The core of the book is 300 pages, but what follows is another 200 pages of footnotes and performance information. While the appendix is not needed to appreciate the book, it holds additional colorful stories and odd bits of information. Bloom s style is straight-forward, clear, and he supports his work with details. At times, the biography is even quite fresh and witty. If Jefferson never heard a cross word among ten star actors living together for four weeks in a railway train, it is probably because he was going deaf .
Bloom then provides evidence that there was much unhappiness on that tour.
Another strength of the book is the description of Jefferson s acting style. As an artist, Jefferson was consistently praised for his natural style. He achieved humor without artifice. His work as a comic actor seems to shatter many stero-types about 19th century theatre. He was an innovator.