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Thomas Jefferson—Revolutionary: A Radical's Struggle to Remake America
"In this lively and clearly written book, Kevin Gutzman makes a compelling case for the broad range and radical ambitions of Thomas Jefferson's commitment to human equality." - Alan Taylor, Pulitzer Prize winning author of American Revolutions: A Continental History, 1750-1804
Though remembered chiefly as author of the Declaration of Independence and the president under whom the Louisiana Purchase was effected, Thomas Jefferson was a true revolutionary in the way he thought about the size and reach of government, which Americans who were full citizens and the role of education in the new country. In his new book, Kevin Gutzman gives readers a new view of Jefferson—a revolutionary who effected radical change in a growing country.
Jefferson’s philosophy about the size and power of the federal system almost completely undergirded the Jeffersonian Republican Party. His forceful advocacy of religious freedom was not far behind, as were attempts to incorporate Native Americans into American society. His establishment of the University of Virginia might be one of the most important markers of the man’s abilities and character.
He was not without flaws. While he argued for the assimilation of Native Americans into society, he did not assume the same for Africans being held in slavery while—at the same time—insisting that slavery should cease to exist. Many still accuse Jefferson of hypocrisy on the ground that he both held that “all men are created equal” and held men as slaves. Jefferson’s true character, though, is more complex than that as Kevin Gutzman shows in his new book about Jefferson, a revolutionary whose accomplishments went far beyond the drafting of the Declaration of Independence.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 31, 2017
78 people are currently reading
1720 people want to read
About the author
Kevin R.C. Gutzman
10 books186 followersKevin R. C. Gutzman is the New York Times best-selling author of five books--with a sixth forthcoming. Professor of History at Western Connecticut State University, Gutzman holds a bachelor’s degree, a master of public affairs degree, and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as an MA and a PhD in American history from the University of Virginia. Happy to be a former attorney, Gutzman devotes his intellectual energy to teaching courses in the Revolutionary and constitutional history of the United States, to writing books and articles in these fields, and to public speaking on related topics.
Dr. Gutzman's first book was the New York Times best-seller The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution, an account of American constitutional history from the pre-Revolutionary days to the present. This work is unique in joining the fruits of the latest scholarship, a very readable presentation, and a distinctly Jeffersonian point of view. His second book, Virginia’s American Revolution: From Dominion to Republic, 1776-1840, explores the issue what the Revolutionaries made of the Revolution in Thomas Jefferson’s home state. After that, he co-authored Who Killed the Constitution? The Federal Government vs. American Liberty from World War I to Barack Obama with New York Times best-selling author Thomas E. Woods, Jr. and wrote James Madison and the Making of America--a Main Selection of the History Book Club. Most recently, he wrote Thomas Jefferson--Revolutionary: A Radical's Struggle to Remake America (St. Martin's Press, 2017), a selection of the History Book Club. His latest, coming on December 13, 2022 from St. Martin's Press, is The Jeffersonians: The Visionary Presidencies of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe.
Gutzman has edited new editions of John Taylor of Caroline’s Tyranny Unmasked and New Views of the Constitution of the United States. His essay “Lincoln as Jeffersonian: The Colonization Chimera” appeared in editor Brian Dirck’s collection Lincoln Emancipated: The President and the Politics of Race, and his "James Madison and the Ratification of the Constitution: A Triumph Over Adversity" appeared in editor Stuart Leiberger's collection A Companion to James Madison and James Monroe (Blackwell 2012)."
Gutzman has appeared on over 500 radio programs, on Dave Rubin's and Tom Woods' popular podcasts (among others), on syndicated shows such as The Michael Medved Show, the Janet Parshall Show, and the Curtis Sliwa Show and multiple programs on Air America, on Sirius Satellite Radio (including as guest host), on America's Radio News Network, as well as on C-SPAN 2's "BookTV," CNN's "Lou Dobbs Tonight," and Fox News's "The Glenn Beck Program." He has also been interviewed by reporters from the AP, the Washington Times, the Philadelphia Enquirer, the Washington Post, The Hartford Business Journal, the Houston Chronicle online, and the New York Times.
