Someone like Thomas Jefferson already has had so much written about him it's hard to believe something new could be said, but this book does a great job of looking at his life from a new angle.
I loved the first hand accounts of those visitors to the White House who encountered this revered gentleman for the first time. His enemies, friends and constituents all wrote about their encounters and it paints a new picture (at least for me) of the man.

A great book for those interested in learning even more about Jefferson.

James B. Conroy's Jefferson's White House: Monticello on the Potomac was a very informative read. This book is so descriptive that you almost feel like you know the man. His personal preferences are noted throughout the book as well as his feelings for people. Jefferson was lax in some ways but very attentive to details in many others. The city of Washingon and the country is evolving during Jefferson's presidency as noted in his book. He was most intriguing. This book will appeal to Thomas Jefferson fans and history buffs. I would definitely recommend it.

There are obviously lots of books on this president. This one seems unique, and is extremely well-written and researched. A bit too much detail at times, but doesn't reduce it's rating overall. You're bound to learn to interesting facts. Recommended for history fans.

I really appreciate the advanced copy for review!!

An evocative and exquisitely rendered portrait of life in the White House during the Jefferson presidency.

Early 19th century life in the President’s home and the surrounding city of Washington are thoroughly chronicled against the backdrop of Jefferson’s political machinations and career.

Though billed as a complete portrait of daily life, the book focuses more on cuisine, wine, and innovations that were part of Jefferson’s White House, and pays less attention to things like attire, art, and luxuries. Though I would have liked more information on the latter categories, it is clear that the author chose to focus primarily on the things that would have been of paramount importance to Jefferson himself, with which I can’t find fault.

But the biggest takeaway from the book is less about Jefferson and his presidential residence specifically, and more about the fact that Washington was a miserable swamp of a place to live at the time. The sanitary conditions, lack of even basic amenities, and miserable travel hazards are cringeworthy, yet fascinating to read about.

Conroy’s narrative is thorough almost to a fault, and probably could have done with a bit less biographical information on Jefferson and a bit less of his political history (I’m assuming that no one who would pick up this book would know nothing at all about the man coming into it?)

Still, it’s difficult to fault the author for a) attempts to be as thorough as possible and b) attempting to juxtapose the everyday of the Jefferson White House with the political climate, as the two are often inextricably linked. I do wish some of the biographical elements of the book had been edited down a bit, though I can appreciate the conundrum from the author’s and editor’s perspectives.