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Mr. Jefferson's University
In the paperback edition of the critically acclaimed hardcover, bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize-winner Garry Wills explores Thomas Jefferson's final and favorite achievement, the University of Virginia. The University of Virginia is one of America's greatest architectural treasures and one of Thomas Jefferson's proudest achievements. At his request his headstone says nothing of his service as America's first Secretary of State or its third President. It says simply: "Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia." For this political genius was a supremely gifted artist as well, and of all Jefferson's stunning accomplishments, the school he built in Charlottesville is perhaps the most perfect expression of the man himself: as leader, as architect, and as philosopher. In this engrossing, perceptive book, Garry Wills once again displays the keen intelligence and eloquent style that have won him great critical praise as he explores the creation of a masterpiece, tracing its evolution from Jefferson's idea of an "academical village" into a classically beautiful campus. Mr. Jefferson's University is at once a wonderful chronicle of the birth of a national institution and a deft portrait of the towering American who brought it to life. "There is much auspicious history to explore here, and Wills does so with great narrative skills." -Richmond Times-Dispatch "His command of the subject is formidable." -Los Angeles Times
- GenresHistoryArchitecture
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
3 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Garry Wills
154 books253 followersGarry Wills is an American author, journalist, political philosopher, and historian, specializing in American history, politics, and religion, especially the history of the Catholic Church. He won a Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1993.
Wills has written over fifty books and, since 1973, has been a frequent reviewer for The New York Review of Books. He became a faculty member of the history department at Northwestern University in 1980, where he is an Emeritus Professor of History.
Wills has written over fifty books and, since 1973, has been a frequent reviewer for The New York Review of Books. He became a faculty member of the history department at Northwestern University in 1980, where he is an Emeritus Professor of History.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 10, 2025
An absorbing brief history of the creation and design of the University of Virginia's academical village and the man behind it, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson spent the last years of his life fighting for and working towards the creation of a university, which included political maneuvering for funding, ongoing collaboration with the best architects of the day, and fighting to secure the best professors and resources possible for the school.
I learned a lot about the early days of the university and the intent behind the design through this book. Jefferson intentionally designed the pavilions around his great rotunda with a paradoxical effect - "Of regimentation and individual expression, of hierarchical order and relaxed improvising. Some seize on only one aspect of this complicated experience, calling it either too orderly and systematic or too heterogenous and disordered. But it is the reconciliation of these apparent irreconcilables that is the genius of the system" (17).
There is no way to discuss the founding of the University of Virginia without also discussing its founder, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was not afraid to "fight dirty" to achieve his vision (38). In pursuit of state funding, he actively sought to thwart the goals of competing institutions, specifically William & Mary, in order to capture state funds for his own project. It was fascinating to imagine Jefferson at home at Monticello from which he "could see whether work was being done by training his telescope on the site - and workers knew that his superintending intellect always had them under survey" (70). It is particularly astounding to see what he achieved given all of his many competiting responsibilities at the time: "putting up the university while carrying on all his other activities as the manager of two working plantations, an advisor to political allies, and a correspondent with philosophes around the world" (102).
I also enjoyed the author's detailed description of the interior design of the Rotunda. When it burned after Jefferson's death, it was redesigned. Many years later, in the 1950s, Jefferson's original plans were uncovered, and a great debate ensued until it was originally restored to approximately the original design.
This was a relatively dry text, with the early chapters consumed by detailed minute descriptions of the different pavilions around the great lawn of UVA. While there are a few black and white photos and sketches, some of this was hard to follow without a comprehensive mental map of the layout of the university. While others have criticized the inclusion of so much detail about Jefferson himself, I found it essential to a true understanding of the university and the decisions behind much of the design. As someone with an interest in history and Virginia history in particular, as well as a frequent visitor over the years to both Monticello and the University of Virginia, I enjoyed learning more about its origins and history through this text.
I learned a lot about the early days of the university and the intent behind the design through this book. Jefferson intentionally designed the pavilions around his great rotunda with a paradoxical effect - "Of regimentation and individual expression, of hierarchical order and relaxed improvising. Some seize on only one aspect of this complicated experience, calling it either too orderly and systematic or too heterogenous and disordered. But it is the reconciliation of these apparent irreconcilables that is the genius of the system" (17).