Kevin Gutzman was a featured expert in the documentary films “John Marshall: Citizen, Statesman, Jurist," "Nullification: The Rightful Remedy," and "Safeguard: An Electoral College Story."
Dr. Gutzman's first book was the New York Times best-seller The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution, an account of American constitutional history from the pre-Revolutionary days to the present. This work is unique in joining the fruits of the latest scholarship, a very readable presentation, and a distinctly Jeffersonian point of view. His second book, Virginia’s American Revolution: From Dominion to Republic, 1776-1840, explores the issue what the Revolutionaries made of the Revolution in Thomas Jefferson’s home state. After that, he co-authored Who Killed the Constitution? The Federal Government vs. American Liberty from World War I to Barack Obama with New York Times best-selling author Thomas E. Woods, Jr. and wrote James Madison and the Making of America--a Main Selection of the History Book Club. Most recently, he wrote Thomas Jefferson--Revolutionary: A Radical's Struggle to Remake America (St. Martin's Press, 2017), a selection of the History Book Club. His latest, coming on December 13, 2022 from St. Martin's Press, is The Jeffersonians: The Visionary Presidencies of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe.
Gutzman has edited new editions of John Taylor of Caroline’s Tyranny Unmasked and New Views of the Constitution of the United States. His essay “Lincoln as Jeffersonian: The Colonization Chimera” appeared in editor Brian Dirck’s collection Lincoln Emancipated: The President and the Politics of Race, and his "James Madison and the Ratification of the Constitution: A Triumph Over Adversity" appeared in editor Stuart Leiberger's collection A Companion to James Madison and James Monroe (Blackwell 2012)."
Gutzman has appeared on over 500 radio programs, on Dave Rubin's and Tom Woods' popular podcasts (among others), on syndicated shows such as The Michael Medved Show, the Janet Parshall Show, and the Curtis Sliwa Show and multiple programs on Air America, on Sirius Satellite Radio (including as guest host), on America's Radio News Network, as well as on C-SPAN 2's "BookTV," CNN's "Lou Dobbs Tonight," and Fox News's "The Glenn Beck Program." He has also been interviewed by reporters from the AP, the Washington Times, the Philadelphia Enquirer, the Washington Post, The Hartford Business Journal, the Houston Chronicle online, and the New York Times.
Kevin Gutzman was a featured expert in the documentary films “John Marshall: Citizen, Statesman, Jurist," "Nullification: The Rightful Remedy," and "Safeguard: An Electoral College Story."
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 27, 2017
This is the best scholarly book I have read in a long, long time. I knew very little about Thomas Jefferson, and even less about his political beliefs, before reading this book. Mr. Gutzman addressed five areas that Mr. Jefferson focused on throughout his political career:
1) Federalism (decentralization of government, some would say "state's rights"),
2) Freedom of Conscience (more commonly referred to as "separation of church and state"),
3) Colonization (the gradual abolition of slavery in the U.S. by freeing slaves and sending them to a specially formed all-black colony, a.k.a. Liberia...),
4) Assimilation (the adaptation, or potential thereof, of Native Americans to colonial American culture), and
5) Mr. Jefferson's University (the University of Virginia).
I loved how incredibly thorough Mr. Gutzman was in his research for this book. The use of Jefferson's personal correspondence in addition to his public/published works gives the reader the feeling of having insider knowledge. I truly felt as though I finally had insight into some of the innermost thoughts and debates between the founding fathers! For instance, what was the original extent and intent for powers DELEGATED TO the federal government as laid out in the Constitution? Note that the wording of this question puts the States in the ultimate position of authority, not the federal government, which was what Thomas Jefferson proposed based on the Constitution as it was originally understood.
