Alf J. Mapp, Jr.'s biography of Thomas Jefferson, A Strange Case of Mistaken Identity, successfully conveys the unique personality qualities that resided in one of our most influential and least understood Founding Fathers.

Rereading this biography on the heels of the Clinton Presidency one is struck by the similarities and differences between these two politicians. While Jefferson's intellect and accomplishments will never be equalled by William Jefferson Clinton, the outgoing incumbent shares certain characteristics with his namesake which the Mapp biography lucidly described five years before Clinton ran for office. The major difference between these two men may be that Thomas Jefferson did not hunger after the public's love the way a modern politician must in order to succeed. It is also highly doubtful that the American Public today would ever vote for an intellectual of such obviously of artistic temperment and intellect as the 3rd President. The "Elvis Presley" folksy charm of Bill Clinton is probably why he succeeded in his quest while Al Gore fell short in the Electoral College. Mapp's book succeeds in bringing forth what eluded many biographers before him, and that is the intensity of the passion and animosity that Thomas Jefferson stimulated in his politican adversaries. In this he clearly brings our outgoing current President to mind.

There are other parallels between the Jefferson legacy and the Clinton White House, the commitment to internationalism for one, and an egalitarian commitment to popular access to higher education for another. But the times and the men are ultimately different, and understanding this basic fact is made most palbable by Mapp's major contribution to a considerable trove of already existing Jefferson literature.

It seems all but impossible that we need yet another anthology of Thomas Jefferson. Even so, this calm, judicious selection by Peter S. Onuf, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Professor of History at the University of Virginia and one of the leading Jefferson scholars of our time, fills a gap in the literature and may well be recommended as a superb beginning place to understand Jefferson and his place in history.

Onuf's focus is on Jefferson as a political thinker and actor, and his expert choices of passages from Jefferson's writings highlight the main contours of Jefferson's thought as it stayed constant and as it changed over time. His selections span the full range of Jefferson's political career -- from hsi first major pamphlet "A Summary View of the Rights of British America" (1774), to his drafting of the Declaration of Independence and his work on the revision of Virginia's laws in the late 1770s, to his painful two terms as governor (1779-1781), to his writing of NOTES ON THE STATE OF VIRGINIA, to his diplomatic service in France (1784-1789), to his unhappy years as Secretary of State (1789-1793) and Vice President (1797-1801), to his Presidency (1801-1809), and finally his struggles with the roles of senior statesman, ex-President, educational reformer, and sage (1809-1826). Onuf does not shrink from examining the contradictions that loom large in Jefferson's words and deeds. His lucid and enlightening introduction draws on a major article he did in 1993, "The Scholars' Jefferson," revised and updated to take account of more recent scholarship.

Two gaps only mar this fine book. One is its lack of a chronology for those who are unfamiliar with Jefferson's life and career, and the other is its lack of an index. Perhaps these deficiencies can be remedied in future editions of this fine, valuable, and otherwise highly useful volume.

-- R. B. Bernstein, Adjunct Professor of Law, New York Law School

This is a nice little book. It is easy to read and extrememly informative on a broad basis.

Jefferson is portrayed as a man and not some mysterious political figure. The book aquaints you with Mr Jefferson's joy and heartache alike. Ms. Ferris offers a platefull of tasty information and a few facts I had never known before for dessert.

Everyone can enjoy this book and read it rather quickly. My son and I both enjoyed it and the subsequent discussion that it brought about.

At a White House dinner for Nobel Prize laureates President Kennedy joked about how the occasion was the greatest collection of minds gathered together in the White House since Thomas Jefferson dined alone. How many Jefferson accomplished in his life time is indicated in this juvenile biography by Elizabeth Sirimarco for the Our Presidents series that by the second paragraph on the first page Jefferson is 27 years old and laying the first bricks for his new home Monticello. By the end of the chapter Jefferson is married, finished his new home, written the Declaration of Independence, served as minister to France, and has just been named the nation's first Secretary of State. Sirimarco does not even have the time or space to talk about Jefferson's parents, his attending the College of William and Mary, practicing law, serving as a member of the House of Burgesses, being elected Governor of Virginia, and the death of his file (although these are mentioned in the Time Line of Jefferson's life that appears in the back of the book).

The other three chapters of the book cover Jefferson's political career during the Washington and Adams administrations, and his two terms in the White House. Obviously, this volume introduces young readers to the life of Jefferson and given that the Our President series is limited to three-dozen pages, there is not much more than that Sirimarco can do. This particular volume is also handicapped by the fact the format emphasizes the presidency, so two of the four chapters cover each of his two terms in office although there is a sense in which Jefferson's years in the White House were among the least productive of his life. The book is illustrated with historic paintings, etchings and such, some of which were drawn by Jefferson himself. The sidebars in this volume are especially good, focusing on Jefferson and the issue of slavery, his work as a scientist, and his friendship with John Adams. The margins of the book often contain Interesting Facts such as Jefferson once offered to race his old, fat mare against a friend's young stalion...on February 30th.

