On our recent vacation, we stopped at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello for a short visit (several hours). This was our second trip to this World Heritage site, the first one was when the kids were much smaller and while we certainly enjoyed the visit, we felt we’ll get out of it more this time. Before the visit I figured I’ll buy Monticello: The Official Guide to Thomas Jefferson’s World by Charley Miller & Peter Miller, we like visiting historic places and we know that many times context is everything. An artifact, a building, or even something that might seem insignificant get a whole new meaning when viewed in the right light. The book goes on to talk about the history of Thomas Jefferson, the home, the plantation, and the artifacts inside. Each section is very short (this is a guide, not a comprehensive history book) and includes many pictures and maps. One does not have to read each section to go on to the next, they are completely separate (and color coded). I assigned our kids to read the section about the house so they’ll have a better understanding of what we’re going to look at. While begrudging at first, they admitted that it was a good idea. My favorite parts of the book are the little stories from Monticello’s curators. I’m glad I bought this guide before our visit and I highly recommend it if you plan to go. For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com ( )

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