Here is one of my favorite quotes (from the first chapter, "Federalism"):
"Jefferson said 'that whensoever the General Government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force.' So as far as he was concerned, a law like the federal Sedition Act could be treated - should be treated - as if it simply did not exist. Who would decide whether the federal government had abused its powers? Jefferson did not even pause. 'The government created by this compact,' he said, 'was not made the exclusive or final judge of the extent of the power delegated to itself; since that would have made its discretion, and not the Constitution, the measure of its powers.' So much for judicial supremacy, the twenty-first-century answer to this kind of question."
Wow. This is completely contrary to how the country is now run, almost without exception. Given the current political climate, I'd be fascinated to hear Jefferson's thoughts. I now find myself torn between him and Sir Winston Churchill as my guest of honor in the old "if you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be" scenario. But part of me thinks that Mr. Jefferson would be appalled at the state of the Union were he to see it today. This book was enlightening, challenging, and certainly revolutionary in its own way.
Highly recommend!
1) Federalism (decentralization of government, some would say "state's rights"),
2) Freedom of Conscience (more commonly referred to as "separation of church and state"),
3) Colonization (the gradual abolition of slavery in the U.S. by freeing slaves and sending them to a specially formed all-black colony, a.k.a. Liberia...),
4) Assimilation (the adaptation, or potential thereof, of Native Americans to colonial American culture), and
5) Mr. Jefferson's University (the University of Virginia).
I loved how incredibly thorough Mr. Gutzman was in his research for this book. The use of Jefferson's personal correspondence in addition to his public/published works gives the reader the feeling of having insider knowledge. I truly felt as though I finally had insight into some of the innermost thoughts and debates between the founding fathers! For instance, what was the original extent and intent for powers DELEGATED TO the federal government as laid out in the Constitution? Note that the wording of this question puts the States in the ultimate position of authority, not the federal government, which was what Thomas Jefferson proposed based on the Constitution as it was originally understood.
Here is one of my favorite quotes (from the first chapter, "Federalism"):
"Jefferson said 'that whensoever the General Government assumes undelegated powers, its acts are unauthoritative, void, and of no force.' So as far as he was concerned, a law like the federal Sedition Act could be treated - should be treated - as if it simply did not exist. Who would decide whether the federal government had abused its powers? Jefferson did not even pause. 'The government created by this compact,' he said, 'was not made the exclusive or final judge of the extent of the power delegated to itself; since that would have made its discretion, and not the Constitution, the measure of its powers.' So much for judicial supremacy, the twenty-first-century answer to this kind of question."
Wow. This is completely contrary to how the country is now run, almost without exception. Given the current political climate, I'd be fascinated to hear Jefferson's thoughts. I now find myself torn between him and Sir Winston Churchill as my guest of honor in the old "if you could have dinner with any historical figure, who would it be" scenario. But part of me thinks that Mr. Jefferson would be appalled at the state of the Union were he to see it today. This book was enlightening, challenging, and certainly revolutionary in its own way.
Highly recommend!
August 27, 2017
edit: As good as this book, I wish I had read a more complete biography on the whole life of Thomas Jefferson before diving into this book, which is more focused on a few important aspects of his life. Had I known better months ago, I would have read Jon Meacham's "Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power" before this book. -E
This is a great read on the life of one of the great minds of American history. Well written, full of easily digestible information, every bit of which complete with quotes, examples, and footnotes.
I'll be honest, the first chapter grew a bit long and tedious, but the information found in it was still interesting and informative. The second and fifth chapters were maybe the most interesting reads I have found in historical non fiction. These two chapters are a few examples of ideals I would love to see this country attempt to reach.
The majority of this book focuses on what Jefferson himself thought were the most important aspects of his life:
"...on the faces of the Obelisk the following inscription, & not a word more:
Here was buried
Thomas Jefferson
Author of the Declaration of American Independence
of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom
& Father of the University of Virginia
"because by these," he explained, "as testimonials that I have lived, I wish most to be remembered."
This is a great read on the life of one of the great minds of American history. Well written, full of easily digestible information, every bit of which complete with quotes, examples, and footnotes.
I'll be honest, the first chapter grew a bit long and tedious, but the information found in it was still interesting and informative. The second and fifth chapters were maybe the most interesting reads I have found in historical non fiction. These two chapters are a few examples of ideals I would love to see this country attempt to reach.
