Undaunted Courage : Meriwether Lewis Thomas Jefferson And The Opening Of The American West

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A biography of Meriwether Lewis that relies heavily on the journals of both Lewis and Clark, this book is also backed up by the author's personal travels along Lewis and Clark's route to the Pacific. Ambrose is not content to simply chronicle the events of the "Corps of Discovery" as the explorers called their ventures. He often pauses to assess the military leadership of Lewis and Clark, how they negotiated with various native peoples and what they reported to Jefferson. Though the expedition failed to find Jefferson's hoped for water route to the Pacific, it fired interest among fur traders and other Americans, changing the face of the West forever.

Book Description

In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson selected his personal secretary, Captain Meriwether Lewis, to lead a voyage up the Missouri River, across the forbidding Rockies, and -- by way of the Snake and mighty Columbia -- down to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis and his partner, Captain William Clark, endured incredible hardships and witnessed astounding sights. With great perseverance, they worked their way into an unexplored West and when they returned two years later, they had long since been given up for dead.

Lewis is supported by a variety of colorful characters: Jefferson and his vision of the West; Clark, the artist and map-maker; and Lewis -- the enigma, who let brilliantly but considered the mission a failure After suffering several periods of depression -- and despite his status as a national hero -- Lewis died mysteriously, apparently by his own hand.

Customer Reviews:

Corps of Discovery - a truely American Story.......2007-09-10

In this day of relentless boredom for most people, this book provides a venue for the imagination to travel in time that has almost been forgotten. The details of what went on before and after the "Corps of Discovery" allow the reader to understand more than the trip itself. This view from the balcony allows the reader to have closure on the leaders, members of the crew, and the adventure. If you are thinking of trying a new direction in life, read this book to see what others have gone through to explore a new frontier. You will find that the trials, discovery of wonders, and strengthening of your character can be very rewarding.

A courageous book!.......2007-07-03

Undaunted Courage is a comprehensive account of the Lewis and Clark expedition that was exhaustively researched and written by Stephen Ambrose. It will take time to read but you won't be disappointed. There are interesting stories and facts all along the way and it will give you a good slice of Amrerican History from that period.

excellent.......2007-06-24

This book is primarily about Meriwether Lewis and his role in the
expedition across the continent. Stephen Ambrose is phenomenally gifted in bringing history to life.
He sticks very close to the sources and only occasionally takes detours to make conjectures
about things about which the historical record is silent. Despite this the
book is a real page-turner. While Ambrose does an excellent job in describing the ups and downs
of the expedition, I do think that it is a very worthwhile reading the original journals.
I have only read excerpts, however, I believe they surpass even this book. Also, the recent PBS documentary
shows many of the locations described in this book. It is well narrated definitely worth seeing.

a compelling narrative of a courageous American's contribution.......2007-06-21

Many know the overall story of Lewis and Clark. Yes, those two strapping chaps who traversed across our country with that teenage Indian girl before anyone else did. Indeed, before reading Stephen Ambrose's near 600-page book "Undaunted Courage" I doubted how much truly "interesting" detail could exist in their journey. After seeing a few History Channel specials, I was convinced I knew the gist of their journey more than most, and felt that was probably sufficient. What else was there to really consider? As it is with most detailed historical nonfiction I read, I was surprised instantly. Not only did this book provide an intense examination of exploration in early 19th century America, but it is, in general, the most intriguing, intense, suspenseful, joyous, depressing, and inspiring book I've read in a long time. How Ambrose is able to exude such a variety of emotions in his writing I hope to one day discover. How Lewis was able lead people and conquer unknowns so successfully while fading so tragically I doubt I will ever be able to comprehend.

The book's title comes from a characteristic given to Meriwether Lewis both during childhood by a schoolmate, and, after his death, by Thomas Jefferson. It may seem strange that two friends of Lewis so separated from each other at such separate times in Lewis' life would choose the words "undaunted courage" to describe him, but if one is to simply observe the broadest aspects of Lewis' personality, such a description would only be expected. Indeed, the book is more of a biography of Lewis' life and his "undaunted courage" than a historical account of the journey itself. Certainly Ambrose dives into great detail of the journey, but it is always done through Lewis' eyes. The book begins with Lewis' childhood and ends with his death, giving the legendary expedition only about 3/5 of the book's content. This is not a downside by any means.

Ambrose's detailed description of Lewis' childhood, family, education, connection to Jefferson, and military history is not only valuable in understanding Lewis' complex personality, but is beneficial in understanding how Lewis was able to manage the expedition so well. From the very beginning there is a sense, as Ambrose hints at, that Lewis' upbringing prepared him for the unknown journey ahead better than anyone could've planned. The implicit vocational thoughts that come to mind are intriguing to say the least. Ambrose's pre-expedition account doesn't stop with Lewis biographical detail and, alongside his outline of Lewis' evolution from boy to man, he examines the economic and political aspects building up to the expedition from America's infancy to its firmer nationalism. This sort of context is not only helpful, but is essential for understanding the fair-weather friendship between the American people and the expedition before, during, and after the expedition. Details given, like Lewis' firm Democratic-Republican politics, may not appear a necessary issue in understanding the men as they pursue the landscape on the expedition, but in the pre- and post-expedition situations there is high relevance to Lewis' political relations with Jefferson as well as the influential Federalist voices at the time.

After outlining the events leading up to the expedition, Ambrose dives into the detailed planning Lewis put into the journey, his uniting with Clark on the Missouri River, and their party's expedition to and from the Pacific. Ambrose's narrative abilities had, up to this point, done well enough with the biographical and political context, but now, along with the heavy use of Lewis' highly narrative journals, they completely satisfied my reading wants. With the amount of Lewis' journals used in the narrative of the journey, one could even see the book as being written by both Ambrose and Lewis. Given that Lewis may be an even better narrative writer than Ambrose, the book is enhanced to the highest level of narrative historical nonfiction one could ask for. Accounts are always detail-abundant, and mostly firsthand in their variety of descriptions: relations with Indians both peaceful and bloody; songs sung and issues chatted around the bonfire; unique imagery of the plains, Rockies, and Pacific costal forests; hunting expeditions chasing and being chased by grizzlies; feasting on elk and buffalo; starving and scraping by on horse meat and roots; arguments turned to whipping and tribunals. Nearly every aspect one could want in an adventure is given with enough narrative vigor to turn its historical detail to an inspirational asset. Ambrose covers all sides of every account he is able to attain and after it all I felt as though I knew not only Lewis, but Clark and the rest of the party's members. I knew who was a good hunter and who wasn't. Who complained and who was helpful. Who Lewis liked and who he didn't care for. These are the types of details that make you feel a part of something (and to feel a part of the Core of Discovery is no boring trip).

After experiencing both the emotional peaks of success and the devastating disasters, I felt as though I didn't want the trip to simply return and have the book end. Perhaps Ambrose understands his ability to foster intrigue, because most of the detail he delves into post-expedition would probably feel unnecessary and boring without the companionship and connection to Lewis that is developed in the book. While the last leg of Lewis' life as a politician and national hero is probably the most emotional and depressing of the book, this section would not seem so intense and personal without understanding Lewis' somewhat supernatural vitality and leadership skills exhibited up until his return. Therefore, Ambrose wraps the book up in a successful manner I would think impossible, given the complexity of Lewis as a person. I felt as though every aspect one could inquire of Lewis was covered with such comprehensiveness and wrapped up with such clarity that even the most emotionally disappointing instances were covered in full by the artistic and historical impression Ambrose impressed. The reality of it all felt more inspiring than anything.

The book is quite long and took me a considerable amount of time to "plow through", but it never felt tiresome given Ambrose's ability to convey a wealth of information in a way that is concise with its detail and both paced and climactic. I recommend this book for any American whether or not you are interested in history. It reads better than any modern fictional novel would, but it is valuable in the way it describes the type of courage and determination that this country was built on and the fact that that brand of courage was not just some author's fabrication. It is by the daring and courageous efforts of men like Lewis and Clark that we are allowed to enjoy a country not only free from countries like Britain, Spain, and France, but one that ranges from coast to coast and from sea to shining sea.

A little up-and-down in its narrative.......2007-06-05

I have two favorite historians: David McCullough and Stephen Ambrose. When trying to describe their differences to my husband, I told him that David Ambrose is a tweed jacket with patches, a snifter of brandy and a roaring fireplace. Ambrose is a shot of whisky, jeans and flannel and an audience around a campfire. I appreciate Ambrose's style, for the most part, and knowing that he actually retraced most of the voyage in doing his research leaves me in awe of him. But the nature of this narrative is rather up-and-down, particularly working up to the party setting off from St. Louis. I recognize that the pre-journey preparations were important to telling the tale, but I got the idea that he was rather bored with it, and as a result the details weren't too compelling. I had to keep setting the book aside and coming back to it. But once he got to the story of the exploration itself, the momentum picks up, and so does his writing style. I appreciated his use of the actually writings of the Captains, but there were a few places where their entries were used too frequently in place of him conveying their story in a possibly more riveting style. But over all it was a well-written book, and I would recommend it to anyone that I already knew was interested in the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation: A Biography (Galaxy Books)

Average customer rating:

The Greatest President Since Sliced Bread
A very thorough view of a complex man
Holds Up Well
Exceptional. Probably the Best One-Volume Book on Jefferson
Definitely worth reading, very readable

Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation: A Biography (Galaxy Books)
Merrill D. Peterson
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0195019091

Book Description

The definitive life of Jefferson in one volume, this biography relates Jefferson's private life and thought to his prominent public position and reveals the rich complexity of his development. As Peterson explores the dominant themes guiding Jefferson's career--democracy, nationality, and enlightenment--and Jefferson's powerful role in shaping America, he simultaneously tells the story of nation coming into being.

Customer Reviews:

The Greatest President Since Sliced Bread.......2007-08-31

I'll start with what I liked about this book. The coverage of the Louisiana Purchase was exciting. Jefferson's ill-fated embargo in 1807 was really well done. The descriptions all throughout the book of Jefferson's underlying politics were enlightening. I certainly understood why Jefferson did what he did.

But if this was the only book you read about the American revolution and its aftermath, you'd think that the word "Federalist" was an obscenity. The book was so over-the-top pro-Jefferson, that it made me doubt the author's perspective on everything. So having trudged through all 1000 pages, I still have no idea what the great things were that TJ did, because according to Peterson, everything was great.

The book should have been 300 or 400 pages shorter. Every event in Jefferson's life is covered thoroughly, but each one goes on a little too long. Actually, if the author had simply taken out the paragraph or two in each section where he blames Hamilton for whatever just happened, I think he would have gotten it down a couple hundred pages on that alone.

A very thorough view of a complex man.......2006-02-25

Over the last several years I've read about 40 presidential biographies, usually relying on Amazon reviewers to point me towards the best and most comprehensive works. I struggled in my choice of a Jefferson biography, but I'm glad I opted for Peterson's work. First, it is a massive 1,000 pages, and it`s not for the faint of heart. While Peterson writes well, he certainly doesn't have the breezy style of a David McCullough or a Robert Dallek. Even hardy readers will feel a bit spent with the complex content from time to time, and I'd doubt most high school readers' ability to wade through the material.

Despite these cautions, I give Peterson's book a very high rating. Peterson captured Jefferson's personality, accomplishments, and flaws. With as complex a guy as TJ, this is not easy. Peterson also describes the conflicts between Jefferson and the various Federalists as well as anyone I've read thus far. Jefferson saw this conflict as more treacherous for the US than the Revolutionary War (and his concerns are highly relevant is viewing today's politics).

The emphasis is on Jefferson and his public life, and to a somewhat lesser extent on Jefferson's private self. It was written many years prior to the DNA testing of Sally Hemmings' heirs, and while Peterson briefly discusses the accusations of a Jefferson - Hemmings relationship, he dismisses it in favor of another Jefferson relative. But Peterson does not overlook Jefferson's conflicts about slavery, manumission, liberty, etc. As with other aspects of Jefferson's life, Peterson presents a comprehensive view and he is willing to point out Jefferson's mistakes. Does Peterson's probable error regarding the Hemming's controversy diminish this biography? Well, maybe, but with a man like Jefferson, this is but one facet of a very thorough and well-reasoned look at a extremely complex man who played a major role in several of the US's most challenging eras.

Holds Up Well.......2005-05-03

The other reviews here go into some depth on the book, but mine rather is more in the form of a personal testament. There is so much to Jefferson's life, as with our other founding 'fathers' that I will not do him the injustice of trying to sum it up in only a few paragraphs.

When this book came out in 1970 I was in college, I'm now 61 years of age. Gives some indication how long this book has been continuously in print. With good reason for this is probably the best single volume on Jefferson's life ever printed.

