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Biographies of US Presidents - Hourly History #3
Thomas Jefferson: A Life from Beginning to End
Thomas Jefferson Read On Your Computer, MAC, Smartphone, Kindle Reader, iPad, or Tablet. At a White House dinner in 1962 honoring the Nobel Prize winners of the Western Hemisphere, President John Kennedy greeted them by “I want to tell you how welcome you are to the White House. I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.” The laureates might have been a trifle nonplussed to hear themselves collectively compared to one man, but Thomas Jefferson left his imprint on his state of Virginia; his young country, the United States; France where he served as ambassador; and the world, where his opposition to tyranny and his advocacy of freedom have inspired generations to believe that the pursuit of happiness, as he wrote in his Declaration of Independence, is an unalienable right. Inside you will read about... ✓ His Life, His Loves, His Legacy ✓ The Son of Virginia ✓ Jefferson the Patriot ✓ Jefferson in Paris ✓ Jefferson the Politician ✓ Jefferson the President ✓ Jefferson at Home Jefferson himself opted for less opulent praise; the epitaph that he composed for his tombstone accommodated space for the dates of his birth and death, and listed the following author of the Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and father of the University of Virginia. Between Kennedy’s description of the third president of the United States and Jefferson’s own rendition of his accomplishments resides the enigma of an American philosopher who ardently believed in freedom yet owned slaves; a patriot who served his country with his talents and energies, but who was embroiled in the political machinations which rose to the surface as soon as the first president was in office; a human being who doubted the intellectual equality of African-Americans yet was engaged in a 38-year affair with a much younger female slave, with whom he fathered six children; a brilliant innovator who lived his life in debt; a man accustomed to the finer things that life could offer who espoused the simple, agrarian model for the new country he helped to found. Jefferson, the Founding Father, remains an unsolved mystery to the subsequent
111 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 10, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
October 11, 2017
The name that immediately comes to our mind for an early American president after George Washington is that of Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States. This is a short biography of Thomas Jefferson from Hourly History.
Jefferson is from Virginia and was part of the elite of the society. His family owned plantations and several slaves and he himself owned several slaves during his later years. However, he also pursued a career in law and has several times, argued for the freedom of certain runaway slaves. The book then goes on to his disagreements with President John Adams whilst he was vice-president, then on to his own Presidency, where he organised the Louisiana Purchase and enacted certain controversial Acts removing the natives from the area. The book then focused on his post retirement career of an academic, establishing the University of Virginia.
It was a well-structured biography – from the times Jefferson was a patriot to the cause, then his stint as an Ambassador in Paris, followed by his entry into politics, presidency and finally retirement with each given an individual chapter. The various disagreements he had with his political masters, his paradoxical personality (refer the above slave example) – was brought out very well. There was also a decent focus on his personal life without going too much into it.
However, the book also excessively referred to aspects of US history surrounding the independence even in places where Jefferson was not involved and need not even have been mentioned. Without it, perhaps the book could have focused on some of the finer aspects of Jefferson’s presidency without compromising on the ability of the book to be read within an hour.
Based on the structure and the depth of the overview that the book gave, I would award the book a rating of four on five.
Jefferson is from Virginia and was part of the elite of the society. His family owned plantations and several slaves and he himself owned several slaves during his later years. However, he also pursued a career in law and has several times, argued for the freedom of certain runaway slaves. The book then goes on to his disagreements with President John Adams whilst he was vice-president, then on to his own Presidency, where he organised the Louisiana Purchase and enacted certain controversial Acts removing the natives from the area. The book then focused on his post retirement career of an academic, establishing the University of Virginia.
It was a well-structured biography – from the times Jefferson was a patriot to the cause, then his stint as an Ambassador in Paris, followed by his entry into politics, presidency and finally retirement with each given an individual chapter. The various disagreements he had with his political masters, his paradoxical personality (refer the above slave example) – was brought out very well. There was also a decent focus on his personal life without going too much into it.
However, the book also excessively referred to aspects of US history surrounding the independence even in places where Jefferson was not involved and need not even have been mentioned. Without it, perhaps the book could have focused on some of the finer aspects of Jefferson’s presidency without compromising on the ability of the book to be read within an hour.
Based on the structure and the depth of the overview that the book gave, I would award the book a rating of four on five.
November 25, 2017
This history of the 3rd President was a bit disappointing, more so than some of the other books in this series. Given that these books are less than 50 pages long, it had far too many random quotes from Jefferson when the space could have been better used to expand on the biography of one of the most complex of all the American Presidents.
November 16, 2022
Good read
Awww man. I really liked Jefferson but the dude was really a hypocrite. I guess all men being equal only meant white people to him...
