Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From Pulitzer Prize–winning biographer Jon Meacham, “a big, grand, absorbing exploration of not just Jefferson and his role in history but also Jefferson the man, humanized as never before” (Entertainment Weekly) “Probably the best single-volume biography of Jefferson ever written.”—Gordon S. Wood A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, The Seattle Times, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, BookPage This magnificent biography brings vividly to life an extraordinary man and his remarkable times, giving us Thomas Jefferson the man, the politician, and the president. A Founder whose understanding of power and of human nature enabled him to move men and marshal ideas, to learn from his mistakes and to prevail, Jefferson was passionate about many things—women, his family, science, architecture, gardening, Monticello, Paris, and more. He strove, despite fierce opposition, to realize his vision: the creation, survival, and success of popular government in America. Drawing on archives in the United States, England, and France, as well as unpublished transcripts of Jefferson presidential papers, Jon Meacham shows us the personal Jefferson, a man of appetite, sensuality, and passion. He also presents Jefferson as the most successful political leader of the early republic, and perhaps in all American history, a leader who found the means to endure and to win. His story resonates today not least because he led his nation through ferocious partisanship amid economic change and external threats. Jefferson also embodies an eternal drama, the struggle of the leadership of a nation to achieve greatness in a difficult and confounding world. |
Contents
| 16 | |
THREE Roots of Revolution | 27 |
Four Temptations and Trials | 40 |
THE REVOLUTIONARY | 64 |
seveN There Is No Peace | 78 |
EIGHT The Famous Mr Jefferson | 85 |
NINE The Course of Human Events | 98 |
TEN The Pull of Duty | 109 |
THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION | 281 |
TwentyEight To the Vice Presidency | 299 |
TwentyNINE The Reign of Witches | 311 |
THIRTY Adams vs Jefferson Redux | 321 |
THIRTYONE A Desperate State of Affairs | 332 |
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED | 345 |
THIRTYTHREE A Confident President | 360 |
THIRTYFour Victories Scandal and a Secret Sickness | 372 |
REFORMER AND GOVERNOR | 117 |
Twelve A Troublesome Office | 129 |
THIRTEEN Redcoats at Monticello | 137 |
FourTEEN To Burn on Through Death | 144 |
THE FRUSTRATED CONGRESSMAN | 150 |
sixTEEN A Struggle for Respect | 161 |
A MAN OF THE WORLD 1785 to 1789 | 179 |
NINETEEN The Philosophical World | 188 |
Twenty His Head and His Heart | 197 |
Twentyone Do You Like Our New Constitution? | 205 |
TwentyTwo A Treaty in Paris | 216 |
THE FIRST SECRETARY OF STATE | 229 |
TwentyFour Mr Jefferson Is Greatly Too Democratic | 246 |
TwentyFive Two Cocks in the Pit | 259 |
Twentysix The End of a Stormy Tour | 271 |
THIRTYFive The Air of Enchantment | 383 |
THIRTYsix The People Were Never More Happy | 394 |
THIRTYSEVEN A Deep Dark and Widespread Conspiracy | 415 |
THIRTYEIGHT This Damned Embargo | 425 |
THIRTYNINE A Farewell to Ultimate Power | 436 |
THE MASTER OF MONTICELLO | 443 |
ForTYone To Form Statesmen Legislators and Judges | 462 |
ForTYTwo The Knell of the Union | 474 |
No Doctor Nothing More | 490 |
EPILoGUE All Honor to Jefferson | 497 |
AUTHORs NoTE AND ACKNow LEDGMENTS | 691 |
ILLUSTRATION CREDITS | 731 |
| 737 | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accessed Adams American asked authority become believed Britain British called cause Collection colonies Congress Constitution course early election England father fear Federalist force France French George give Hamilton hand Hemings Henry History hope hour House Ibid Independence interest James January Jeffer Jefferson wrote John July knew late later leave letter liberty Library lived London Madison March means mind Monticello moved nature never noted once opinion Paris party passed Philadelphia political possible present president President's Press published question Randall Randolph reported Republican Sally seemed Senate sense slaves Smith Society things Thomas Jefferson thought tion told took United University University Press Virginia wanted Washington Williamsburg wish writing York