When I was at Monticello last year I noticed several books on or about Jefferson in the Mountaintop Shop and Monticello Museum, but prominently displayed too was this volume. Whenever I go to Borders bookstores this volume is on their shelves. It continues to be ubiquitous after almost 35 years.

This book is and has been an essential in my library, along side the Dumas Malone study, as well nigh on to 20 other volumes on Jefferson or his times. Though the subject matter in books on Thomas Jefferson is varied and extensive, this one volume study is an essential one for me.

I recommend it to both the novice or the seasoned Jefferson reader, neither will be disappointed.

Semper Fi.

Exceptional. Probably the Best One-Volume Book on Jefferson.......2005-05-02

This classic is probably the best one-volume history of Thomas Jefferson ever written. Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Gordon Wood called this book "the most comprehensive and balanced single-volumed study of Jefferson ever written." I found the writing to very detailed and to the caliber of a reference work, but probably too lengthy and meticulous for the casual reader. I believe it to be the most authoritative book on Thomas Jefferson.

I rate it a collectors item. Indeed, 18 years after it was originally published in 1970, a special collector's edition was issued bound in leather, gilded in gold, and stamped with the presidential seal. It's a classic.

What distinguishes this book is that 1) Peterson the Jefferson scholar has an unrivaled understanding of Jefferson 2) Peterson explains Jefferson's thinking especially well 3) Peterson is balanced as he covers Jefferson's life in sprawling detail, though 3) Peterson's emphasis leans more towards Jefferson's role in American history, hence the title. This thick book is about as thorough as you can get in one volume, with a few quibbles.

The sections in this book about Jefferson's formative years in Virginia are especially interesting. Then he was a young man seeking enlightenment, as well as a lawyer and planter. Peterson especially understands Jefferson the thinker.

What is liberty? What makes an aristocrat become a revolutionary? How did Jefferson come to believe that "all men are created equal" and "the unalienable Rights to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness?" How did Jefferson's experiences later influence the shape of the new American government and what it means to be America?

Jefferson was a young American aristocrat, a lover of books, a musician (the fiddle), a thinker, a farmer, a lawyer, an architect, and a scientist. He designed and built the splendid Monticello. His wife died young and it totally devastated him. He vowed to her that he would never remarry, which he never did.

Jefferson achieved the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which guaranteed religious liberty. He passionately valued reason and truth, and therefore he hated the corruption of power that plagued the old world. Jefferson's view of the American revolution is relevant for the ages.

Jefferson became governor of Virginia, advocated (but failed to achieve) public access to education (no surprise that he would champion education), drafted the Declaration of Independence, and then kept a low profile during the Revolutionary War.

Jefferson argued strongly in favor of a Bill of Rights, which Alexander Hamilton strongly opposed, at a time when it seemed like there would be no Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is based much on Jefferson's ideals. Read the Bill of Rights and you see Jefferson: Freedom of speech. Freedom of press. Freedom of religion. Freedom of speech. Jefferson also inadvertently argued for judicial review.

He became a diplomat to France and later favored the French in foreign policy. He helped the French write the Declaration of the Rights of Man. He was a celebrity in France.

George Washington appointed Jefferson the first ever Secretary of State - the most important executive position other than president. Quite a resume already!

At this time his Republicanism (not to be confused with the Republican party although not entirely different) came into conflict with those of Federalist Alexander Hamilton. Jefferson then became vice president under president John Adame, his former close friend but by now an adversary, due to a quirk in early election laws (later changed). He quit because he disagreed with the Federalists.

The story of Jefferson's first presidential election is quite fascinating.

The election campaign against his former close friend John Adams was very nasty. In a real shocker, the election ended in a tie! Jefferson's sleazy vice presidential running mate almost stabbed Jefferson in the back by vying for the presidency himself as an alternative. In the end, Jefferson agreed to keep some Federalist policies in place, and the electors made him president.

Jefferson inauguration speech to reach out to his opponents and unite America was deeply moving. (Well, the words of the speech were moving. Jefferson was a terrible speaker. At first he seemed to bomb, but once the speech was circulated in writing, it was quite historic).

As president he orchestrated the Louisiana Purchase and then launched the fascinating Lewis and Clark Expedition. Although issues such as westward expansion will always be open to some interpretation, Jefferson's first term was a triumph.

He was a superb head of state, but Jefferson worked especially hard to advance his cause of individual liberty, because of his enlightened ideas and his earlier experiences with corrupted power in the old world. His presidency caused a second revolution of Jeffesonian ideals. He also strengthened the presidency and power of the federal government, contradicting his own written views against that.

Jefferson made some mistakes in his second term as president, such as a foolish embargo. The details are all here.

After being president, Jefferson founded the University of Virginia and even designed the neo-classical campus buildings. By then the rival Federalist party had become extinct and there was briefly only one party - the party of Jefferson!

He renewed his friendship with Adams late in life. They wrote frequently to each other (Jefferson wrote thousands of letters in his lifetime) and they both died on July 4.

Jefferson was an egalitarian aristocrat of reason, liberty, ideas, and achievement. His experiences and ideas led to his becoming a revolutionary. Jefferson profoundly shaped America.

Definitely worth reading, very readable.......2005-04-29

For people who have recently become interested in the Founding Fathers and are interested in Thomas Jefferson, this is the book to read. I had just read Chernow's Hamilton and Ellis' Sphinx and several other recently written books on the Founding Fathers, and almost all of them had bad things to say about Jefferson. So much so that I really began to wonder how it came to be that Jefferson had gained such a great reputation. Why is his name revered???

Finally, I found a book that unabashedly took Jefferson's point of view on every single issue, which was refreshing. It balanced the lopsided information I had been receiving, though, knowing what I knew, I could also see where Peterson was possibly stretching things, such as portraying Jefferson as anti-slavery....Though at least I heard the rebuttal to Jefferson's pro-slavery leanings. Jefferson clearly couldn't have made the USA all by himself, as Hamilton could have, but Jefferson was clearly an important part of the picture.

One reservation I had going into the book is that the Jefferson papers were really just in the middle of being editted at Princeton University when the book was written in 1970. I was concerned that this edition may be lacking important information. It may have, but for an enthusiast like myself, the knowledge available in 1970, when the book was written, by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Professor at the University of Virginia, was good enough.

The book, in short, is still considered the gold-standard biography of Jefferson, in addition to the six volume Dumas Malone work, which is simply too long. The book is very easy to read. The most interesting sections were on Jefferson's time in the Virginia legislature and as Governor of Virginia during the Revolutionary War, the leadup negotiation to and effects of the Louisiana Purchase, and the Burr conspiracy, in which the former Vice President to Jefferson tried to head up a break-away republic in the newly-purchased Louisiana purchase territory with him at the head.

The book is definitely long, just a few pages of text over 1000 pages, the longest book I had ever read, but the material is great. There's tons of quotes and source material written in the book, as one would expect from an author who had dedicated his entire life to Jefferson. There's an earlier book by Peterson, "The Image of Jefferson" which actually answers the question of how Jefferson has been portrayed throughout our history, which sounds fascinating. Jefferson's image is tarnished right now, but in prior eras, he was looked up to as a beacon of hope. I plan to read that one at some point, but, after 1000 pages of stright TJ, I need a break.

Just one other note, the second section "Philosopher of the Revolution", should really by re-read after you finish the book. You'll understand what Peterson is talking about better. You'll enjoy the book, all 1000 pages of it!

Average customer rating:

Sometimes you just gotta laugh about it!
Only for those that dont take themselves too seriously!
Buy this book.
OK
NEANDERTHALS UNITE!!

ego trip's Big Book of Racism!
Sacha Jenkins , Elliott Wilson , Chairman Jefferson Mao , Gabriel Alvarez , and Brent Rollins
Manufacturer: Amistad
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060988967
Release Date: 2002-10-15

Book Description

Ferociously intelligent one moment, willfully smart-ass the next, ego trip's Big Book of Racism is a glorious, hilarious conflation of the racial undercurrents that affect contemporary culture at every turn. This one-of-a-kind encounter with the absurdities, complexities, and nuances of race relations is brought to you by five writers of color whose groundbreaking independent magazine, ego trip, has been called "the world's rawest, stinkiest, funniest magazine" by Spin.

Filled with enough testifying and truth to satisfy even the good Reverend Sharpton, ego trip's Big Book of Racism is a riotous and revolutionary look at race and popular culture that's sure to spark controversy and ignite debate.

Customer Reviews:

Sometimes you just gotta laugh about it!.......2007-10-16

The Big Book of Racism waxes philosophical on--you guessed it--RACISM. It analyzes and pokes fun at all the things that people think about other races, but would never say out loud. The book equal opportunity, with every race, including mixed-race people(In a section called Da High Yella Pages)being a topic of discussion.

The authors of the book are of varying racial make-ups, so it's not like one racial/ethnic group making fun of all other groups. I'm a Black woman and this book had me laughing my @ss off!! Throw all PC notions out the window and just enjoy the book!

Only for those that dont take themselves too seriously!.......2006-11-10

I originally saw this book advertised on a VH1 television program and was curious. I love it! My boyfried and I can flip it open anytime and get at very least a smile. Each page or two is something new, so you can open it up anywhere, or skip around if you want. Which makes it great for people who dont have alot of time to read, and can laugh at themselves.

Buy this book........2005-12-23

Everyone who is remotely into music or film should own this. Gives a critical overview and insights into race and its place in popular American culture in the last twenty five years, especially in the Hip Hop culture. Very good book.

OK.......2005-11-02

I decided to read this book; seaching for something different then my usual type of books. It was okay. At times, I was not sure when the authors were serious or joking. Had I been able to read the comment that one of the endorsers said about people reading the book, I would not have brought the book though. The book was all right for me.

NEANDERTHALS UNITE!!.......2005-05-27

So interesting to see that our country is still the country full of racists morons too insecure to really contribute an intelligent thought let alone an educational one. It's a Bon Appetite for both the idiot savant open and closeted racists. So nice to know where to find them.

The Official Red Book a Guide Book of Buffalo and Jefferson Nickels: Complete Source for History, Grading, and Values (Official Red Book)

Average customer rating:

A 'must' any serious coin collector needs.

The Official Red Book a Guide Book of Buffalo and Jefferson Nickels: Complete Source for History, Grading, and Values (Official Red Book)
Q. David Bowers
Manufacturer: Whitman Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0794820085

Customer Reviews:

A 'must' any serious coin collector needs........2007-06-18

A Guide Book of Buffalo and Jefferson Nickels is the eighth entry in the Bowers Series of numismatic references: while general-interest holdings might find it too specialized a reference, any library strong in coin collecting must have this. Fine historical background accompanies detailed high-resolution enlargements of coins and discussions of mintages, market values in different grades, and even a reference to error coins. The chronological arrangement and discussion lends not only to quick identification, but to quick assessment of background history and values, making for a 'must' any serious coin collector needs.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

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Thomas Jefferson's Cook Book
Marie Kimball
Manufacturer: Lillie Ross Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0971988560

Book Description

Thomas Jefferson's little granddaughter, Virginia Randolph carefully copied the recipes he brought back from France, as well as his favorites from Monticello and the White House.

The result was Jefferson's personal one-of-a-kind cookbook. It was handed down for generations from mother to daughter as a priceless possession. In the late 1930s, Fanny M. Burke… great-great granddaughter of Jefferson… presented the book to the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation shortly before her death. Ms. Burke joined with the Foundation in giving noted historian, Marie Kimball permission to prepare it for publication.

Book Description

Danger Boy and his time-traveling companions are in for some shocking surprises when they meet up with an earlier expedition — the historical journey of Lewis and Clark.

Fresh from a dangerous time-traveling mission, Eli Sands and his friends Clyne, the evolved dinosaur, and Thea, the scholar from Alexandria, are thrown into nineteenth-century America after an accident with their time-travel vessel. Unfortunately, Clyne is stranded alone in potentially hostile territory, while Thea and Eli pop up at the beginning of the famed Lewis and Clark expedition. After Thea is mistaken for an escaped slave and taken into custody, Eli joins Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery in hopes of finding Clyne, a means to rescue Thea, and transportation home. While trying to escape and regroup, Eli and his friends make important discoveries about their "accidental" stumble into 1804. It looks like they were lured by a Prime Nexus, which they may have caused, and which will surely change all of history to come.

