Close-up portrait by a noted Jefferson scholar aimed at 'advancing historical knowledge without prescriptive politics.' . . . Burstein's psychological insights are impressively detailed and grounded in valuable historical context . . . A nuanced, warts-and-all examination of a complicated Founding Father.

Kirkus

Most biographies of Thomas Jefferson are focused on his intellect. Andrew Burstein lays open his heart. He has answered a question that has always puzzled me: why was Jefferson so adroit at playing hide-and-seek inside himself.

Joseph J. Ellis, author AMERICAN SPHINX: THE CHARACTER OF THOMAS JEFFERSON

Andrew Burstein has written what promises to become the most acclaimed contemporary biography of Thomas Jefferson - appropriately for the 200th year after his death and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Burstein neither tries to promote or dethrone but succeeds in creating a revealing portrait of a complex individual, who had a great capacity for friendship and grudges, who sought privacy but also celebrity, who was pessimistic about human nature but optimistic about the possibilities for the future. Skillfully dissecting his use of language, the biography reminds us of why it is important to engage with a man who more than any other is part of the DNA of the United States.

Andrew O'Shaughnessy, author of THE ILLIMITABLE FREEDOM OF THE HUMAN MIND and THE MEN WHO LOST AMERICA

Drawing on a lifetime of research on Thomas Jefferson, historian Andrew Burstein achieves what few scholars have thought possible: to penetrate Jefferson's public façade so as to plumb his innermost depths. Written with immense learning, grace, and sensitivity, Burstein offers a deep psychological portrait that allows readers to imagine the third president in wholly new ways.

Rosemarie Zagarri, author of REVOLUTIONARY BACKLASH: WOMEN AND POLITICS IN THE EARLY AMERICAN REPUBLIC

In this provocative 'psychological reckoning,' Andrew Burstein illuminates both the inner life of Jefferson, and also the challenges and rewards of the biographer's craft. With a focus on who Jefferson hated as well as who he loved, Burstein foregrounds Jefferson's uncanny ability to rationalize his own behavior, and his unwillingness to judge himself. Burstein deftly interweaves the private and the public and thus vividly brings early American politics to life.

Elizabeth R. Varon, author of LONGSTREET: THE CONFEDERATE GENERAL WHO DEFIED THE SOUTH

An exciting, sensitive, & perceptive probe into the hidden Jefferson. It is a touchingly personal & succinct book that compliments & culminates Burstein's life-long contribution to understanding Jefferson. Those new to Jefferson literature will find it comprehensive & engaging. Scholars will appreciate its insights & speculations about its mysterious subject.

Fred Kaplan, author of JOHN QUINCY ADAMS: AMERICAN VISIONARY and HIS MASTERLY PEN: A BIOGRAPHY OF JEFFERSON THE WRITER