Why Did I Listen To This Book?
Ever since listening to How To Fight Presidents, I have had a little bit of a side interest in the Presidents. Thomas Jefferson: President And Philosopher by Jon Meacham presented itself to me, basically, and well, riding that whole high from How To Fight Presidents, I listened to it, way later, of course. I find Jefferson kind of interesting given that he was America’s third president and very intelligent. History is fascinating to me, and biographies of people who have made an impact on the world are especially in my wheelhouse.
What Did I Learn?
So, it has been like a month since I listened to this audiobook of Thomas Jefferson: President And Philosopher by Jon Meacham and I only retained a few things.
- One time this person met Jefferson at an inn and they had this conversation about a variety of topics. At first he thought that Jefferson was a farmer because of his knowledge of crops. Then he thought Jefferson was a lawyer because of his knowledge of law. Then he thought he was a philosopher. Then he thought he was a scientist. And no, it just turns out that he’s Thomas Jefferson, Renaissance man. I thought that was an interesting anecdote about the different hats that Jefferson has worn.
- Jefferson’s dad had all kinds of debts that when he died passed onto Jefferson and while yeah he seemed rich, that is not QUITE the case. Credit and all that.
- Jefferson and Adams died on the exact same day. How nuts is that?
How’s The Narration?
Thomas Jefferson: President And Philosopher by Jon Meacham is a quick listen. It is under 5 hours. Richard Gilmore, aka, Edward Herrmann narrated this audiobook. I like his narration but I did zone out a little. He sounds all official and serious which is a good thing given this is a serious sort of book about Thomas Jefferson. Herrmann is an appropriate narration choice. His voice reminded me of what I imagine a professor sounds like (not like any of my actual professors).
Who Should Listen To This Audiobook?
- Middle graders with history projects on Thomas Jefferson
- People who want a quick primer on our nation’s third president
- Those who enjoy biographies on historical figures but are pressed for time
Sum It Up With A GIF:
Yeah, this book is kind of interesting.
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This one’s on my list because I love presidential biographies, as well. I recently read The Bully Pulpit and River of Doubt, which took me down a Teddy Roosevelt rabbit hole that was hard to get out of!