This book is the second of two of a series written by Alf Mapp involving Thomas Jefferson, now older and it starts with Jefferson's Presidency through his death. From 1801 to 1826 the United States was just beginning to form as a nation...grown to twice its size and the ensuing troubles with all factions wanting something...how was Jefferson to choose?

Meriweather Lewis and William Clark reporting back about this expansionism of the Louisana Purchase and the marvels that it brought the country. Excellent writing about how these and other issues that plagued Jefferson. Abhorred or adored Jefferson was a dichotomy personified.

This book reveals to us better than others how Jefferson struggled to keep his ideas and ideals, his personal and public persona, his view of the United States and the World, for the betterment of mankind as a whole, in line with the events of the day.

Reading this book gave me an insight into a world of Jefferson and the interaction of some of the others as James Madison, James Monroe and John Marshall. As I read these...I wished I had a teacher who made reading U.S. History as alive as the author. It makes a difference to a subject such as this to keep ones interest...not disappointed here.

Capitvation and fasination as we read on about the troubling times of Jefferson in the last years of his life. How he founded the University of Virginia and fought his final battle with his health.

Alf J. Mapp, Jr. makes Jefferson alive and that makes history fun not to mention educational.

Enlightening, informative, and alive are good traits brought to us by the author that are hard to come by when reading history.
I recommed reading this book if you really want to get to know Jefferson from his Presidency to his death.

Read it and enjoy good writing.

Silvio A. Bedini has written Thomas Jefferson: Statesman of Science with an eye on the scientific Jefferson from his early days to his demise. Jefferson had a scientific preoccupation throughout his entire life, always looking at the things around him.

We have read books on Jefferson's multifarious life, as a lawyer, politician, diplomat, architect of Monticello and the University of Virginia, but Jefferson's talents went much further... as Jefferson would say, "Science is my passion, politics my duty." Jefferson looked at nature with a keen eye. As he sent Lewis and Clark to explore the newly purchased western territory, they sent back enough curiosities to keep Jefferson's mind occupied.

Jefferson's mind was so absorbed in sciences that he published his work "Notes on the State of Virginia" one of the most important works on science of the eighteenth century, later it helped earn him the title of "Father of American palentology."

From fossils to plants, ingenious devices, cartography, mathematical instrumentation, and many other ideas all sparked Jefferson's fertile mind... the author takes us on road of exploration into Jefferson's inventive, curious, and brilliant scientific achievements, all in a narative to pique our interest. Jefferson was on the vanguard of achievements not only here in the United States but abroad as well thus fueling his preoccupation with the sciences.

This book carries us through Jefferson's life as his inventive mind produced many utilitarion devices or improved others that already existed. Cryptography, the science of weather, medicine and farming all captivated Jefferson as we read on in the book.

I highly recommend reading this fascinating book.

This is an excellent book for learning about Thomas Jefferson. It is unbiased and covers many aspects of his life (not just his major achievements). It talks about his life at different ages, his impact on history, how his actions sometimes contradicted his words, etc. If you read this you will learn a lot about Jefferson , American History, and at the same time what life was like at this time period.

Jack McLaughlin has put together a volume dedicated to the letters written to Thomas Jefferson asking for help, money, adoring admiration, or passionately political. Jefferson wrote back or was silent, but he had feelings for all of them whether irritation or callousness, civility or graciousnes. Jefferson wrote letters from earily sunrise till one or two in the afternoon in his later years. He wrote at his writing table up till nine days prior to his death. He had arthritis in his writing hand from older injuries, but if he recieved a civil letter he nonetheless found time to answer it... even if not knowing the person who wrote it.

This book is extreamly valuable to see the American psychi of that time... a looking glass into the past. We see the intellectual and cultural lives of the people who wrote to Jefferson. The letters are fun to read... eaves-dropping on history, peeking into the lives of Americans long forgotten.

All the letters have a strong feeling for the purpose to which they were written, capitvating the reader. I found the book to have a fascinating but charming view into the Jefferson mailbag.

If you want to live history vicariously at its rote basic, what better way than to live it through the letters of the time. And letters seemed to follow Jefferson, as Jefferson wrote many. As the general public of undstinguished Americans wrote, they recorded their thoughts for posterity... it is with a distinct pleasure to relive their lives.

This book is a piece of priceless Americana at its finest, enjoyable to read and it will captivate.

The book is a very descriptive text of life on the frontier in the Pacific Northwest. It outlines the true nature of the struggles between the indians of that region and the settlers that wanted to displace them. It was very unpopular for a West Point Academy graduate to come to the defense of the indian during that era but never the less Capt. Cram did so and his report was published. Many notes about the specific problems associated with travel through and around the more mountainous regions are outlined. The period of time that is covered in the book spans a good portion of the 1850's so...readers who enjoy reading about the people that shaped this country...get your copy now and you will be glad you did!

If you are interested in Thomas Jefferson or Monticello, this is a terrific book. Over 150 of Jefferson's personal possessions are photographed and documented with detailed explanations and provenance of the items. Covered are varied objects such as works of art, china, portraits, scientific instruments, natural history specimens, and personal objects. This book really illustrates how varied Jefferson's interests were. A very fascinating book!