Peak11:
Is his presidency so insignificant that you deem it not worthy of mention?

The area of focus is his love for books, moreover the title has pointed that out already.

"I cannot live without books" said Thomas Jefferson in a Letter to John Adams. Thomas Jefferson, the man touted to have drafted " the Declaration of independence " and the "Virginia Status for Establishing  Religious Freedom".

Jefferson would not joke with his books, they are his best friend and companion. Most of the knowledge he churns out were direct inspiration from his books.
He believes that,  education is the pathway to have an enlightened and informed citizens, in which way democracy could be preserved.

During his lifetime, he owned a whopping collections of  9000 - 10000 books!  Some were inherited from his father Peter Jefferson and his mentor George whyte. A chunk of those books were acquired  either in US or in Europe. In 1814, the US capitol was burnt down by the British. Jefferson offered to sell his 6500-volume library to congress to replace the one destroyed.

In no distant time, his books were back. This time they were smaller in volume, at a time he was retiring.
A year before he died, he carved out a systematic list

of books for the University of Virginia library. The list have 6800 volume of books, the accumulated discovery  of his reading journey.

INTELLECTUAL GROWTH
Thomas Jefferson was known for  eloquence and intelligence. It all started at age 5, when he was  enrolled for basics of english grammer, spellings and composition. By age 9  he's started learning the riduments of Latin, Greek and French. By age 14, Jefferson was already familiar with his father's volume of books at his Shadwell library. His father, Peter Jefferson was a wealthy Virginia planter, has penchant for books. Though he lacked formal education but read wide and developed himself. he later died in 1757, when Jefferson was 14.

Jefferson's love for literature, mathematics, poetry, geography and histry were satisfied during his formative years
At age 19, Jefferson began reading law under Jurist George Wythe. 5 years later, he was admitted to the virginia bar and subsequently elected to represent his county in the house of Burgesses. This period oversees when the US was a colony under the british. Tension began to build up, the colony wants to break from the crown. They seek self determination and would stop at nothing to get it.
These times, Jefferson  drafted a book which was later called " A summary view of the right of British America" heavily laced with readings collected from political history, government and financial law.
In 1776, From his experience on natural law He drafted the Declaration of Independence and also drafted a constitution for  The State of Virginia.

THE FRANCE ADVENTURE
In 1784, when Jefferson was posted to France on a government assignment. He went with his library  catalogue- a list with name of books he already have and ones he wish to acquire. By the time Jefferson left France, he was 2000 volumes of books stronger.

Years later, reminiscing on his adventure of books in France. Jefferson has this to say.

"While residing in Paris, I devoted every afternoon I was disengaged, for a summer or two, in examining all the principal bookstores, turning over every book with my own hands, and putting by everything which related to America, and indeed whatever was rare & valuable in every science. besides this, I had standing orders during the whole time I was in Europe, on it’s principal book-marts, particularly Amsterdam, Frankfort, Madrid and London, for such works relating to America as could not be found in Paris"

When ask to recommend books to read, Jefferson would give a complete overview of books that are proferred to him and those that  he thinks are fundamental to every human.
His children and grandchildren are not left out. He created a  reading list and  reading schedule for them.
When the congress library was burnt down in 1814, Jefferson drew  a list of suggested books for the library of congress on request of the congressional library committee. He later sold his personal library to congress.

HIS COLLECTION
In 1770, Jefferson first library got burnt, it was mostly a collection of books inherited from his father, Peter Jefferson, others are books  acquired either as student or as practicing lawyer or as member of the House of Burgesses late in the 1760s.
Over 400 volumes of books were lost in the fire, among them are books on history, on politics, on religion, on architecture, on agriculture, and on poetry. 
But in the space of 3 years, his monticello  library had  1,256 books. 10 years later, he had double of that number largely influenced from his book buying spree in France.
At every stage of his life, Jefferson kept on buying books. By 1814 his library was 6500+ volume of books strong. Only Jefferson's library at that time was capable of feeding the whole nation. After he had sold his library to congress, he created a new library in Monticello, because "he cannot live without books". The newly created library was quickly populated with books and by the time of his death, it has over 1600 volumes of books.

Due to his love for language and philology, Jefferson read in seven languages - English, Greek, Latin, French, Italian, Spanish, and Anglo-Saxo.
"Books were at all times his chosen companion" said his granddaughter Ellen Randolph "and his acquaintance with many languages gave him great power of selection"

LEGACY
Jefferson proposed a system of public education. Due to his belief that citizens has to be informed and enlightened. He hold the opinion that the protection  and advancement of democracy rest in the hands of an educated populace. With the creation of University of Virginia, Jefferson's vision came alive.
In his words
   " This institution will be based upon the illimitable freedom of the human mind. For here we are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead, nor to tolerate any error so long as reason is left free to combat it"

On July 4, 1826, Jefferson died. Among the books he was reading at the time he died were:
• The Complete Collection of Political and Literary Pamphlets by Paul-Louis Courier
•  The Life and Speeches of the eminent by General Foy;
• and the works of Seneca
He willed out his retirement library at monticello to University of Virginia to become part of their library collection.

ufotty2001:

DM me

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ufotty2001:

Am a non-fiction writer.. I started in February!! Can you DM me let me show you somethings

Hello, Started non-fiction writing just last month-although before then I have been writing occasionally, but I'm willing to dwell fully on it this time. Can you show me something too?
Thanks