Thomas Jefferson felt far more comfortable writing, to which the Declaration of Independence attests, than public speaking.
According to Ellis, Jefferson gave just two public speeches as President of the United States. As a consequence, he has left hanging over a part of his public life a vapor of duplicity., the presence of which is generally felt more than it is seen.Įllis showed how Jefferson shied away from public attention. He did not always speak exactly as he felt, either towards his friends or his enemies. Ellis covers Jefferson's career as ambassador to France, Secretary of State, planter and president. Central to the book are Jefferson's contradictions and inconsistencies. He follows through to the president's retirement at Monticello. Overview Įllis' approach to explaining the character of Thomas Jefferson begins on June 20, 1775, with Jefferson's arrival in Philadelphia as Virginia's delegate to the Continental Congress and the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. It won the 1997 National Book Award for Nonfiction.
American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson, is a 1996 book written by Joseph Ellis, a professor of history at Mount Holyoke College.
0 kommentar(er)
