Meachams jefferson, at his core, was a politician who eagerly sought office where. This terrific book allows us to see the political genius of thomas jefferson better than we have ever. Jon meacham writes this in the epilogue to thomas jefferson. Jeffersons genius was that he was both and could do both, often simultaneously. Thomas jefferson 1 the art of power by jon meacham summarized by walter antoniotti video meacham examines the need for citizenship in a republic. The art of power 9781400067664 by meacham, jon and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Meacham received the pulitzer prize for his 2008 biography of andrew jackson, and has also written about franklin roosevelt and winston churchill as well as the civil rights movement and the influence of religion in american politics. And yet, as pulitzer prizewinning biographer jon meacham demonstrates in thomas jefferson. As i finished it, however, i found myself a reluctant admirer, appreciative of meachams style and of the biography, not to mention of the man. The art of power guides us through the entire life, but without much color or drama. The art of power this is probably the best singlevolume biography of jefferson ever written.
We think of jefferson as the embodiment of noble ideals, as he was, but meacham shows that he was a practical politician more than a moral theorist. The art of power, our third president was as much a man of action as he was of ideas. The art of power meacham, a pulitzer prize winning journalist considers the life of the man in the context of his times. Jon meachams biography of thomas jefferson looks at how the founding father balanced his ideals with pragmatism while also bending.
Thomas jefferson the art of power biography thomas meacham superb 1st hc wdj. The art of power is a biography that focuses on thomas jefferson s abilities as a practical politician. The art of power, american gospel, and franklin and winston. Jon meacham shows how jeffersons deft ability to compromise and improvise made him a transformational leader. The art of power offers a balanced view, one that acknowledges his subjects flaws while recognizing his greatness as a founding father and u. I have read quite a lot on the revolutionary era, including several other biographies of thomas jefferson, and even so i learned a lot about jefferson in the reading of this book. The authors exhaustive research resulted in both a pulitzer prize and a national book award and gave fresh energy to the image of jeffersonashypocrite, as jon meacham observes in his. It took me a long time to begin to like jon meachams portrait of thomas jefferson in thomas jefferson. These achievements and many more, time contributing editor meacham american lion. Meachems biography is a substantive work of nearly 500 pages not including 200 pages of notes and bibliography. Jon meacham resolves the bundle of contradictions that was thomas jefferson by probing his love of progress and thirst for power. A pulitzer prizewinning biographer lauds the political genius of thomas jefferson.
To form statesmen, legislators and judges the master of monticello 1809 to the end thomas jefferson. Jon meacham received the pulitzer prize for his 2008 biography of andrew jackson, american lion. Readers get struck by different things, jon, obviously. The art of power, by jon meacham is a great read, i enjoyed it prologue through epilogue. In this magnificent new biography, the pulitzer prizewinning author gives us an intimate portrait of jefferson the human being, the president, and the politician enabling us to understand jefferson as never before priority seating to this event with purchase of the authors new book from book passage. The art of power, meacham, despite his subtitle, accomplishes something more impressive than dissecting jeffersons political skills by explaining his greatness, a.
In this magnificent biography, jon meacham, the pulitzer prizewinning author of the bestsellers. The art of power is author jon meachams fifth and most recent book, having been published in late 2012. The subtitle of jon meachams massive new life of thomas jefferson promises a probing exploration of howhediditthe ways and means of power politics. The art of power is a true triumph, a brilliant biography. The art of power is an eminently interesting, exciting read. The art of power, and it is a perfect encapsulation of his noble work on one of our. The art of power by jon meacham to form statesmen, legislators and judges thomas jefferson. Thomas jefferson hated confrontation, and yet his understanding of power and of human nature enabled him to move men and to marshal ideas, to learn from his mistakes, and to. Here was a man endlessly, artfully intent on making the world something it had not been before. And i made a note, i cant believe that jefferson said nothing when hamilton was killed. Its a neat almost too neat way of dividing the book into easily digestible sections. Details about lot of 3 thomas jefferson books art of power to his excellency jefferson a life.
It seems, based on meachams own words in the epilogue and based on the book as a whole, that meachams goal with the art of power is to. In this magnificent biography, the pulitzer prizewinning autho. Evocatively written and deeply researched, it sheds brilliant light on facets of thomas jefferson we havent seen before, gives us original and unexpected new insights into his identity and character, and uses the irresistible story of this talented. A thrilling and affecting portrait of our first philosopherpolitician. He is also the author of the new york times bestsellers thomas jefferson. Wood a big, grand, absorbing exploration of not just jefferson and his role in history but also jefferson the man, humanized as never before. Meacham, who teaches at vanderbilt university and at the university of the south, is a fellow of the society of american historians.
Meacham argues that jefferson was a pragmatist who was willing to adjust his philosophical principles as necessary to preserve the united states. In this magnificent biography, the pulitzer prizewinning author of american lion and franklin and winston brings vividly to life an extraordinary man and his. I want to thank jon meacham, my guest this hour and last, for spending so much time talking about his new book, thomas jefferson. Thomas jefferson by jon meacham, 9780812979480, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read thomas jefferson. Meacham boils down jeffersons life into nine individual sections, the longest naturally being the president of the united states, 18011809.
Meacham received the pulitzer prize for american lion, his bestselling 2008 biography of. Jon meacham is the author, most recently, of thomas jefferson. The word selfevident has different relevance to jon meachams new biography, thomas jefferson. Jefferson is seen as a man who, given the opportunity, would avoid confrontation, but whose profound understanding of the machinations of power and human nature made him a natural leader of men.
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