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John Adams

by David McCullough

4.26 · rating details · 25,991 ratings · 3,016 reviews

In this powerful, epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the adventurous life journey of John Adams, the brilliant, fiercely independent, often irascible, always honest Yankee patriot who spared nothing in his zeal for the American Revolution; who rose to become the second president of the United States and saved the country from blundering into an unnecessary war; ...more

Paperback, 752 pages

Published January 29th 2008 by Simon & Schuster (first published 2001)

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Jun 06, 2011

Stephen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: history-usa, ebooks, audiobook, 6-star-books, biographies, 2000-2005, history

MESSAGE TO BIOGRAPHERS: Tidy up your prose, sharpen your story-telling, knowledge up on your source material and bring your entire bag of game, because the gauntlet has been chucked, the bar has been raised and David McCullough has taken off his literary glove and pasted all of you upside your second rate heads. The challenge is before you.

This is, WITHOUT QUESTION, the best biography I have ever read. It is also, again WITHOUT QUESTION, the best story on the American Revolution and...more

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Apr 21, 2008

Mary Etta rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: book-group

Since reading John Adams I have continually been reminded of my delusion of our country's history. Today as I saw the conclusion of the John Adams' series on HBO I realized I was one of those John Adams saw as "deluded" by the artistic portrayal of our history in Trumbell's "Declaration of Independence." Adams was right. Too many of us believe Trumbell's view of the Declaration of Independence not acknowledging the many difficulties over many years before and after the sig...more

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Sep 02, 2008

Rachel rated it

· review of another edition

John Adams is an extraordinary book, and an excellent political history of the beginning of the United States. This is the first book I've read by David McCullough, and I'm impressed at his ability to be respectful but blunt, and be serious but entertaining at the same time.

John Adams was an unusual man -- though he had the ambition and vanity characteristic of all politicians, he was a remarkably uncomplicated and generally happy family man. The impression one gets from this book...moreJohn Adams is an extraordinary book, and an excellent political history of the beginning of the United States. This is the first book I've read by David McCullough, and I'm impressed at his ability to be respectful but blunt, and be serious but entertaining at the same time.

John Adams was an unusual man -- though he had the ambition and vanity characteristic of all politicians, he was a remarkably uncomplicated and generally happy family man. The impression one gets from this book is much like a hobbit -- a sincere, courageous fat little man, who was thrown into circumstances far beyond his expectations and rose to each occasion with incredible tenacity, determination, and eventual success, but who vastly preferred being at home on his farm, mending walls, resting with his wife, and playing with his children and grandchildren.

Adams was one of the most influential figures in the American Revolution, taking roles in the Continental Congress, choosing Washington as General of the Revolutionary Army, writing the constitution of Massachusetts, largely forming and approving the text of the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence, acting as ambassador to England, France, and the Netherlands, being elected Vice President, and eventually becoming the second US President, and father of the sixth. McCullough examines his life through his copious letters, articles, and books, with attention to both his external accomplishments, and his personal life. His joy and enthusiasm in life are impressive to read about -- over his lifetime, he lost a child in infancy, two of his sons grew up to be alcoholics, his only surviving daughter died of cancer in her 40s, he lost several grandchildren in infancy, and eventually lost his beloved wife. Despite this, and despite the public scorn heaped on him for every decision he made as President (yes, they did that back then, too), he managed to build a satisfying life for himself, and take joy in what he did have.

One of the most striking aspects of the book for me was how early partisan politics grew venomous and nasty. The country was already split irreconcilably into two parties by Washington's second term, and the race for president after him (between close friends Adams and Jefferson) grew so vicious that the friendship between the men was lost for 11 years. And while modern readers will side with Adams against slavery, and Jefferson against the Alien and Sedition acts, the degree of hatred and hysteria on each side was truly amazing, though Adams managed to stay above it as much as possible. Modern politics are always very different when viewed in the light of history.

This is an excellent historical and personal read, and I recommend it to anyone.(less)

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Aug 28, 2008

Kay rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: american-histry, biogr-memoir, audiobooks

"No man who ever held the office of president would congratulate a friend on obtaining it," wrote John Adams, and this superb biography by David McCullough makes it clear why Adams was undoubtedly sincere in this sentiment. Adams was a plain and honest speaking man who rose to the challenges of extraordinary times. In this biography he emerges from the shadows of the better known presidents - Washington and Jefferson - whose administrations bracketed his.

