JEFFERSON'S TEARS SUMMARY

“Jefferson’s Tears became my tears” said a friend after she had read my book. I too shed many tears whilst writing it and reviewing what I had written. As I was writing this true story I had in mind that it would affect the reader emotionally. Therefore, as a ship being tossed about and wrecked on heavy seas looks for a harbor so I tried I tried to follow each frenetic and/or emotionally tense chapter with the balm of a calm chapter.

The star of the book is the Liberian Jefferson Kollie Williams (named after Thomas Jefferson) and his dramatic story is “filmed” against the backdrop of the history of the founding of Liberia and its eventual decline into civil war. The apt word “cinematic” has been used to describe the content of Jefferson’s Tears. I purposely use word pictures so that the reader can actually see what was happening rather than just hear about it.

Like a piece of tartan, (can you tell that my background is Scottish?), there are many differently themes, colored-threads if you will, that run the length and breadth of Jefferson’s Tears and can be followed. E.g., there are military, political, philosophical, and Christian themes.

Rather than spell things out I allow you the reader to follow each of the story's threads to make your own discoveries, some of which may be Archimedic! 

·         Thomas Jefferson greatly influenced the founding and ethos of Liberia

·         The issues of racial equality are addressed in Jefferson’s Tears – “All men a created equal…” – Liberia means “liberty” as in “the land of the free”

·         “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” are alluded to throughout

·         Liberia’s Declaration of Independence is based on America’s Declaration of Independence (same for its Constitution and Bill of Rights)

·         The Republic of Liberia’s Founding fathers were Christians, free blacks from America

·         The meaning of the Separation of Church and State is discussed

·         After a positive beginning, as did the USA, so Liberia descended into violent civil war

·         The invisible hand of God calmly guides young Jefferson through all its chaos to a safe haven 

An analogy from the old tv westerns is used throughout Jefferson’s Tears, “Meanwhile back at the ranch…” I used the same method in my hardcover biographical From Mason To Minister: Through the Lattice where I would run the train of thought along two steel rails to where the rails would meet on the horizon. Therein the theme of one rail was me as the naïve neophyte setting out into the big bad world and the other was the cocksure mature me who has all the answers to the former. Jefferson’s Tears is more like a railway junction with mainlines and sublines and maybe one or two humorous sidelines! The point is that I flit back and forth as I progress the main theme of the story forward.  

Best price? Try Target (on-line):
https://www.target.com/p/jefferson-8217-s-tears-liberia-s-founding-and-fall-one-man-s-horror-and-hope-paperback/-/A-54000583

See Wordery for a copy: 
https://wordery.com/jeffersons-tears-neil-cullan-mckinlay-9781946497345#oid=1003