Thomas Jefferson Built Monticello: Was Palladio Looking Over His Shoulder?

Hands-on and searching activities make classical architecture come alive in this non-fiction narrative for readers 9 and up. Thomas Jefferson's design of Monticello drew on 16th century Italian architect, Andrea Palladio. Jefferson's "conversations" with Palladio arose from reading his "Four Books of Architecture." The book features parallels in the men's lives and work, illustrated by pen and ink drawings. Readers will identify elements of Roman architecture, from columns to porticoes to capitals, as used inventively by Palladio and Jefferson.