Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History
by Fawn McKay Brodie
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Book Summary Information
Author: Fawn McKay BrodieEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 1998-04
ISBN: 0393317528
Number of pages: 594
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Book Reviews of Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History
Book Review: Better fiction than history
Summary: 1 Stars
Fawn Brodie's book is now famous since DNA testing has apparently confirmed her claims of Jefferson's affair with a slave named Sally Hemings. Brodie's main purpose in the book is to show the inner psyche of the third president. This is done by giving every action of Jefferson's life a purely personal, psychological motivation. For instance, Brodie claims that the Declaration of Independence was not a classic piece of political philosophy or a list of American grievances against the king, but rather a subconscious act of rebellion against Jefferson's mother. In fact, Brodie writes exensively on the difficult relations between Jefferson and his mother. The only problem is that there are virtually no surviving records of the relationship, so Brodie simply makes most of it up as she goes. As for Sally Hemings, Brodie's conclusion is correct but most of the "evidence" she uses to get there is ridiculous. For instance, Jefferson's notes on the color of the soil in Germany, the paintings he likes in the Louvre, even his plans to invent a new type of plow are all taken as proof that Jefferson was thinking about having an affair with Sally Hemings. In short, if you want a book with a balanced portrait of the real Thomas Jefferson, try Willard Randall's "Thomas Jefferson: A Life". If you want some interesting historical fiction, try Fawn Brodie.
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