Rating: 
Summary: Godfather Of Our Country
Review: John Adams is perhaps the least studied founding father of our country, yet I believe he probably had the greatest impact. No matter which theatre of the American revolution might draw the most attention, if you look closely you will see Adams` hand was certainly involved. Be it choosing the head of our army, international negotiations, financial securities, or the writing of the Declaration itself, John Adams was there. He sacrificed more of himself for the cause than any other patriot of his time. He was not the First American, he was not the Father Of Our Country, nor did he write The Declaration of Independence. However he did accomplish more for the good of the 'nation yet to be' before he was even voted President of the new United States.
I believe David McCullough has finally done justice to a most deserving soul. After reading this book one discovers the true meaning of patriotism.
Rating: 
Summary: :How, but not why
Review: Mr McCullough did lots of very hard work studing an interesting subject. Adam's life and his relationships with his contemporaries are covered in excellent detail. This makes a good reference as to what Adams did when and with whom.The essential Adams, however is missing. Why did Adams make revolution? Why did he risk his neck for the goal of independence? We follow Adams through some scary times and had work, but his reasons are as mysterious at the end of the book as they are at the begining. McCullough recognizes that there fundimentals to Adams. He makes mention of these things when he is contrasting Adams to Jefferson, whose essentials are almost diametricly opposed to Adams. Why then were these men allies? McCullogh never bothers to ask. How Adams got along with Jefferson is an essential part of the story. Adams's moral code of standing for right but being 'christian' explains his forgiving Jefferson, but where this code came from or how Adams felt about it arent' covered at all. This is an enjoyable book, and it was a fast read, but there is something missing that would make it a great book
Rating:
Summary: A New Appreciation for John Adams
Review: David McCollugh has captured the essense of John Adams in this biography that spans from Adams' early years as a lawyer to his years after he left the White House. This work gives the reader a clear understanding of the passions that drove Adams to being an ardent patriot and the sacrifices that he made for his country. Although many may recognize Adams as one of our founding fathers, they may not know the pivitol role he played in many revolutionary era events. His dedication and passion for the cause of liberty is proven by the fact that his name was not included on a British list of those to be pardoned in the event of a British victory. An American loss would surely have resulted in Adams' hanging for treason. McCollugh paints a picture of a complex man that was misrepresented by some of his peers, namely Hamilton, Jefferson and Madison particularly during Adams' administration and his failed attempt for reelection. He was characterized as a monarchist and accused of wanting to establish an American monarchy, with his son John Quincy as his successor. To be sure however, his administration was not without controversy as was the case with the Alien and Sedition Acts. It is difficult to reconcile how a man so dedicated to liberty and the principles of the US Constitution could support such acts. In the end however Adams is depicted as a good and caring man that was highly principled to the point of his own detriment. I had mixed emotions on completing this book for it was like losing an old friend.
Rating:
Summary: The only biography I ever read that I couldn't put down!
Review: Working a very intense job in the high tech industry, I pick and choose what I can read during my brief vacation with great care. This biography was the cornerstone of my vacation reading this year. I literally could not put it down once I started. Mr. McCullough is a master at leveraging the amazing content of the letters between the Adamses (and others)to weave a spell that takes the modern reader squarely into the events of this time.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Man
Review: Mr.McCullough has done the almost impossible. He sticks to his subject. We are so used to hearing more about other founding fathers, that it takes us by surprise when McCullough actually writes about JOHN ADAMS. Yes, the other guys are mentioned too, but only in light of their relationship to John Adams. Adams' interactions with and views of Jefferson, Washington, Franklin, Hamilton and others shed light on them that we probably have not seen before. The author's ability to stick with his subject is more than commendable--its as honorable as the subject himself. I was very grateful for all the new insights into this plain, if vain, simple man whose integrity was impeccable. Nation-making is no simple task. America was far more fortunate than it knew to have John Adams as a Founding Father, and we are now most fortunate to have this fine biography. I was also happy that I didn't have to wade through the long history of all his ancestors for the first five chapters of the book. We learn all about John Adams and family, but McCullough inserts the information in an unobtrusive, pleasant way. I was also pleased to read how well John and Abagail educated their son, John Quincy, who would become our sixth president. This is a fine book.
Rating:
Summary: History Review
Review: I am just truly enjoying this book. It is full of those important historical events that made our United States the place it is today. It also has a lot of those interesting little tidbits of information in the way of correspondences that make for a great read. I am learning my US history all over again and loving it.
