American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson

Title: American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson Author: Joseph J Ellis ISBN: 9780679764410 Publisher: Vintage Books Published: 1998 Binding: Paperback Language: English Publisher Description: NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER Following Thomas Jefferson from the drafting of the Declaration of Independence to his retirement in Monticello, Joseph J. Ellis unravels the contradictions of the Jeffersonian character. He gives us the slaveholding libertarian who was capable of decrying mescegenation while maintaing an intimate relationship with his slave, Sally Hemmings; the enemy of government power who exercisdd it audaciously as president; the visionarty who remained curiously blind to the inconsistencies in his nature. American Sphinx is a marvel of scholarship, a delight to read, and an essential gloss on the Jeffersonian legacy.