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Americas First Daughter (Thorndike Historical Fiction) Hardcover – Large Print, June 22, 2016

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 25,503 ratings

Not since Gone with the Wind has a single-volume family saga so brilliantly portrayed the triumphs, trials, and sins of a family in the American South. ERIKA ROBUCK, author of The House of Hawthorne

From her earliest days, Patsy Jefferson knows that though her father loves his family dearly, his devotion to his country runs deeper still. As Thomas Jefferson s oldest daughter, she becomes his helpmate, protector, and constant companion in the wake of her mother s death, traveling with him when he becomes America s minister to France.

It is in Paris, at the glittering court and among the first tumultuous days of the French Revolution, that fifteen-year-old Patsy learns about her father s troubling liaison with Sally Hemings, a slave girl her own age. Meanwhile, Patsy has fallen in love with her father s protege, William Short, a staunch abolitionist and ambitious diplomat. Torn between love, principles, and the bonds of family, Patsy questions if she can choose a life as William s wife and still be a devoted daughter.

Her choice will follow her in the years to come to Virginia farmland, to Monticello, and even to the White House. And as scandal, tragedy, and poverty threaten her family, Patsy must decide how much she will sacrifice to protect her father s reputation, in the process defining not just Jefferson s political legacy but that of the nation he founded.

Delectable and poignant. . . . You re going to want to savor this one. Bravo. Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author"
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About the Author

STEPHANIE DRAY is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today bestselling author of historical women's fiction. Her award-winning work has been translated into eight languages and tops lists for the most anticipated reads of the year. She lives near the nation's capital with her husband, cats, and history books.
Laura Kamoie is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. She holds a doctoral degree in early American history from The College of William and Mary, published two non-fiction books on early America, and most recently held the position of Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy before transitioning to a full-time career writing fiction. Laura lives among the colonial charm of Annapolis, Maryland, with her husband and two daughters.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thorndike Press Large Print; Large type / Large print edition (June 22, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 916 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1410490157
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1410490155
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.06 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 2 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 25,503 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
25,503 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and informative. They appreciate the well-written, literary style that brings the story to life. The book provides a different perspective and insight into both Thomas Jefferson's life and his daughter's. Readers praise the author's attention to detail and the beautiful narration. Overall, they find the book an enjoyable way to experience life during Thomas Jefferson's time.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

2,038 customers mention "Readability"2,025 positive13 negative

Customers find the book engaging and worth reading. They say it's a must-read for Jefferson fans and a nice review of the first three or four presidents. The story is told in first-person, which makes it an enjoyable listen.

"...told in the first person, is not only wonderful history, it is a compelling read about a woman faced with incredible personal struggles and..." Read more

"...took too much liberty with the facts; I must say, it was still an enjoyable read...." Read more

"...of America’s First Daughter was that Patsy Jefferson led an incredibly captivating and extraordinary life!..." Read more

"...facts, assumptions and liberties they took while creating this great novel...." Read more

1,625 customers mention "Historical fiction"1,588 positive37 negative

Customers find the book engaging and a great mix of American history and people on the sidelines. They appreciate the authors' extensive historical research that brings the characters and events to life in a believable way. While it's fiction, they still learn a lot about the nation from the story and the premise.

"...This book, told in the first person, is not only wonderful history, it is a compelling read about a woman faced with incredible personal struggles..." Read more

"...fabricated romance was not 100% necessary; it still did plenty to move the story along, and was enjoyable, nonetheless...." Read more

"...I thought this was a lovely way to bring fact and fiction together, and it certainly made the plot interesting and flow steadily...." Read more

"...A fascinating historic fiction created by two authors after immense research of letters that were written to and by Thomas Jefferson...." Read more

871 customers mention "Enlightened"865 positive6 negative

Customers enjoy the book's informative and well-researched content. They find it an engaging read that provides a different perspective and insight into Thomas Jefferson's life. The book makes them think and sparks an outstanding discussion about history.

"...It fired my imagination, made me love the learning of history and continues to this day as a still loved source of reading pleasure...." Read more

"...Dray and Kamoie did an excellent job of portraying Patsy as the smart, strong, determined woman she was, while still imposing on her, the social..." Read more

"...She was so devoted to him that she sacrificed so much, all while exuding much grace and strength...." Read more

"This is American’s story. As told first hand through a woman’s perspective. It is written with clarity and emotion. I couldn’t put it down." Read more

771 customers mention "Writing quality"715 positive56 negative

Customers find the writing engaging and well-written. They appreciate the author's literary style and care in researching the story. The narration is described as beautiful with authentic-sounding male voices. The book is readable and reliable, with accurate descriptions of the house and hillsides.

