Author Jeff Thomas dares you to see Virginia in a new light.

The Commonwealth, known as the Mother of Presidents, becomes the focus of Thomas’s newly-released “Virginia Way: Democracy and Power — After 2016” (The History Press, 2019, $21.99).

This 222-page volume examines political struggles, plights and passions.

And it’s built on a long history that’s shared eloquently by the author.

After all, for 400 years, Virginia’s politicians have preached a “Virginia Way” of honor, gentility and democracy.

But, there’s really more to that story.

This ideology, according to the author, has actually bred a corrupt political class, a runaway electricity company, a university that reflected the values of donors and a school system that suffered from cronyism.

Bottom line: This “Virginia Way” has prevented rather than promoted the success of its stated democratic ideals, Thomas writes.

In the end, Thomas says, it’s all about people, politics and power.

And readers from the right, left and middle — with this book — are promised to learn how their government operates and understand Virginia in a whole new way.