A quick search on Amazon for “Thomas Jefferson Biography” results in 24 pages of books dedicated to the subject. My own collection includes several shelves dedicated to Thomas Jefferson. Many of them served as a great reference when examining Jefferson “the man”. If you’re interested in my recommendations on Thomas Jefferson I am including a reading list from my collection here. I have linked each one to their Amazon page for your convenience.
- The Quotable Jefferson by Thomas Jefferson
- The Life and Selected Writings of Thomas Jefferson by Thomas Jefferson
- Flight From Monticello by Michael Kranish
- American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson by Joseph J. Ellis
- Negro President by Garry Wills
- Thomas Jefferson by R.B. Bernstein
- Thomas Jefferson Travels by Anthony Brandt
- The Hemings of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed
- Adams and Jefferson: The Tumultuous Election of 1800 by John Ferling
- Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings by Annette Gordon-Reed
- Most Blessed of the Patriarchs by Annette Gordon-Reed and Peter S. Onuf
- Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello by Monticello Staff
- Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates by Brian Kilmeade
- Thomas Jefferson’s Education by Alan Taylor
These books represent a wide range of interpretations of Jefferson’s life. Some praise him while others are more critical. I recommend reading more than one book to get a different view of Jefferson’s contributions and shortcomings.
Here are my Top 10 (non-Jefferson) recommendations with links to their Amazon pages:
- Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. McPherson
- Stonewall Jackson: The Man, The Soldier, The Legend by James Robertson
- Jeb Stuart: The Last Cavalier by Burke Davis
- Christ in the Camp by J. William Jones
- The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War by Michael Shaara
- John Adams by David McCullough
- 1776 by David McCullough
- Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson
- The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin by H. W. Brands
- General George Washington: A Military Life by Edward G. Lengel
The NAKED HISTORIAN 