"...about Martha 'Patsy' Jefferson Randolph is beautifully researched, well written and a pleasure to read...." Read more

"...As told first hand through a woman’s perspective. It is written with clarity and emotion. I couldn’t put it down." Read more

"...Her life was both extraordinary and ordinary, and the novel expresses that so well...." Read more

"A beautifully written account about the fascinating lives of Thomas Jefferson and his children, both their very public and intensely private lives...." Read more

424 customers mention "History"400 positive24 negative

Customers enjoy the history in the book. They find it interesting and engaging, with a personal background about Thomas Jefferson. The story provides insights into his life and family. Readers appreciate the rich historical content, drama, romance, and politics of the time period.

"...Although Patsy Jefferson had many great opportunities in her lifetime, she wasn’t perfect and made mistakes...." Read more

"...This was a fascinating story of Thomas Jefferson's daughter and told from the perspective and attitude of those times. Definitely worth the read." Read more

"...personal sense of Thomas Jefferson, the man, one of the major founders of the United States, and the President...." Read more

"...; While this is a work of fiction, there is still much to learn about the man, the times and Patsy Jefferson, a woman whose strength and courage..." Read more

316 customers mention "Interest"288 positive28 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable. They say it's an excellent way to experience life during Thomas Jefferson's time. The story holds their attention and is exciting, making the experience real and relatable.

"...100% necessary; it still did plenty to move the story along, and was enjoyable, nonetheless...." Read more

"...was that Patsy Jefferson led an incredibly captivating and extraordinary life!..." Read more

"...It’s an interesting and entertaining way to learn more about a specific time, place, and person in history...." Read more

"...of her knowledge along the way...But reading this book was just a great experience...." Read more

267 customers mention "Character development"252 positive15 negative

Customers find the characters in the book well-developed. They describe them as realistic and human, with believable moral, political, and social dilemmas. The characters maintain a consistent pace of development, and Patsy shows incredible strength throughout the story. Readers appreciate that the book is based on actual people and events.

"...She comes across as a very unique character who truly understood the history she was living, so much so that her efforts are almost totally..." Read more

"...with an honest portrayal of the subject matter...." Read more

"...book I have read in a long time; the strength and character of its subjects is awe-.inspiring...." Read more

"...Martha Jefferson Randolph was a deeply complex and at times contradictory character, ultimately a heroine...." Read more

146 customers mention "Pacing"77 positive69 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it engaging and fast-paced, with an interesting plot and writing style that fires their imagination. Others mention it's slow at times and takes a long time to finish. However, overall, most readers consider it a great read overall.

"I grew up reading historical fiction. It fired my imagination, made me love the learning of history and continues to this day as a still loved..." Read more

"...The beginning was a little bit of a slow start, but the writing was excellent, and the character development is what really makes this book great...." Read more

"...and emotional as Gone with the Wind, with romance, scandal, duels, and domestic violence...." Read more

"...Four stars were given just because of the slow start. Stick with it and you well enjoy it." Read more

There is a defect in the book I purchased.
4 out of 5 stars
There is a defect in the book I purchased.
This book is a great read and do recommend it. Unfortunately for me, while reading along and on page 500, I discover there are 32 pages missing from the book. The pages were not torn out rather a defect in the book. Also, due to waiting a few months to read it I am past the 30 day return policy and have to reach out to Random House. I would be happy with a Kindle version of the book at this point but will need to purchase myself as there is no reimbursement via Amazon. I don't know yet what Random House will do. I sent them all the information and waiting to hear.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2016
    I grew up reading historical fiction. It fired my imagination, made me love the learning of history and continues to this day as a still loved source of reading pleasure. This book about Martha 'Patsy' Jefferson Randolph is beautifully researched, well written and a pleasure to read.

    The authors have taken such care to show the fulsomeness of Patsy's character that I often found myself reacting to her and the events of her life and some of her choices with a disbelieving shake of my head, laughter, gasps, aggravation, concern and frequently, with sorrow. The things that she does to take care of and protect her father and meet the responsibilities of a wife and mother during turbulent political and social times often left me feeling exhausted on her behalf. She comes across as a very unique character who truly understood the history she was living, so much so that her efforts are almost totally responsible for much of what the world knows about the details of Thomas Jefferson's life.

    In this book, Jefferson himself is no marble statue because we get to see him through the eyes of his daughter. Devoted as she is, his weaknesses are presented along side his strengths. As a Founding Father, he loved and nurtured the 'grand experiment' that is the United States, but did not know how, after the death of his wife, to nurture his own children. He was deeply emotional, but often discouraged emotional reactions by his children. He wrote that 'all men are created equal,' but kept slaves. He was man of brilliant intellectual ability, but also a 'dabbler' who seldom finished a project, once started. He was generous to a fault, but left his family in near penury upon his death. Finally, the authors convince me that he loved his children but it isn't evident until they are older and the quality of their intellectual abilities is shown.

    The relationship of Jefferson with Sally Hemmings and the children she bore him is not deeply explored in this book. However, what is told is often poignant and heartbreaking. The authors explore only a few of the many contradictions of personal philosophy and the human heart in this complicated relationship. Patsy and Sally are wary with one another, but work in concert to protect Jefferson both in life and in death.

