Carson Glass’s Reviews > American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson > Status Update

It appears the book is not going to delve very far into Jefferson’s time as Secretary of State, which is a little disappointing, but it will touch on it a little. Right now it is covering his time at Monticello, before his Presidency. I am very excited to get to his time as President of the United States after his brief retirement.

Finished Jefferson’s time in France.

It appears that Jefferson’s ability to have contradicting beliefs without having to question himself (also called “doublethink” in Orwellian) appeared during his time in France, when we wrote different political opinions and beliefs to the Americans and the French, as he considered this playing to side he was writing to.

My new favorite piece of history is Thomas Jefferson getting offended by edits to the Declaration of Independence, so Ben Franklin has to comfort him. The last few sections were about the writing of the Declaration, Jefferson’s inspiration for it, as well as his journey home in fall of 1776. The main idea was citing his strong views on individual and states rights, while demonstrating his hypocrisies on slavery.

Apparently Adams thought of Jefferson as a son