In this week’s episode of The Bookshop at the End of the Internet, author Derek Baxter discusses his book, In Pursuit of Jefferson: Traveling through Europe with the Most Perplexing Founding Father. Derek’s book is about a little-known travel guide written by Thomas Jefferson in 1788 titled, “Hints for Americans Traveling in Europe.” Jefferson wrote the book for the sons of two wealthy friends who were setting out on a tour of the European continent. Derek came across this mysterious travel guide online and was surprised to find out that it wasn’t talked about much by historians. It also stirred up fond memories for Derek of his own days backpacking through France at age twenty. So, armed with the guide, Derek and his family set out to recreate Jefferson’s travels and to follow his “Hints for Americans.” Derek took nine trips to Europe, following Jefferson’s guided tour, and his book, In Pursuit of Jefferson, tells the tale. In this episode, I’ll chat with Derek about his writing journey, why Jefferson is such a perplexing figure in American history, and the most interesting parts of Jefferson’s European tour—the architecture, the gardens and the wine!
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, Spotify and iHeartRadio. Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode!
The Bookshop at the End of the Internet is also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, Spotify and iHeartRadio. Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss an episode!
