Very popularly written, these lectures are seven in number, and treat respectively of Jefferson as revolutionist, democratizer of state institutions, diplomat, democratizer of federal institutions, and president, and of his influence upon freedom of religion in America and upon our educational institutions. Jefferson has not been entirely fortunate in his biographers, many of his points of view being so at odds with those of Europe that their effect has been distorted or minimized; but with Senator Williams his radical belief in democracy finds a sympathy rather whole-hearted than discriminating.

Looks at the influence of Thomas Jefferson as a Virginian, a revolutionist, a diplomat, and as President of the United States.

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.

Excerpt from Thomas Jefferson His Permanent Influence on American Institutions I wrote and delivered these lectures not only in great haste, but under great pressure. At the time the promise to deliver them was made, Congress was expected to adjourn about the middle of June. It adjourned about the first of September. This sub tracted two and one-half months from my time. I deemed it my duty later to devote two and one-half weeks of the time remaining to campaign field work in behalf of the election to the Presidency of one of Mr. Jefferson's successors, Governor Woodrow Wilson. The natural inference from all this is that the work may, and probably does, contain errors. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.