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America's First Dynasty: The Adamses, 1735-1918
They were America's longest lasting dynasty, the closest thing to a royal family our nation has ever known. The Adamses played a leading role in America's affairs for nearly two centuries -- from John, the self-taught lawyer who rose to the highest office in the government he helped to create; to John Quincy, the child prodigy who followed his father to the White House and...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
February 4th 2003
by Free Press
(first published 2002)
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The author tries to add to much flourish to his writing. You can really tell this was written by a journalist and not an actual historian. Also, he makes broad declarations and then glosses over his support for them. Otherwise it was well researched with copious amounts of endnotes and provides interesting anecdotes. Just try not to take his conclusions to heart.
At just over 200 pages to cover the lives of 4 generations, this contains little more than sketches of John, John Quincy, Charles Francis, and Henry Adams. The impression I got from Brookhiser is that these men did a handful of great things more or less in spite of themselves.
An informative book, but the author's own political views are too palpable, and he seems to have a personal dislike for Henry Adams and, to a lesser extent, John Quincy Adams.
Very intersting stuff. The author labels both Adams' presidencies as "a failure" and both of them the first losers in American politics. But he also paints their strengths with a fine brush, and covers the careers of both Charles and Henry Adams along the way. Well-written; engrossing. "The Education of Henry Adams" just made my to-read list.
good overview on the family and a great way to get introduced to Charles and Henry
Pretty well-written and informative, but who really wants to know everything about the Adams family. I mean John and JQ were cool guys, but I don't really know if I bought into the whole thesis of this one.
Feb 20, 2013
Tony
marked it as to-read
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review of another edition
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Jan 23, 2013
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