biographers, he has without a doubt chiseled from primeval stone a great work – laboriously, meticulously and with inordinate care. Although this is just the first of several Jefferson-oriented biographies I plan to read, it is hard to imagine finding more rigorous scholarship in any other work on Jefferson, or more commitment on the part of any author.
Overall rating: 4 stars
October 25, 2019
We know how all biographies end.
July 11, 2024
Update later
November 26, 2015
The final volume of Malone's six-volume biography of Thomas Jefferson. Amazingly, Jefferson did enough in his life to fill six volumes without making any feel padded. This final volume begins when Jefferson left office as President; even in retirement, Jefferson did enough to fill an engrossing volume.
December 9, 2017
The Sage of Monticello is the final entry in Dumas Malone's six part study of Thomas Jefferson's life and times. This work earned the Pulitzer Prize for History in the 1970s, and readers would be hard-pressed to find a more in-depth study of this man's existence.
This book deals with two aspects of Jefferson's post-presidential retirement years above the rest: the twists and turns of his founding of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, and his struggles with payment of debts until (and beyond) the time of his death. The latter aspect of his retirement, one which was also present in the life of James Monroe, was the degree to which even former presidents often struggled financially despite (or perhaps because of) decades of service to their nation. Jefferson still owed over $100,000 (in 1826 dollars) upon his death, and seemed to be constantly shifting around assets in order to cover interest and upcoming dues. Desperate for funds to sustain his offspring, he even resorted to creating a lottery to allow the general public to auction off his assets during the final year of his life.
Nearly as surprising was the struggle he went through creating the University of Virginia. He had to overcome a resistant Virginia House of Delegates, a public (even in his home state) which viewed his liberal religious views with skepticism, and the difficulty of finding educated faculty and students to run and attend the school. Years went by that were constituted by bickering over procuring the funds to construct and sustain the university. The deplorable behavior of some of the students during several on-campus riots after its founding made his life even more difficult.
Although he took a step back from the national affairs stage after retirement, Jefferson overcame his lack of enthusiasm for John Adams the public figure in order to establish a letter-writing friendship with the second president during their elderly years. He also offered occasional comments on such events as the Missouri Compromise of 1820 (a "firebell in the night" when it came to the division over slave and free states) as well as the 1824 presidential election in which John Adams's son was elected to his one and only term.
Jefferson remained torn over slavery: he wanted to see it ended, but feared that both the white public was not prepared for such a movement and that many slaves would have had difficult supporting themselves without a major investment in education to help bring them into freedom. He did view slavery as an obviously degrading, regrettable system; the third president also could sense the sectional divisions beginning to form over the issue. Thankfully for him, he would expire thirty-five years before his greatest fears came true.
The death of Jefferson around noon on July 4th, 1826, comes nearly fifty years to the minute after the Declaration of Independence's signing. His (in later life) good friend and confidant John Adams passed away on the same day, a fitting end to two men who devoted much of their lifetimes to the cause of liberty and the Union.
Kudos to historian Dumas Malone for devoting three thousand pages to recording the fascinating existence of a man whose exploits are hard to capture in even six volumes.
-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado
This book deals with two aspects of Jefferson's post-presidential retirement years above the rest: the twists and turns of his founding of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, and his struggles with payment of debts until (and beyond) the time of his death. The latter aspect of his retirement, one which was also present in the life of James Monroe, was the degree to which even former presidents often struggled financially despite (or perhaps because of) decades of service to their nation. Jefferson still owed over $100,000 (in 1826 dollars) upon his death, and seemed to be constantly shifting around assets in order to cover interest and upcoming dues. Desperate for funds to sustain his offspring, he even resorted to creating a lottery to allow the general public to auction off his assets during the final year of his life.
Nearly as surprising was the struggle he went through creating the University of Virginia. He had to overcome a resistant Virginia House of Delegates, a public (even in his home state) which viewed his liberal religious views with skepticism, and the difficulty of finding educated faculty and students to run and attend the school. Years went by that were constituted by bickering over procuring the funds to construct and sustain the university. The deplorable behavior of some of the students during several on-campus riots after its founding made his life even more difficult.