McCullough did no...more"No man who ever held the office of president would congratulate a friend on obtaining it," wrote John Adams, and this superb biography by David McCullough makes it clear why Adams was undoubtedly sincere in this sentiment. Adams was a plain and honest speaking man who rose to the challenges of extraordinary times. In this biography he emerges from the shadows of the better known presidents - Washington and Jefferson - whose administrations bracketed his.

McCullough did not originally intend to write a biography of Adams, it transpires, but a more general book on American history. (This eventually became his later work, 1776.) But Adams' character and life made McCullough reconsider, and soon he found himself writing a book solely on Adams.

I confess to having known almost nothing about Adam, and further confess to being dismally uninformed about the revolutionary period in general, especially considering that I majored in history as an undergrad (albeit with a focus almost exclusively in European history). Some dreadful instruction during middle- and high school still casts a pall over American history for me, which I realize is a poor excuse now in my fifth decade, but sadly is the only one I can offer for not having really ever undertaken a more thorough study of my own country's development. Since reading this book, however, I've vowed to read McCullough's 1776 and several other notable accounts of the period.

I'm confident that I won't go wrong if I begin with more McCullough, for he is a master portraitist, using apt quotes and vivid description to make his subjects spring to life. Someone (I forget who) remarked that McCullough never wrote a bad page of prose, or something to that effect, and while that may be an exaggeration, it's no exaggeration to say that he is one of the most graceful stylists of our time. He is eloquent without seeming over-enamored of his own words. McCullough's long years as an editor no doubt paid off in honing his own style. Like John Adams, McCullough gravitates toward "classical" modes of oration and style. There's a forcefulness and directness that shines through both in Adams and in McCullough's portrayal of him.

McCullough has a gift for "humanizing" his subjects. Of Adams, he wrote, "He had a brilliant mind. He was honest and everyone knew it. Emphatically independent by nature, hardworking, frugal, he could be high-spirited and affectionate, vain, cranky, impetuous, self-absorbed, and fiercely stubborn; passionate, quick to anger, and all-forgiving; generous and entertaining. He was blessed with great courage and good humor, yet subject to spells of despair." Thus Adams is shown as not a paragon but as someone who had to struggle with his shortcomings.

The author's gift for fleshing out his subjects comes the fore in describing the marriage of John and Abigail. Here is a marriage shown in all its complexity; two people who were ideally suited to one another. I couldn't help but think that in their union McCullough saw something of his own -- he's often cited his own wife as being one of the reasons for his great success as a writer, especially in standing behind his decision to quit his job as an editor and research his first book.

I confess to having done something I usually hate to do -- I saw the HBO special based on the book before I listened to the audio version of it. Normally that "ruins" a book for me, but here I found it simply reinforced it. Edward Hermann is an excellent narrator, and in fact I've ordered the audio book from my library for Mornings on Horseback McCullough's biography of Teddy Roosevelt that I read a few years back.

It's easier for me to relate to history when I have a "link" with particular people and places. McCullough established that link for me in this period of history, and for that I'm grateful.
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Sep 28, 2008

Jean rated it

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Adams always seemed like a dumpy old president, but the man was incredibly physically and intellectually rigorous, and without his undaunted labors that were often overlooked, we might not have had the necessary support to win the war against the British.

McMullough is a master. He takes musty old documents and makes them read like fast-paced fiction.

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Jan 30, 2009

Rick rated it

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David McCullough’s JOHN ADAMS paints a vivid portrait of Adams the patriot and Adams the man. Well-written and engaging, it relies in large part on Adams’s voluminous correspondence – with his wife Abigail and with friends and public figures. At times I thought the picture was a bit one-sided. Despite making some mistakes and being decidedly irascible, Adams is depicted as the true patriot, who doggedly pursued his beliefs against all odds to do what was best for the country. His selflessnes...more

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Oct 08, 2008

Toni rated it

Shelves: history, biography-memoir, didn-t-finish

This is such a well written, interesting book. I keep wishing we had a John Adams to vote for this November. The caveat for me is that there is so much content to this book I need to continually take a break and do some light reading between and/or at the same time. Highly recommended for any American history buff.

