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Book Review By Nathaniel Ford
Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History by Fawn M. Brodie

    Thomas Jefferson hid his private life from the public. The American people knew him as a statesman and leader, but to his family, he was a warm and loving man. Jefferson had sophisticated tastes in wine, he enjoyed playing the violin, he was an architect, and he was devoted to his family.
    Jefferson also had another side that people were not allowed to see. After his wife's death, he promised her that he would never marry again, and he kept his promise, but that did not mean that he would go without the pleasures of female companionship. Jefferson engaged in a long affair with his slave, Sally Hemings, even fathering children with her, according to the author. The author claims Sally Hemings was the biological half-sister of Jefferson's wife, she was the product of a liason between Jefferson's father-in-law, and a slave. This would have made Sally Hemings a sister-in-law to Thomas Jefferson, but as a slave, she was given no legal recognition.


Plot & Themes
Political/social rights fight Yes
Plotlet:
job/profession:
Job/profession/poverty story Yes
Period of greatest activity? - 1600-1899 -

Subject of Biography
Gender - Male
Profession/status:
Ethnicity - White
Nationality - American
Unusual characteristics:

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 7 ()
United States Yes
The US: - Southeast
Europe Yes
European country: - France
Misc setting - Fancy Mansion
Century: - 19th century

Writing Style
Book makes you feel? - thoughtful
Pictures/Illustrations? - None
How much dialogue in bio? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life? - 51%-75% of book
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