The majority of this book focuses on what Jefferson himself thought were the most important aspects of his life:
"...on the faces of the Obelisk the following inscription, & not a word more:
Here was buried
Thomas Jefferson
Author of the Declaration of American Independence
of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom
& Father of the University of Virginia
"because by these," he explained, "as testimonials that I have lived, I wish most to be remembered."
May 7, 2017
In our present Age of Social Justice, study of America's founders, if it's being conducted at all, can be summed up in hashtags. The centuries of hard won wisdom which the founders sought to institutionalize through the creation of a constitutionally limited democratic republic are reduced down to a collection of puerile slogans. The central propositions of individual liberty, property rights, limited government and equality under the law are routinely denigrated as a system of white supremacist, patriarchal colonialism by the academic intelligentsia. Of all our nation's founders, the one whose entire legacy is increasingly subject to reductionist caricature is Thomas Jefferson. Thanks to a steady drumbeat of smug, ahistorical SJW revisionism from artists and academics alike, Jefferson is likely to be perceived merely as the guy who had sex with his slave to the average American.
The prevalence of these leftist cartoons is exactly what makes Kevin Gutzman's new book about Jefferson such an essential read. Thomas Jefferson: Revolutionary is a tour through Jefferson's thought. Specifically, it highlights what distinguishes him from other national founders and why he lives up to the designation "revolutionary".
Full review:
http://wp.me/p6lj8t-wp
The prevalence of these leftist cartoons is exactly what makes Kevin Gutzman's new book about Jefferson such an essential read. Thomas Jefferson: Revolutionary is a tour through Jefferson's thought. Specifically, it highlights what distinguishes him from other national founders and why he lives up to the designation "revolutionary".
Full review:
http://wp.me/p6lj8t-wp
April 9, 2018
Thomas Jefferson, who penned the Declaration of Independence had the opportunity to free the slaves.
He never thought blacks and whites were equal in mentality, however he felt the Indians and whites were more equal.
Jefferson had a great vision for America from the beginning. Under his administration, he made the Louisiana Purchase and sent Lewis and Clark with the corp of Discovery to search the States, even at far as the West coast. He wanted the Indians to know he was big Chief.
He was a proponent of states rights.
He started the University of Virginia and established a school system, as we know it today.
He considered liberty of conscience as the basis of all the freedoms.
He was what the nation needed at that time of new beginnings. He covered so many areas of Government and life.
I won this Free book from Goodreads First reads.
He never thought blacks and whites were equal in mentality, however he felt the Indians and whites were more equal.
Jefferson had a great vision for America from the beginning. Under his administration, he made the Louisiana Purchase and sent Lewis and Clark with the corp of Discovery to search the States, even at far as the West coast. He wanted the Indians to know he was big Chief.
He was a proponent of states rights.
He started the University of Virginia and established a school system, as we know it today.
He considered liberty of conscience as the basis of all the freedoms.
He was what the nation needed at that time of new beginnings. He covered so many areas of Government and life.
I won this Free book from Goodreads First reads.
February 26, 2019
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
It is strange how relevant the things Mr. Jefferson faced are still hot topics today. As I type this, America is still feeling the results of a presidential election that saw all candidates (speaking of primaries here as well) deal with at least one if not all of the issues covered in Mr. Gutzman's book. Federalism (state's rights)...check. Freedom of conscience...check. Assimilation of a different culture/nationality/race into America...check. Although the last one dealt with the American Indian we see the same ideas repeated today in America. Even though this will be on my history shelf it is still very relevant today...and it will be for years to come.
It is strange how relevant the things Mr. Jefferson faced are still hot topics today. As I type this, America is still feeling the results of a presidential election that saw all candidates (speaking of primaries here as well) deal with at least one if not all of the issues covered in Mr. Gutzman's book. Federalism (state's rights)...check. Freedom of conscience...check. Assimilation of a different culture/nationality/race into America...check. Although the last one dealt with the American Indian we see the same ideas repeated today in America. Even though this will be on my history shelf it is still very relevant today...and it will be for years to come.
