Thomas Jefferson'S Life: Tell It The Way It Is! Thomas Jefferson over the coarse of history has appeared to be generally favorable. Although many writers such as Levy and Brodie seek to tarnish the image of the great liberal leader, he still remains as one if the most idolized leaders in the history of the world. Gordon S Wood writes of Jefferson's life much like a reporter explaining his life and listing the motives that brought him to do all the things that he did. These range from the promotion of the "Enlightenment" to why he abandoned the country that he helped build. Wood generally wanted to repair and glorify the image