Rating:
Summary: A Giant of a Man
Review: Every once in a while a biography of an historical personage blazes across the horizon that makes a reader sit up, wide-eyed, and take notice. And, if the reader is lucky, this biography will catapult him or her into a sort of time machine where events of the past are vividly experienced in the present and persons from the antique pages of history will become intimate acquaintances. Such is the magnificent biography of John Adams by David McCullough. As a long-time admirer of Adams and the Revolutionary War period, I naively thought that there wasn't much left to know - that is, until I started reading this book. Mr. McCullough has masterfully hitched the dates and facts to the human element, some of the facts newly "discovered" and riveting in their "newness". It is clear that Mr. Adams and Mr. McCullough are on intimate terms and that Mr. McCullough is also well acquainted with the myriad of people who walked in Adams's world, people who, up until now, have basically remained only names in history books, their painted faces staring out from the "photo section" of historical biographies. John Adams - just the name evokes patriotic feelings, but no biography of this Founding Father that I have yet read brings this larger-than-life man into greater focus. He was one of America's giants. He knew everyone of consequence during this troubled and vibrant era and was never shy about expressing his decided opinions. Some of the time the reader wants to argue with him and at other times, take him into an embrace and hug the daylights out of him. You might not agree with everything Mr. Adams pontificates about, but you have to admire the man for having the nerve (in many instances) of voicing his thoughts! John Adams was very fortunate in his choice of his life's partner; his beloved Abigail never ceased to evoke utterances of passion and admiration and she, in turn, loved her "Mr. Adams" almost from the moment she laid eyes on him until her death in 1818. These two brave souls had an inner core of granite, enabling them to withstand long separations and hardships of every kind and bolstering each of them when it seemed as if the entire world had turned against them. The author's description of how John handled Abigail's death would melt a stone. Mr. McCullough also manages to bring the Adams brood to colorful life: the stressed-out and severe John Quincy, poor introverted Nabby who suffered through a horrific marriage only to die at age 48 of breast cancer; the baby daughter, Susanna, who died while still a toddler (John Adams was never able to talk about her for the rest of his long life), and the two youngest sons who were faded reflections of what their parents hoped they would be. Adams's comments on his fellow Founding Fathers were absolutely hilarious (the man had a well-developed sense of the ridiculous), especially his acid remarks about Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton. Many times his outspoken comments and true-to-the-mark observations made enemies, but that didn't stop Mr. Adams! On he went, energetic, sputtering, irascible, stubborn, prudish - yet warm and loving. The book details the friendship between the short, pudgy Adams and the tall, elegant Jefferson which, due to political differences, turned to bitterness, only to dawn again into friendship. The correspondence between the two old men in the twilight of their years made beautiful reading. Likewise, Mr. McCullough presents the many years of Adams's service to his country, both in America and abroad, in such a way that the reader can easily understand what is happening and why it is happening. I suspected on more than one occasion that Mr. McCullough was John Adams himself writing, so intimately did the author know his subject. By the book's final chapters I, of course, knew what was going to happen - Adams was going to die and pass into the pages of history. I was dreading that moment because I had shared with Adams his many trials and his many joys and the thought that we would part company was almost painful, we had become such good friends. When Adams did die, on the same day as his old friend Jefferson, on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1826), I felt that a little light had gone out in my heart and I actually grieved for him. This was the direct result of the splendid writing of Mr. McCullough who is a wizard at bringing the dead to life and making them old friends of the reader. I had finished the book and had enjoyed many a delightful hour with Mr. Adams and I inwardly thanked him for being the person he was and I appreciated in a profound way what he had done for America. I also said "thank you" to Mr. McCullough for giving me the privilege of knowing Mr. Adams through his book. Not long after finishing the book, I traveled up to Quincy, MA to visit the crypt where John, Abigail, John Quincy and his wife Louisa, rest. It was a cold autumn day in Quincy and all was still. In the crypt, the four stone sarcophagi stood side by side, each containing the remains of four of America's greats. I went to each one, placed my hand on the lids of the sarcophagi and said "Howdy-do" and "Thank you" to my old friends. I am sure that Mr. McCullough would know exactly how I felt.
Rating:
Summary: The Importance of Not Being Important
Review: A person who is not generally considered by history texts on the same level as the other four of first five presidents, John Adams' behind the scenes accomplishments are illuminated in this book. McCullough employs Adam's own words to demonstrate what a self-conscious, thoughtful, and determined person he was. In the process, McCullough brings historical figures(George III, Hamilton, Jefferson, Louis XVI and more)some life by presenting how a contempory would consider them. Don't be deceived by the book's lengthiness. It's hard to put down once it's opened.
Rating:
Summary: The Man from Quincy.
Review: After reading David McCullough's book, it's evident that John Adams's lack of popular recognition is unfair. When given a choice, Adams tried to remain unobtrusive, but he was an important part of the founding of America. His single term as the second president is not a subject well known among casual readers of American history. Adams's greatest accomplishment as president may have been preventing an ill-timed war with France. Not the basis for a great legacy in a world of short attention spans and superficial values. Adams made significant contributions to American law and government. Among other things, his ideas were included in the U. S. Constitution. The private man rather than the public figure is the real story. Adams was well read, a man of integrity, and had simple goals in life. Aside from his family and his books, Adams found greatest joy in tending his Massachusetts farm. He abhorred slavery, but recognized its importance to Virginia planters. The political arena wasn't one of his priorities. Fate had other ideas. David McCullough serves up a masterful effort of historical research. A significant amount of the sources the author cites is from The Adams Papers collection. They include John Adams's letters and journals, and those of the discerning and perceptive Abigail Adams. McCullough relishes the intelligence of his characters. The panorama of American history is superlative. Even so, one wonders if McCullough is too kind to John Adams. The real Adams may have been more acerbic than his portrayal in this book. This is not light reading. The book suffers in comparison to McCullough's previous work on the life of Harry Truman. Regardless, it is highly recommended to students of American history. ;-)
Rating:
Summary: Historian/Patriot Must
Review: David McCullough truely understands one need'nt decorate or defend a virtuous man. His portrayal of John Adams presents the reader with a balanced picture of a very human passionate man with talants,convictions, and certainly human faults. It also gives details of our county's history, particularly the Revolutionary War, that I had lost or was unaware of. Don't let the lenght intimidate. I looked forward to my evening reading, was unable to put it down the final evening read, but am disappointed it's over. My only criticism is the first pages. The time line was confusing. Once past the details of his early life I was off and running. One last thought--while our founding fathers are often seen as 'lofty saints' to us today, some were human, selfish, ambitious, competitive and at times nasty. Gives us a good picture of the impact of politics on individuals. A lesson that certainly is applicable today.
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