Thomas Jefferson - Architect: The Interactive Portfolio

Though Thomas Jefferson is thought of first and foremost as one of America’s founding fathers, his contributions in the realm of architecture, design, and innovation were no less revolutionary. The third president created an American ideal in architecture that can be seen in numerous structures that define the landscape of his resident state of Virginia, and comprise what has come to be regarded as classic American colonial design.

Combining beautiful images, informative, accessible text, and removable memorabilia, this book celebrates the design of Jefferson’s four most notable structures: the University of Virginia, his Monticello home, the Poplar Forest retreat, and the Virginia State Capitol.

Monticello is the only home in the United States designated as a World Heritage Site. This Charlottesville, Virginia residence is featured on the reverse side of the nickel, and brings more than 450,000 visitors to its halls each year. However, guests are only allowed viewing on the ground floor and in the cellar; Thomas Jefferson: Architect will be one of the few places to reveal the second and third floors.

Thomas Jefferson has never ceased to intrigue both the scholar and the casual history reader. New works about his life, his politics, and his writings continue to be published each year. As historical narratives dominate the nonfiction landscape, Jefferson remains a central figure in American history, and this unique volume adds a new facet to this fascinating man.

David R. Conn - Library Journal

This concise biography features Thomas Jefferson's architectural output: Monticello, Poplar Forest, the Virginia State Capitol, and the University of Virginia campus. Wills (Destination America; America's Presidents) discusses his illustrious life to put these designs into context and follows the ownership and condition of these distinctive buildings up to the present, including the latest restorations and historical research. A lively layout with sidebars and color pages makes for stimulating reading. The book is well illustrated with engravings and photographs, including panoramic foldouts. The interaction mentioned in the subtitle involves pockets containing loose facsimiles of documents by Jefferson, from selected journal entries and letters to floor plans and elevation drawings. The documents add immediacy to the experience of reading about Jefferson's architecture. Because of its vulnerability to damage and loss of parts, this book (which includes a slipcase) is recommended for academic and special collections only.

Chuck Wills is the author of numerous books on American history, including volumes in the American Albums series about the presidents, the West, and the Civil War. Most recently, he authored Destination America, a history of immigration to the United States published in 2005 as a companion volume to the PBS series of the same name, and The Illustrated History of Weaponry. He lives in New York.