Rating: 
Summary: A good, thorough biography - with some flaws
Review: I truly enjoyed reading this book and found it insightful, brisk, and generally well-written. I appreciated the large tracts given to both Abigail and John Quincy who were, of course, integral parts of Adam's life. The chapters which covered Adam's tenure abroad in France and the Netherlands were engaging and highly interesting. However, I was disappointed in the several aspects of the book:#1: Lack of in-depth investigation into the moral and spiritual life of Adams. While Adam's religious convictions are touched upon a few times, I was unsatisfied upon reaching the end and felt that this fascinating aspect of Adam's character was not examined in enough detail. #2: The author spent what seemed like too many pages on Thomas Jefferson. While it is undeniable that the lives of Adams and Jefferson were inextricably intertwined, I felt that some of the longer Jefferson passages - particularly as related to Sally Hemmings and Jefferson's alleged sexual misconduct, onto which no new light is shed - could have been safely edited out without damaging the integrity of the work. Indeed, having read a few Jefferson biographies, I did not notice a corresponding preoccupation with Adams in those. #3: I was almost impressed that the author didn't insinuate extra-marital affairs based on scant evidence - almost because he does just this at the tail end of the book based on a single remark made by an elderly Adams to a long-term female acquaintance. I found this comment out of place. To the author's credit, he at least didn't try to extrapolate dozens of affairs based on this one remark. This said, I believe this book is definitely worth a careful reading and though incomplete, is full of solid scholarly insight.
Rating: 
Summary: You Had To See His Face!
Review: Did I read this book? Nope. But I did give it to my Father this Christmas as a present. And you had to see how happy it made him! Rarely have I seen him this excited by any gifts I've given him. He can't wait to finish what he is reading now so he can start on this book. He is a big history buff too. So based of the expression on my Father's face, I give it 5 stars! If it makes you half as happy as he is, you won't be sorry!
Rating:
Summary: A readable and entertaining historical biography
Review: An excellent historical biography of a man who played such an important role in the founding of this country. As one whose education and backgroud is in science and technology and who is not well schooled in history I especially appreciated David McCullough's writing style. This book is not a dry, historical chronology but an entertaining and informative accounting of a man's life and the people and events surrounding it. This is about John Adams the man. His accomplishments, his failures, his strengths, his weaknesses and not just what he did but how he thought and felt about people and events. While not a detailed chronicle of the revolutionary war it gave me a new appreciation of what overwhelming odds the fledgling American military faced against Great Britian. It was also interesting to read how congress in the 18th century was just as ineffective, divided along party lines and corrupt as it is today. The acknowledgements and bibliography sections give one a sense of the extensive research Mr. McCullough put into the writing of this book adding credibility that this is a factual acounting which, for a "technocrat" like me, was another reason I enjoyed the book so much.
Rating:
Summary: readable life -- leaves some questions unanswered
Review: David McCullough's John Adams is a very readable life and provides, I think, a good introduction to the man and his thought. Readers, however, should be warned that the book leaves some nagging questions unanswered ranging from trivial to rather significant. The question of what folks meant exactly by John Adam's "vanity" is one, why John Adams was so solidly the number two candidate for first President of the United States is another. After all, he had been in Europe for most of the Confederation, who was doing his politicking for him? Did politicking need to be done? How was his image shaped in the public's mind during his absence? The index and bibliography are good. There are no comments in the endnotes. The real reading length is thus 634 pages.
Rating:
Summary: John Adams
Review: The book John Adams by David McCullough is one of the most interesting and inspiring books that I have ever read. Naturally, I had heard of John Adams all of my life, but, I did not know that much about him. I now see that I and all of free people everywhere, owe him so much.
Rating:
Summary: Patriotic Passion
Review: At a time of patriotic uprising in the country, I purchased and read the story of John Adams. I, as a child of the late sixies and early seventies, felt that young people today needed a cause. I had sympathy for them because they seemed lacking in passion for their country. That of course has changed. This book gave me a look at an earlier generation and their passion for patriotism. American History has always been a favorite subject. In the past I have found that I craved the knowledge of not only the event but the personalities behind the events.
This book, authored by David McCullough, fullfilled my need to know the history makers in great detail and the "others" that helped form their beliefs and philosophies.
Rating:
Summary: A fascinating book about a fascinating man.
Review: I really enjoyed this book. It reminded me of how much I enjoyed watching the Adams Chronicles on PBS many years ago. It's amazing to read so much of Adams own words, and how accurate many of his predictions turned out to be, and how familiar many of his quotes still are.
Rating:
Summary: Best biography of Adams to date
Review: This is definetely not the typical presidential biography. While Adams' accomplishment and failures are mentioned in the book, they are limited to summaries some may call unworthy of the events they describe. But that is because this is a biography of John Adams as a man - not a president, dealmaker, founding father or anything else. After reading this book, one is armed with an entirely different type of knowledge. It is not a knowledge of who's? and where's? and when's?, but of WHY? The book is a tool for understanding WHY Adams did things, it delves into his character, his personality, his friendships. His devotion to his nation and his family are given the prominence they deserve in a book about a man who cared for little else. Enough from me. It's a good book.
Rating:
Summary: McCullough does it again!
Review: I thought that McCullough's Truman was about the best biography I have ever read. John Adams ranks right up there! I have read some rather harsh reviews of the book: they basical claim that McCullough falls in love with the focus of the book and that he is inaccurately biased by the infatuation. Well, I cannot comment on the accuracy as I have read little else about Adams; most of what I remember is that Adams was not entirely personable, and perhaps downright grumpy. McCullough refutes that and, most importantly, his writing is top-notch in pleasure and readability. For those that disagree with his characterization of Adams - WRITE A BETTER BOOK! (if you can!). Otherwise, accept that other interpretations of Adams may be accurate.
Don't be fooled - this is a great and enjoyable book.
Rating:
Summary: Great Insight
Review: Being related to Thomas Jefferson, I was interested in this book. Mr. McCullough offers great insight into John Adams, as politician and person. I learned things I did not know while enjoying a very good read. I believe this book brings new respect to a President who to me seemed overshadowed by Washington and Jefferson. Wonderful for history buffs. Thank you, Mr. McCullough!
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