    As a side note, the campaign for the Presidential election in 1800 which is chronicled in this book was vicious and petty with personal attacks and insults. Sound familiar? Ah, history...how it repeats itself.

    Bottom line: Patsy Jefferson was a helluva' woman. This book, told in the first person, is not only wonderful history, it is a compelling read about a woman faced with incredible personal struggles and responsibilities who felt both the glory and the weight of her father's legacy while he lived and after he died. She lived through two revolutions, the War of 1812, Jefferson's eight years as President presiding as his hostess in the absence of a First Lady, survived a difficult, often abusive marriage, bore 12 children and raised several that weren't her own, wrestled with the shame of slavery and preserved Jefferson's legacy. This book helped me understand that HER legacy is something to be celebrated.
    65 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2017
    Although it could be argued that the authors took too much liberty with the facts; I must say, it was still an enjoyable read. I delighted in experiencing some of our nation’s historical events from Patsy Jefferson’s imagined viewpoint. Granted, the fabricated romance was not 100% necessary; it still did plenty to move the story along, and was enjoyable, nonetheless.

    The authors were also very adroit at including their theory as to why the man who wrote that “All men are created equal,” was still a slaveholder. Theirs was a very logical conclusion to a question that has baffled historians for centuries. Dray and Kamoie did an excellent job of portraying Patsy as the smart, strong, determined woman she was, while still imposing on her, the social restraints of her time. It brought to light what a tremendous struggle it must’ve been for forward-thinking women of that time period.

    I was surprised to learn that Thomas Jefferson suffered from severe depression after his wife’s passing, and that Patsy was really the one who talked him down off the ledge. This novel certainly elicited curiosity in me with regard to Monticello, solidifying the reason why I absolutely love intriguing historical fiction.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2016
    My first thoughts immediately after reaching the end of America’s First Daughter was that Patsy Jefferson led an incredibly captivating and extraordinary life! I didn’t realize the great care she took in selecting which of the thousands of letters her beloved father, Thomas Jefferson, wrote that would be passed down in her family and inevitably preserved as a historical diary. In doing so, she kept many secrets to herself in order to protect her father’s reputation for generations to come. As eloquently explained in the Author’s Note at the end of the book, this gives way to so much interpretation to “fill in the gaps”, so to speak, as to what might’ve happened in her and her father’s lives during an important time period in American history.

    Who is Patsy Jefferson? There was so much more to this woman than being the eldest daughter of one of America’s Founding Fathers and third President of the United States. America’s First Daughter describes Patsy Jefferson’s life so fully and in great depth. Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie beautifully present her life in an intriguing way. It starts with Patsy going through her father’s letters and deciding which to keep. As she reads the letters, some of which are excerpted at the beginning of each chapter, she goes through each delicate memory that relates in her past. I thought this was a lovely way to bring fact and fiction together, and it certainly made the plot interesting and flow steadily.

    Although Patsy Jefferson had many great opportunities in her lifetime, she wasn’t perfect and made mistakes. America’s First Daughter paints a picture of both the good and bad things that happened or might’ve happened in her life. She was undoubtedly her father’s rock when he needed her the most, and they shared a lifelong father-daughter bond. She was so devoted to him that she sacrificed so much, all while exuding much grace and strength. In a time of great controversy, I can certainly see why she would want to keep family secrets hidden.

    Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie, thank you for enlightening us all with Patsy Jefferson’s story! America’s First Daughter was an all-consuming read that kept me up several nights! By the end I felt like I came to fully understand this remarkable woman’s hopes and dreams, strengths and weaknesses, and endearing compassion to those most present in her life.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2025
    This is American’s story. As told first hand through a woman’s perspective. It is written with clarity and emotion. I couldn’t put it down.

Top reviews from other countries

  • Sue Baker
    5.0 out of 5 stars A well written story. Excellent read.
    Reviewed in Canada on December 14, 2021
    This is an easy to engage with story. The writing flows well and you quickly feel like you know the characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a good story.
  • Antonio V.
    5.0 out of 5 stars It was a beautiful read
    Reviewed in Italy on August 14, 2022
    Beautifully written and engaging, I bought it for my daughter who is particularly passionate about historical fiction. She fell in love with the heroine and read the book in 3 days. Bravo!
  • Sandra Macaya
    5.0 out of 5 stars I was so sad to finish this book
    Reviewed in Spain on September 26, 2018
    this is such a different way to learn about US history and one of his presidents. it is beautifully written and so interesting.
    i tried to read slower towards the end to make it last
  • Nancy Davies
    5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional
    Reviewed in Australia on December 6, 2018
    Because of its length I had to put it down and pick it back innumerable times but it is so well written and organised that I never lost the thread. Not for history buffs only - it’s for anyone who loves a good book.
  • Purple Cat 65
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent historical novel.C.A.T Purple Cat!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2016
    A well written book with sound historical research that brings alive the people of that particular time in American history thoroughly enjoyable. C.A.Thomas