Thomas Jefferson: His Words and Vision

Rating:
Summary: A Window Into a Mind
Review: "Thomas Jefferson: His Life and Works" is a window into one of the greatest minds to ever enlighten the American continent. This short book is divided into eight sections, each dealing with a different aspect of Jefferson life or outlook. Each section begins with a brief introduction followed by a collection of quotations from Jefferson's writings. Some are drawn from well known public writings, such as the Declaration of Independence, whereas others are to be found in Jefferson's private correspondence. In most cases the source of the quotation is given, inviting the reader to conduct further study.

In the study of collections of quotations such as this, I often find the greatest insights not in the points which the speaker intended to make but in lessons to be learned by the contrast between the speaker's implied assumptions and the accepted standards of our day. An example of this is found in this book is Jefferson's statement on the public assemblies from which: "there would be excluded...women who, to prevent deprivation of morals ambiguity of issue, could not mix promiscuously in the public meetings of men." When I read statements such as this I think that, perhaps, the morals of our day do not compare unfavorably with those of past generations.

Overall I consider this book to be a good introduction into the mind and life of Thomas Jefferson. While only scratching the surface of his thought, it does provide a sources for some quotations with which to leaven our speech as well as providing an encouragement for further study.