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Jefferson is a big subject. Look at a few of the standard hagiographies to get a feel for the standard version and then look at the critical biographies. Jefferson's letters are good, and show his unbalanced character. You probably should look first at the Age of Johnson and the rise of the Whigs.

It is necessary to get beyond what many call "the Whig version of history" before you can start to see Jefferson accurately. A reliable non-Whig historian is Forrest McDonald, who has written extensively about the period. His biography of Hamilton is good, since to study Jefferson you must study his enemies as well as friends.

What I have been reading lately is A fire in Men's Minds by James Billington. Very good. There are a lot of other authors.

As far as anecdotes about Jefferson, there is the one where Bannistre Tarleton was coming for him, and a patriot rode all night on rough hill tracks to warn Jefferson. Jefferson heard the warning, but stayed to finish his breakfast and was nearly captured. Jefferson inherited all his money and property, and ran through it all by the time of his death. He kept promising his slaves that they would be manumitted at his death, but the estate was bankrupt and they were sold to cover debts. He spent his money foolishly, constantly tearing down Montecello and rebuilding it. When faced with reality as President he found his cherished beliefs to be unworkable, especially in foreign policy. To me, it looks like he was living in a private fantasy world.