Customer Reviews:

An Enticing and Appetizing Read.......2007-01-08

Recently coming from a dangerous time-traveling mission, Eli Sands and intergalactic friend Clyne the evolved dinosaur and an Alexandrian scholar Thea, are thrown into late nineteenth-century America after an "minor" mishap with their plasmachanichal time-travel vessel. Unfortunately, Clyne is separated from his friends in potentially hostile and unknown territory. While Thea and Eli on the other hand, pop up at the beginning of the famous Lewis and Clark expedition (pre-Sacagawea). After Thea is taken from Eli as she is mistook for an escaped slave and taken into the custody of president Jefferson (though he prefers to be called Tom). Eli then joins up with Captans Meriwether Lewis and Clark's "Corps of Discovery" whit the hope of finding his pal Clyne, that in turn will be a means to rescue Thea, and safe transportation home. However, while trying to escape the clutches of slave drivers and glory-hungry native warriors with hopes to regroup, the trio make an important discovery about their "unforeseen" stumble into 1804. It looks like they were attracted by a so called Prime Nexus, which they may have produced, which will surely change all of history to come.

-Jackson Courey

Eli Sands and his friends are trapped in 19th century America after an accident with their time-travel vessel.......2005-07-06

Eli Sands and his friends are trapped in 19th century America after an accident with their time-travel vessel, stranded in different times. Separated, the group must not only make contact with each other again; they must assure their accident doesn't change history itself.

science fiction and history in one place.......2005-05-10

This is the first book I have read in this series, but it is still enjoyable on its own. It is well written, flows well, and kids will learn a lot of history without it being overdone. It has enough gross factor to appeal to boys, but not so much to turn off parents or a female reader (one of the secondary characters, who tells part of the story, is a girl). It will encourage kids to pick up the next book in the series...

101 Mississippi Delta Blues Cotton Picking Guitar Licks (Book and CD) (Red Dog Music Books Fingerpicking Guitar Series)

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101 Mississippi Delta Blues Cotton Picking Guitar Licks (Book and CD) (Red Dog Music Books Fingerpicking Guitar Series)
Larry McCabe
Manufacturer: Red Dog Music Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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ASIN: B000OD4QT4

Product Description

This superb fingerpicking reference book features 101 authentic, traditional blues fingerstyle licks for guitar. The goldmine of licks is divided into the following categories: Four-beat licks; Eight-beat licks; Introductions and turnarounds. The licks are written in both standard notation and guitar tablature, and recorded at a moderate speed on the companion CD. This is not a method book for beginners, but a nice collection of licks for guitarists who have some fingerstyle ability and want to do some exploring. Another GREAT guitar book from Red Dog Music Books.

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The Jefferson review
Inaccurate Information in a Children's book is inexcusable

Who Was Thomas Jefferson?
Dennis Brindell Fradin
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0448431459

Book Description

Did you know that John Adams had to coax Thomas Jefferson into writing the Declaration of Independence? It's true. The shy Virginia statesman refused at first, but then went on to author one of our nation's most important and inspiring documents. The third U.S. president, Jefferson was also an architect, inventor, musician, farmer, and-what is certainly the most troubling aspect of his life-a slave owner. Finally, here's a biography for kids that unveils the many facets of this founding father's remarkable and complicated life.

Illustrated by John O'Brien.

Customer Reviews:

The Jefferson review .......2006-02-17

By:Andrew "Who was Thomas Jefferson" took place from 1743-1826 in the thirteen original colonies. One thing I liked about the story is that it also told you things that affected his life. Another reason I liked this book is the text tells you about his hobies. Like fossil collecting and inventing. Though you might think his life must of been great, he actualy had many hurtful things happen to him. For example, Thomas lost his wife in 1782 and, when Jefferson was govoner of Virginia he was almost killed by the British. One more terrible thing that happened to him was when he was older, he was 100,000 dollars in debt which is 2,000,000 dollars today. But he was able to pay it off by selling his posessions. Friends and even strangers donated money to help him. In the story they tell you many great things in his life like how he was the third president of the U.S. of America. So Thomas was famous for a veiaty of reasons. yet he also had a more difficult life then you or me that is one thing you'll learn reading this book.

Inaccurate Information in a Children's book is inexcusable.......2005-08-13

[...]

This author spends five pages reporting on the Jefferson-Hemings controversy and gets it wrong in most instances.

* There is NO proof that Thomas Jefferson's wife and Sally Henings were half sisters as Mr. Fradin claims (see McMurry book, "Anatomy of a Scandal."

* There is NO information anywhere that Jefferson began a relationship with Sally except an unproven claim by Madison Hemings who has been found to be inaccurate on several claims such as his naming.......FALSE. here is also NO proof that Thomas and Sally became fond of each other as Mr. Fradin claims. He also claims a forty year relationship which is unprovable.

* He states that in 1789, Sally Hemings became pregnant and Thomas Jefferson was the father. If Mr. Fradin had cared to research the facts he would have found that the original Callender Campaign Lie of September 1802 was DISPROVEN by the DNA Study. There was NO match of the DNA between Jefferson and Tom Woodson, the subject of the James Callender lie.

* Mr. Fradin says that over the next nineteen years they had six more children. There is absolutely NO proof of this. Not only that, it was over five years after they had returned to Monticello before ANY registered child for Sally was made. Only one Hemings descendant was DNA tested, HOW could Mr. Fradin make his outrageous claims. How can we be sure that his several other children books are accurate? Mr. Fradin your are remiss in distributing false and inaccurate information for our youthful readers.

I recommend that the books listed on the above mentioned web pages be read regarding the Jefferson-Hemings Controversy.

Herbert Barger
Jefferson Family Historian

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Reviews by Nan Kilar and Bobby Miller
3rd Times A Charm for Merci Rayborn
So-So
Disappointed In This One
One of the best writers in the genre

Black Water (Merci Rayborn Novels)
T. Jefferson Parker
Manufacturer: Brilliance Audio Unabridged
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 1590861337
Release Date: 2002-04-24

Amazon.com

Merci Rayborn, T. Jefferson Parker's stubborn, principled Orange County detective, is almost alone in believing that deputy Archie Wildcraft didn't kill his beautiful young wife and then turn his service weapon on himself. The evidence against Wildcraft--now hospitalized with a bullet lodged in his head--seems overwhelming. But Merci, who's still unpopular for exposing an old police scandal that caused the death of one cop and the ruination of others (The Blue Hour), is resisting pressure from her boss and a headline-hunting D.A. to arrest Wildcraft and charge him with murder.