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Aug 22, 2008

Karen rated it

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"The happiness of the people was the purpose of government, he wrote, and therefore that form of government was best which produced the greatest amount of happiness for the largest number. And since all "sober inquirers after truth" agreed that happiness derived from virtue, that form of government with virtue as its foundation was more likely than any other to promote the general happiness." pg. 102 I have EIGHT pages of quotes I journaled from this fabulous book. It is ...more

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Jun 20, 2011

Nathan rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: history, franklin-library

Popular history. That's what this book is. David McCullough is obviously engaged with his story; he likes Adams, respects the Founders, and knows his history. But he seems shackled by having to tell two stories at the same time, while making both flow into one accessible and engaging narrative.

The first story is the political one. Adams the politician is an energetic, combative creature, not afraid to step on toes or burn bridges in the name of principle. McCullough cuts no corners in ...morePopular history. That's what this book is. David McCullough is obviously engaged with his story; he likes Adams, respects the Founders, and knows his history. But he seems shackled by having to tell two stories at the same time, while making both flow into one accessible and engaging narrative.

The first story is the political one. Adams the politician is an energetic, combative creature, not afraid to step on toes or burn bridges in the name of principle. McCullough cuts no corners in fleshing out the particulars of the contemporary political issues, but they still manage to get overshadowed by the force of Adams's personality and thus lose a bit of clarity and readability. The length of the book calls for a little more explanation of ideologies and party lines than McCullough bothers to give, and that cripples the large part of the book he devotes to the political scene. He also intermittently fails to analyze specifically Adams's role in the general drama, which makes it even more trying to follow.
There are highlights: Jefferson's (sometimes turbulent) relationship with Adams is studied in careful detail, with interesting implications. The turbulence of these early times in general are conveyed with verve and detail; the importance of this juncture in American history comes through loud and clear.

The second story is the personal one. The relationship beween Adams and his wife is the centerpiece of the book: an affectionate, engaging affair between two bright and independent minds. The amount of attention given to Mrs Adams forms in itself a worthwhile picture of female life in colonial America, as well a fitting tribute to the exceptional mind that Mrs Adams had.

The major failing of the book is that the two stories aren't given mutual context. It seems unlikely that a man with as rich a personal life as Adams would be as unaffected by it in his public life as this book conveys. I felt that McCullough saved his best efforts for the personal story that he enjoyed telling, while giving the political narrative only by grudging rote. This made it difficult to read the book as a unified whole. A shame, since even the more neglected areas of Adams's life seemed to offer something worthwhile. A solid popular history, but rather too ambitious for it's scope and achievement.
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Dec 21, 2008

Kelly rated it

Shelves: biography

I knew so little about Adams before reading this. I've heard some rank Jefferson as an historical figure they'd like to dine with: forget Jefferson! Adams is seemingly so under appreciated, but was a giant both in his role as a founder of the United States but also in character.

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Nov 15, 2011

Ken rated it

· review of another edition

One of the challenges of writing a biography is to know when to stop. In the case of Adams, McCullough has so much material from which to draw that the opportunity to present intimate detail could soon render it unreadable. McCullough is a masterful biographer and in this case does an skillful job at skirting the fine line between an insightful portrait and drowning us in minutia.

Beyond just exploring Adams' role in the host of world-changing events that took place in his lifetime,...more

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Mar 21, 2009

Kristi rated it

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The book gave me a new found respect and admiration for our founding fathers. It put a face and personality to many names I learned about in school. I was inspired by the relationship John and Abigail Adams had with each other. How they overcame long seperations. They wrote over a thousand letters to each other. They shared all their thoughts and dreams. They were united. It is a love story, a story of friendship, and it helped me to feel how divine a creation our wonderful country is. M...more

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Jan 09, 2012

Abigail rated it

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Recommends it for: Readers Interested in John Adams and/or the Revolutionary Generation

Recommended to Abigail by: The Presidential Book Club

Shelves: biography-memoir, history-united-states, presidential-bookclub

This award-winning biography of second American president John Adams has been sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read, since the year it first came out. A Christmas gift from my father - having been named after Abigail Adams (what can I say? born in 1976, I am my family's bicentennial baby!), I tend to receive quite a few Adams family biographies - it's a book that I have long been meaning to read, but for which I never seem to be able find the time. What extraordinary timing it is, that my Pres...moreThis award-winning biography of second American president John Adams has been sitting on my shelf, waiting to be read, since the year it first came out. A Christmas gift from my father - having been named after Abigail Adams (what can I say? born in 1976, I am my family's bicentennial baby!), I tend to receive quite a few Adams family biographies - it's a book that I have long been meaning to read, but for which I never seem to be able find the time. What extraordinary timing it is, that my Presidential Book-Club - set up to improve members' knowledge of American history, through a program in which we read a biography of each president, chronologically - chose it as our November/December selection. Extraordinary, because my father, ill these many years, died in mid-December, and the long-forgotten Christmas letter from him, that I found tucked in the pages of this book, has been a real comfort these last few weeks, with its message of love, and its instruction (much in the manner of Adams himself, as it happens) to pay attention to certain things, like "the lady for whom you are named."

