Thomas Jefferson by R. B. Bernstein Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Thomas Jefferson
Book Review: Finally, a balanced view of Jefferson
Summary: 5 Stars
Chou En-Lai, the 20th century Communist leader, was once asked what he thought of the French Revolution. "Too early to say," was his response.
The same has long been true of Thomas Jefferson. Is he a great leader or a great hypocrite? How do we make sense of a person who wrote the ringing words of the Declaration of Independence, yet lived off of the labor of slaves? For far too long, most historians haven not really tried to make sense of him, but instead have either cheered for him or thrown things at him. The partisan passions that Jefferson lived in the center are still very much with us.
Not so with this book. The tone is calm and unemotional. Jefferson's vritues, and his faults, are clearly and simply set forth. The book is wonderfully concise and wonderfully even-handed. It is, without question, the best short life of Jefferson. It is extremely balanced, describing every phase of Jefferson's life, and giving the proper consideration to questions as varied as his temperment, political leadership, educational activities and personal life. I had not realized that the Sally Hemings controversy had been resolved -- yes, he did it -- but Bernstein deals with this question in his characteristically straightforward, unemotional manner. It is what it is.
I have one minor nit to pick. The book does very little to orient the modern reader to how different the 18th century is from today. Bernstein obviously knows how much things have changed, but I do not think he brings that home much to the casual reader. Probably not something he could have done and still keep the book under 200 pages.
Book Review: Biography of Jefferson
Summary: 5 Stars
This paperback book was purchased as a gift for a friend at Christmas. He told me recently that he really enjoyed the book, and feels that he now knows many amazing facts about our third president. He recommends it highly.Book Review: Basic, indeed....................
Summary: 3 Stars
This is billed as a concise, one-volume, biography of Mr. Jefferson. It is that, and I've seen worse books. It is quite well written, and does hit all the high points, and basic ideas. It even clarifies some of the ideas rather well. However......
I have a couple of complaints.....
[1] It skips around, placing events out of sequence; this is most marked toward the end.
[2] The author gives full credence to the Tom and Sally story, while rather blithely dismissing the alternatives. It is NOT that simple. OK; this one is a matter of opinion, and we'll never settle it.
Complaints, and Sally, aside, this is not really "bad". The main points get made, the Declaration and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom get written, and UVA gets founded. A nice touch is including Dumas Malone's biography as one of Jefferson's five great "monuments". [Along with the nickel, Mount Rushmore, the Jefferson Memorial, and the Jefferson Papers]. Still, you can do better...try Joseph Ellis' "American Sphinx" or Noble Cunningham's "In Persuit of Reason....The Life of Thomas Jefferson". Naturally, Dumas Malone and Merrill Peterson remain definitive, but their length will deter most readers.
Book Review: Simple, basic Jefferson primer
Summary: 3 Stars
This is an extremely basic and simple 192 page summary of the life and accomplishments of Thomas Jefferson. In that context, it is perfectly acceptable. For the life of me, however, I don't see how this could be rated a five (or even four) star effort.
If you give this 5 stars, what do you give Truman, or John Adams or War and Peace? When you go to your average Holiday Inn, do you give it five stars? If so, what is a Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton? Do you award the gold medal to a diver who does a perfectly executed swan dive? Degree of difficulty must come into play.
Having said that, if you're looking for a beginner biography for your junior high student, this would be an excellent selection. If you're interested in the American Presidents series and want to skim the surface of many of our Presidents without going in depth on any of them, this would be the way to go. If you're looking for depth, analysis and context, however, I'd certainly look for more than a 192 page summation.
Why then did I purchase this work? I knew what it was when I bought it. I had just finished Ron Chernow's "Hamilton" and had previously read David McCollough's "John Adams". Both of these subjects were rivals and at times bitter enemies of Jefferson. Having been brought up to view Jefferson as a Founding Father of great intellect and importance, it was a little disconcerting to view him through the writing of McCollough and Chernow as a dishonest, venal, calculating opportunist. Chernow, especially, falls into hero worship mode when comparing and contrasting his subject, Hamilton, with Jefferson.
In buying this work, I was looking for a more balanced effort without having to invest the time in an 800 page biography which largely recounted the historical events already covered in previously read biographies on Washington, Adams and Hamilton. For that purpose, it was just what the doctor ordered. Unlike Chernow, Bernstein examines his subject warts and all. He acknowledges and doesn't downplay his weaknesses, while at the same time revealing his unquestionable brilliance in many areas.
I highly recommend "Hamilton" as an outstanding history lesson and biography of a little appreciated and sometimes disregarded founding father. However, this little tome is a good antidote for the character assassination sustained by Jefferson in the aforementioned work.
Book Review: Accomplishes what it set out to do - Recommended
Summary: 4 Stars
Historians have tackled Jefferson's towering life and voluminous writings and correspondence with equally imposing full-length biographies, the best of which is over one thousand pages long. Scholarly and informative, sure, but prohibitively long for the first-time reader.
Bernstein's book complements these monumental biographies, serving as a balanced primer to his life. Although familiar segments of Jefferson's life seem glossed over, a close reading of the text shows that Bernstein indeed possesses a full understanding of Jefferson. Bernstein knows more about Jefferson than is revealed only in the text; however, for the sake of maintaining a short, readable biography, he chooses a minimalist approach. The author certainly simplifies certain episodes, but in such a way that provides enough information for the casual reader while still providing a springboard for the more serious student of history.
Bernstein gives a chronological narrative that is easy to follow (supplemented by a timeline in the appendices) and hits all the salient points. Far from being a partisan against Jefferson or his apologist, the author succeeds in balancing the need to view Jefferson in his own time with our desire to to judge him against today's moral standards. Never does the book get off-track with partisan attacks or psychological field trips intent on discovering the "real" Jefferson, as other historians often attempt.
Recommended as a (very) short introduction to Jefferson's life and lasting importance.