Then the deputy, who's lost his memory and maybe his mind as a result of his injury, goes missing from his hospital room, intent on tracking down the real killers and managing to stay a step ahead of Merci. Soon, they both begin to realize that Gwen Wildcraft wasn't killed because she got in the way of an attempted hit on her husband--it was the other way around. Parker, whose skills at characterization are as well honed as his expert pacing and intricate plotting, has penned another standout that will keep readers guessing and gasping until the last dramatic page. --Jane Adams

Book Description

A beautiful young woman is dead in the bathroom of her home. Her husband - a promising young cop named Archie Wildcraft - is shot in the head but still alive. It looks like an attempted murder/suicide, but something tells Detective Merci Rayborn that there's more to the story.

When the suspect vanishes from his hospital bed, he draws Merci into a manhunt that leaves the entire department questioning her abilities and her judgment. Is Archie's flight the act of a ruined mind, or a faithful heart? Is his account of the night his wife was murdered half-formed memory, or careful manipulation? Merci and Wildcraft head for a collision in a dizzying succession of cryptic clues, terrifying secrets, and painful truths.

Customer Reviews:

Reviews by Nan Kilar and Bobby Miller.......2006-05-19

Archie and Gwen Wildcraft have just returned home after celebrating her twenty-sixth birthday. He's a county Sheriff's deputy; she's an artist and musician. They made big bucks on a stock deal and live well...seemingly beyond their means. Archie hears a noise during the night and goes to check it out. The next thing he knows, he's waking up in the hospital, his wife is dead, and he's the prime suspect for her murder. Sergeant Merci Rayborn thinks Archie might be innocent; her partner isn't so sure. Then Archie disappears. Why was Gwen murdered? Will the real killers be found?

This is the first book by this author that I've read. A good portion of the story deals with Merci and her demons from a previous story. It's an OK story, but nothing great. Perhaps if I had read this author's books in order, I'd have a better opinion of this particular book.

3rd Times A Charm for Merci Rayborn.......2006-04-04

Merci Rayborn returns in Black Water for her third go aroung as Parker's lead detective. If you haven't read Blue Hour and Red Light, you might be a little confused, as this woman comes in with ALOT of baggage. While I didn't really care for her in Blue and I couldn't stand her in Red she actually grew on me in this final(?) book that features her. The plot is pretty good and it mirrors circumstances that she dealt with in Red Light so she doesn't want to make the same mistakes again. Overall the story worked for me, but it does get slow from time to time and I have to agree with the others about Tim, the kid, being a little too smart and really annoying but atleast she wasn't looking in the damn backseat every other sentence. I'm loooking foward to reading Cold Pursuit next.

So-So.......2005-07-31

Merci Rayborn is a tough-as-nails female cop with a small son, a suspicious partner and half the department against her because she blew the whistle on some dirty cops a long time ago. Who cares you ask? Exactly. This is my first Merci novel, and while I liked parts of this book other parts I could care less. Namely, Merci's office politics, and the shunning by other officers- boring. Her stay-at-home-mom-dad. Likewise boring. The alcoholic neighbor who manages to provide most of the major evidence? A little too good to be true.

Archie? While a good character he lost me about 2/3rd's of the way through the book. Come on, we invested a lot of time in Arch. And this is how you end it? Wings? Silly. And Gwen? Ohhh...Kay...... I agree with other reviewers about the child character. A little overdone.

3 stars. I found Black Water to be an unsatisfying and somewhat depressing read. No good resolution for anyone, and a lackluster cast of characters. I might pick up another if I can find it used but this book left me with a flat feeling.

Disappointed In This One.......2004-10-30

Orange County Sheriff Deputy Archie Wildcraft hears a disturbance in his home in the middle of the night. He investigates and is shot in the head. He survives, but his young wife is killed. This book had a promising beginning, but the plot was transparent and the pace dragged considerably at times. I did like the character, Archie, but the detective investigating the case, Merci Rayborn, was mostly just annoying. Frequent references to Merci's mysterious past were intriguing at first, then tedious. I am a big fan of T. Jefferson Parker's and can usually count on a good tale from him, but I felt let down by this one.

One of the best writers in the genre.......2004-03-05

One of the best writers of the genre is the 2002 Edgar Award winning author, T. Jefferson Parker. He is capable of, not only writing a superior mystery ,but of writing it in style. His books delve deep into the psyche of the main protagonists. SILENT JOE, his Edgar winning stand alone is quite typical of this. The characters are unforgettable and alone can make it a worthwhile read. Detective Merci Rayborn is also a character well examined in his work. In Parker's hands she becomes a living breathing creation.
Merci Rayborn is assigned to look into the death of a young woman. The dead woman was the wife of Deputy Archie Wildcraft, a young talented cop. Archie was also shot and suffers from a bullet wound in the head. Prosecutors are pointing the finger at Archie in that the gun was found in his hand. They think it was a shooting death and suicide attempt. Merci, however, feels Archie is innocent and wants to prove it. Her investigation, once again, puts her reputation at stake. However, Merci follows her personal conviction and attempts to discover the true killer.
T. Jefferson Parker's strength as a writer is on full display in this, his latest novel. Merci is tough and an individualist. The plot is compelling enough to keep the pages turning. However, it definitely went on a bit too long. By the end, Merci and the reader have had enough. A bit of a tighter plot would suit Parker's books quite well. However, he is and should be listed among the best there is writing today.

American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson

Average customer rating:

Entry point for Jefferson
The title of the book says it all.
Brilliant in spurts, but fatally flawed in its fundamental conclusions
A good addition to the Thomas Jefferson Legacy
The Founding Father for whom the 'Spirit of 76' often trumped anything the U.S. Constitution proclaimed.

American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson
Joseph J. Ellis
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 0786114754

Amazon.com

Well timed to coincide with Ken Burns's documentary (on which the author served as a consultant), this new biography doesn't aim to displace the many massive tomes about America's third president that already weigh down bookshelves. Instead, as suggested by the subtitle--"The Character of Thomas Jefferson"--Ellis searches for the "living, breathing person" underneath the icon and tries to elucidate his actual beliefs. Jefferson's most ardent admirers may find this perspective too critical, but Ellis's portrait of a complex, sometimes devious man who both sought and abhorred power has the ring of truth.

Book Description

For a man who insisted that life on the public stage was not what he had in mind, Thomas Jefferson certainly spent a great deal of time in the spotlight--and not only during his active political career. After 1809, his longed-for retirement was compromised by a steady stream of guests and tourists who made of his estate at Monticello a virtual hotel, as well as by more than one thousand letters per year, most from strangers, which he insisted on answering personally. In his twilight years Jefferson was already taking on the luster of a national icon, which was polished off by his auspicious death (on July 4, 1896); and in the subsequent seventeen decades of his celebrity--now verging, thanks to virulent revisionists and television documentaries, on notoriety--has been inflated beyond recognition of the original person.

