ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 10, 1995 TAG: 9512110011
SECTION: BOOKS PAGE: G-5 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: BOOK REVIEW
SOURCE: REVIEWED BY WENDY CLARK
THE INNER JEFFERSON: Portrait of a Grieving Optimist. By Andrew Burstein. University Press of Virginia. $29.95 until Dec. 31, $35 thereafter.
During the time of Thomas Jefferson it was considered the norm for one to maintain a formal bearing, avoiding all outward show of emotion. Jefferson, Andrew Burstein asserts in "The Inner Jefferson," learned to maintain this persona while inwardly steaming with a passion for life.
Burstein's examination of Jefferson's letters yields a view of the man that is perhaps more realistic than many of the others that have come before it because he relies on the man's own words to paint the portrait. Jefferson used his friends for emotional comfort during times of hardship in his life. His letters depict both a strong emotional core and a keen intellect. When confronted with decisions in his life, his was often a battle between mind and emotion. Often, the emotional side won.
Burstein asserts that Jefferson was a paradox (note the use of the "Grieving Optimist" in the subtitle) who struggled to bring his country to greatness while believing that he was personally doomed to lose all that he loved. And he did - first his wife, then daughter and then favorite grandchild.
"The Inner Jefferson" is another in a long line of books (and bad movies) that attempts to show what Jefferson was really like. Unlike many of the others, Burstein succeeds with his portrait. His is a scholarly, well-documented work that brings us closer to an understanding of this fascinating man.
Wendy Clark is librarian of the Hollins branch of the Roanoke County Library.
LENGTH: Short : 41 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Thomas Jeffersonby CNB