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Copywright 1944, with Koch and Peden as the primary editors, my copy is also graced with a hand-typed glue in card made by Freda H. Barton stating how Judy Barton bought the book in her first year of college at the University of Texas in Austin. Freda states how she would never buy a book published by Random House because they are too far left for her taste.
It was my impression that the book did a good job of giving the reader an idea of how Jefferson thought and of his character. The book dragged a bit in the middle where the editors inserted large chunks of Jefferson's interest in the evolution of the Anglo-Saxon language becoming English, and his diggings into Indian archeology near his property in Virginia. Politically, the greatest emphasis was on Jefferson's great support of the Republicans and populist interest in governing, in opposition to the one-term presidency of John Adams and Alexander Hamilton promoting a Federalist leaning of interpreting the constitution, which was elitist and did not trust the vote of the people. Apparently the influence of the public vote favored Jefferson, as he served two terms for a total of eight years in the presidency, after John Adams was "turned out" after four years. It would have been delicious if more details of the duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton which ended the life of Alexander Hamilton in 1802, and the subsequent alienation and conspiracy of Aaron Burr against the United States had been included, but such was not provided by the choice of the editors. Also, there was not really much summary details of Jefferson's presidency, and what was there was in his own words, his feeling of greatest accomplishment being his negotiation of the Louisiana Purchase, and the development of national naval defense militias in all of the 13 states waterways, in preparation for the later occurring war with Great Britain.
Overall, I was very satisfied with the experience of reading this book. It was not light reading in its 730 pages, but had a lot of substance for thought.
Bart Conrad
It was my impression that the book did a good job of giving the reader an idea of how Jefferson thought and of his character. The book dragged a bit in the middle where the editors inserted large chunks of Jefferson's interest in the evolution of the Anglo-Saxon language becoming English, and his diggings into Indian archeology near his property in Virginia. Politically, the greatest emphasis was on Jefferson's great support of the Republicans and populist interest in governing, in opposition to the one-term presidency of John Adams and Alexander Hamilton promoting a Federalist leaning of interpreting the constitution, which was elitist and did not trust the vote of the people. Apparently the influence of the public vote favored Jefferson, as he served two terms for a total of eight years in the presidency, after John Adams was "turned out" after four years. It would have been delicious if more details of the duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton which ended the life of Alexander Hamilton in 1802, and the subsequent alienation and conspiracy of Aaron Burr against the United States had been included, but such was not provided by the choice of the editors. Also, there was not really much summary details of Jefferson's presidency, and what was there was in his own words, his feeling of greatest accomplishment being his negotiation of the Louisiana Purchase, and the development of national naval defense militias in all of the 13 states waterways, in preparation for the later occurring war with Great Britain.
Overall, I was very satisfied with the experience of reading this book. It was not light reading in its 730 pages, but had a lot of substance for thought.
Bart Conrad