Synopses & Reviews
Throughout his life, Thomas Jefferson constructed a seemingly impenetrable wall between his public legacy and his private life, a division maintained by his family and the several traditional biographies written about this founding father. Now Virginia Scharff breaks down the barrier between Jefferson's public and private histories to offer an intriguing new portrait of this complicated and influential figure, as seen through the lives of a remarkable group of women.
Scharff brings together for the first time in one volume the stories of these diverse women, separated by race but related by blood, includ-ing Jefferson's mother, Jane Randolph; his wife, Martha; her half sister, Sally Hemings, his slave mistress; his daughters; and his granddaughters. "Their lives, their Revolutions, their vulnerabilities, shaped the choices Jefferson made, from the selection of words and ideas in his Declaration, to the endless building of his mountaintop mansion, to the vision of a great agrarian nation that powered his Louisiana Purchase," Scharff writes. Based on a wealth of sources, including family letters, and written with empathy and great insight, The Women Jefferson Loved is a welcome new look at this legendary American and one that offers a fresh twist on American history itself.
Review
“A smart, eye-opening, vividly written saga of Monticello. Its an indispensable portrait of Thomas Jefferson like none other. Highly recommended!” Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History, Rice University, and author of < i=""> The Wilderness Warrior <>
Review
“Scharff weaves a fascinating tale, enriched by the insights of the best contemporary scholarship, and seamlessly constructed from family lore, letters, garden and account books, and Martha Jeffersons housekeeping journal. This is a terrific read!” Barbara Oberg, General Editor, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Princeton University
Review
“[A] luminous and long overdue addition to Jefferson scholarship. . . . This book is a tour de force; a must read for all who are interested in the early America, Jefferson, and Monticello.” Annette Gordon-Reed, author of The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family
Review
“It is not often that I spend a day reading a single book, but The Women Jefferson Loved is that gripping. Moving, brilliantly written and deeply sympathetic to everyone concerned, it is a wonder.” Richard White, Professor of History, Stanford University, and author of < i=""> The Middle Ground <>
Review
“With wit and verve, Scharff introduces us to a new side of the Founding Father, unraveling the intricate ties between his public and private lives and creating an unforgettable portrait of a man bound up in the struggle between head and heart.” Martha A. Sandweiss, author of Passing Strange: A Gilded Age Tale of Love and Deception Across the Color Line
Review
“Weve all heard about the influence of the women ‘behind great men. Virginia Scharff actually shows this by examining all the women in Jeffersons life-his mother, white wife, black common-law wife, daughters and granddaughters. A grand, lively read.” Linda Gordon, Professor of History, New York University, and author of < i=""> Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond Limits <>
Review
“If you think theres nothing new to learn about Thomas Jefferson, think again-and read this original, shrewd and above all compassionate book. Virginia Scharff introduces us to the remarkable women who, as much as Jefferson himself, illuminate their time through their lives and their strength of character.” Elliott West, author of The Last Indian War: The Nez Perce Story
Synopsis
A focused, fresh spin on Jeffersonian biography. Kirkus Reviews
In the tradition of Annette Gordon-Reed s The Hemingses of Monticello and David McCullough s John Adams, historian Virginia Scharff offers a compelling, highly readable multi-generational biography revealing how the women Thomas Jefferson loved shaped the third president s ideas and his vision for the nation. Scharff creates a nuanced portrait of the preeminent founding father, examining Jefferson through the eyes of the women who were closest to him, from his mother to his wife and daughters to Sally Hemings and the slave family he began with her. "
Synopsis
For many Americans of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Thomas Jefferson was a living symbol of all the United States stood for. Jefferson himself sought to protect this reputation, partly by rigorously separating his public and private lives. Virginia Scharff breaks down that barrier to present an intriguing new portrait of this complex and influential figure, as seen through the lives of a remarkable group of women.
The Women Jefferson Loved tells the stories of Jefferson's wife Martha, his mistress Sally Hemings, and the children and grandchildren from each relationship, as well as his mother, Jane Randolph. These women represented different races, social classes and belief systems, but as a group are more representative of America as it really was than the America that was often portrayed in contemporary literature. The Women Jefferson Loved offers a welcome new look at a legendary American, along with a fresh twist on American history itself.
Virginia Scharff is professor of history and director of the Center for the Southwest at the University of New Mexico. Her scholarly publications include Taking the Wheel: Women and the Coming of the Motor Age and Present Tense: The United States Since 1945. She is also the author of four mystery novels, all written under the name of Virginia Swift: Brown-Eyed Girl, Bad Company, Bye, Bye, Love, and Hello, Stranger.
"It is not often that I spend a day reading a single book, but The Women Jefferson Loved is that gripping. Moving, brilliantly written and deeply sympathetic to everyone concerned, it is a wonder." -- Richard White, professor of history, Stanford University, and author of The Middle Ground
--Linda Gordon, Professor of History, New York University, and author of
Dorothea Lange: A Life Beyond LimitsSynopsis
Historian Virginia Scharff breaks through the seemingly impenetrable wall separating Thomas Jeffersons public legacy and his private life, offering an intriguing new portrait of the founding father as seen through the lives of a remarkable group of women. Scharff brings together stories of the women who surrounded and, in many ways, defined Jefferson, including his mother; his wife, Martha; his mistress and Marthas half-sister, slave Sally Hemings; and his daughters and granddaughters. Based on a wealth of sources, including family letters, and written with empathy and insight, The Women Jefferson Loved is an unprecedented new look at this legendary American—one that offers a fresh perspective on American history itself.
Synopsis
“A focused, fresh spin on Jeffersonian biography.” —
Kirkus ReviewsIn the tradition of Annette Gordon-Reeds The Hemingses of Monticello and David McCulloughs John Adams, historian Virginia Scharff offers a compelling, highly readable multi-generational biography revealing how the women Thomas Jefferson loved shaped the third presidents ideas and his vision for the nation. Scharff creates a nuanced portrait of the preeminent founding father, examining Jefferson through the eyes of the women who were closest to him, from his mother to his wife and daughters to Sally Hemings and the slave family he began with her.
About the Author
Virginia Scharff is a professor of history at the University of New Mexico and holds the Women of the West Chair at the Autry National Center in Los Angeles. She is also the author of four mystery/suspense novels penned under the name Virginia Swift.