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In this moving and intimate look at the final days of our most enigmatic president, Andrew Burstein sheds new light on what Thomas Jefferson actually thought about sexuality, race, gender, and politics. Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, leaving behind a series of mysteries that captured the imaginations of historical investigators-an interest rekindled by the recent revelation that he fathered a child by Sally Hemmings, a woman he legally owned-yet there is still surprisingly little known about him as a man. In Jefferson's Secrets Andrew Burstein focuses on Jefferson's last days to create an emotionally powerful portrait of the uncensored private citizen who was also a giant of a man. Drawing on sources previous biographers have glossed over or missed entirely, Burstein uncovers, first and foremost, how Jefferson confronted his own mortality; and in doing so, he reveals how he viewed his sexual choices. Delving into Jefferson's soul, Burstein lays bare the president's thoughts about his own legacy, his predictions for American democracy, and his feelings regarding women and religion. The result is a moving and surprising work of history that sets a new standard, post-DNA, for the next generation's reassessment of the most evocative and provocative of this country's founders.
Über den Autor / die Autorin
Andrew Burstein is the Charles P. Manship professor of history at Louisiana State University and the author, most recently of
Democracy's Muse. He has written numerous history books and biographies including
Lincoln Dreamt He Died and
Jefferson's Secrets. Best known as a Jefferson scholar, Professor Burstein has taught courses at LSU for many years as well as others universities. He received an MA from the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan and a PhD in history from the University of Virginia.
