Rating: 
Summary: Is "grandson" a subset of "grandfather"?
Review: Am I missing something or did "texhett1@airmail.net" from Texas not read the Jefferson DNA report that he cites in his review of Noble Cunningham's book? The notorious DNA report established only that Thomas Jefferson was guilty of being his paternal grandfather's descendant, not that he fathered children by Sally Hemmings. The DNA test was run on Grandpa Jefferson, not TJ. Joseph Ellis and the other Clinton apologists who publicized this report last year during Clinton's impeachment investigation can draw their own politically-driven conclusions from the report, but in this universe, "grandson" is not implied by the term "grandfather."
Rating:
Summary: Is "grandson" a subset of "grandfather"?
Review: Am I missing something or did "texhett1@airmail.net" from Texas not read the Jefferson DNA report that he cites in his review of Noble Cunningham's book? The notorious DNA report established only that Thomas Jefferson was guilty of being his paternal grandfather's descendant, not that he fathered children by Sally Hemmings. The DNA test was run on Grandpa Jefferson, not TJ. Joseph Ellis and the other Clinton apologists who publicized this report last year during Clinton's impeachment investigation can draw their own politically-driven conclusions from the report, but in this universe, "grandson" is not implied by the term "grandfather."
Rating: 
Summary: A interesting read and insight into the life and times
Review: Enjoyed this book, especially the focus given to the changing relationship between Alexander Hamilton and Jefferson over the years. Enjoyed learning about the relationship between Jefferson, Madison and Monroe. Good background and insight into the forming of the first political parties (Federalists and Republicans) as well as insight into the political tactics and "spin" each party used to advance it's agenda. Many parallels are evident to the political tactics used by the Democratic and Republican parties of today.
Rating:
Summary: Above average for one volume
Review: Highly condensed version of Jefferson's life, but very readable. Leaves out of the behind the scenes happenings, and intergal family life, especially of grandchildren. Good stater book for someone interested the Jefferson.
Rating:
Summary: a fair and brief biography
Review: I am only an undergrad student, so I admit I'm not all that well read. A wealth of literature has been published on Jefferson. There are a great many books carry out in-depth studies on various aspects relating to Jefferson. This book, is, however, a brief account of Jefferson's entire life.on that account,it is obviously a limited book. Even so the dicussion on Jefferson;s two terms as president are too brief. Yet Cunningham's approach to various subjects-the Embargo, for example are fairly good. The book includes a section on jefferson's last years (in the chapter "The Sage Of Monticello)which is brief yet intersting. Overall, the book tries to encompass Jefferson's personal as well as political life in its contents.Thus it compromises with many aspects.Yet it is a fairly good book overall.It is written in lucid style and would be useful to anyone wanting to obtain a bird's eye view of the life and career of Thomas Jefferson.
Rating:
Summary: A better title would be "Jefferson: His Public Life"
Review: I've been reading biographies of the presidents in the order they served, and I have to agree with Andrew Wagner's review: I don't really feel like I know Jefferson after reading this biography. Unlike McCullough's "John Adams" or Ketcham's "James Madison: A Biography," this book deals predominantly (just shy of exclusively) with Jefferson's public life. The author seems to begrudgingly deal with Jefferson's personal life only because some exposition of it is expected at certain points (e.g., formative years, Sally Hemings). He barely mentions Jefferson's friendships with Adams, Madison, and others. You'll know more about Jefferson's personal life from reading McCullough's book on Adams than reading this biography. That said, if you're, in fact, looking for a good synopsis of Jefferson's public life only, this book does a good job.
Rating: 
Summary: The Bureaucrat of Monticello
Review: In this book Noble Cunningham has managed to make one of the most fascinating figures in American history pedestrian. He provides a dutiful recounting of the facts of Jefferson's life, but never makes him come alive. His thesis--that Jefferson saw the use of reason as the highest human undertaking--is certainly valid, but Jefferson was a man of enormous contradictions, none of which are truly explored here. This book makes the man who said "Democracy ought to be periodically washed in blood" seem like a hardworking civil servant.
Rating:
Summary: Somewhere between fine and good?
Review: Okay, so let us concede that nobody can write a singly comprehensive book on Thomas Jefferson. Let's also try and find a common ground between revisionists and conservatives. This isn't the place to find either. However, this book offers a reasonable account of the more significant events in the life of the Sage of Monticello.
Rating: 
Summary: This Book Stinks
Review: Read pages 114 through 116 of this book and double over in laughter at the stupidity of "historians." Savor the scorn the author heaps on Fawn Brodie for daring to call out the obvious truth that Jefferson had a LOT of SEX with his slaves. Oh, the high brow elegance of Cunningham's attack! Oh, the elegance of his reductio ad absurdum! Weep at Cunningham's ridiculing conclusion "The evidence indicates that any Paris romance between Jefferson and Hemmings belongs in a work of fiction, not of history." This is enough to give you hemmeroids from laughter! But contemplate the shame of wasting your entire career on painting a picture of the "PURSUIT OF REASON" by the demi-god Jefferson only to have DNA prove that YOU were the one guilty of POMPOUS NEAR-RELIGIOUS FICTIONAL SELF DELUSION. Imagine being the historians who missed the CENTRAL FACT OF JEFFERSON'S WHOLE SEXUAL PERSONA. This is sweet irony that is too delicous to pass up. This book smells. Buy Fawn Brodie.
Rating:
Summary: Brief and simplified, but a good read.
Review: There is much to learn about Thomas Jefferson and this book barely scratches the surface - understandable for only 350 pages. Some very important items such as the relationship between Jefferson and Adams are given only a page or two when several more would feel better. The second term, as in many presidential biographies, is also hurried. The author does, however, manage to tell an exciting story that encourages further study of this great American.
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