January 4, 2020
I understood some basic facts about Jefferson before I read this book. This book reaffirmed those facts and deepened my understanding of those facts. I also learned some things about Jefferson with that deeper understanding.
Gutzman covers five major themes of Jefferson’s life: federalism, freedom of conscience, colonization, assimilation and his university. I understood pretty well Jefferson’s overall stance on the importance of states’ rights and how he opposed just about all attempts of his archrival Alexander Hamilton to centralize the power of the federal government. Nonetheless I found the section interesting to revisit historical occurrences like his opposition to the first national bank (Hamilton) and the infamous Alien & Sedition Acts under President John Adams.
I think Jefferson deserves credit for his stance on freedom of conscience. His belief in freedom of religion and the separation of church and state certainly appeared to be revolutionary at the time. He rightly understood that no one had the right to prejudice another in his civil enjoyments because he is of another church.
More troubling of course were his views on slavery and colonization. Troubling is an understatement. Jefferson doesn’t seem to have much more conviction to end slavery than wish fulfillment. And his wish is for it to be someone else’s problem.
How else to justify his insistence that Missouri decree for itself its slavery rights when coming into the union. The only way to interpret that is he wanted those rights upheld, more so because he wanted slavery to continue rather than because he believed in the autonomy of any particular state.
Of course, Jefferson believed that if slaves were to be freed that they should have their own colony, preferably far away from the united colonies. His reasons for this were myriad, firstly because he feared a race war. This may not have been without merit, but his additional belief in the overall inferiority of the black race and distain for the intermingling of the races furthered his stance that they should live separately. The latter of course was all the more ironic given the 200 year old rumors surrounding him and his slave, Sally Hemings.
His stance on colonization was all the more perplexing given his willingness to assimilate with the Native Americans, or Indians. Not that he didn’t have equally superior feelings about civilizing the Indians and educating them. I understand his point, and western civilization was much more advanced. What I don’t understand was his willingness to assimilate with one race and colonize another.
Jefferson also deserves credit for his willingness to want to bring education to people at all economic levels of society, not just for the wealthy. This belief was the foundation for him establishing the University of Virginia. He understood that for common man to understand his civic responsibilities in full he needed to be educated. A properly educated populace can ensure against political corruption taking advantage of an unwitting voting public.
I am sure the world did not need another book about Thomas Jefferson. For anyone like me who likes reading about the Founding Fathers and history in general, you may still find the deeper analysis of Jefferson’s views interesting. For that reason, it’s not an in depth study of writing the Declaration of Independence, of his time as Secretary of State, Vice President or President, much less his rumored liaisons with Sally Hemings. As an analytical look however I found it intellectually stimulating.
Gutzman covers five major themes of Jefferson’s life: federalism, freedom of conscience, colonization, assimilation and his university. I understood pretty well Jefferson’s overall stance on the importance of states’ rights and how he opposed just about all attempts of his archrival Alexander Hamilton to centralize the power of the federal government. Nonetheless I found the section interesting to revisit historical occurrences like his opposition to the first national bank (Hamilton) and the infamous Alien & Sedition Acts under President John Adams.
I think Jefferson deserves credit for his stance on freedom of conscience. His belief in freedom of religion and the separation of church and state certainly appeared to be revolutionary at the time. He rightly understood that no one had the right to prejudice another in his civil enjoyments because he is of another church.
More troubling of course were his views on slavery and colonization. Troubling is an understatement. Jefferson doesn’t seem to have much more conviction to end slavery than wish fulfillment. And his wish is for it to be someone else’s problem.
How else to justify his insistence that Missouri decree for itself its slavery rights when coming into the union. The only way to interpret that is he wanted those rights upheld, more so because he wanted slavery to continue rather than because he believed in the autonomy of any particular state.
