If our homes are a reflection of our selves, our psyches as well as our tastes, then surely Monticello, the labor of nearly a lifetime and quite possibly the most creative endeavor of an immensely creative man, is a fitting avenue by which to approach the life of Thomas Jefferson. Unlike other biographies, which have centered on the political man and his public career, this is a domestic portrait as seen through the prism of Jefferson’s love affair with Monticello. With intuitive sympathy and a sure command of his subject, Dr. Jack McLaughlin has crafted here an uncommon portrait of builder and building alike. Softbound, 481 pages.