Thomas Jefferson and His Time, Volume 1 Audiobook By Dumas Malone cover art

Thomas Jefferson and His Time, Volume 1

The Virginian

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Thomas Jefferson and His Time, Volume 1

By: Dumas Malone
Narrated by: Anna Fields
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Pulitzer Prize Winner, History, 1975

This is the first volume of distinguished historian Dumas Malone's Pulitzer Prize-winning six-volume work on the life and times of Thomas Jefferson. Based on a myriad of sources, it covers Jefferson's ancestry, youth, education, and legal career; his marriage and the building of Monticello; the drafting of the Declaration of Independence and the Notes on Virginia; his rich, fruitful legislative career; his highly controversial governorship; and his early services to the development of the West.

Founding father: listen to the rest of the titles in the Thomas Jefferson and His Time series:
  • Volume 2
  • Volume 3
  • Volume 4
  • Volume 5
  • Volume 6
    • ©1948 Dumas Malone (P)1998 Blackstone Audio Inc.     Americas Historical Historiography Politics & Activism Presidents & Heads of State Revolution & Founding United States World Legal History

    Critic reviews

    "This is going to be the Jefferson...it will endure as one of the imperishable monuments of biography - and take note that I don't say 'American biography', I say biography period." (Gerald W. Johnson)
    Comprehensive Biography • Thorough Research • Beautiful Melodic Voice • Historical Significance • Valuable Information
    Highly rated for:
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    How can an audio book this long be interesting? That was the question Mr. Malone answered through deep and complete treatment of Thomas Jefferson as a Virginian, leading up to the time of the Declaration. The thoughtful background and treatment of TJ's role in the government of Virginia is fascinating. If you have a passion for learning all you can about these times in our history, I have not heard any better than Mr. Malone. On to volume 2!

    Deep and Complete

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    Dumas Malone's classic biography is so full of detail and well-documented anecdotes about this life (and pre-life, as there is a fascinating account of Jefferson's genealogy as well) of our founding father that it seems petty to complain about the reader. But her voice is hardly above a mumble at times, and she pronounces the same words differently as she goes, so I have to voice this protest. I have listened to her read the first two volumes of this biography and I don't think I can continue through the next four with her, though the periods of Jefferson's life they cover are the most eventful and the most interesting to history. I think I will read the next volumes out of the library rather than continue with this narrator. I enjoyed the facts on early Virginia history (I live and went to school in Virginia) and the early colonists and pioneers of our state, and on Jefferson's education and love of horseback riding and his boyhood friends. I went to the University of Virginia myself and the worship of Jefferson there is still alive and well. I highly recommend Dumas Malone's masterwork but cannot recommend this narrator. I hope I'm not sexist in saying so (she's the only female narrator I've heard so far on Audible), but she needs to improve her abilities if she's to capture a following among the otherwise very talented Audible narrators.

    Narrator a bit off-putting

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    This work on Jefferson is fascinating and accurate. Historians don’t write classics like this anymore!

    Note in response to earlier review: Jefferson wasn’t at all sympathetic to bestiality. In the original law code, he doesn’t think the crime should carry the death penalty because those who committed it were few and society would ostracize them anyway.

    Great book!

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    It was hard to miss the omission of Sally Hemmings, yet Malone grasps Jefferson well with the information he had.

    Malone’s understanding

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    This first volume of Dumas Malone's six-volume quintessential Jefferson history is indeed a masterpiece of research and writing. However, the issue lies in the recording.

    The narrator has all the finesse of a log truck. It is a shame that the editors of this vocal performance did not respect Malone's lifelong work enough to choose a narrator that had an enjoyable voice to bring the material to life. Instead, the deadpan execution made the reading less of an engaging experience and more of an effort in endurance.

    As others have mentioned, the narrator often trails off quietly at the end of sentences, which makes it hard to hear. This habit does not interfere with the understanding of the text, but does become noticeable and distracting after a while.

    The recording was created for cassette tapes originally and then adapted to a streaming version. This is obvious in the random narrator notations of "Cassette 6, side 1" and Cassette 9, side 1" which were interjected between sections. The editors removed some of those cassette tape notations but not all, again, indicating a lack of effort or respect, or both, for Malone's work.

    The written version of this book would be a preferable choice to those interested in a comprehensive Jeffersonian history.

    Material is good. Recording is not.

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    If you could sum up Thomas Jefferson and His Time, Volume 1 in three words, what would they be?

    Detailed, Fascinating, Enjoyable

    Any additional comments?

    Although I've read many times that Malone was biased in his writing, which is very true, I still find his presentation of the facts fantastic. He loves is subject and shields him from negative commentary due to his actions concerning slavery, treatment of Indians and women. Still the amount of research that he put in the book is superb.

    Predictable but Still Great

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    I have learned so much from this book. I have made notes for things to look up. I have shared information with friends.

    7 pages of notes

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    I downloaded this volume not with little trepidation having read the negative reviews. THANK YOU to the one reviewer who gave it five stars encouraging me to make the purchase. This work is a masterpiece. Of course it contains mountains of information which to some listeners may seem a little dry,at times but this is a six volume project afterall. I found all the information pertinent to the story of who this man was. I never knew he had a quite compassisonate view regarding the crime of beastiality. (I never knew he even had a view regarding that) but it comes out in the review of his legislative work for Virginia. And the description of the special status and treatment of several captured war enemies ties in with the present situation of special status criminal in our present war.
    The narrator is excellent! It's true that she tends to swallow the end of some of her sentences, but never to the degree that I couldn't undertstand the words. Her cadence, intonation and pronunciation I found to be right on target.
    This is a very thorough biography which I found thoroughly enjoyable. I'm tempted to not wait until my next monthly credit and go ahead and purchase the next volume now.

    thoroughly satisfying

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    At last, someone finally took the time to assemble significant primary documents to tell the early life story of TJ with more fact than opinion. Perhaps this book is better read than heard, so the footnotes & references are at hand. My only complaint is the narrator mispronounces several prominent names,which made me cringe over and over again. At least she got Taliaferro correct, although Fauquier & Burwell are butchered. This is still a great listen and the narrator does have a pleasant & interesting voice. I'm looking forward to the last two volumes.

    Wonderful detail.

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    A very worthwhile and valuable book. Thomas Jefferson’s views and intellect are extraordinary and he simply was a cut above. Anyone wanting to take shots at Jefferson better study his history. What a fine, intelligent and compassionate man whose view encompassed Mankind and continues to influence all generations. Definitely not a politician as we know them in any sense! Anna Fields reading is wonderful. Expressive and appropriate.

    Valuable book, valuable lessons

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