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"Most Blessed of the Patriarchs"

Thomas Jefferson and the Empire of the Imagination

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"Most Blessed of the Patriarchs"

By: Annette Gordon-Reed, Peter S. Onuf
Narrated by: Karen Chilton
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A groundbreaking work of history that explicates Thomas Jefferson's vision of himself, the American Revolution, Christianity, slavery, and race.

Thomas Jefferson is still presented today as a hopelessly enigmatic figure despite being written about more than any other Founding Father. Lauded as the most articulate voice of American freedom even as he held people in bondage, Jefferson is variably described by current-day observers as a hypocrite, an atheist, and a simple-minded proponent of limited government.

Now, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed teams up with the country's leading Jefferson scholar, Peter S. Onuf, to present an absorbing and revealing character study that finally clarifies the philosophy of Thomas Jefferson.

Tracing Jefferson's development and maturation from his youth to his old age, the authors explore what they call the "empire" of Jefferson's imagination - his expansive state of mind born of the intellectual influences and life experiences that led him into public life as a modern avatar of the enlightenment, who often likened himself to an ancient figure - "the most blessed of the patriarchs".

©2016 Annette Gordon-Reed and Peter S. Onuf (P)2016 Recorded Books
Americas Politicians Politics & Activism Presidents & Heads of State Revolution & Founding United States Founding Fathers
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Critic reviews

"Karen Chilton's fluid alto is a good fit for this biography of Thomas Jefferson.... Chilton's pacing and inflection are never off. She narrates with a calm demeanor, competently affecting various accents for quotes and ably giving subtle expression to the narrative. It all adds up to an enjoyable listening experience." ( AudioFile)
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