Description of thomas jefferson by jon meacham pdf. Jon meacham is the author, most recently, of thomas jefferson. The art of power gives us jefferson the politician and president, a great and complex human being forever engaged in the wars of his era. Meacham does it again, but in a first, it is a prescriptive book, breaking with his previous masterpieces on andrew jackson, thomas jefferson and fdr. It is no small task to capture so capacious a life in one volume. Another jefferson biography right on the heels of henry wienceks master of the mountain. Usa today a big, grand, absorbing exploration of not just jefferson and his role in history but also jefferson the man, humanized as never before. Fortunately, meacham s is a fine work, deserving a place high on the list of long biographies of its subject even if rivaled by such shorter ones as richard b.
Thomas jefferson, a man of contradictions, was both thirsty for power and hungry for progress. Because jefferson was at the center of american public life between 1776 and 1826, readers of meachams biography are deftly taken through every important event in that critical halfcentury. Nov, 2012 these achievements and many more, time contributing editor meacham american lion. Meacham received the pulitzer prize for american lion, his bestselling 2008 biography of. But in the end, as fine a rendering of the nations third president as this book may be, it comes too close to idolization.
The word selfevident has different relevance to jon meachams new biography, thomas jefferson. Nov 21, 2012 the word selfevident has different relevance to jon meachams new biography, thomas jefferson. Meacham proposes at the beginning of the book and attempts to support throughout. In this magnificent biography, the pulitzer prizewinning autho.
In this magnificent biography, jon meacham, the pulitzer prizewinning author of the bestsellers american lion and franklin and winston, gives us an intimate portrait of thomas jefferson, the human being, the president, the politician, enabling us to understand jefferson as never before. It seems, based on meachams own words in the epilogue and based on the book as a whole, that meachams goal with the art of power is to provide a. The art of power is an eminently interesting, exciting read. Nov 11, 2012 when meacham offers revealing details for instance illustrating jeffersons lifelong love of horses by listing the funny names he gave his own polly peachum, peggy waffington the book. Jon meacham lets us see jeffersons world as jefferson himself saw it, and to appreciate how jefferson found the means to endure and win in the face of rife partisan division, economic uncertainty, and external threat. Named one of the best books of the year by the new. The art of power is a true triumph, a brilliant biography.
As multifaceted a character as has ever been seen in american history not to mention politics, thomas jefferson was. Meachams jefferson, at his core, was a politician who eagerly sought office where he could work toward the future he envisioned for his country. Born in chattanooga in 1969, he is a graduate of the university of the south in sewanee, tennessee. Thomas jefferson takes you into the mind of one of americas most brilliant men and also one.
This is a thrilling and affecting portrait of our first philosopherpolitician. Meacham understandably holds jefferson up as the remarkable figure he was. He is also the author of the new york times bestsellers thomas jefferson. An intimate portrait of an epic friendship 2003 and american gospel. Meacham received the pulitzer prize for his 2008 biography of andrew jackson, and has also written about franklin roosevelt and winston churchill as well as the civil rights movement and the influence of religion. Thomas jefferson by jon meacham, 9781400067664, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. All of the remarkable achievements of thomas jefferson converged in one amazing title. Jon meacham was the editor of newsweek magazine at the time that american lion was released. Jon meacham resolves the bundle of contradictions that was thomas jefferson by probing his love of progress and thirst for power.
The art of power, by jon meacham is a great read, i enjoyed it prologue through epilogue. Jon meacham received the pulitzer prize for his 2008 biography of andrew jackson, american lion. Even though he writes it at the end of the book, meachams placement of jefferson in the context of all other humans and not simply among. When meacham offers revealing details for instance illustrating jeffersons lifelong love of horses by listing the funny names he gave his own polly peachum, peggy waffington the book. Meacham boils down jefferson s life into nine individual sections, the longest naturally being the president of the united states, 18011809. Jeffersons genius was that he was both and could do both, often simultaneously. I have read quite a lot on the revolutionary era, including several other biographies of thomas jefferson, and even so i learned a lot about jefferson in the reading of this book. Meacham does an excellent job getting inside jeffersons head and his world. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that. With thorough and uptodate research, elegant writing, deep insight, and an open mind, he brings jefferson, the most talented politician of his generationand one of the most talented in our nations historyinto full view. S politics, biography and history book which describes the life of the american president. He and his wife live with their three children in nashville and sewanee, tennessee. Feb 17, 2019 it seems, based on meachams own words in the epilogue and based on the book as a whole, that meachams goal with the art of power is to provide a comprehensive, balanced portrait of jefferson. The random house executive and former newsweek editor took approximately four years to complete the work.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read thomas jefferson. Andrew jackson in the white house, released it punch out and for his contribution, he was awarded pulitzer prize for biography in 2009. Meacham captures who jefferson was, not just as a statesman but as a man. The art of power and american lion, his pulitzer prizewinning biography of andrew jackson, as well as the bestsellers american gospel and franklin and winston.
More than the politics of the time, jon sheds light on the human drama and the family issues that consumed the players in the political arena at that time, working to shape jacksons private and public persona. The art of power was written by jon meacham, also the author of american lion, and franklin and winston. We think of jefferson as the embodiment of noble ideals, as. This terrific book allows us to see the political genius of thomas jefferson. Fortunately, meachams is a fine work, deserving a place high on the list of long biographies of its subject even if rivaled by such shorter ones as richard b. In his meticulously researched and very readable book, meacham writes, the closest thing to a constant in his life was his need for power and control. Meacham presents jeffersons life in a textured narrative that weaves together jeffersons welltraveled career. Praise fascinating and insightful many books have been written about jeffersons life, but few have created such a vivid portrait meacham immerses the reader in that period of history to explain jeffersons behavior during an era when the nation was as contradictory as he was extraordinary essential.
Jon meachams biography of thomas jefferson looks at how the. Jon meacham tells andrew jacksons saga in a book that takes readers into the white house during jacksons presidency. The art of power jon meacham resolves the bundle of contradictions that was thomas jefferson by probing his love of progress and thirst for power. Meacham, who teaches at vanderbilt university and at the university of the south, is a fellow of the society of american historians. The art of power 9781400067664 by meacham, jon and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great. Meacham received the pulitzer prize for his 2008 biography of andrew jackson, and has also written about franklin roosevelt and winston churchill as well as the civil rights movement and the influence of religion in american politics. The art of power is author jon meachams fifth and most recent book, having been published in late 2012. Its a neat almost too neat way of dividing the book into easily digestible sections. A philosopher and a politician, we see in this vivid portrait, the political genius which allowed h. Meacham received the pulitzer prize for his 2008 biography of andrew jackson, and has also written about franklin roosevelt and winston churchill as well as the civil rights movement and the influence of religion in american. The christian science monitor this terrific book allows us to see the political genius of thomas jefferson better than we have ever seen it. Meacham boils down jeffersons life into nine individual sections, the longest naturally being the president of the united states, 18011809. The art of power, american gospel, and franklin and winston. But at times meacham simply hands the book over to jefferson, allowing the narrative to devolve into a pastiche of quotations from jeffersons papers, stitched together chronologically, with.
Thomas jefferson is the historical, biography and american politics. Americas best on the civil rights movement, meacham lives in new york city with his wife and son. The father of the ideal of individual liberty, of the louisiana purchase, of the lewis and clark. It was the third book he wrote, following franklin and winston. Further, he is also a former executive editor cum executive vice president at random house. The art of power 9781400067664 by meacham, jon and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices.
Jon meacham shows how jeffersons deft ability to compromise and improvise made him a transformational leader. We think of jefferson as the embodiment of noble ideals, as he was, but meacham shows that he was a practical politician more than a moral theorist. This is not the original book, but an unofficial summary. The art of power by jon meacham book summary readtrepreneur disclaimer. God, the founding fathers, and the making of a nation 2006. The art of power by jon meacham available from rakuten kobo. Jon meacham books list of books by author jon meacham. The art of power 2012, meacham overviews jeffersons life, times and ideas the subtitle suggests a focus on jeffersons political philosophy and twoterm presidency, but meacham instead attempts to touch upon all. In this adaptation for young readers of his thomas jefferson. These achievements and many more, time contributing editor meacham american lion. The art of power by jon meacham 20, paperback at the best online prices at ebay.
1292 1112 1308 835 22 1541 611 1076 1028 770 796 1474 906 444 1483 1400 244 745 879 1453 1052 1469 1062 108 942 938 79 1499 1017 446 849 1096 1559 941 757 538 299 1021 898 1269 752 1164 1000 782 24 1222 1271 832 302