so-soA tough book to read and an even tougher book to discuss, Wiencek challenges his readers to consider Jefferson as a “totem” that guards American memory on the issue of slavery. A damning portrait of America‘s greatest hypocrite.
so-soA tough book to read and an even tougher book to discuss, Wiencek challenges his readers to consider Jefferson as a “totem” that guards American memory on the issue of slavery. A damning portrait of America‘s greatest hypocrite.
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My first five star read of the month. This is such a heartbreaking story! Told by three different points of view, two sons of Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson, and another slave boy. The author does an amazing job. #MiddleGradeMarchThroughTime megnews
pickMonticello has long received serious attention, but only with this exhibition and catalogue have its contents received equal billing. Hundreds of Jefferson's belongings were returned for this exhibit, making it look more like the home Jefferson knew. With fully illustrated chapters on paintings, drawings, sculpture, furniture, silver, scientific instruments, clocks, maps, Native American artifacts, musical instruments, personal objects, etc.
pickTwilight at Monticello is something entirely new: an unprecedented and engrossing personal look at the intimate Jefferson in his final years that will change the way readers think about this true American icon. It was during these years–from his return to Monticello in 1809 after two terms as president until his death in 1826–that Jefferson‘s idealism would be most severely, and heartbreakingly, tested.
I went down a Wikipedia rabbit hole this afternoon while looking up something entirely unrelated, and now I‘m watching an old episode of Oprah about the Jefferson-Hemings descendants (I totally remember watching it 22 years ago) and adding books to my TBR.
On the way to this destination, I discovered that Napoleon Bonaparte‘s brother lived in NJ and that they pretaped the Washington Crossing the Delaware re-enactment last month due to COVID-19.
pickBradley portrays Jefferson as a Roman-style paterfamilias, with his conviction that everyone on his estate is his family, including those he both owns and fathered, and he is the head of them all. It is difficult to reconcile the Jefferson of the Declaration with the Jefferson who trafficked in human beings. Bradley doesn't provide answers, but she does offer a historically-based way to envision the lives of those his actions affected.
Out on an audiowalk when I spotted autumn! That's about the extent of it in coastal southern California. That and rain, which starts tomorrow. Very exciting!
"It was April and all Monticello was stirring, but in their cabin Mama had just put baby Maddy down to sleep and she told Beverly and Harriet to be still."
#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl
pickVery interesting books about the lives of the Hemings family from its founding with Elizabeth Hemings‘ mother through the aftermath of Thomas Jefferson‘s death. It is also a great examination of the slave experience in Virginia and how differently the Hemings family was treated because of their familial ties to the Jeffersons.
This was recommended to me when I finished the Hamilton bio by Ron Chernow and I am loving it!
Like, everybody knows Jefferson was knocking boots with Sally Hemings, but did you know Sally and Jefferson‘s wife were half sisters?!
