Jefferson the Virginian

Detailed, sympathetic, and surprisingly readable.
Malone doesn't shy away from Jefferson's ambivalent attitudes toward slavery, but the net impression is that he was about as enlightened as one could expect a person of his station and time to be. In other areas, Jefferson is presented as, next to Franklin, the leading Enlightenment figure in the British colonies. One reason I was glad to read this was for the detailed investigation of Jefferson's conduct as governor of Virginia toward the close of the revolution. Malone clears Jefferson of the most serious partisan charges made against him, yet the episode remains the least glorious of an otherwise distinguished career. This volume ends with his preparations to travel to France; I'm show more looking forward to reading further volumes of the series. show less

Never in my life have I read a work so incredibly engrossing yet dull at the very same time. Perhaps this is because I read a very good portion of this book during my classes at school instead of focusing on the teacher. The book itself is very meticulous and detailed, and I very much appreciated the citations that were made readily available throughout the book. This is my first time reading any sort of biography on Thomas Jefferson, but I'm just about sure that this is as good as it gets. The author has an obvious preference for Jefferson, however, I am of the opinion that it didn't really hinder the work all too much because it's usually pretty evident whenever Dumas Malone is fanboying and when he's just writing objectively.

I didn't show more appreciate the odd comments about Native Americans comparing them to the wilderness or savages or whatever language it was that was deployed. It was wholly unnecessary.

Overall, I believe that this work is best read when also being used as a footstep for further personal research, as personal research would allow one to have a better grasp on the events being covered. There are certainly enough sources listed in the text itself to aid the reader in getting started. Also, there is a lot about early America/Virginia to be learned in this volume, and it's pretty good for learning about a time in Jefferson's political career and or life that I presume is often glossed over in regular single volume biographies or in general discussions about him. show less

A standard biography for a good reason - well researched with many many footnotes and great sources. It's easy to read and can be picked up by anyone who is used to reading non-fiction. My person problem is that it is not very critical. Malone loves Jefferson and while he provides good reasons why you should too, he either glosses over or out right ignores many of the criticisms more recent scholars have of Jefferson. Not a bad place to start, but not a complete picture.

1480 Jefferson the Virginian: Jefferson and His Time Volume One, by Dumas Malone (read 15 Mar 1978) I long wanted to read Malone's multi-volume biography of Jefferson and finally read the first volume. It covers his life up to the time he left for France--his first venture out of the colonies. The work is thorough, but a little more laudatory than I would like. Jefferson certainly was an extraordinary man, but some of his philosophical ideas are not enthusiasms of mine. Jefferson's governorship of Virginia for two years added no particular laurels to his brow.

incomplete set - DJ has iisues but book is in VG overall cond. - 17th printing

Volume 1 of a six volume set