Saving Monticello: The Levy Family's Epic Quest to Rescue the House That Jefferson Built written by Marc Leepson is a wonderful book as it chronicles that "essay in architecture" Thomas Jefferson called Monticello his mountain-top estate in Virginia. What happened after Thomas Jefferson died is a story begging to be told and it is a story of a family by the name of Levy that brought the estate back twice from near ruin, this is a tale that recounts the turbulent saga of this fabled estate.

Being one of the millions of people that has visited Monticello in the past, I always wondered about the history of Monticello after Jefferson died on July 4, 1826 to the time I visited the estate. I asked one of the tour guides at that time, she filled me in on some of the juicy parts, but it wasn't as comprehensive as this book.

I later sat down with another tour guide and asked some more questions about the history of the estate, the grounds, the upkeep of the house and the purchase of artifacts once owned by Jefferson at the time he lived at Monticello... again they were very helpful and pointed my curiosity to what is referenced in the bibliography in this book. So, I did some further digging and what Marc Leepson has uncovered in this book is spot-on with good work in telling this fascinating story of a house, history, family-life and times through the years.

"Saving Monticello" is a book with a history of a family, with who's efforts, we should all be grateful for saving a national treasure, a family whos little-known story of the remarkable commitment to Monticello's preservation. This is the account of Uriah P. Levy and his nephew Jefferson Monroe Levy in this well-written compelling story.

"Saving Monticello" is a story filled with fascinating detail about the life and times of one of the most beloved national monuments, for almost ninety years in private hands, until 1923 when the Levy family relinquished it to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation.

As you read "Saving Monticello" you'll see the veil of history being slowly and with great detail lifted to reveal a stoey that is reflective to our nations history, a story that is fully appreciated, from early on, a cast of characters a different as America herself played a roll with Monticello.

This is a fascinating read and well worth your time.

So much of the history of Monticello has been swept under the rug for generations and generations. As a Virginian living in such close proximity to Monticello, I, as the majority of people who have made the requisite trip through Mr. Jefferson's estate had literally no grasp on its actual history. Mr. Leepson's watershed book is eminently readable, even for those of us who are not students of historical preservation and brings to light the actual gritty past of this now pristine national monument. The fact that the Jefferson family or the Jefferson Foundation has not exclusively owned Monticello is often downplayed by many persons associated with it in its current condition. Perhaps the greatest merit of Saving Monticello is that it reveals the fact that this estate has a much deeper and more complex history than many Americans realize or may be willing to believe.

Mr. Leepson has masterfully peeled back the onion skin of history and shows the reader that Monticello's historical significance is not restricted to early American or Architectural history alone, but can actually stand as a microcosm of American History in its full form. From the birth of the nation to civil war to anti-Semitism- Monticello has seen it all. Mr. Leepson's book artfully reveals Monticello's sometimes colorful, often tragic history in a text that marries the all too frequently opposing qualities of being both informative and entertaining.

This book is worth every minute spent reading it and may even entice its readers to delve further into Monticello's family tree. We truly owe the Levy family a debt of gratitude for preserving Monticello for future generations. Without their intervention, this estate would not be in existence today for us to enjoy and appreciate. I cannot recommend this book highly enough, and I thank Mr. Leepson for finally giving us, the reader, access to the story behind this historical treasure.

Our third president, Thomas Jefferson, possessed many talents, but a grand vision was among the top of his possessions. Over a period of many years, he designed, built, and re-built his grand home in the Piedmont of Virginia. Neither the plain saltbox home of John Adams nor the stately yet conventional Mount Vernon home of George Washington, Monticello was a home of which the entire country could be proud. Exhibiting many classical architectural elements along with some truly unique touches, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello was a home that completely fit the remarkable qualities of its owner.

