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Title: Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson: History, Memory, and Civic Culture by Jan Lewis, Peter S. Onuf, Jane E. Lewis ISBN: 0-8139-1919-3 Publisher: University of Virginia Press Pub. Date: November, 1999 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.22 |
Average Customer Rating: 4 (1 review)
Rating: 4
Summary: A compilation of critical essays
Comment: The problem with books about history is that they are almost always an interpretation: the author's. At best the author is willing to share the conflicting evidence with his reader, at worst the author omits it and pretends it doesn't even exist. But even the most faithful author can't put everything in a book so a selection has to be made. That's why the critical reader ends up reading a lot of books about the same subject. To be able to grasp most of the material, evidence and theories that are circulating. That way he/she is able to form his/her own opinion about an issue. But if the issue is Thomas Jefferson & Sally Hemings the reader will likely end up digging through tons of material and will still be very confused and very indecisive. Until recently one of the only books on the topic worth reading was Anette Gordon-Reed's "Thomas Jefferson and Sally Heming: An American Controversy". Because of it's painstakingly revealing of the mistakes, omissions and lies that previous writers had committed and for it's refusal to take a final stand.
This book however was written after the 1999 DNA tests that revealed that Thomas Jefferson very likely fathered Sally's last child Eston. And that he didn't father Thomas C. Woodson. But one has to keep in mind that the recent testing still don't prove Jefferson's paternity exclusively. Another male relative from the Jefferson line could have fathered Sally's last child, since they share the same Y chromosome. The book offers a number of refreshing essays written by scholars. Each one of them looks at the relationship from his/her own field. Trying to describe and explain what this new evidence means to themselves and their previous writings and views on TJ. Sometimes describing how they fell into the trap that so many historians fell into when dealing with TJ. They also try to describe the way the American mind thought about TJ and how this new evidence will influence peoples views and opinions.
The strength of the book is that it has been written after the revealing DNA tests. It also presents a lot of authors, each with his/her specific knowledge, views and convictions. Rather than just one author. But the really weak point is that the book fails to give a clear outline and explanation of the recent DNA test. That's the chapter that it should have started with. Since that test is the core, the very foundation upon which all these "revisionist" writings build. And also because a test like this needs explanation: not everyone is familiar with cellular biology and what it really means.
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Title: Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy by Annette Gordon-Reed ISBN: 0813918332 Publisher: University of Virginia Press Pub. Date: April, 1998 List Price(USD): $13.45 |
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Title: Anatomy of a Scandal: Thomas Jefferson & the Sally Story by Rebecca L. McMurry, David N. Mayer, James F., Jr. McMurry ISBN: 1572493038 Publisher: White Mane Publishing Co. Pub. Date: April, 2002 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Jefferson's Children : The Story of One American Family by Jane Feldman, Shannon Lanier ISBN: 0375805974 Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers Pub. Date: 05 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Jefferson-Hemings Myth : An American Travesty by The Thomas Jefferson Heritage Society, Eyler Robert Coates Sr. ISBN: 0934211663 Publisher: Jefferson Editions Pub. Date: 10 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
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Title: Sally Hemings : A Novel by Barbara Chase-Riboud ISBN: 0312247044 Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin Pub. Date: 05 August, 2000 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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