Of course, Jefferson believed that if slaves were to be freed that they should have their own colony, preferably far away from the united colonies. His reasons for this were myriad, firstly because he feared a race war. This may not have been without merit, but his additional belief in the overall inferiority of the black race and distain for the intermingling of the races furthered his stance that they should live separately. The latter of course was all the more ironic given the 200 year old rumors surrounding him and his slave, Sally Hemings.
His stance on colonization was all the more perplexing given his willingness to assimilate with the Native Americans, or Indians. Not that he didn’t have equally superior feelings about civilizing the Indians and educating them. I understand his point, and western civilization was much more advanced. What I don’t understand was his willingness to assimilate with one race and colonize another.
Jefferson also deserves credit for his willingness to want to bring education to people at all economic levels of society, not just for the wealthy. This belief was the foundation for him establishing the University of Virginia. He understood that for common man to understand his civic responsibilities in full he needed to be educated. A properly educated populace can ensure against political corruption taking advantage of an unwitting voting public.
I am sure the world did not need another book about Thomas Jefferson. For anyone like me who likes reading about the Founding Fathers and history in general, you may still find the deeper analysis of Jefferson’s views interesting. For that reason, it’s not an in depth study of writing the Declaration of Independence, of his time as Secretary of State, Vice President or President, much less his rumored liaisons with Sally Hemings. As an analytical look however I found it intellectually stimulating.
July 18, 2017
If you are interested in the men (in this case Thomas Jefferson) involved in forming this Country and the interests and desires they had for it, you need to make this the next book you read.
Dr. Gutzman develops Jefferson's political life through five main ideas which are used to give basis to his hopes for government and education.
It is an interesting read, written in many ways more like a tale than a text. Excellent.
Dr. Gutzman develops Jefferson's political life through five main ideas which are used to give basis to his hopes for government and education.
It is an interesting read, written in many ways more like a tale than a text. Excellent.
February 25, 2017
Along with a couple of other new biographies of Thomas Jefferson, this quick read takes a look at the man and not just the icon - illustrating Jefferson's views and priorities in his age and maybe giving some insight into his dreams for America.
December 4, 2020
The author obviously has done a lot of research on Jefferson. The chapter on Mr. Jefferson's University was particularly interesting, and disappointing. I knew Jefferson had signed funding bills for education of Indians, and that he supported public schools. I didn't realize how adamant he was about it. I would have thought Jefferson could have foreseen the folly in placing government in control of education. That is the one section of the book where I learned the most.
There were several areas I thought were downplayed or not fully expounded upon, such as the treatment of the Resolutions of 1798, Jefferson's extensive correspondence, and the role of religion in Jefferson's life. I was particularly disappointed in the author's flippant treatment of the Sally Hemmings affair, saying that most Jefferson scholars today, including the author, accept that Jefferson did sire several children with her. The role of James Callander is completely omitted. His name is not even listed in the index. Jefferson's dedication to family and family life is also barely mentioned.
Jefferson was an extremely disciplined man. He had no respect for the immoral and undisciplined man. He valued knowledge and engaged in research on many subjects throughout his life. He kept detailed records of plant growth and development under various treatments, for example. Another example was a device he developed for making multiple copies of letters, a time saving invention.
The author ends the book by writing that if Jefferson "had been a pointillist painter, there would be enough dots on his canvas for the viewer to be able to make out a clear image." I can clearly see the image of a man who placed knowledge, self discipline, morality, and family on high pedestals. The DNA argument has been recanted by those who first published it, and does not prove anything other than some male in Jefferson's line fathered some of the Hemmings children. A nephew and a brother are the most likely suspects. Jefferson himself was too obsessed with the pursuit of knowledge, and too disciplined a man to engage in such folly.
There were several areas I thought were downplayed or not fully expounded upon, such as the treatment of the Resolutions of 1798, Jefferson's extensive correspondence, and the role of religion in Jefferson's life. I was particularly disappointed in the author's flippant treatment of the Sally Hemmings affair, saying that most Jefferson scholars today, including the author, accept that Jefferson did sire several children with her. The role of James Callander is completely omitted. His name is not even listed in the index. Jefferson's dedication to family and family life is also barely mentioned.
