He was so afraid that Americans, particularly the Federalists such as Adams, would revert to a monarchy of some form - worse, rejoin Britain - that he made it a key mission in his life to subvert such efforts. It is perhaps this that best explains Jefferson’s political life. He needed to shape his life and society to his vision of them. A complex picture arises of a man who, at his core, has two primary drives: he wants to be a great man and he wants the American experiment to succeed. Rather, it is Jefferson’s innermost thoughts that Meacham tries to probe, mostly through Jefferson’s copious correspondence and the thoughts of his contemporaries. In fact, major events such as the revolution, Jefferson’s time in France, even his presidency are, effectively, only briefly described. Meacham’s goal isn’t to describe in detail all of Jefferson’s accomplishments. The point of Jon Meacham’s The Art of Power is to delve into the mind of Jefferson, to explore the seeming contradictions, to understand the full person. He was terribly afraid of what others thought about him but he continued to search out the central position of national affairs. He was against centralized Federal power until he held it and solidified it significantly. He presented a face of aloofness to politics, seemingly above the pettiness of parties, but, behind the scenes, he was actively engaged in attacking rivals and disparaging other ideas. In fact, he had an ongoing relationship with one of his slaves, Sally Hemings, with whom he fathered several children. In the Declaration of Independence, he penned “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” yet, he owned slaves.

However, as with most things, as I got older, I learned that Jefferson was a much more complex figure, full of contradictions.

He seemed the epitome of a so-called Renaissance man. He founded the University of Virginia and, as president, drastically expanded the lands that would eventually become part of the United States. Here was a man who seemingly did it all: he was of course a leading figure in the founding of our nation, but he was also a gifted writer and a deep thinker, embracing a scientific view of the world. Growing up, my hero was Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas jefferson the art of power