Leaving aside that very personal component of my reading experience, John Adams is just an outstanding biography - a fine work of scholarship, and of writing. Unlike some readers, I cannot say that I was unaware of Adams as a historical figure, but there is no doubt that McCullough has greatly expanded my store of knowledge about him, and given me a much greater appreciation for his character, and the many services he performed, and sacrifices he made, for our country. His strong sense of honor, and independence of mind, are evident from beginning to end, from his controversial decision to defend (successfully!) the British soldiers accused of murder, during the "Boston Massacre" case, to his lifelong refusal to belong to any political party, or adhere to any party line. This latter is particularly important, as it allowed Adams' to circumvent the Federalists' desire for war with France, in the early days of the republic - something that would have been disastrous. Of course, our strengths are often also our weaknesses, and the very strength of character that allowed Adams, in certain venues, to stay true to himself, also sometimes exposed him to ridicule, and made him rather rigid at times. This last is particularly evident in the sad story of Adams' middle son Charles, an alcoholic whom Adams disowned.

If I had any criticism of McCullough's book to make - and overall, I maintain its excellence - it would be that it is far stronger in depicting Adams' intimate relationships - his lifelong loving partnership with Abigail, his friendship with Thomas Jefferson - than his public ones. It's unfortunate that I read it just after a book that managed to do both brilliantly - I cannot recommend Ron Chernow's Washington: A Life enough, and consider it the single best political biography that I have ever read! - but there you have it. I came away from Chernow's book with a list of at least fifteen people I wanted to read more about, but not so here. On the other hand, McCullough really does nail both Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson, and their roles in Adams' life. And he also, needless to say, nails his main subject as well, his irascible greatness: his desire for love and approval, which was always sublimated by his unyielding sense of right and wrong, his astonishing work ethic, his fiery independence, and often adversarial manner. That he accomplished so much, and overcame so many obstacles, steering the nation through many dangerous moments, is a testament to that greatness, and to the fact that Adams, despite the neglect of a generation of scholars, deserves to be placed in the forefront of the founding generation. Thank goodness McCullough has come along, and done him justice!(less)

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Dec 13, 2009

Dick Gullickson rated it

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After reading David McCullough’s outstanding biography, I now have a new favorite president. John Adams was advocate for the declaration of independence in congress, the young lawyer willing to defend the British soldiers accused in the Boston massacre, the President who avoided war with the French, the envoy and ambassador to Britain and France. Adams was passionate, opinionated, objective, a scholar committed to books and reading, and an incorruptible champion for his country. Adams greates...more

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Feb 08, 2009

Sarah rated it

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Shelves: non-fiction-biography

David McCullough venerates a man I knew little about and now feel he was one of the greatest Americans we've ever had. His role in the beginning of the United States was vital. Adams' passion for doing his duty was amazing. In the first 14 years of his marriage, he spent more than 1/2 of it away from his home and his wife, yet their marriage is one of devotion, support, love. They wrote copious letters back and forth (even when it could take months to receive an answer). I kept seeing paral...more

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Oct 17, 2008

Jennifer added it · review of another edition

This might be the most outstanding biography I have ever read. It was very thorough and I really feel like I know John Adams. Benjamin Franklin was portrayed as an annoying rascal. John Adams was an upright, moral man who devoted his life to serving his country. He spent so long away from his wife and children on diplomatic missions in Europe and serving in the Continental Congress and as vice president. Yet he did not get much recognition or appreciation and all his responsibility and power jus...more

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Oct 04, 2008

Michelle Stie rated it

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Recommends it for: history buffs

Shelves: biography

I picked up this book when the HBO series came out. I didn't know much about John Adams--just that he was a Founding Father and was married to an exceptional woman in Abigail Adams. McCullough's portrait of Adams is exceptionally done; his work is guided by question "what inspires greatness?". The author takes great pains to present a picture of Adams that is fair--his foibles and strengths are presented in equal measure. Evidently, no one was a tougher critic on Adams than Adams ...more

