Thomas Jefferson may be best known as the third President of the United States or as the primary writer of the US Constitution. His statesmanship and political savviness helped frame the early American government, but it may come as a surprise to learn that Jefferson’s personal religious beliefs didn’t always fit with his contemporaries, or what the current leadership project them to be. Jefferson’s beliefs both religious and political evolved over his life and influenced his work as a lawyer, plantation owner, and politician.
Thomas S. Kidd digs into Jefferson’s evolution in his Thomas Jefferson: a biography of spirit and flesh. Kidd reflects on the moral dilemma Jefferson faced as a slaveholder and as the parent of bondspeople when slavery became a major issue for lawmakers. Utilizing Jefferson’s writings and those of several contemporaries, Kidd reflects on Jefferson’s journey from religious skeptic to Christian believer. This is a book that will unveil lesser-known facts about Jefferson’s life and the motivations behind some of his most important decisions.
I give Thomas Jefferson 4 out of 5 stars. This is a well-researched biography, but the author spent too much time reviewing other biographers’ works when he could have been building the connection between the characters and the reader. It felt a bit like he was putting down the other works to justify his positions. I also found sections of the book hard to follow and pedantic. I did enjoy the look at Jefferson’s religious beliefs – I don’t remember hearing much about his early skepticism before reading this book. I was also fascinated by the look at Jefferson’s relationship with the Hemmings family and the motivations behind his decisions about his bondspeople.
I would recommend this biography to readers looking to delve into the lesser-known aspects of Jefferson’s life. If you love American Revolutionary history or Presidential history, this book is for you! Given the light discussions of war and sexual relations, I would direct this book to more mature audiences over 13.
I chose Thomas Jefferson: a biography of spirit and flesh as my January nonfiction read. After working through a long list of biographies for the first two presidents, this is my first on Thomas Jefferson. I have a few more planned for later in the year on both Jefferson and his contemporaries. Given his relationship with his own bondswoman and his lack of definitive decisions on slavery, Jefferson’s legacy has recently been called into question much like it was in his contemporary period. However, there is a value to studying his influences and decisions as there is with any historical figure – reviewing the past helps us better understand the implications of our own choices on the future. Do you have a favorite president to study? Share in the comments!
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What I’m Reading
- Current print book: The Thread Collectors, Shaunna J Edwards & Alyson Richman
- Current audio book: The Great Divide, Christina Henriquez
- Book I’m most looking forward to: Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston
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