For the historian Joseph J. Ellis, the experience of writing about Jefferson was "as if a pathologist, just about to begin an autopsy, has discovered that the body on the operating table was still breathing." In American Sphinx, Ellis sifts the facts shrewdly from the legends and the rumors, treading a path between vilification and hero worship in order to formulate a plausible portrait of the man who still today "hover[s] over the political scene like one of those dirigibles cruising above a crowded football stadium, flashing words of inspiration to both teams." For, at the grass roots, Jefferson is no longer liberal or conservative, agrarian or industrialist, pro- or anti-slavery, privileged or populist. He is all things to all people. His own obliviousness to incompatible convictions within himself (which left him deaf to most forms of irony) has leaked out into the world at large--a world determined to idolize him despite his foibles.

From Ellis we learn that Jefferson sang incessantly under his breath; that he delivered only two public speeches in eight years as president, while spending ten hours a day at his writing desk; that sometimes his political sensibilities collided with his domestic agenda, as when he ordered an expensive piano from London during a boycott (and pledged to "keep it in storage"). We see him relishing such projects as the nailery at Monticello that allowed him to interact with his slaves more palatably, as pseudo-employer to pseudo-employees. We grow convinced that he preferred to meet his lovers in the rarefied region of his mind rather than in the actual bedchamber. We watch him exhibiting both great depth and great shallowness, combining massive learning with extraordinary naïveté, piercing insights with self-deception on the grandest scale. We understand why we should neither beatify him nor consign him to the rubbish heap of history, though we are by no means required to stop loving him. He is Thomas Jefferson, after all--our very own sphinx.

Download Description

Following his subject from the drafting of the Declaration of Independence to his retirement in Monticello, Joseph Ellis unravels the contradictions of the Jeffersonian character. A marvel of scholarship, a delight to read, and an essential gloss on the Jeffersonian legacy, American Sphinx is "history at its best" (Chicago Tribune).

Customer Reviews:

Entry point for Jefferson.......2007-09-21

This book is a good entry point for a look into the man who was Thomas Jefferson. He is one of the most influential founding fathers of the USA and any serious historian cannot get through American history without studying Jefferson.

Jefferson was a man who wanted to free slaves, but still owned slaves. He wanted personal freedom to trump government intervention, but used the government for the Louisiana purchase. He thought a revolution was good every once in a while but did not like the turns that the French revolution took. Contradictions, brilliance all were a part of this man.

This book is well written. Ellis is a master-historian and I enjoy his books. I can't say I formed a stronger opinion of Jefferson after reading this book, but I can relate to him more after studying his life. We all have contradictions in what we believe, we all are not perfect, same as Jefferson.

Good book - JVD

The title of the book says it all........2007-09-02

Having grown up learning by rote the pablum that was taught in our school system's about our founding fathers, I was a "Founding Fathers" fan. Thinking my entire life that Jefferson penned "The Declaration of Independence" by himself, without any editing and in his own words and finding out that this is false as Washington cutting down the cherry tree is a slap in the face of our educational system. I did not care for Jefferson after having read the book on John Adams by David McCullough. My thinking was turned around 180 degrees about Adams in that book as well as Jefferson. This book merely confirmed my beliefs. In later years Jefferson let others do his dirty work behind the scenes to allow people to believe in his legacy of 1776. Adams was the real hero of the revolution and The Treaty of Paris. What this book proves is that our heroes are fallible and have feet of clay. The reason Jefferson did not free his slaves was because it was not convienent for him and his plantation. Not out of any moral obligation to keep them from the cruel white (and free) world. Jefferson is like another Virginian ,Robert E. Lee, whose myth has grown over the years. Lee was thought invincible until Lincoln found some real generals like U.S. Grant who showed Lee what "total war" was all about. Anyone who fought for the South as a sense of duty to his "country", i.e. Virginia, and the cause of slavery should be labeled what he his, a flawed character much like Jefferson. it is hard to realize that the truths you grew up with were false, but the facts are the facts

Brilliant in spurts, but fatally flawed in its fundamental conclusions.......2007-08-08

This book reminds me of physicists who perform mathematical calculations, decide they must be correct, and then strain to make physical reality fit those equations.

First, credit where it is due. The book is written brilliantly. Ellis has a rare mastery of language, something especially noticeable in the dry historical genres. Many times, I marveled at his use of the PRECISE word or metaphor that conveyed his points the best. Unfortunately, his points, in totality, do not convey Jefferson accurately.

Ellis' thesis is that Jefferson was at heart a naive idealist who preferred simple black-and-white, us-versus-them views of the world, and most of Ellis' analysis of Jefferson is seen through this lens. Though insightful initially, and applicable at times, it grew more strained as the book progressed, eventually distorting Jefferson to make him fit the "theory."

I am neither a Jefferson worshipper, nor hater, and I have read thousands of his letters -- Jefferson is not easy to grasp. Initially I thought Ellis had done what most historians deem impossible, and solved this puzzle, but the further his analysis proceeded, the further it diverged from the real Jefferson. Ellis' interpretations are dangerous because he writes so well -- the arguments are beguiling, and the biases and inconsistencies are masked in the honey of the language. Laypeople in particular may be duped.

Jefferson truly believed in individual freedom and very limited government, and though he is clever and subtle, Ellis cannot mask his disdain for this latter view. Ellis is a liberal, and his personal politics have tainted his interpretation of Jefferson. This isn't about a support or dislike of liberalism, it is about historical integrity.

At times Jefferson's views were too idealistic to translate into prudent policy, or a tenable society, but at other times they are the heart of what made America great. Ellis summarily dismisses Jefferson's views on the evils of debt, the tyranny of judicial review, a society with strong states, etc. . . In dismissing these things, and offering interpretations of history that assume the necessity of big government as a backdrop for almost all analysis, he trivializes some of Jefferson's most core beliefs, and the solutions to modern problems that they might offer. Solutions, unsurprisingly, that are based on principles of limited government, low debt, low taxes, empowered localities, limited federal government, etc.

I don't think Ellis was trying to be intentionally distortive. I think deep in his bones Ellis is a liberal, and without realizing it, he considers the small government Jefferson was fanatical about a deranged absurdity. By pecking word by word, sentence by sentence, page by page, at the tenability of limited government, he is, in some subconscious way, simultaneously distorting and demeaning Jefferson's views while advocating his own.

