The Life and Selected Writings of Thomas Jefferson

This Modern Library volume gathers the most significant literary and political works of Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president, into a single accessible collection. Edited by Adrienne Koch and William Peden, the book presents Jefferson’s *Autobiography* (including the original and revised drafts of the Declaration of Independence), his *Anas* or notes from 1791 to 1809, and *Biographical Sketches*. The selection also features excerpts from *Notes on Virginia*, his travel journals, and an essay on the Anglo-Saxon language, alongside key public papers such as his first and second inaugural addresses.

Rounding out the collection are more than two hundred letters, offering insight into Jefferson’s correspondence with contemporaries and his evolving political thought. The editors provide a general introduction and contextual notes that guide the reader through these diverse texts, highlighting Jefferson’s roles as a statesman, architect, scientist, and educator. The volume serves as a comprehensive introduction to the intellectual and political legacy of one of America’s most complex founding figures.

Description adapted from Open Library ↗.