If you don't have the time to read a hardcore biography of Thomas Jefferson, Cunningham's book is right up your alley. This is not to say that it is light or elementary, but the structure of the work will appeal to readers with constant interruptions and extended dry periods. While the overall arc of the biography is chronological, the chapters are arranged according to natural historical-temporal categories: his gubernatorial term, his stay in France, his 1st presidency, his retirement, etc. Each chapter then tends to focus on the quintessential aspect of that period: the Alien and Sedition act, the French Revolution, the founding of the University of Virginia. As mnemonics go, this book is written in an easily digestible and retentive form.

That being said, I was disappointed to find that the title "In Pursuit of Reason" had little to do with the content. As biographies go, Cunningham didn't spend much time delving into Jefferson's philosophical motivations or humanistic pursuits. I was expecting to learn more about the leisurely mind of Jefferson and less about his political mind. Oh course, this was a running theme of Jefferson's life: politics consumed him even when he tried to avoid it. ( )