There is no way to discuss the founding of the University of Virginia without also discussing its founder, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was not afraid to "fight dirty" to achieve his vision (38). In pursuit of state funding, he actively sought to thwart the goals of competing institutions, specifically William & Mary, in order to capture state funds for his own project. It was fascinating to imagine Jefferson at home at Monticello from which he "could see whether work was being done by training his telescope on the site - and workers knew that his superintending intellect always had them under survey" (70). It is particularly astounding to see what he achieved given all of his many competiting responsibilities at the time: "putting up the university while carrying on all his other activities as the manager of two working plantations, an advisor to political allies, and a correspondent with philosophes around the world" (102).
I also enjoyed the author's detailed description of the interior design of the Rotunda. When it burned after Jefferson's death, it was redesigned. Many years later, in the 1950s, Jefferson's original plans were uncovered, and a great debate ensued until it was originally restored to approximately the original design.
This was a relatively dry text, with the early chapters consumed by detailed minute descriptions of the different pavilions around the great lawn of UVA. While there are a few black and white photos and sketches, some of this was hard to follow without a comprehensive mental map of the layout of the university. While others have criticized the inclusion of so much detail about Jefferson himself, I found it essential to a true understanding of the university and the decisions behind much of the design. As someone with an interest in history and Virginia history in particular, as well as a frequent visitor over the years to both Monticello and the University of Virginia, I enjoyed learning more about its origins and history through this text.
May 20, 2022
smart and available narrative of how the academical village came to be - its clear that gills loves jefferson, but reading beyond the author’s admiration for his polymathic gifts, jefferson seems a sort of tortured, irksome guy (to say literally nothing of his, uh, plantation). french in a pejorative sense!
August 9, 2019
An interesting topic and some good writing but it seemed as if the author couldn't decide if this was an architecture book about an amazing set of buildings or a biography of their designer. I liked it but wasn't thrilled by it
March 3, 2023
Short and to the point, a lot of fascinating detail. Although offering little information relative to slavery at the university, Wills does discuss how support of the institution of slavery was a key factor in the argument for having a southern university.
Read
September 27, 2022Short history on the U of Virginia
May 23, 2012
Excellent work of Architecture and History
Garry Wills has a reputation as a worthy historian who has an ability to write in a very succinct and pithy style. This book maintains and promotes that reputation further.
As a Virginia resident who has studied and read a great deal by Jefferson and about Jefferson, I have been aware of his founding role in the establishment of the University of Virginia but I did not fully appreciate the remarkable energy and creativity he brought to the task at a time when most men are retired and in their dotage. Jefferson accomplished as a septa/octogenarian one of his most prized accomplishments.
The book itself moves very straightforwardly through a detailed architectural study of the school's original buildings and then ties a narrative in to explain how it was accomplished while also giving a great deal of anecdotal history. Of particular interest to this reviewer was the personal stories of the original professors and the stories of the early student body and how well Jefferson's prescribed social order worked initially (not very well.)
The strength of the books brevity is also it's weakness however. The launching of the books detail in architectural detail is more information than the typical historical reader is going to be equipped to digest unless they are already intimately familiar with the school itself. This is something Wills almost seems to assume. The following narratives more than make up for this deficiency in my opinion but sadly, I suspect, many will have given up before reaching that element. That initial section on architecture may be safely scanned for the reader not as interested in such minute stylistic detail.
An enjoyable read once that initial speed bump is overcome.
A worthwhile read for anyone interested in the University or Jefferson.
Bart Breen
Garry Wills has a reputation as a worthy historian who has an ability to write in a very succinct and pithy style. This book maintains and promotes that reputation further.
As a Virginia resident who has studied and read a great deal by Jefferson and about Jefferson, I have been aware of his founding role in the establishment of the University of Virginia but I did not fully appreciate the remarkable energy and creativity he brought to the task at a time when most men are retired and in their dotage. Jefferson accomplished as a septa/octogenarian one of his most prized accomplishments.
The book itself moves very straightforwardly through a detailed architectural study of the school's original buildings and then ties a narrative in to explain how it was accomplished while also giving a great deal of anecdotal history. Of particular interest to this reviewer was the personal stories of the original professors and the stories of the early student body and how well Jefferson's prescribed social order worked initially (not very well.)
The strength of the books brevity is also it's weakness however. The launching of the books detail in architectural detail is more information than the typical historical reader is going to be equipped to digest unless they are already intimately familiar with the school itself. This is something Wills almost seems to assume. The following narratives more than make up for this deficiency in my opinion but sadly, I suspect, many will have given up before reaching that element. That initial section on architecture may be safely scanned for the reader not as interested in such minute stylistic detail.
An enjoyable read once that initial speed bump is overcome.
A worthwhile read for anyone interested in the University or Jefferson.
Bart Breen
September 7, 2014
National Geogrpahic "Directions" series. Good series.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews