Short Synopsis
Based on new research and documents culled from the Library of Congress, the Virginia Historical Society, and other special collections, including hitherto unexamined letters from family, friends, and Monticello neighbors, Alan Pell Crawford paints an authoritative and deeply moving portrait of Thomas Jefferson as private citizen—the first original depiction of the man in more than a generation.

Full Synopsis
Much has been written about Thomas Jefferson, with good reason: His life was a great American drama—one of the greatest—played out in compelling acts. He was the architect of our democracy, a visionary chief executive who expanded this nation's physical boundaries to unimagined lengths. But Twilight at Monticello is something entirely new: an unprecedented and engrossing personal look at the intimate Jefferson in his final years that will change the way audiences think about this true American icon. It was during these years—from his return to Monticello in 1809 after two terms as president until his death in 1826—that Jefferson's idealism would be most severely, and heartbreakingly, tested.

Based on new research and documents culled from the Library of Congress, the Virginia Historical Society, and other special collections, including hitherto unexamined letters from family, friends, and Monticello neighbors, Alan Pell Crawford paints an authoritative and deeply moving portrait of Thomas Jefferson as private citizen—the first original depiction of the man in more than a generation.

"A breath of fresh air in the vast collection of Jeffersonian biographies.... Narrator James Boles convincingly presents the bleak drudgery of life at Monticello." ---AudioFile

"A fair, intimate and factual characterization of the man whose vision of self-government gave birth to the United States." ---Chicago Sun-Times

"Insightful analysis and lucid prose make this autumnal portrait a rewarding experience." ---Kirkus

"A well-researched narrative of Thomas Jefferson's post-presidential years...focusing on less trampled ground and...shedding new light on Jefferson's dysfunctional family life." ---The Washington Post