This groundbreaking biography has been universally acclaimed as a landmark work on Thomas Jefferson's early and mature years. Mapp follows Jefferson from his birth in 1743 through the American Revolution and up until his inauguration as President of the United States in 1801. Along the way we rediscover Jefferson the student at William and Mary, the Virginia politician, and the foreign diplomat. In these pages, Mapp sheds new light on Jefferson's career and private life. The portrait is rich and full of a living complexity that defies the simple sketches often offered by those who would either canonize or demonize this reluctant founding father.

"Elegantly written and overflowing with evocative detail. . . . A splendid work of history and biography." - Book-of-the-Month Club News

"Alf J. Mapp probably best expresses why Jefferson remains so fascinating more than 150 years after his death and why he remains a continual challenge for the biographer . . . [A] reassessment that is not only convincing but also readable and enthralling." - Richmond Times-Dispatch

"A monumental reassessment of Jefferson's character and impact." - Booklist