The Hemingses of Monticello

An American Family

By: Annette Gordon-Reed

Narrated by: Karen White

Length: 30 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Pulitzer Prize, History, 2009

National Book Award, Nonfiction, 2008

This epic work tells the story of the Hemingses, whose close blood ties to our third president had been systematically expunged from American history until very recently. Now, historian and legal scholar Annette Gordon-Reed traces the Hemings family from its origins in Virginia in the 1700s to the family's dispersal after Jefferson's death in 1826.

It brings to life not only Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson but also their children and Hemings's siblings, who shared a father with Jefferson's wife, Martha. The Hemingses of Monticello sets the family's compelling saga against the backdrop of Revolutionary America, Paris on the eve of its own revolution, 1790s Philadelphia, and plantation life at Monticello. Much anticipated, this book promises to be the most important history of an American slave family ever written.

©2008 Annette Gordon-Reed (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Fascinating, wise and of the utmost importance.... Gordon-Reed's genius for reading nearly silent records makes this an extraordinary work." ( Publishers Weekly Starred Review)
"This is a masterpiece brimming with decades of dedicated research and dexterous writing." ( Library Journal Starred Review)

All Virginians should Read this Book

I loved the fact that the author did not embellished. Instead Annette Gordon-Reed did the work of lining up historical letters written to Jefferson and from Jefferson. Also letters of his contemporaries male and female that referenced Jefferson or the people and events in Jefferson's Life. All these letters and other historical records flushed out the central family key to Jefferson's life, the Hemings. It is amazing how slaves are completely ignored but yet central to the daily running of the lives of early Americans. I enjoyed the book. It shed some light on my own family history. As a person with deep roots in the Virginia this was an essential book to read/listen to :). In my opinion every Virginian should read this book and stop being amazed when two dark skin Virginians give birth to a light bright almost white child or when two light skin Virginians give birth to a mocha from child. This book made me despise the mentality of colorism. Folks need to eradicate colorism from their thinking. Stop putting one skin color above another.
Virginia was like front and center at codifying laws to keep people enslaved. The state of Virginia attempted to close every possible loop hole that allowed freedom and or make freed black people lives miserable. mind blown.

Learned so much

This book gets behind the scenes of life on a plantation in the time of slavery. Jefferson wanted to be nice as a slave owner but the people were still slaves. At times the story went slow but I looked forward to listening to learn more. If he loved Sally it is too bad they could not marry as they could have today. Great story with lots of history.

Fascinating insight

This was very in depth. Thank you for this research! I could not put it down.

Like a Thesis

This was a well written and interesting thesis with all of the background information. I love the fact that she brought into the story I'm good the and other parts of history that could help us understand the family and what they went through period the story is Well written although it's very very sad in many ways periods

Jefferson's Woman and Her Family

This is the story of the Hemings family whom Thomas Jefferson famously owned for 5 decades. The story begins with Elizabeth Hemings, Sally's mother. Elizabeth was purchased by John Wayles who had several children with her. When Jefferson marries Martha Wayles, her father John gave Jefferson several Hemings family members. When John Wayles dies, Jefferson inherits farms and slaves including the remaining Hemings family members. After the death of his wife, Jefferson becomes involved with one of Elizabeth's children, Sally. This is not historical fiction, it is a straight historical study of documents, diaries, letters and archeology. After 250 years the relationship between Jefferson and his slave Sally Heming are presented in the context of Jefferson's relationship with her whole family - it's complicated.

It is fascinating to learn the details of so many aspects of Jefferson's relationship to slavery and the Hemings family. Sally would have been 3/4 white and the half sister of his dead wife. On a 5 year trip to Paris, Jefferson pays her and her brother salaries, pays for medical expenses including small-pox inoculation as well as education and experiences that would give them a taste of life as international diplomats. Since France had no slavery, Sally and her brother James were legally free, yet they worked with Jefferson to make a deal to return to Virginia. Both received special allowances that made it their choice to live as slaves at Monticello rather than stay in France as free people. Again, it's complicated.

There is no excuse for slavery, but there was nuance this book explores. It is easy to apply political correctness to the knowledge now widely acknowledged that Jefferson not only owned slaves but had 6 children with the poor beleaguered Sally Hemings, but Annette Gordon-Reed doesn't bring political correctness, she brings scholarship and the stories of individuals who made individual decisions. Fascinating, well read and enjoyable.

A very believable review

Using the same documentary evidence as Jefferson's many historians but much common sense in arriving at conclusions, the author has built a believable case and convinced me that the days of protecting the icon from "scandal" are over. In fact she convinced me that there was no scandal in the fact of a lonely man's attraction to a beautiful young girl who happened to be his beloved wife's half-sister.

Ms. Gordon-Reed is so thorough in all this that at times one gets to be a little anxious for the next part to begin. Stay with it - it's well worth it.

Interesting but...

Anette Gordon-Reed's book is a long and well researched work. Parts of it are very informative. However, she puts a lot of thoughts into her characters heads which may be fine when talking about Jefferson or Martha Jefferson Randolph who left many many many letters to be poured over and analyzed.

The Hemmingses have no such record and while I didn't always disagree with her assumption about what they were thinking and feeling I did often think it was pretty presumptuous. I don't profess to know the thoughts of people in complex living situations who are living today... much less ones living 200 hears ago.

An important story in American history

This is a particularly thorough review of the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and the Hemings family. I learned a lot as it focuses on the entire family and the context of their lives, rather than just the lives of Sally Hemings and her descendants. It is not an easy read as it seems to have been written for both and an academic and an educated lay audience. At times, particularly during the chapters in Paris, it reads like a legal brief and is a bit of a slog. However if you get through that part, you will be richly rewarded with a very important story in American history.

Where was the Editor?

Subject matter is facinating... but there is way too much mundane information and speculation. The book's editor did a very poor job.
An abridged version might do the trick in helping the listner stay focused.
I use it every night to fall asleep!

complete, indeed

insane amount of research. incredible insight into this sensitive but essential aspect of history. great