Jefferson: A Novel

A respected authority on 18th-century literature, Max Byrd spent five years researching and creating this fast-paced historical novel. The result is an intriguing fictional portrait of an enigmatic and powerful personality. When Thomas Jefferson assumed his post as American ambassador to the court of France's Louis XVI in 1784, he faced daunting political and personal challenges. In the midst of Europe's social and political upheaval, the future president struggled to get his young country accepted as a serious trade nation. As he collaborated in Paris with compatriots John Adams and Ben Franklin to build the America of his dreams, he faced grave criticism. How could he profess individual liberty and high standards of honor when he owned slaves and courted the wife of a political acquaintance? The details of Jefferson's life in pre-revolutionary France are vivid enough to convince us that Max Byrd was there. George Guidall's narrative talent gives listeners the impression of being close enough to touch Jefferson's sleeve or look over his shoulder as he writes.