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Jan 19, 2009

Louis rated it

· review of another edition

I just finished reading this book and it was absolutely outstanding. Adams is one of the least appreciated of the Founding Fathers, often overshadowed by Washington, Franklin and Jefferson. This book brings the man to life and gives an intimate view of the struggles and sacrifices that he endured in the cause of freedom. His compatriots widely acknowledged him as the driving force behind the Declaration of Independence (he was referred to as the voice and Jefferson as the hand in declaring indep...more

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Jun 11, 2008

Karen rated it

· review of another edition

In this well-written, engaging biography, David McCullough tells the story of John Adams' life and times in vivid detail. In McCullough's retelling, the man long overshadowed by Jefferson, Franklin, and his own cousin Sam finally receives his due, emerging as the hero of the revolution and of the early republic.

One may wonder, however, if in certain situations McCullough does not overstate his case. On the one hand, every achievement that Adams makes is portrayed as one of the gre...moreIn this well-written, engaging biography, David McCullough tells the story of John Adams' life and times in vivid detail. In McCullough's retelling, the man long overshadowed by Jefferson, Franklin, and his own cousin Sam finally receives his due, emerging as the hero of the revolution and of the early republic.

One may wonder, however, if in certain situations McCullough does not overstate his case. On the one hand, every achievement that Adams makes is portrayed as one of the greatest accomplishments in American history. Whether he is securing loans from the Dutch, meeting with the King of England, writing the constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, he always appears to be engaged in some earth-shatteringly brave, bold, and brilliant effort on behalf of his country. On the other hand, Adams' foes are cast in a decidedly negative light. Thomas Jefferson emerges as a two-faced, spineless, spendthrift; Benjamin Franklin appears as an indolent womanizer with bad taste and no morals; Alexander Hamilton becomes an amoral, ambitious intriguer. To be sure, Jefferson, Franklin, and Hamilton had their flaws, but many of their actions could be interpreted differently, or at least more sympathetically, than McCullough does here. As it is, we know where McCullough's sympathies lie - with Adams, who emerges as a sort of virtuous American Cincinnatus, always longing to return home to Braintree, abhorrent of ambition and intrigue, but always forced by circumstance back into public life.

McCullough is not so biased, however, that he does not allow Adams' own flaws to stand for themselves, and he will almost reluctantly admit when Adams' judgment has failed him (such as during the passage of the ill-conceived Alien and Sedition Acts). What is truly wonderful about the book is that McCullough presents a picture of Adams the man, more than Adams the statesman, diplomat, or president. McCullough captures his deep love of his family, his deep love of home, which for Adams were indistinguishable from his patriotism - his acts on behalf of the country he loved were also acts of love for his family - and presents all the powerful forces that motivated this remarkable, passionate, fiery character. Politics are always personal, and the personal is always political, and nowhere was this more true, perhaps, than in the life of John Adams.(less)

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Oct 06, 2009

Jed rated it

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Recommends it for: anyone

Recommended to Jed by: David McCullough

good gracious, what does one say about such an undertaking?

with a handful of healthy breaks in the reading, i've been living with mr. adams all summer and then some. and it's been an epic experience. a revelatory, exhausting, exhilarating, vexing, joyful experience.

to top it all off, i immediately (i mean, the very day i was finished) went and checked out the recent HBO mini series of the same name. i was surprised to note the differences in the series' interpretati...more

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Apr 16, 2008

Allison rated it

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I just finished this great book about John Adams. As most of the reviewers have said, I have a whole new appreciation for this great man. While he could be cantankerous, vain, jealous, and biting with his words, he was also a great friend, lover, and a man with a tremendous amount of integrity. He was truly the kind of person who always did what he thought was right, even if it was unpopular. (Defending the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre.) Most of the time he was right and, in rea...more

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May 25, 2008

Sue rated it

I finished it! This book took me a while to read, but it's well worth it! McCullough gives such a personal view into who John and Abigail, actually the whole Adams family, really were. And they were truly wonderful, honest, patriots, full of integrity, and not afraid of hard work for their country. John and his wife Abagail wrote over a thousand letters to each other and these and countless more to other family and friends, including Jefferson who became a friend while they were both working i...more

