Nature's Man: Thomas Jefferson's Philosophical Anthropology

Acknowledgments

acknowledgments It is a relief to sit at the desk, at last, and write the acknowledgments. It is like looking back and remembering friends and companions who made an adventurous journey a little easier. While preparing this book, I had the privilege to share experiences and ideas with wonderful persons. Andrew Burstein, to begin with, has been a source of inspiration for many years. I have read his books over and over again, turning them into a discreet and constant presence in my mental background. This time, however, I asked Andrew to take on a more active role. He generously went through an early draft of the manuscript. He took his ordeal stoically and, in a few days’ time, got back to me with a very encouraging letter. What a delight to discover, a couple of months later, that the University of Virginia Press had already asked Andrew to serve as a reviewer. His criticisms, besides his unwavering support, have been, for me, pivotal. Francis Cogliano as well served as a reviewer. In the same way he did for my previous project, he pointed out both merits and shortcomings. With uncommon lucidity and erudition, Frank dedicated to my manuscripts time and energy, and made me aware of a number of weak points. Even when he is not an actual reader, I have long internalized the habit of asking myself what Frank would think about almost everything I put on paper. Everyone who has had the luck to meet Peter Onuf will concur that his mind is amazingly powerful, his dedication total, and his character especially good-humored. When, nearly ten years ago, I entered Peter’s studio at the Corcoran Department of History for the first time, I could not know that x acknowledgments he was about to impress a dramatic turn at my entire intellectual life. Ever since, I kept him busy with questions, unsolicited projects, and silly emails. Not only he has always been kind and forthcoming, but each time we had an exchange he always pushed me forward, urging me to think more deeply and thoroughly. Of course, he had no obligation whatsoever to act like the mentor he eventually became. The very idea of this project came to me after I heard Peter’s unforgettable speech at a Venice conference, in December 2008. His take on Jefferson’s acting within the cultural milieu created by the ancien régime, while trying to react to this same milieu, opened up, for me, an entirely new dimension of inquiry. Hubert Zapf, of the University of Augsburg, Germany, provided a pleasant and stimulating environment. He made me a permanent guest of his Oberseminar. Perhaps more important, he provided unconditional friendship . Writing a book is a collective endeavor, and the people at the University of Virginia Press, for the second time, have been a trusted company. Richard Holway, Raennah Mitchell, Morgan Myers, Emily Grandstaff, Kenny Marotta , and Robert Burchfield have furnished emotional support, direction, and expertise. They have turned a shapeless draft into a real book. I have benefited from two generous grants. The first was awarded to me by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, New York. The second was given by the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies (ICJS), Virginia. No project on Thomas Jefferson can do without the collaboration of all the persons working at the ICJS. Especially helpful, in the present case, have been Andrew O’Shaughnessy, Mary Mason Williams , Anna Berkes, Mary Scott-Fleming, and Gaye Wilson. My wife, Serenella Iovino, is the boon of my existence. Nature’s Man ...