Although he took a step back from the national affairs stage after retirement, Jefferson overcame his lack of enthusiasm for John Adams the public figure in order to establish a letter-writing friendship with the second president during their elderly years. He also offered occasional comments on such events as the Missouri Compromise of 1820 (a "firebell in the night" when it came to the division over slave and free states) as well as the 1824 presidential election in which John Adams's son was elected to his one and only term.
Jefferson remained torn over slavery: he wanted to see it ended, but feared that both the white public was not prepared for such a movement and that many slaves would have had difficult supporting themselves without a major investment in education to help bring them into freedom. He did view slavery as an obviously degrading, regrettable system; the third president also could sense the sectional divisions beginning to form over the issue. Thankfully for him, he would expire thirty-five years before his greatest fears came true.
The death of Jefferson around noon on July 4th, 1826, comes nearly fifty years to the minute after the Declaration of Independence's signing. His (in later life) good friend and confidant John Adams passed away on the same day, a fitting end to two men who devoted much of their lifetimes to the cause of liberty and the Union.
Kudos to historian Dumas Malone for devoting three thousand pages to recording the fascinating existence of a man whose exploits are hard to capture in even six volumes.
-Andrew Canfield Denver, Colorado
March 27, 2021
This is the last of six volumes and I rate it 3.75 and the whole bio at 4.5. It is not for the casual history reader as it is 3069 pages total , took the author 28 years to finish, and at times it felt about that long for me to read it. But it was worth the effort. It is magnificent.
TJ was the most fascinating of our founders: a polymath, bibliophile, and an exquisite writer who left a treasure trove of private letters, account books, public papers, and essays for posterity.
He was also a man of contradictions: a strict Constitutionalist who approved the Louisiana Purchase before getting Congress funding; a scrupulous manager of the public debt who could not manage his own finances and left an estate encumbered with debt at his death; and of course he was the strongest advocate for individual freedom and liberty but owned slaves and only freed a couple in his will.
Malone offers the proper explanation for TJ’s slavery paradox when he says:”TJ decided to not be a martyr.” His final paragraph on page 3069 captures this eloquently:” In these pages TJ has been viewed in his own time and circumstances. He was limited by these and he made concessions to the society in which he lived. He perceived eternal values and supported timeless causes. Thus he became one of the most notable champions of freedom and enlightenment in recorded history.”
Is this the kind of person who should be canceled in 2021 by CRT and the cancel culture?
TJ was the most fascinating of our founders: a polymath, bibliophile, and an exquisite writer who left a treasure trove of private letters, account books, public papers, and essays for posterity.
He was also a man of contradictions: a strict Constitutionalist who approved the Louisiana Purchase before getting Congress funding; a scrupulous manager of the public debt who could not manage his own finances and left an estate encumbered with debt at his death; and of course he was the strongest advocate for individual freedom and liberty but owned slaves and only freed a couple in his will.
Malone offers the proper explanation for TJ’s slavery paradox when he says:”TJ decided to not be a martyr.” His final paragraph on page 3069 captures this eloquently:” In these pages TJ has been viewed in his own time and circumstances. He was limited by these and he made concessions to the society in which he lived. He perceived eternal values and supported timeless causes. Thus he became one of the most notable champions of freedom and enlightenment in recorded history.”
Is this the kind of person who should be canceled in 2021 by CRT and the cancel culture?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 19, 2024
The final volume of Malone's biography of Thomas Jefferson, this volume covers the final years of Jefferson's life after he completed his second term as president. As with the other volumes, this is organized more by topic than by timeline. Major emphasis is given to his family, his finances, and the major role he played in the University of Virginia's founding. I liked this volume as much as any of the others. I think the time span — 17 years — helped to reduce some of the minutia compared to the other volumes.
***
Well, it's taken over 5 years, but I finally finished all six volumes of Jefferson and His Time. What can I say? This is not for beginners. If I had to do it again, I would read a one-volume bio of Jefferson before reading this one. It's very dry and the level of detail can be overwhelming. At times, it borders on the hagiographic. I can't tell if the blind spot around Sally Hemmings is willful or unfortunate. On the other hand, it is very well researched with excellent notes. Malone clearly knows his subject as much as anyone else and does a fine job of placing him within the context of his time.
If you're looking for an authoritative biography of Thomas Jefferson, this is it. If you're looking for a fun read, look elsewhere.