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Mar 22, 2008

Susan rated it

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In addition to exploring the life and career of John Adams, McCullough has encompassed the full tapestry of people, places, and events surrounding Adams from boyhood on. One of two prominent threads that lend a fascinating dynamic to this portrait was his marriage to Abigail Smith. Abigail was a remarkable woman, a steadying hand and the love of his life. Their union was passionate, spiritual and intellectual, and it was their constant correspondence during Adams's absences that provided a weal...more In addition to exploring the life and career of John Adams, McCullough has encompassed the full tapestry of people, places, and events surrounding Adams from boyhood on. One of two prominent threads that lend a fascinating dynamic to this portrait was his marriage to Abigail Smith. Abigail was a remarkable woman, a steadying hand and the love of his life. Their union was passionate, spiritual and intellectual, and it was their constant correspondence during Adams's absences that provided a wealth of insight for McCullough to draw from. Abigail was clearly his sounding board and reliable advisor, rarely shy at expressing her opinions on issues like slavery and independence. In one of her early letters, she even expressed what would eventually become a revolutionary idea on it's own --- women's suffrage. "If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation." A playful taunt perhaps, but also reflective of her uncompromising values.

By far the strongest thread, however, becomes the characterization of the lifelong relationship between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Despite their common intellectual ground and mutual desire to create a stable new government, the two would eventually become bitter rivals over political ideology. The various factions that formed over the constitutional issues and later incited party divisions constantly rocked the unsteady new republic and would reach their peak during Adams's presidency. As Adams leaned farther and farther toward Federalism, Jefferson distanced himself and eventually became Adams's bitter opponent in the presidential election.

Although he wasn't a particularly commanding presence in politics, McCullough notes that Adams was actually quite successful as President during very troubled times. While McCullough is thorough and fair in his assessment of Adams's weaknesses, he is equally honest, occasionally scathing, in his depiction of Jefferson. In fact, with no disrespect for the monumental tasks with which they were faced, his finely honed perspective of our founding fathers steps away from their larger-than-life images and makes them very human and accessible. Lavish and abundant in documentation, readers will be delighted with the fascinating, colorful narrative in JOHN ADAMS; and David McCullough may very well find himself on the well-deserved short list for a second Pulitzer Prize

Being very fond of this particular time in history, I loved reading about John Adams, and his beloved, Abigail, without whom I am convinced he would have been less than successful. This is a book that made me so appreciate and respect even more those men and women, their sacrifices, their courage, and drive that laid foundation for our great country. This is a must read for anyone who loves America, loves those who stood true and fast as they established a government that stands today and has been patterned after for many other governments. Loved it!(less)

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Dec 01, 2007

Johnsergeant rated it

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Shelves: audiblecom, audiobook, biography

Narrator: Edward Herrmann
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio, 2001
Length: 9 hours

Audie Award Winner, Non-Fiction (abridged), 2002
Pulitzer Prize Winner, Biography or Autobiography, 2002

Publisher's Summary

In this powerful, epic biography, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian David McCullough unfolds the adventurous life-journey of John Adams, the brilliant, fiercely independent, often irascible, always honest Yankee patriot who spared nothing in his zeal for ...more

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Aug 19, 2007

Kitty rated it

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If you aren't already a student of the history of the birth of the United States and want to know where to begin, read this book. In all his books, McCullough has a way of sucking you into the action but also providing context without slowing the pace of the story. The long separations and hardships John and Abigail endured and the letters they shared throughout are nothing short of inspiring.

In reading John Adams and another great McCullough biography, Truman, it's clear that McCul...more

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Dec 28, 2007

bonnie rated it

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Recommends it for: those curious about early american history, those too enamored with party politics

I read John Adams largely because my grandfather's response when I told him I was reading Alexander Hamilton last year was "I hear that John Adams biography is excellent." Additionally, I was interested because Hamilton was always at odds with him, but I like them both a great deal (and incidentally do not feel the same way about Thomas Jefferson).

This book did not disappoint. McCullough masterfully selected quotations of Adams, Abigail, John Quincy, Benjamin Rush, Jefferso...moreI read John Adams largely because my grandfather's response when I told him I was reading Alexander Hamilton last year was "I hear that John Adams biography is excellent." Additionally, I was interested because Hamilton was always at odds with him, but I like them both a great deal (and incidentally do not feel the same way about Thomas Jefferson).

This book did not disappoint. McCullough masterfully selected quotations of Adams, Abigail, John Quincy, Benjamin Rush, Jefferson, and other major players in Adams's life, and incorporated them without disrupting the prose. Every thirty pages or so I found a quote so striking that I wrote it down in a little notebook, or marked the page number on the post-it I used as a bookmark.