To repeat, many of Jefferson's views were untenable, but I just don't think Ellis is truly unbiased in his analysis. What a shame.

Finally, one must, unfortunately, question the integrity of a man who has fabricated Vietnam War service, and lied to many, including his own students. Ellis also put his name to ads supporting Clinton during the impeachment, and then came public with Hemings' (the slave Jefferson supposedly fathered the children of) information during this impeachment, presumably (but this is not certain) to make what Clinton did seem a historically mundane, and therefore pardonable, act. I could care less about Clinton in this context, but I want a historian who tries to be unbiased, or admits his biases, rather than one who is a documented liar, and distorts every view through the spectacles of collectivism. How surprising that a man who himself lied about his past was willing to forgive a leader that did the same? It is naïve to think that this morality (or lack of it) will not creep into his work, and it has. Character matters, not just in leaders, but in our historians--we all have partisan views, but in analyzing our Founders, I expect more integrity and objectivity from renowned historians.

A good addition to the Thomas Jefferson Legacy.......2007-08-07

Joseph Ellis provides a very good biography of Thomas Jefferson and the contradictions in his nature. This book is not meant to be a day by day account of Jefferson's life but a look at the times when Jefferson's thoughts were forming and how those conclusions were reached. The book does jump around quite a bit and leaves out some years that I think the reader would like to know which is the main reason for the four stars instead of five. While Ellis shows how American's have misunderstood Thomas Jefferson he spends a lot of time trying to justify Jefferson's decisions that we clearly have little historical evidence for. Jefferson may remain one of our least understood figures and Ellis approach tries to summarize what we conclusively know without taking too many liberties. The legacy of Thomas Jefferson takes up almost the final 50 pages of the book and Ellis explores how current philosophers and historians are trying to interpret the messages Thomas Jefferson left behind. Much of this philosophy is based upon letters exchanged between Adams and Jefferson after they made peace. The surprising contradictions of Jefferson's character lead the reader to still have an air of mystery even after reading this book. There is little doubt of the man's political genius and this is a must read for fans of the American Revolution, political philosophy or the early republic. It puts a lot of things in perspective and while I wish it had covered more areas it does a wonderful job of those that it does.

The Founding Father for whom the 'Spirit of 76' often trumped anything the U.S. Constitution proclaimed........2007-06-28

The man you think you know, whose spirit spoke so much to the future, whose words resonate even now, actually looked askance at the grand bargain of the US Constitution under which we still live; exalting as he did, the spirit of 1776 over the miracle of 1787-88---the world's oldest, and most successful, written Constitution. "Unlike Madison, who had a deep appreciation for the Constitution as an artful arrangement of juxtaposed principles and powers with abiding influence over future generations, Jefferson tended to view it as a merely convenient agreement about political institutions that ought not bind future generations or prevent the seminal source of all political power---popular opinion---from dictating government policy" (p.192). Jefferson, of course, wasn't involved in the horse trading during those heady days that produced the document of 1787 so he was less invested in it than the Declaration of Independence, which, of course he crafted himself, right?

"All men are created equally free and independent and have certain inherent and natural rights..., among which are the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the means of acquiring and possessing property, and pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety." Sounds familiar, but different too, right? Well that's because it's not all Jefferson. "On June 12 the Virginians unanimously adopted a preamble [for the Virginia state constitution] drafted by George Mason that contained these words." Yes, this was 1776. Jefferson had a standard response for when those inclined to try to put 2 and 2 together and question who wrote what first on more than one occasion offered this: "'Neither aiming at originality of principle or sentiment, nor yet copied from any particular and previous writing,' he explained, he drew his ideas from 'the harmonizing sentiments of the day, whether expressed in letters, printed essays or in the elementary books of public right, as Aristotle, Cicero, Locke, Sidney, etc.'" (p.64-65).

So, let's say Jefferson did exactly what was asked from him by John Adams, namely codifying into a document the ideas that were driving America's Founding Fathers on the eve of independence. Of course, Jefferson put a lot of himself into it too & we are fortunate that such a fine hand was employed for the task. ( Though Gouverneur---his mother's maiden name---Morris, who similarly put his stamp on the American Constitution, gets almost no credit for similar work: "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." That's Morris, but other than Morris Avenue/Park in the Bronx (on land that he once owned), I cannot think of any memorials to, in Richard Brookhiser's phrase, "The Rake who wrote the Constitution.")

Jefferson wasn't only the drafter of the Declaration of Independence, of course; he was a paradox too. Jefferson, the gentlemen farmer who lived beyond his means and was less than successful in this endeavor desired America to be nation peopled primarily of citizen farmers. Jefferson was a gentlemen who waged a nasty campaign against John Adams while denying doing so; and was a man who championed equality but never made a gesture like Washington did; (calling for emancipation but doing nothing himself by way of putting words into action). Jefferson was the champion of states' rights, but also the purchaser of the Louisiana Territory, an (albeit laudatory) action with huge repercussions that was taken over the heads of the states. And we also have Jefferson, the man who championed individual rights like few others, but excused away the terror of the French Revolution seemingly as the 'ends justify any means.' (On the French revolution: "My own affections have been deeply wounded by some of the martyrs to this cause, but rather than it should have failed I would have seen half the earth desolated. Were there but an Adam and an Eve left in every country, and left free, it would be better than it is now.") The Revolutionary French government having carte blanche to run roughshod over anything and everything was OK for a long time with Jefferson, despite those French having blood on their hands. Yet anything Federalists did (with hands clean of blood) was vociferously castigated. Ellis quotes herein Chief Justice John Marshall, whose biography of George Washington, includes these words: "[T]he continent was divided into two great political parties, the one of which contemplated America as a nation, and labored incessantly to invest the federal head with powers competent to its preservation of the union. The other attached itself to the state authorities, viewed all the powers of congress with jealousy, and assented reluctantly to measures which would enable the head to act, in any respect, independently of the members." And Jefferson was the head and/or Godfather of the latter party. But Jefferson was optimistic, even utopian. This spirit, Jefferson's embodiment, notwithstanding the contradictions inherent in it---and all the contradictory impulses enumerated above---is why Jefferson remains ever present, even as his character defies definitive characterization. Hence the title of this engaging book---which is more snapshot than chronological biography---by Mr. Ellis (who finds much to respect in Mr. Jefferson). (07June) Cheers

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