***
Well, it's taken over 5 years, but I finally finished all six volumes of Jefferson and His Time. What can I say? This is not for beginners. If I had to do it again, I would read a one-volume bio of Jefferson before reading this one. It's very dry and the level of detail can be overwhelming. At times, it borders on the hagiographic. I can't tell if the blind spot around Sally Hemmings is willful or unfortunate. On the other hand, it is very well researched with excellent notes. Malone clearly knows his subject as much as anyone else and does a fine job of placing him within the context of his time.
If you're looking for an authoritative biography of Thomas Jefferson, this is it. If you're looking for a fun read, look elsewhere.
February 26, 2025
So many biographies to choose for Thomas Jefferson, so naturally I chose the longest and most comprehensive, the massive 6-volume series from Professor Dumas Malone, and this is the 6th and final volume. Given the academic status of the author, when it was written, and the depth of the details, it's not surprising that it is at times dry and slow. This book explores all the post-presidency years of Jefferson. It's nice to live through 20 years of American history from his perspective as a citizen and side character. I had no idea the tragedy of him dying with so much debt. He owed $107,000 when he passed away, and my crude Google skills showed this to be equivalent to something like $3.2 million today. It took his estate 50 years after his death to pay it off. This makes me want to explore the book Twilight at Monticello to get more recent info on this. Finally, as it should be mentioned, this book does not contain the most modern information nor the most modern sentiments when it comes to Jefferson's slaves and his relationship with Sally Hemings. It is mentioned, but I'm sure a more recent book would be better for that. In terms of depth, this is quite a body of work, but I would probably not recommend it unless that is what you're seeking.
September 2, 2024
A 3-3.5 which I will bump up to 4 in light of the series as a whole. Like in all of the other volumes, there were parts which drew me in. Then, there where other parts which were painfully dry. I do not need to know in detail where certain professors lived at the University of Virginia. As others have noted, while you will have learned a tremendous amount about Jefferson from reading these books, there are still large aspects you do not know about him as a person. Malone paints the picture of his hero he wants you to see and while I do not think it is dishonest, I do not think it always tells the full story. Nevertheless, one has to admire the dedication Malone put into writing this 6 volume, 2,000+ page series. You will definitely learn many things you did not know previously. I cannot see myself rereading it. I feel David McCullough has re-readability. And some may like this series. But, I will be trying to sell mine. But I am still glad I read it. The man spent almost 40 years working on this series. The scholastic nature is excellent. Worth the read, I am just not sure of a re-read.
December 25, 2018
Great final book in a great series.
It seemed as if there were three main focuses of this book. Jefferson's family, his debts and the U of Virginia. It was all very interesting information. I wasn't aware of the extent of Jefferson's financial difficulties and what he went through to try and get his debts resolved or of the extent of his involvement in the founding of the University of Virginia. And who doesn't like to read about the families of the great.
It seemed as if there were three main focuses of this book. Jefferson's family, his debts and the U of Virginia. It was all very interesting information. I wasn't aware of the extent of Jefferson's financial difficulties and what he went through to try and get his debts resolved or of the extent of his involvement in the founding of the University of Virginia. And who doesn't like to read about the families of the great.
April 22, 2022
A long and illustrious biographical career is brought to a pleasurable conclusion with Malones 6th volume in the Jefferson and his time series .
By far the easiest to read of the 6, this volume feels less like a dense text book and more akin to a modern presidential biography.
After more than 3,000 pages and countless hours of my life spent my 4 month journey with Mr. Malone and Mr. Jefferson comes to its end.
By far the easiest to read of the 6, this volume feels less like a dense text book and more akin to a modern presidential biography.
After more than 3,000 pages and countless hours of my life spent my 4 month journey with Mr. Malone and Mr. Jefferson comes to its end.
October 14, 2019
Well done treatment of the final years of Jefferson's life. The focus of this volume are the vagaries of his life as dictated by his indebtedness, which led to all manner of problems, and the difficulties of getting the university of which he dreamed to fruition. Mostly very well done.
March 1, 2022
A nice epitaph that distributes its wordcount better than any other volume in the series. Just like Flexner's portrait of post-presidency Washington, Malone does well at contextualizing Jefferson's twilight years in a country that has, by now, passed him by.
January 6, 2023
The entire series is a must read for American History fans and TJ acolytes.
December 15, 2024
This monumental tome to Jefferson is commendable even if dumas goes down denying that Jefferson ever had kids by his slaves.
November 18, 2025
A good conclusion to an enjoyable and well researched series. Jefferson did enough in retirement to make this volume as engaging as anything of the other 5.
December 24, 2016
A scholarly look at Thomas Jefferson's during his final years after leaving the White House. This is the sixth and final volume of a Pulitzer Prize-winning series on Jefferson by University of Virginia historian Dumas Malone. My friend Alan loaned it to me after I said the "Hamilton" book/musical made me wonder about Jefferson. I didn't get all my questions answered, but I am still impressed with Jefferson's intelligence and statesmanship. I remember touring Monticello years ago and falling in love with Jefferson's natural curiosity, love of books and need to record everything. These are personality traits I recognize. The chapters dealing with Jefferson's donation of his entire personal library to start the Library of Congress were a highlight. About the 6,487 volumes he carefully collected from all over the world (pre-Amazon), he told Congress, "I do not know that it contains any branch of science which Congress would wish to exclude from their collection; there is, in fact, no subject to which a member of Congress may not have occasion to refer."
I also enjoyed reading about his founding of the University of Virginia because he loved learning. More troubling were the stories about his financial problems and his slave dealings. But overall, I felt like I knew the man. Perhaps my favorite part was the ongoing correspondence with his one-time foe, John Adams, which resumed late in life and continued until both of their deaths, on July 4, 1826. In one letter, Jefferson explained to Adams his purpose in drafting the Declaration of Independence. "This was not to find out things that had never been said or thought of, but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify the rebels in the independent stand they were forced to take." Common sense, what a concept! And I would love to state something so plainly that it commanded someone's assent. The art of advocacy. Jefferson knew how to express himself, I will give him that.
I also enjoyed reading about his founding of the University of Virginia because he loved learning. More troubling were the stories about his financial problems and his slave dealings. But overall, I felt like I knew the man. Perhaps my favorite part was the ongoing correspondence with his one-time foe, John Adams, which resumed late in life and continued until both of their deaths, on July 4, 1826. In one letter, Jefferson explained to Adams his purpose in drafting the Declaration of Independence. "This was not to find out things that had never been said or thought of, but to place before mankind the common sense of the subject, in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent, and to justify the rebels in the independent stand they were forced to take." Common sense, what a concept! And I would love to state something so plainly that it commanded someone's assent. The art of advocacy. Jefferson knew how to express himself, I will give him that.
March 13, 2012
The final installment of Dumas Malone's sexpartite saga, "The Sage of Monticello" is devoted to the private Jefferson, the citizen Jefferson and what those two figures meant for America in conjunction with the president Jefferson. This is a record of ideas, of philosophies and of their legacy.
Opening with his retirement, this volume nonetheless cannot abandon Jefferson's public life just yet as it makes a close and careful study of his continuing interest and influence in the world of politics. Though this influence was slight, Malone never suggests for a moment that it was trivial or meaningless. Jefferson remains a staunch champion of individual liberty and intellectual freedom, and his Federalist foes remain antagonistic to his individualism. The last few skirmishes of his political life Malone sketches with the usual abundance of detail, so much so that it is easy to read more significance into them than the historical narrative warrants. Such is the case with much of this volume, though this is not entirely Malone's fault. Jefferson simply becomes far less a factor on the national scene after leaving the presidency, partially in accordance with his own wishes, but also against them. This is, one feels, an uncomfortable position for Jefferson: torn between much desiring an active role in the republic he helped to create and finally settling down to a much needed retirement.
Needed though it may have been, Malone makes clear that it was not entirely restful. Here Jefferson's financial obligations come strongly into play, and the detail Malone has gathered would do any accountant proud. There is, at this point, little connection with the political life Jefferson has sloughed off; Malone simply takes the greatest pains to detail the record, down to the last hundred dollars. But while this has the feel of boring pedantry, what is revealed about Jefferson's character through these records is telling: thousands of books (mostly science and philosophy) make up the estate of this great scholar. Here too, are the beginnings of Jefferson's "academical village"- which would become the University of Virginia. Again, budgets and blueprints are combed over in minute detail, underscoring yet again the importance of intellectual formation to Jefferson's worldview. While Malone never dubs the University's founding Jefferson's crowning achievement, he makes it clear that it is well in keeping with, if not the embodiment of, Jefferson's lifelong ideals of intellectual achievement and rational humanism.
It is this philosophical note on which Malone ends his monumental work. The United States, a nation of ideas, was girded in its youth by a man of ideas. These ideas, it is clear, shaped the liberal and enlightened foundation of a nation just now defining its character. Jefferson, so thoroughly analyzed over these six volumes, is rightly regarded as the brilliant and unwavering mind from which those ideas were formed.
Opening with his retirement, this volume nonetheless cannot abandon Jefferson's public life just yet as it makes a close and careful study of his continuing interest and influence in the world of politics. Though this influence was slight, Malone never suggests for a moment that it was trivial or meaningless. Jefferson remains a staunch champion of individual liberty and intellectual freedom, and his Federalist foes remain antagonistic to his individualism. The last few skirmishes of his political life Malone sketches with the usual abundance of detail, so much so that it is easy to read more significance into them than the historical narrative warrants. Such is the case with much of this volume, though this is not entirely Malone's fault. Jefferson simply becomes far less a factor on the national scene after leaving the presidency, partially in accordance with his own wishes, but also against them. This is, one feels, an uncomfortable position for Jefferson: torn between much desiring an active role in the republic he helped to create and finally settling down to a much needed retirement.
Needed though it may have been, Malone makes clear that it was not entirely restful. Here Jefferson's financial obligations come strongly into play, and the detail Malone has gathered would do any accountant proud. There is, at this point, little connection with the political life Jefferson has sloughed off; Malone simply takes the greatest pains to detail the record, down to the last hundred dollars. But while this has the feel of boring pedantry, what is revealed about Jefferson's character through these records is telling: thousands of books (mostly science and philosophy) make up the estate of this great scholar. Here too, are the beginnings of Jefferson's "academical village"- which would become the University of Virginia. Again, budgets and blueprints are combed over in minute detail, underscoring yet again the importance of intellectual formation to Jefferson's worldview. While Malone never dubs the University's founding Jefferson's crowning achievement, he makes it clear that it is well in keeping with, if not the embodiment of, Jefferson's lifelong ideals of intellectual achievement and rational humanism.
It is this philosophical note on which Malone ends his monumental work. The United States, a nation of ideas, was girded in its youth by a man of ideas. These ideas, it is clear, shaped the liberal and enlightened foundation of a nation just now defining its character. Jefferson, so thoroughly analyzed over these six volumes, is rightly regarded as the brilliant and unwavering mind from which those ideas were formed.
July 1, 2014
This review applies to the entire series, Jefferson and His Times.
Anyone who wants to understand a fraction of Jefferson, needs to start here. This work is the source that most academicians use. It is thorough and depends upon Jefferson's correspondence, editorials, reports, day books, conversations and memories. What more could you ever need? Heavily footnoted, this series puts to shame all other works on this great American. Some popular authors have written of Jefferson suggesting what he may have thought, or he may have done (Brody, anyone?) Malone is authoritative and needs not speculate. Read the series and then ask yourself, "Is it more likely than not that Jefferson fathered Sally Hemming's children?" I can only conclude that he did not. I remember when Clinton was president and, when incidents arose which questioned his fidelity, suddenly this old rumor became current. Someone interviewed the descendants of Hemmings and guess what? They all believed they were related to him! Isn't that peculiar? NO! What does a reasonable man expect them to say? Is it not more impressive to be part of a family that was sired by one of the greatest Americans or his philandering nephew, Peter Carr. All resurrected in the hope of distracting the American public from a current political scandal.
Anyone who wants to understand a fraction of Jefferson, needs to start here. This work is the source that most academicians use. It is thorough and depends upon Jefferson's correspondence, editorials, reports, day books, conversations and memories. What more could you ever need? Heavily footnoted, this series puts to shame all other works on this great American. Some popular authors have written of Jefferson suggesting what he may have thought, or he may have done (Brody, anyone?) Malone is authoritative and needs not speculate. Read the series and then ask yourself, "Is it more likely than not that Jefferson fathered Sally Hemming's children?" I can only conclude that he did not. I remember when Clinton was president and, when incidents arose which questioned his fidelity, suddenly this old rumor became current. Someone interviewed the descendants of Hemmings and guess what? They all believed they were related to him! Isn't that peculiar? NO! What does a reasonable man expect them to say? Is it not more impressive to be part of a family that was sired by one of the greatest Americans or his philandering nephew, Peter Carr. All resurrected in the hope of distracting the American public from a current political scandal.
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July 26, 2011Of the six volume series I enjoyed the first book and this final one the most. I think this because it primarily delves into the personality of Jefferson more deeply. The other volumes focus a lot on politics, which is interesting, but let’s face it, 75 pages on the XYZ affair can get a bit windy.
The Sage of Monticello goes in depth with Jefferson’s financial difficulties, the founding to the University of Virginia and the sale of his library to what would become the Library of Congress.
Also we get glimpses of what this defender of liberty and anti-slavery advocate owned a bunch of people. Personally I don’t see how anyone could be against slavery as long as you are on the proper end of the bargain. The racism was wrong, though; my stock of human chattel would be a multicultural rainbow.
Jefferson was a fascinating spendthrift. When you have a spare afternoon give this 3,500 page series a spin.
The Sage of Monticello goes in depth with Jefferson’s financial difficulties, the founding to the University of Virginia and the sale of his library to what would become the Library of Congress.
Also we get glimpses of what this defender of liberty and anti-slavery advocate owned a bunch of people. Personally I don’t see how anyone could be against slavery as long as you are on the proper end of the bargain. The racism was wrong, though; my stock of human chattel would be a multicultural rainbow.
Jefferson was a fascinating spendthrift. When you have a spare afternoon give this 3,500 page series a spin.
December 30, 2016
Brilliantly written biography in a series of biographies by Dumas on Thomas Jefferson. HIGHLY recommend for anyone interested in the political history of our country. I'm on a quest to truly understand the details about how the United States was founded, why, and the personalities of the major players in that task. Will be posting about each of the biographies in this series, but cannot state emphatically enough how much I enjoy reading these over and over.
Each book sequentially covers a part of Jefferson's robust life. He was, as many know, not just an enormous influence in American history, but a prolific author and highly educated man. He was also very clinical about his beliefs in life and made no secret of his suspicion of religious ideals.
This would be an incredible summer reading series for someone in high school or college.
Each book sequentially covers a part of Jefferson's robust life. He was, as many know, not just an enormous influence in American history, but a prolific author and highly educated man. He was also very clinical about his beliefs in life and made no secret of his suspicion of religious ideals.
This would be an incredible summer reading series for someone in high school or college.
December 16, 2015
At long last, I've finishedthis long hagiography. Dumas Malone certainly loves and admires his hero, TJ (as he refers to him throughout), but he is incapable of acknowledging any historical evidence from the enslaved humans Jefferson owned. There was plenty of evidence for what DNA eventually proved, that Jefferson produced serveral children via a long relationship he had with Sally Hemings, who was also his wife Martha's half sister and who had three white grandparents and one black (the one-drop rule kept her a slave regardless, and Jefferson didn't free her via his will, though he did a few of her [and his] children). If one wishes to study Jefferson, one must get through Dumas Malone. What a wonder it could have been ifr he'd been willing to look at the entire record.
May 25, 2017
The final volume of Malone's biography in Jefferson was fun to read... and quite hard at the same time. Fun it was because it was another work very Welle researched and easy to read. It was hard (as are all last chapters of biographies of people already decised in my Part) because Jefferson accompanied my over the last four months. Seeing the end coming and then reading about it always leaves me with kind of a strange feeling.
September 19, 2016
This was enjoyable, but like its aged and declining subject, it felt exhausted, and there were certain chapters, particularly in the beginning that felt perfunctory if not peremptory. I got the sense that Malone was weary of his subject and simply wanted to drag his beloved magnum opus across the finish line before his intellectual energy was utterly spent.
December 6, 2022
An enjoyable end to an enjoyable series. This book, as much or more than the others, fleshed out many of Jefferson's core beliefs. As you would expect, significant time is dedicated to Jefferson's contributions to the University of Virginia, but there is also interesting discussion on the War of 1812, foreign affairs, Bonaparte, the Missouri Compromise, and activities at Monticello.
February 9, 2008
white guy #3 vol 6
December 5, 2009
My 4* rating is for the six volume set. At 3,000 pages it's perhaps a bit long, but it's complete.
November 7, 2012
Fantastic. It takes a while to get through because Malone is detailed and thorough.
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