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Thomas Jefferson: Author of Americaby Christopher Hitchens
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:In this unique biography of Thomas Jefferson, leading journalist and social critic Christopher Hitchens offers a startlingly new and provocative interpretation of our Founding Father. Situating Jefferson within the context of America's evolution and tracing his legacy over the past two hundred years, Hitchens brings the character of Jefferson to life as a man of his time and also as a symbolic figure beyond it. Conflicted by power, Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and acted as Minister to France yet yearned for a quieter career in the Virginia legislature. Predicting that slavery would shape the future of America's development, this professed proponent of emancipation elided the issue in the Declaration and continued to own human property. An eloquent writer, he was an awkward public speaker; a reluctant candidate, he left an indelible presidential legacy. Jefferson's statesmanship enabled him to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase with France, doubling the size of the nation, and he authorized the Lewis and Clark expedition, opening up the American frontier for exploration and settlement. Hitchens also analyzes Jefferson's handling of the Barbary War, a lesser-known chapter of his political career, when his attempt to end the kidnapping and bribery of Americans by the Barbary states, and the subsequent war with Tripoli, led to the building of the U.S. navy and the fortification of America's reputation regarding national defense. In the background of this sophisticated analysis is a large historical drama: the fledgling nation's struggle for independence, formed in the crucible of the eighteenth-century Enlightenment, and, in its shadow, the deformation of that struggle in the excesses of the French Revolution. This artful portrait of a formative figure and a turbulent era poses a challenge to anyone interested in American history — or in the ambiguities of human nature. Review:"In this brief yet dense biography, the newest in HarperCollins's Eminent Lives series, Hitchens (A Long Short War, etc.) proposes that Jefferson 'designed America' when he wrote the Declaration of Independence, establishing 'the concept of human rights, for the first time in history, as the basis for a republic.' Hitchens is quick to point out, however, the obvious contradiction-that Jefferson was both an advocate for freedom and a slaveholder. Beginning with his aristocratic upbringing, which Jefferson purportedly viewed with 'indifference,' this biography explores both the private and public aspects of Jefferson's life, from his political philosophies to his affair with his slave Sally Hemings. In an attempt to set the facts straight about Hemings, Hitchens explains that, while technically a slave, she was actually related to Jefferson's wife and was treated 'more like a privileged housemaid.' Presenting countless excerpts from Jefferson's writings, Hitchens closely analyzes the President's words to reveal the Enlightenment ideas that shaped American policy, such as the separation of church and state and the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. This opinionated, lively narrative sheds light not only on Jefferson's complex personality but on the politics of his time, making it both a fascinating character study and an excellent review of early American history. " Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.) Book News Annotation:In his political biography of Thomas Jefferson, Hitchens (a
contributing editor to Vanity Fair) emphasizes his subject's
contradictions and their influence on the development of the United
States. He discusses the conflict between Jefferson's commitments to
liberty and his own ownership of slaves. He also looks at Jefferson's
wars with the Barbary states as it related to his views on the role
of the military in American society, as well as his diplomacy with
France that resulted in the Louisiana Purchase.
Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Book News Annotation:In his political biography of Thomas Jefferson, Hitchens (a
contributing editor to Vanity Fair) emphasizes his subject's
contradictions and their influence on the development of the United
States. He discusses the conflict between Jefferson's commitments to
liberty and his own ownership of slaves. He also looks at Jefferson's
wars with the Barbary states as it related to his views on the role
of the military in American society, as well as his diplomacy with
France that resulted in the Louisiana Purchase.
Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Review:"A lucid, gently critical view of the great president and empire-builder and most literate of politicians.... Hitchens's slender study complements several lives of Jefferson while displacing none, and it's well worth reading." Kirkus Reviews Review:"Hitchens brings a refreshing perspective to the task, both in that he has not written at length about the founding moment and in that he sees Jefferson from the perspective of a Briton, albeit an Americanized one.... To his credit, Hitchens does not gloss over Jefferson's dark side." New York Times Synopsis:This compelling new biography of Jefferson is set amid the historical drama of the new nation's struggle for independence. The author presents a portrait of a formative figure and a turbulent era in history. About the AuthorChristopher Hitchens, one of the most controversial and compelling voices in Anglo-American journalism, has published more than a dozen books, most recently Love, Poverty, and War: Journeys and Essays. A contributing editor to Vanity Fair, he also writes a monthly column for The Atlantic, and his work regularly appears in The New York Times Book Review, The Nation, Harper's, Slate, and The New York Review of Books, among other publications. He lives with his family in Washington, D.C. What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
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