Dinner at Mr. Jefferson’s: Three Men, Five Great Wines, and the Evening that Changed America

Dinner at Mr. Jefferson’s: Three Men, Five Great Wines, and the Evening that Changed America The Constitution was two years old and the United States was in serious danger. Bitter political rivalry between former allies and two surging issues that inflamed the nation led to grim talk of breaking up the union. Then a single great evening achieved compromises that led to America’s great expansion. This book celebrates Thomas Jefferson and his two guests, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison, and the meal that saved the republic. In Dinner at Mr. Jefferson’s, you’ll discover the little-known story behind this pivotal evening in American history, complete with wine lists, recipes, and more.
Customer Review: Dinner at Mr. Jefferson’s
OK read, some new history but could have been better edited. Still any History written about this time period and about these men is always a pleasure to read.
Customer Review: A disappointment
Having enjoyed the recent profusion of books on the founders, including Mr. Cerami’s excellent Young Patriots, I was disappointed by his work here.

For starters, the book offers very little that’s original or unfamiliar. In essence, it assumes no foreknowledge of the founding period, so it spends most of its effort rehashing narratives that have been well-told by others (Joseph Ellis, John Ferling, Gordon Wood, David McCullough, and the author himself) within the last handful of years.

A more serious flaw was the author’s willingness to brush by questions that didn’t fit his narrative. At one point for example, he simply states in passing that “George Washington was not a racist”. Oh really? I’d say that at the least, the question deserves greater consideration than that.

Finally, I take issue with his casual editorializing. In the midst of a narrative, he’ll frequently refer to one of the principals as sneaky, haughty, or the like. It feels both sloppy and judgmental.

In conclusion, while I recognize that certain stylistic choices have to be made if a history book is meant to appeal to a popular audience, I don’t feel that Dinner at Mr. Jefferson’s succeeds on any level.