The Inner Jefferson - Portrait of a Grieving Opitimist

by Andrew Burstein

Thomas Jefferson's personal life has always been a puzzle tobiographers. Even his contemporaries found him difficult to know. In Jefferson'scorrespondence, however, Andrew Burstein has found a key to the inner man. Thispenetrating and thoughtful portait confronts widespread misunderstandings aboutJefferson's romantic life and provides insight into the contradictions that stillsurround our third president.

Genres: Biography, History, American History, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published August 22, 1995

About the author

Andrew Burstein is the Charles P. Manship Professor of History at Louisiana State University, and the author of The Passions of Andrew Jackson, Jefferson’s Secrets, and Madison and Jefferson, among others. Burstein’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Nation, and Salon.com, and he advised Ken Burns’s production "Thomas Jefferson." He has been featured on C-SPAN's American Presidents Series and Booknotes, as well as numerous NPR programs, including Talk of the Nation and The Diane Rehm Show. He lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Reviews

[Relstuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

The focus of this book is on what Jefferson was like as a person within the context of his time. It's not trying to be a full biography of his life or actions. I enjoyed the insight into what kind of friend he was, the impact on his life of his wife her passing after ten years, and the way he worked with his friends and foes in his political life. The inner man is the focus.

The author describes some of the things he tried to analyze - how did Jefferson cope with uncertainties? What was he like as a friend? How did an essentially private man rally so many people to his cause?

The author does briefly describe the Sally Hemings controversy in his introduction but doesn't delve into the matter until far into the book. He points to some strong evidence that Thomas Jefferson did not have children with Ms. Hemings, states his position, and moves on without this being a major focus of the book.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This brief yet expansive book is an academically-themed book best suited for serious students of the third president of the United States, and more importantly, esteemed writer of his day and age. This is not your average run of the mill study of Jefferson and his biographical life; rather, this carefully constructed examination of this great man is thought-provoking, precise, and requires a deeper desire and understanding of what made him such an intensely complex and profoundly paradoxical person.

To truly know Jefferson you must acquaint yourself with his fondness for the novel, "Tristram Shandy" by Laurence Sterne, which this book's author, Burstein, develops very early on and continues to revisit throughout the book to draw meaningful parallels with Jefferson's psyche. The first two chapters were, in my opinion, at times, a tad difficult to wade through with all the philosophical jargon used to better understand Jefferson's early life, but it is significant and meaningful to the larger picture of Jefferson that we all know but crave a better understanding of what he was all about. The book then picks up speed and the reader begins to slowly but never completely put the jigsaw puzzle together since the subject at hand is chock full of incomplete mysteries and scrutinizing ironies that further engage our competing curiosities.

Furthermore, the importance of Jefferson's "Head and Heart" letter to the desired Maria Cosway, fully and thoroughly examined and referenced throughout the book, gives us more than a cursory glimpse into Jefferson's mind. The dichotomy of this dually anatomical-referenced decision-making process renders Jefferson refreshingly vulnerable to his paramour, but more importantly allows the reader to peek into his hidden, self-restrained mind, if only for a mere moment, to gain a somewhat clearer understanding of how he used this model in so many facets of his life.

Burstein briefly addresses the mysterious controversy of Sally Hemings, and instead of rushing to point the finger to Jefferson, makes a case for one of his nephews likely being the father of her children based on his mindset from the "Head and Heart" dilemma he toiled with. After reading and absorbing his reasoning, I tend to agree with this assessment, unpopular as it might be.

In the final chapter of the book, the conclusion, Burstein rightly asserts that Jefferson was a man of his own time and how it is unfair to use modern or contemporary standards to judge him or to use previous centuries after his existence to dissect him. He belongs as a relic of his own age, the 18th Century Enlightenment Age, as the author duly mentioned. The point was well-taken and I applaud this careful notion.

Again, I reiterate that I would recommend this book to others but especially to hardcore students of Jefferson that would like a more penetrating and deeper analysis of this great mind. I would also encourage readers not to give up and keep reading until the end even if at times the material can be dull and seem more academic in nature. You will thank yourself for it when you reach the finish line.

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book clearly captures the essence of who Thomas Jefferson actually was. Though I read this book in 1998 I intend to re-read it again in 2014. With current political climate of Washington DC it is worth revisiting the struggles of our Third President.

[Carlos Cardenas]

The life of a fascinating figure in US History. A well-rounded and highly intelligent and cultured man that shaped the path the US would follow thereafter.

[Gary Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely. Very informative.

[Trav S.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave it four stars because it is very well researched and reasonably well written. I think however that it's appeal will probably limited strictly to hard core Jefferson freaks, people who have read all the OTHER books and so are looking for something that hits a new angle. This one strictly deals with his personal and professional relations as analyzed through his correspondence. It's the sort of book you might buy by accident in the Monticello bookshop. Personally, I am attracted to Jefferson the genius and Jefferson the world historical figure. I don't find myself caring terribly much about his heart. A good chunk of the book is devoted to his relationship with his wife (who left him widowed tragically young) and other sweethearts. I found myself skimming over this stuff, and spent the most time savoring the portions about his communications with John and Abigail Adams, Franklin, Washington,, Hamilton, Madison etc. That said, the book is well executed, just not so much my personal cup of tea.