Awww man. I really liked Jefferson but the dude was really a hypocrite. I guess all men being equal only meant white people to him...
August 23, 2017
Terse treatment of the third president.
April 8, 2017
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson is best known as being the third President of the United States, but Jefferson the mind, and Jefferson the man is so much more. This complex and quintessential man lived an oxymoron life that has fascinated political and history lovers for over two centuries. Born in 1743, Jefferson attended the College of William and Mary from the age of sixteen. He studied science, mathematics, literature, philosophy, and rhetoric. With all the desired educational attributes secure, he is ready for the next step in his life. Jefferson reads law under George Wythe, a well known and respected barrister. He passed the Virginia Bar in 1767. In 1768 he is elected to the House of Burgesses, paving a path into national politics.
The thirteen British colonies situated along the eastern seaboard had relatively little in common until a shared disgust of colonial treatment came to a head in 1773, with the passing by parliament of the Stamp Act. What started out as a local protest eventually exploded into open rebellion in all thirteen colonies, and was soon to change the course of world history. At the base of this rebellion, taxation without representation was anathema and it eventually united the independent colonies into a formidable unity. Jefferson was among five delegates charged with the task of writing a formal declaration of separation and independence from British rule. Being, by far, the most literally eloquent of the five, Jefferson formed the shared sentiment in one of the most iconic declarations in history.
Jefferson is acclaimed by many to be the first true American Renaissance Man.
Running for president in 1796, Thomas Jefferson lost the electoral majority by three votes to John Adams. The political system at this time made the runner-up automatically the vice-president elect. Loyalty to the president was not incumbent on the vice president, and Adam’s views and opinions differed from those of Jefferson. Political parties were in their infancy, making their lines vague and more an attribute to the individual candidate that his party. This system of joint government was stopped when Jefferson was elected to his first term as president. Today many countries have coalition governments, consisting of many distinctive political parties. The United States has basically stayed with a two-party system (although the names, values, and tendencies have changed through the ages, further muddling the transparency of government).
There is a lot of information packed into this small package. Like the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase, it begs for exploration and any reader has a multitude of books to choose from. Like the man, this book inspires the reader to greater things.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson is best known as being the third President of the United States, but Jefferson the mind, and Jefferson the man is so much more. This complex and quintessential man lived an oxymoron life that has fascinated political and history lovers for over two centuries. Born in 1743, Jefferson attended the College of William and Mary from the age of sixteen. He studied science, mathematics, literature, philosophy, and rhetoric. With all the desired educational attributes secure, he is ready for the next step in his life. Jefferson reads law under George Wythe, a well known and respected barrister. He passed the Virginia Bar in 1767. In 1768 he is elected to the House of Burgesses, paving a path into national politics.
The thirteen British colonies situated along the eastern seaboard had relatively little in common until a shared disgust of colonial treatment came to a head in 1773, with the passing by parliament of the Stamp Act. What started out as a local protest eventually exploded into open rebellion in all thirteen colonies, and was soon to change the course of world history. At the base of this rebellion, taxation without representation was anathema and it eventually united the independent colonies into a formidable unity. Jefferson was among five delegates charged with the task of writing a formal declaration of separation and independence from British rule. Being, by far, the most literally eloquent of the five, Jefferson formed the shared sentiment in one of the most iconic declarations in history.
Jefferson is acclaimed by many to be the first true American Renaissance Man.
Running for president in 1796, Thomas Jefferson lost the electoral majority by three votes to John Adams. The political system at this time made the runner-up automatically the vice-president elect. Loyalty to the president was not incumbent on the vice president, and Adam’s views and opinions differed from those of Jefferson. Political parties were in their infancy, making their lines vague and more an attribute to the individual candidate that his party. This system of joint government was stopped when Jefferson was elected to his first term as president. Today many countries have coalition governments, consisting of many distinctive political parties. The United States has basically stayed with a two-party system (although the names, values, and tendencies have changed through the ages, further muddling the transparency of government).
There is a lot of information packed into this small package. Like the acquisition of the Louisiana Purchase, it begs for exploration and any reader has a multitude of books to choose from. Like the man, this book inspires the reader to greater things.
April 10, 2019
I learned a lot about Thomas Jefferson in this short biography. He was a man of sharp contrasts and yes, I believe it is fair to say this revered "father of our country" was also a hypocrite. The man who wrote, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among those are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," owned over the course of his life over 600 slaves and had a long sexual relationship with one of his slaves -- and she bore him children. As president, Jefferson signed the Louisiana Purchase from the French. $15 million would buy the United States 827,987 square miles of territory. Jefferson taught Meriwether Lewis mapping, navigation, astronomy, botany, natural history, and mineralogy, giving him full access to his Monticello library which claimed the world's largest collection of books on North American geography and natural history. My conclusion on Jefferson are mixed. On one hand he was a great thinker, and yet he could conveniently turn off that thinking for his own selfish desires.
November 9, 2021
Enigma
Thomas Jefferson was enigmatic - the writer of the Declaration of Independence, slaveholder, ardent advocate of states rights and decentralized government - except when he was president. A man that ensured the country would be able to pay its debts, but he was often unable to pay his own. This short book introduces the reader to the third president in an easy to read format - bringing humanity to the legend. A good basic introduction to Jefferson’s life.
Thomas Jefferson was enigmatic - the writer of the Declaration of Independence, slaveholder, ardent advocate of states rights and decentralized government - except when he was president. A man that ensured the country would be able to pay its debts, but he was often unable to pay his own. This short book introduces the reader to the third president in an easy to read format - bringing humanity to the legend. A good basic introduction to Jefferson’s life.
March 27, 2019
This was a Thomas Jefferson I didn't know. Rather than focusing on the controversial Jefferson, this ebook opens the door to a Jefferson who taught Lewis of Lewis and Clark from his extensive personal library at Monticello, a Jefferson who tried to pass a provision that limited slavery to the states who already legalised it and sought to keep it from any new states made after the Revolution. A man who worried that there would be a Civil War as early as the 1810's. A man who wanted free elementary education for all and higher learning for those wise enough to obtain it. Why didn't I ever hear about this Jefferson in school? I recommend this ebook to anyone who wants to know more about our history. It's worth a read.
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August 27, 2019I'm a very slow reader and it took me maybe 2.5 hours to read this book? I'm 51 and I graduated from University of CT and couldn't remember anything about Thomas Jefferson except that he "owned slaves". Most Americans know basically zero about the founding fathers so I really appreciated a book that kept things simple because for me it was like I was basically learning this stuff for the first time ever.
I was struck by the magnitude of personal tragedy and intrigued by his relationship with Sally Hemming.
I also absolutely loved the absence of links and references - I don't need or want them they waste valuable space and if I ever wanted to conduct "research" I would go to Wikipedia or the library and check out a 2000 page dictionary on Jefferson.
I was struck by the magnitude of personal tragedy and intrigued by his relationship with Sally Hemming.
I also absolutely loved the absence of links and references - I don't need or want them they waste valuable space and if I ever wanted to conduct "research" I would go to Wikipedia or the library and check out a 2000 page dictionary on Jefferson.
January 31, 2021
Thomas Jefferson was one of the founding fathers of the United States and one of the most intelligent men who have ever lived. Books can be written on different aspects of his life alone.
This book will provide a brief overview, as it is very succinct. Yet it covers many aspects of Jefferson's life in a lucid manner. After reading this text you will have a general understanding of who Jefferson is, who his friends and family were, where he lived, what behooved him and what he appreciated most. Every chapter ended with a excerpt of a correspondence of his. Read his words and glean his thoughts, and you can really see how intelligent he was.
This book will provide a brief overview, as it is very succinct. Yet it covers many aspects of Jefferson's life in a lucid manner. After reading this text you will have a general understanding of who Jefferson is, who his friends and family were, where he lived, what behooved him and what he appreciated most. Every chapter ended with a excerpt of a correspondence of his. Read his words and glean his thoughts, and you can really see how intelligent he was.
July 6, 2021
This is one of the Hourly History books about American presidents. This one is Thomas Jefferson, the man who wrote the American Declaration of Independence, whereby "all men are created equal" etc. Pity he didn't follow that rule. He had slaves, around 600 of them when he wrote that and had slightly less when he stopped being president. Hmm. He obviously had a touch of "do as I say" and not "do as I do about him" then. Oh and he had a slave girl who lived in the house and by whom he fathered 6 children. He never married her. I can feel another "obviously" creeping in here.
August 18, 2019
I love these Hourly History books, and this may be the finest one yet! Jefferson is a very interesting character to follow, and his story is a nice change from Washington / Hamilton / Madison et al.
The extracts from his letters and poems are also an interesting facet to the book, and helps the reader get into the intricacies of his mind.
This has definitely sparked an interest in me to read further about Jefferson!
The extracts from his letters and poems are also an interesting facet to the book, and helps the reader get into the intricacies of his mind.
This has definitely sparked an interest in me to read further about Jefferson!
April 6, 2021
Recommended greatly
First Secretary of State, second Vice President, third president of the nation, Louisiana purchase, university of Virginia, author of the Declaration of Independence.... Undoubtedly he had played a crucial role in American history. But I have learned the other side of the person, his unforgivingness to those who disagreed with his political views, to the point of refusing to attend George Washington's funeral in 1799. This book didn't mention his policy on native Americans who used to live in Louisiana. Still, this is a good introduction book on the man.
First Secretary of State, second Vice President, third president of the nation, Louisiana purchase, university of Virginia, author of the Declaration of Independence.... Undoubtedly he had played a crucial role in American history. But I have learned the other side of the person, his unforgivingness to those who disagreed with his political views, to the point of refusing to attend George Washington's funeral in 1799. This book didn't mention his policy on native Americans who used to live in Louisiana. Still, this is a good introduction book on the man.
May 25, 2019
Perfect Read Before You Visit Monticello!
As a fairly recent transplant into the Central Virginia region, we are of course planning a trip to Monticello this summer. This collection of short chapters delighted. Providing me with some unknown facts, and just enough info of Jefferson’s life and works, to be a very palatable Saturday afternoon read.
As a fairly recent transplant into the Central Virginia region, we are of course planning a trip to Monticello this summer. This collection of short chapters delighted. Providing me with some unknown facts, and just enough info of Jefferson’s life and works, to be a very palatable Saturday afternoon read.
September 12, 2017
Excellent read
Quick and concise book about Thomas Jefferson. I wished it would have delved further into his personal life. Just about everything covered is knowledge already available. Other wise it was a quick fact check about a great man.
Quick and concise book about Thomas Jefferson. I wished it would have delved further into his personal life. Just about everything covered is knowledge already available. Other wise it was a quick fact check about a great man.
November 2, 2018
The story behind the name
What an interesting way to learn about the past. I found the book easy to read and very straightforward in its presentation. The book gives some insight as to the belief system of the time which helps flesh out the individuals involved.
What an interesting way to learn about the past. I found the book easy to read and very straightforward in its presentation. The book gives some insight as to the belief system of the time which helps flesh out the individuals involved.
June 7, 2019
Thomas Jefferson: A Life From Beginning to End by Hourly History
This was a quick read on the life of Thomas Jefferson the 3rd President of the United States.
These 1 hour History Lessons are Enjoyable as always
This was a quick read on the life of Thomas Jefferson the 3rd President of the United States.
These 1 hour History Lessons are Enjoyable as always
July 1, 2019
A man for all seasons
People either love or hate Jefferson over his hypocrisy over slavery. Clearly he knew the correct action but could never cross the line. The nation was probably too weak to withstand a civil war then and the European vultures were hungry.
People either love or hate Jefferson over his hypocrisy over slavery. Clearly he knew the correct action but could never cross the line. The nation was probably too weak to withstand a civil war then and the European vultures were hungry.
August 21, 2019
Decent summary of Jefferson's career but not much on his life. I would have liked more on his relationships with Adams, Washington, Lafayette, Hemings, and Monroe. More attention to his scientific and engineering works was also missing. I'll look for what was missing in other books.
March 23, 2018
I appreciated reading this book; I Believe my idea of Thomas Jefferson is more accurate; However, he is still a mystery! I suppose all great personalities are.
May 20, 2018
Interesting short biography of the third president of the us.
November 30, 2018
The book followed the norm of Hourly History in covering the significant events in the life of Jefferson in a shorter read. I found the book interesting and learned some additional things about him. Worthwhile to read it in my opinion.
January 21, 2019
Very good read
Well written and concise, a good, albeit brief, look into the life of on of history's great thinkers. A good intro book for the growing historian
Well written and concise, a good, albeit brief, look into the life of on of history's great thinkers. A good intro book for the growing historian
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June 11, 2019This was an honest read and I enjoyed it very much
Check it out I think you'll really enjoy it
Check it out I think you'll really enjoy it
June 17, 2019
Thank you for another concise story that helped me to learn something about TJ and to have a better perspective about how our form of government started.
January 1, 2020
This book is a short, quick overview. It’s easy to read and provides plenty of information considering it’s meant to be short.
January 9, 2021
Not as good as other books in this series. Not enough about Jefferson, the man and his relationships with others. Less quotes more story.
July 5, 2021
A Short but strong portrait of the iconic founding father touching briefly
on each stage of his extraordinary life and career a good read
on each stage of his extraordinary life and career a good read
July 12, 2021
Excellent start to his life and legacy but it felt like it was rushed and missing important information.
December 27, 2021
Thomas Jefferson A Life well lived
A great read about 0ne of America's greatest president's when our new country was in its new infancy in a landscape of new discoveries.
A great read about 0ne of America's greatest president's when our new country was in its new infancy in a landscape of new discoveries.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews