The Mind of a Patriot presents an intellectual life of a major figure who has traditionally been seen as an anti-intellectual "child of nature." This was the view of Patrick Henry that William Wirt presented in his Life of Henry, and it has pervaded every biography since. Hayes presents a very different view of Henry. Starting with neglected pieces of evidence-the inventory of Henrys library-Hayess unique perspective allows him to position Henrys life within the intellectual currents of the day. After the opening chapter, which shows how Thomas Jeffersons opinions of Henry influenced Wirts depiction of him, the author traces Henrys life through his relationship with the world of books. Individual chapters examine Henrys education; his legal career; his use of books to improve his speaking style; his relationship to the antislavery movement; his use of books as a legislator, a farmer, and a father; and, ultimately, the place of books in his life during his waning years. In a lengthy appendix, Hayes reconstructs Henrys library, presenting a detailed catalogue of its contents.