Jefferson was an extremely disciplined man. He had no respect for the immoral and undisciplined man. He valued knowledge and engaged in research on many subjects throughout his life. He kept detailed records of plant growth and development under various treatments, for example. Another example was a device he developed for making multiple copies of letters, a time saving invention.
The author ends the book by writing that if Jefferson "had been a pointillist painter, there would be enough dots on his canvas for the viewer to be able to make out a clear image." I can clearly see the image of a man who placed knowledge, self discipline, morality, and family on high pedestals. The DNA argument has been recanted by those who first published it, and does not prove anything other than some male in Jefferson's line fathered some of the Hemmings children. A nephew and a brother are the most likely suspects. Jefferson himself was too obsessed with the pursuit of knowledge, and too disciplined a man to engage in such folly.
January 14, 2019
I have read a lot of books on Thomas Jefferson but this one definitely showed a different side of some of his views. It is often said history is written by the winners and I think that could be said about Jefferson's views on federalism. We have interpreted his writing based on our preconceived notions and biases but this book does a good job of peeling those layers back and showing us what Jefferson might really have meant by his writings. How different might our government be if we had followed his directions? I found this very interesting.
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway but the opinions expressed are solely my own.
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway but the opinions expressed are solely my own.
May 22, 2017
Good read.
Breaks down Jefferson's history into five separate issues (brokendown into five chapters of the book, conveniently)...
1. Federalism (self explanatory -- he really seems to have been the original Libertarian)
2. Freedom of Conscience (separation of church and state)
3. Colonization (racial issues and his thought of creating a colony and moving all slaves and descendants to another land)
4. Assimilation (American Indians and Western Expanse)
5. Mr. Jefferson's University (his thoughts on public schools and Universities)
Breaks down Jefferson's history into five separate issues (brokendown into five chapters of the book, conveniently)...
1. Federalism (self explanatory -- he really seems to have been the original Libertarian)
2. Freedom of Conscience (separation of church and state)
3. Colonization (racial issues and his thought of creating a colony and moving all slaves and descendants to another land)
4. Assimilation (American Indians and Western Expanse)
5. Mr. Jefferson's University (his thoughts on public schools and Universities)
July 6, 2017
Very scholarly and detailed look at specific aspects of Jefferson's political life and philosophy. Did not find myself in much agreement over the question of "Did he or didn't he," having previously read David Barton's work and research into the question. Have to agree with Barton. Nevertheless, very much appreciated the chapter on federalism. Our country would be greatly improved if all our current federal reps and all state reps read, grasped, and adopted Jefferson's ideas.
October 16, 2018
I enjoyed reading this book, which covers 5 aspects of Jeffersonian interests. I would have liked to see more about the Lewis & Clark Expedition, but that wasn't really the focus of the chapter on colonization. The book gave me a lot more insight into why certain things were done the way they were and of the way people thought at the time.
May 2, 2020
This is a near-perfect summary of Thomas Jefferson's principles and political thought. Most works emphasize Jefferson's views as amorphous or contradictory. By avoiding presentism and silly psycho-biography rabbit trails, Gutzman cuts through all the nonsense to deliver a cohesive book on a very complex man. Complex, but not imperceptible for the serious scholar.
August 25, 2024
Nothing new or exciting here but some good information on an interesting and somewhat controversial figure from our early days as a developing democracy. Views on Federalism, separation of religion and state, emancipation of slaves and education are some of the main topics. A pretty good job of showing both sides of his personal views on these and more topics are handled fairly well.
June 6, 2023
A very interesting deep dive into some core ideals of Jefferson. Highly recommended that you read a biography of him prior to this book as a basis of his background is helpful. An excellent book to add to the study of Jefferson and that political time.
February 25, 2018
I won a galley copy #GoodreadsGiveaway
September 22, 2018
More about his political philosophies and actions than a biography. Definitely more my style. Will be reading more Gutzman
May 5, 2019
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway. The prose made it very difficult to read- I’ll try again at some point, but points were lost in the density and syntax of the book.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews