The Mind of Thomas Jefferson

by Peter S. Onuf

In The Mind of Thomas Jefferson, one of the foremost historians of Jefferson and his time, Peter S. Onuf, offers a collection of essays that seeks to historicize one of our nation’s founding fathers. Challenging current attempts to appropriate Jefferson to serve all manner of contemporary political agendas, Onuf argues that historians must look at Jefferson’s language and life within the context of his own place and time. In this effort to restore Jefferson to his own world, Onuf reconnects that world to ours, providing a fresh look at the distinction between private and public aspects of his character that Jefferson himself took such pains to cultivate. Breaking through Jefferson’s alleged opacity as a person by collapsing the contemporary interpretive frameworks often used to diagnose his psychological and moral states, Onuf raises new questions about what was on Jefferson’s mind as he looked toward an uncertain future. Particularly striking is his argument that Jefferson’s character as a moralist is nowhere more evident, ironically, than in his engagement with the institution of slavery. At once reinvigorating the tension between past and present and offering a new way to view our connection to one of our nation’s founders, The Mind of Thomas Jefferson helps redefine both Jefferson and his time and American nationhood.

Genres: History

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2007

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the most intriguing work on Jefferson I have ever rad (and that's accounting for a lot of books!) Here's an excerpt from a review I wrote for the Southern Historian:

Onuf argues that the less familiar, private Jefferson, the Jefferson few knew or know, holds the key to the idiosyncrasies and contradictions of the man. Deftly weaving historiography, philosophy, logic and historical analysis into a stimulating, provocative alternative interpretation of perhaps the most iconic of American icons, Onuf re-places Jefferson in his proper historical context while simultaneously creating a modern, contemporary framework with which to understand and interpret Jefferson’s complicated legacy. . . .

Although the work taken on the whole is an invaluable contribution to Jeffersonian studies, there are several small criticisms. The essays are impeccably researched, although several sources appear in the endnotes of several essays. If Onuf is correct in his assertions regarding Jefferson’s logic and thought process, surely there are other examples available given Jefferson’s voluminous correspondence. Similarly, several phrases reoccur in various essays – such as “the first law of nature was self-preservation” and “the first law of nature, self-preservation.” (pp. 116, 126) While that does speak to a continuity of theme, it also gives the reader a sense of deja-vu. The complexity of Onuf’s writing is occasionally off-putting. Given that the intended audience of this work is almost exclusively academic, it is not surprising that the wording is sometimes dense and sentences complex in construction. However, the commercial success of popular history such as Joseph Ellis’ American Sphinx and Founding Brothers, cited by Onuf several times, indicates a keen interest in Jefferson outside academic circles. A more approachable style would broaden not only Onuf’s reach, but finally render the mind of Jefferson open to his fellow Americans.

[Corey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes it is not obvious what Onuf is trying to say. Although he has many interesting insights into Jefferson.

[Kenneth Flusche · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dr. Onuff gives an annimated lecture on TJ on Coursera thought his book would read like he talkes, wrong verry dry verry defensive did not finish.