After Jefferson's death on the 50th anniversary of the country's birth, Monticello was soon sold to clear some of his substantial debts. Saving Monticello is the story of the ultimate preservation of this irreplaceable national treasure. The story primarily features the Levy family, a collection of intriguing characters who continue the goal preserving Jeffersons home, at great person cost, through several decades, and against substantial opposition. Marc Leepson has produce a clear narrative of this fascinating history, covering Monticello's repeated near ruin and its restoration to its original glory. Written in a clear manner, yet with abundant detail, this book is required reading for Jefferson scholars, students of architecture, or merely those interested in a great historical tale. It is clearly the best account of the largely unknown saga of the saving of Monticello.

It is rather quantics, study of matter called "quantic' that shows wave and particle behavior exclusively.Authors introduce new definitions such as Quantics or Phonon not photon. Methodology is quite new. Authors use a lot of "from this it follows" kind of statements so if you are not comfortable with that kind of short cuts, this book is not for you. Examples are numerous from very different areas but some of them beyond introductory level of Quantum Physics. It will help if you finish the book and come back to read the examples. there are good number of problems at the end of each chapter. Overall I like it because it has a different twist in it. Same story told from a different angle. Mathematical formalism in the average.
For me this is not an introductory book into quantum Mechanics, I prefer Reznicks book but i would not miss to read this book either.

This is a cute book ~~ if you're looking for something light and fluffy, then this would be the book. I managed to finish it in a day ~~ and it's a darling little book.

Lauren goes into a coma after a serious car accident and months later, Arthur moves into her apartment. Just as the doctors and Lauren's mother get ready to take Lauren off the feeding tube, Arthur discovers Lauren in the apartment. Only, it's not really Lauren ~~ but her spirit. Amazed that Arthur could see her, the adventure begins. From stealing a body out of the hospital to Arthur's confrontations with his best friend to scenes in restaurants ~~ it is an entertaining book.

It is a romantic ghost story. Every woman wants to be like Lauren and every woman wants Arthur to be in their lives. There isn't much substance to the book ~~ but like I said, if you're looking for a cute story, this would be it. It is well-written and Levy has a talent for describing houses (could it be that he is an architect in a former life?) ~~ among other things.

Going to the beach? Then I suggest you take this book along. It's pleasant and sweet ~~ you can't beat it with the pleasures of lying in the sun and listening to the mute roar of the ocean.

This is such a captivating book that you'll not want to put it down. The story draws you in from the very beginning and holds you till the very last page. It's unlike any romance story you have read before. It's a refreshing, new kind of story... there is none other like it. Marc Levy spins a wonderful tale of a women named Lauren who lives in California who gets in a very bad car accident and is clincly dead, but suddenly she comes back to life... but stays in a coma. A man named Author moves into her old apartment and oneday he sees Lauren. She is not exactly a ghost since she is still alive. She figured out how to transport her spirt outside of her body that is lying across town in a coma. Now I know this is far fetched, but you just HAVE to read this story! It's wonderful! I didn't want to put it down! This is a book for anyone who is willing to belive in the unbeliveable!!!

Arthur is a young architect who just moved into a new apartment. One evening he discovers a woman hiding in his bathroom closet. The woman - Lauren - is surprised Arthur can see and hear her. She tells Arthur that her physical body is in a coma and has been for six months. Her "spirit" was somehow separated from her body. Arthur doesn't believe her at first, but pays a visit to the hospital and finds her body. They get to know each other better and soon fall in love, but it doesn't last long. Lauren learns that her body is to be disconnected from the feeding tube and she will die. Arthur promises to help save her and that's when the fun begins...

This book is very well-written. It reminded me of "Message in a Bottle" by Nicholas Sparks. The writing style and the story are both very similar, although "If Only It Were True" is not as tragic as "Message." It's a very quick read - just over 200 pages long. I devoured it in an evening. Even if you're not a fan of romances, you should still try this one. It's sweet and guaranteed to leave a smile on your face, but it's not so full of sap that you will feel ill afterwards. There is a very interesting sub-plot concerning Arthur's mother; I would have almost liked to read more about it, but there was just enough to explain things and not so much that it overshadowed the actual story. The only problem with the book is that the character of Lauren wasn't nearly as well-developed as the character of Arthur. This is a minor point and you don't notice it much while reading it. "If Only It Were True" is a perfect summer read, so run to your local library and find a copy!