Through quotes and narrative alike, the book illustrates the remarkable, influential man John Adams was, from his years negotiating peace and loans in Europe to his one term as the nation's second President. Adams's thoughts on education, slavery, war, and the dangers of faction are compelling; his conduct in the face of constantly being misunderstood complicated and sympathetic; his ever-present integrity inspiring. In fact, at least for the moment, the admiration I've developed for Adams through McCullough's book has rendered my regard for Hamilton something closer to an infatuation.

If the book has one flaw, it is in McCullough's confrontation of Adams's. Whereas the picture of Adams is for the most part brilliantly developed, the book at some point discusses his lapses in judgment, his temper, his indignation, as if it were assumed knowledge. True, these aspects of his personality were likely not as well preserved for history in letters, but I would have liked this to be fleshed out more and earlier on. This is not to say that McCullough pedestalizes Adams; I only wished to understand better these qualities of his. Also, McCullough handles some of Adams's obtrusive character traits quite well - I literally giggled imagining Adams presiding over the first Senate debates, unable to refrain from butting in in spite of his own intentions to refrain from doing so.

I cannot neglect to mention Abigail in discussing her husband's biography. John and Abigail had a great romance of the kind I had sort of thought rare in general, but especially in that era. Their need for each other, the pain they express at being apart, their unyielding support for one another, and the deep deep friendship that resulted in Abigail's fond salutation to Adams as her "dearest friend," shine through in the book to demonstrate their unique bond. Intellectual, opinionated Abigail was a treat to read about. Her accounts of France in general were fabulous, and one of the highights of the entire book for me was her description of meeting and despising a preeminent French woman Benjamin Franklin had raved about (page 305-06).

Less substantive matters - the book includes a family tree chart at the beginning that I constantly referred back to. The part and chapter breaks were appropriate, and the index is comprehensive and easy to navigate. Finally, a word about length: this is a book you have to be a bit patient with. It's about 700 pages long and starts off in a slow, arguably boring description of Adams's simple beginning as the son of a New England farmer, facts which of course literally define Adams. Stick with it through the first hundred pages or so, resign yourself to at least a couple of months with it, and what you never knew about Adams is sure to enrich your understanding of the fascinating times in which he lived. (less)

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Oct 17, 2008

Natalie rated it

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Shelves: non-fiction

John Adams has largely been overshadowed by others in the early days of our nation's history. His role in writing the Declaration of Independence has been overlooked as we focus on Jefferson and Madison. His role as a diplomat to France and later Amsterdam was overshadowed by Benjamin Franklin. He was the first vice president, but saw his role as one of supporting the policies of George Washington. He became president at a time of sharp divisiveness about foreign policy. I knew of his riva...more

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Jul 01, 2008

Chuck rated it

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Shelves: biography, history

This might be the perfect biography. McCullough's excellent writing is complimented by Adams' own in excerpts from the treasure trove of his letters that survive. Those letters, combined with McCullough's research, make a more vivid and personal biography than you would expect from someone of this time period. Makes a convincing case that Adams was every bit as important to American independence as Thomas Jefferson. And, the Alien and Sedition Acts not withstanding, was certainly a better pe...more

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Nov 21, 2008

Kathleen rated it

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Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Kathleen by: cousin Dick

Remarkable man who was so talented and human. I got insight into many other people of that period. I will never think of him as the dry portrait on the cover again. McCollough is a mesmerizing writer who can write about complex times and make it so interesting. One of the best books I have ever read.

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Dec 08, 2008

Ham rated it

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interesting that Adams had many bouts of depression and often a lack of self-esteem. also interesting to note that one of george washington's earliest concerns for the nation was that the country would split into two political parties.

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About David McCullough

David Gaub McCullough is an American historian and bestselling author. A two-time winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, he is widely referred to as a "master of the art of narrative history." Among his most well-known books are The Path Between the Seas, Truman, John Adams, and his most recent volume, 1776 (a New York Times and Amazon bestseller). He is part of a...more

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“When a friend of Abigail and John Adams was killed at Bunker Hill, Abigail's response was to write a letter to her husband and include these words, "My bursting heart must find vent at my pen.” — 14 people liked it

“Our obligations to our country never cease but with our lives. - John Adams” — 12 people liked it

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