by Jon Meacham
First published 2020
Historian Jon Meacham assembles Thomas Jefferson's thoughts on what makes a good citizen in democratic America. This collection, created through the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello, presents Jefferson's writings on religious freedom, press liberty, public education, and civic participation. Meacham argues that returning to these founding principles can guide us through current political divisions and institutional distrust. The book features commentary from figures like Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, Frederick Douglass, and Carl Sagan, alongside an afterword by historian Annette Gordon-Reed. Meacham frames Jefferson's ideas not as nostalgic escape but as practical wisdom for contemporary challenges. The book explores Jefferson's belief in the mutual covenant between government and citizens, examining both what leaders owe the people and what citizens owe the republic. Readers will find concrete guidance for engaging with democracy during times of partisanship and skepticism about American institutions.
Genres: history, american, political-science, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, american-history
Vibes: educational, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: mutual-covenant, practical-wisdom
Period: 21st-Century
128 pages · Hardcover · Random House