American Sphinx : The Character of Thomas Jefferson

Rating:
Summary: Not a Good Introduction to Jefferson. A Good 2nd or 3rd Book
Review: This is not a general biography of Jefferson. Instead, it is a study of the character of Thomas Jefferson. In that respect, it is a great book (though pessimistic), but it is not a good introduction to Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, America's third president, and so much more. If you are reading about Jefferson for the first time, this book is not for you.

For a good first book on Jefferson, I suggest Bernstein's concise "Thomas Jefferson." You may also want to consider Malone's masterpiece six-volume biography of Jefferson, which won the Pulitzer Prize. (The first two volumes are simply superb: "Jefferson the Virginian" and "Jefferson and the Rights of Man").

This book struck me as the equivalent of a book about Mozart's character. Would that be a fair assessment of the life and music of Mozart, as well as the historical impact of his work?

Readers not familiar with the Revolutionary War period should realize that Jefferson and his allies (like Madison) clashed with Hamilton and his allies (like Adams). Historians tend to take sides (slightly) when writing about the founders.

Ellis admittedly leans towards Adams. He wrote a book about Adams to revive Adams' reputation (deservedly so) which Ellis felt was overshadowed by Jefferson's legacy. Chernow's biography of Hamilton also is too harsh on Jefferson. Therefore, it is no surprise that people who read this book come away with a less than impressive impression of Jefferson.

This is a brilliant book about a certain view of Jefferson and would be a good 2nd or 3rd read about Jefferson. However, I recommend first reading Bernstein's brief "Thomas Jefferson" or Malone's biography. Then read Ellis' book on Jefferson.

One last thought. Ellis is one of the greatest writers on the revolution, and I very much enjoy his books. I highly recommend his books. Just keep in mind that he seems to lean slightly to the side that opposes Jefferson - which makes things all the more interesting!