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Overview
The words of the Declaration of Independence, so familiar to us and so important to our country, were those of Thomas Jefferson. He was a primary force behind United States independence. Without his influence, our country would be vastly different from the nation we know today. Jefferson initiated public education, established a national library, and paved the way for the abolishment of slavery. Although he was not a power-hungry or even ambitious politician, Jefferson served in many different offices, including president, in order to help his fledgling country remain on its feet. His faith and dedication to the idea of self-government never wavered, even in the face of many personal hardships. John B. Severance traces Jefferson's life from his plantation boyhood to his two terms as president and his last days preparing for the opening of the University of Virginia, weaving details of both Jefferson's political career and his rich personal life together to create a thoughtful and well-researched biography. Jefferson quotes, bibliography, index.
Explores the life of the third president, from his childhood in Virginia, through his involvement in the Revolutionary War, to his years in office.
Synopsis
The words of the Declaration of Independence, so familiar to us and so important to our country, were those of Thomas Jefferson. He was a primary force behind United States independence. Without his influence, our country would be vastly different from the nation we know today. Jefferson initiated public education, established a national library, and paved the way for the abolishment of slavery. Although he was not a power-hungry or even ambitious politician, Jefferson served in many different offices, including president, in order to help his fledgling country remain on its feet. His faith and dedication to the idea of self-government never wavered, even in the face of many personal hardships. John B. Severance traces Jefferson's life from his plantation boyhood to his two terms as president and his last days preparing for the opening of the University of Virginia, weaving details of both Jefferson's political career and his rich personal life together to create a thoughtful and well-researched biography. Jefferson quotes, bibliography, index.
Formerly a school teacher, John B. Severance now writes full time. He lives in Westerly, Rhode Island.
Publishers Weekly
Severance's (Gandhi: Great Soul) ambitious portrait of America's third president chronicles Jefferson's life and career from his early education through his positions as author of the Declaration of Independence, governor of Virginia, ambassador to France, U.S. vice president and president, and finally as founder of the University of Virginia. Severance makes his gripping subject immediately relevant to modern readers by asserting that the soft-spoken Jefferson (who could barely make himself heard beyond the third row of Congress) would never have been elected in our present era of microphones and television sound bites. Severance is largely successful placing Jefferson in the context of the ideas and personalities of his time, but he sometimes assumes a prior familiarity with American history (e.g., after describing the protest against the 1773 Tea Act, he then uses the term Boston Tea Party without explicitly making a connection between the two). The most powerful passages rely on Jefferson's own words to strengthen this characterization of one of America's valiant proponents of democracy. However, when Jefferson's words and deeds conflict--as in his vehement statements against slavery juxtaposed with his lifelong dependence on slave labor--Severance points out the contradictions but does not analyze the issues. Still, the text encompasses the spectrum of both professional and private life, highlighting Jefferson's less famous roles as a devoted father and grandfather, enterprising architect and methodical scientist. Black-and-white archival prints effectively support the impressive span of events and people. Ages 10-up. (Sept.)
Editorials
Publishers Weekly -
Severance's (Gandhi: Great Soul) ambitious portrait of America's third president chronicles Jefferson's life and career from his early education through his positions as author of the Declaration of Independence, governor of Virginia, ambassador to France, U.S. vice president and president, and finally as founder of the University of Virginia. Severance makes his gripping subject immediately relevant to modern readers by asserting that the soft-spoken Jefferson (who could barely make himself heard beyond the third row of Congress) would never have been elected in our present era of microphones and television sound bites. Severance is largely successful placing Jefferson in the context of the ideas and personalities of his time, but he sometimes assumes a prior familiarity with American history (e.g., after describing the protest against the 1773 Tea Act, he then uses the term Boston Tea Party without explicitly making a connection between the two). The most powerful passages rely on Jefferson's own words to strengthen this characterization of one of America's valiant proponents of democracy. However, when Jefferson's words and deeds conflict--as in his vehement statements against slavery juxtaposed with his lifelong dependence on slave labor--Severance points out the contradictions but does not analyze the issues. Still, the text encompasses the spectrum of both professional and private life, highlighting Jefferson's less famous roles as a devoted father and grandfather, enterprising architect and methodical scientist. Black-and-white archival prints effectively support the impressive span of events and people. Ages 10-up. (Sept.)VOYA -
Much has been written about Thomas Jefferson over the years. He was a leader, statesman, architect, inventor, president, slaveholder, ladies' man, and philanthropist. He was the author of one of the cornerstones of our democracy, the Declaration of Independence. While this book does not break any new ground, it is an accessible glimpse into the life and times of Thomas Jefferson. Cautioning the readers not to judge Jefferson using twentieth-century standards, Severence presents Jefferson as a forward thinker for his times, whose "intellectual legacy served to aid the liberation of both women and blacks." It is also noted that the extensive editing of the Declaration of Independence by that early Congress removed all references to the condemnation of slavery. Jefferson himself said that the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom was one of the most significant achievements of his life.Severance takes readers on a journey through the political intricacies of the emerging nation; from the hated Stamp Acts to his own election as the third president of this young country, Jefferson was an active and integral force in our history. Through the extensive use of photos, illustrations, and maps, readers get a sense of the people and events of those chaotic years of revolution, war, and shifting alliances and borders. Jefferson is presented as an extraordinary man, as complex as the times in which he lived. This will be a solid resource for reports or for the interested reader of American history. Index. Illus. Photos. Maps. Biblio.
VOYA Codes: 3Q 3P M J (Readable without serious defects, Will appeal with pushing, Middle School-defined as grades 6 to 8 and Junior High-defined as grades 7 to 9).