Martin Wickens

You can purchase a copy of this book here: https://amzn.to/4pOgwDK

At the end of his book, Meacham explains that he never intended to write a full biography, rather he aimed to give a portrait of Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson would possibly have lived an exceptional life whenever or wherever he was born, but without a doubt the time and place that he was born into gave him the opportunity to excel. Like so many others of his era, he lived a life so full that a single volume could not do justice to it. So, I can appreciate Meacham’s approach.

I’ll begin with where I see controversy in Jefferson’s life. He was a slave owner, and the historical evidence strongly supports the conclusion that he fathered several children with Sally Hemings, one of the women he enslaved. From a Biblical perspective, and with the benefit of the time and culture in which I live, I can whole-heartedly condemn that practice. Neither can I entirely excuse Jefferson as being a product of his time as some of his peers did emancipate their slaves.

However, I will not whole-heartedly condemn Jefferson even while I condemn the practice and refuse to entirely excuse him as a product of his times. Lincoln and many others seem to have seen the seeds of the eventual end of slavery in the words, life, and philosophy of Jefferson. I could argue that Jefferson could have done more, but I can also see his accomplishments and the groundwork he laid.

So, even while I disagree with his owning slaves, I can still see him as a great man who did more than most to lay a foundation on which others could build.

One other area of disagreement I will raise is his views on faith. Jefferson insisted on political independence, independence of reason, and that carried over to his faith. Some of his beliefs were orthodox, some were not. He definitely seemed to believe in God, but many core Christian truths he rejected. However, in my limited study, he certainly saw the need for the Christian faith.

Meacham does not lionize nor demonize Jefferson, but I think paints a fair portrait of an amazing man.

Whether considering his early years, his role in the war for and Declaration of Independence, his subsequent political achievements, his presidency, the Louisiana Purchase, his founding of a university, or simply his personal life, there is much to be commended.

It is interesting how he, like others of his day, after a life spent mostly in building a new nation, changing the world, and changing history, wanted little more than to go home to a simpler life.

As I listened to the book, I wrote down something that struck me about his life. He was visionary, philosophical and ideological, but practical without sacrificing principle. By that last statement I mean he would compromise to accomplish an end, but not at the expense of his integrity.

In closing, Meacham puts Jefferson in perspective alongside the first two presidents of the USA, Washington and Adams.

• George Washington inspires admiration through his character, self-restraint, and his willingness to relinquish power for the good of the republic.
• John Adams commands respect for his integrity, independence, and readiness to place principle above political popularity.
• Thomas Jefferson, despite the contradictions between some of what he believed and how he lived, inspires affection because he expressed some of America’s highest ideals and continues to influence how we think about liberty and democracy.

Rather than arguing that one was greater than another, Meacham shows that each made a different contribution to the founding of the nation.

I think Jefferson’s life is well worth studying and Meacham’s book is an excellent resource I would highly recommend.