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Summary: A history lesson your now old enough to enjoy...
Review: As a transplanted Canadian, I didn't learn much of U.S. history during school. The history I was taught never seemed very inspiring. Fowarding to 32 years of age, U.S. History couldn't be more fascinating. The JOHN ADAMS chronology of Adams life was informative, inspirational and will certainly spur me on to read more about the U.S. founding fathers. Through a combination of both great subject matter, and an entertaining writting style, JOHN ADAMS is a book I would recommend to anyone who would like to give their history lessons a second chance. This book should be required reading for all politicians today. It outlines some of the great concepts this country was built on - as reconstructed from the actual voluminous records of correspondance at the time and place of the U.S. birth. At the same time, this book also evidences the sadly all too human nature to bastardize great theoretical concepts through misguided self-interests. The political intrigue, even among some of these assumedly (and incorrectly) unreproachable "founding fathers" is fascinating. You couldn't ask for a more pure initial experiment then that of american independance as outlined in the pages of JOHN ADAMS. Go out and buy this book today and make your history teacher proud...!!!
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Summary: "Independence Forever"
Review: John Adams has been the most overlooked of the American Founders. David McCulough's large, epic-scaled biography seeks to correct this omission and to bring the character and achievement of Adams alive for today's reader.McCullough describes well the essential role Adams played in his long life in our Nation's founding. The stages of Adams career, each filled in their own way with accomplishment, can be divided as follows: 1. early years as a young attorney culminating in his courageous defense of the British militia responsible for the Boston Massacre; 2. ceaseless advocate for American Independence during the First Continental Congress; 3. Diplomat to France and Holland during the Revolutionary War and American negotiator of the peace treaty; 4. Diplomat to Britain to negotiate commercial treaties for the fledgling nation 5. first Vice-President of the United States; 6. second President of the United States who successfully kept the country out of war with France; 7. retirement in Quincy. Each of these periods of Adams's life is described in detail with good attention paid to giving the reader a feel for time and place. I thought the descriptions of early Philadelphia and of Paris both before and after the Revolution were well done. McCullough also concentrates on Adams's character. He emphasizes his honesty and integrity, admitted to even by his opponents, his love of learning, his relationship with his remarkable wife Abigail and his sometimes sad relationships with his children, and his relationship with other leading figures of the time including, of course, Jefferson, Washington, and Franklin and many others. Adams's vanity, his sharp temper, and his ambition also come through well in the book. For all of Adams's accomplishments, I was most impressed with the final stage of his life following his 1800 loss of the Presidency to Thomas Jefferson. Adams retired to his farm in Quincy, Massachusetts and devoted himself to reading and to extensive correspondence. In particular, Adams and Thomas Jefferson effected a reconciliation following the conclusions of their Presidencies and exchanged a remarkable series of letters on their thoughts on government, their political experiences, their reading, and simply on growing older and wiser. These letters are indeed treasures of American literature and thought. Both Adams and Jefferson died on July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, as befitting the stature they have for our country. Virtually on his deathbed, Adams was asked for a toast for the celebration. He responded with the words that are the title of this review. This is a deservedly poplular book. May it awaken in the reader an appreciation of our country's revolutionary past and a devotion to its present.
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Summary: Excellent biography of our Second President
Review: David McCullough does an excellent job portraying our second president. Prior to reading this book, I had little insight as to the incredible role John Adams played in shaping this country. This is an excellent book on John Adams the man and the President. I would recommend this book to any student of history.
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Summary: History, personality and social context
Review: This is an excellent book from the perspective of historical context. It does not focus on his youth but provides a brief synopsis of what made the man and set his values. It focuses on the chracter development of John, Abigail and John Quincy Adams and their relationships with key historical figures. It extends their relationships into blended threads that alter their thoughts and actions. It develops Thomas Jefferson and his intimate but dissonant relationship with the Adams' family. The book's strength is the development of characters within the context of major historical events and their political-sociological significance. The author avoids the pitfalls of smaller minds who dwell within the taxonomy of traditional historical form by not applying a formula to allot pages on life rather than by event.
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Summary: A nice alternative to the "scholarly" bios
Review: I have nothing against academics who write books (though they sometimes forget that an audience should *want* to keep reading), and I sometimes enjoy the details and minutiae some such authors deliver. In the case of David McCullough's John Adams, however, I think the pathologically-serious academic/historian crowd has tellingly overreacted to the "popular" tone of the book. Oh, horrors -- McCullough wants to make history and historical figures accessible to the masses! I greatly enjoyed the look into Adams' relationship and correspondence with Abigail, who played a much larger role in early American politics than most people realized. I also found the on-again-off-again friendship between Adams & Jefferson described in a much more compelling manner than in most other similar bios I've read. Granted, it seemed at times to be more of a pro-Adams apologetic than an objective recounting of facts, but I understood that going into the book. Part of the attraction here is that McCullough humanizes Adams (and Abigail, and other figures) for the reader; even though you know the outcome of the story, you still find yourself "rooting" for Adams during critical passages! It's a huge book, but I tore through it because McCullough made it so easy to read. We all had to memorize names and dates in history class, but here it is presented in such a way that you will *want* to learn more. Congratulations to David McCullough for another grand-slam effort!
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Summary: The Best Book I Ever Read
Review: This is the best book I ever read. Nothing much more to say. I recommend this as a must read for all Americans or those who study the history of our nation. Also read some other books of this time such as Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Issacs and John Paul Jones by Evan Thomas. These books all compliment one another and tell the story "full circle" of the war that gain independence for America.
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Summary: At Last, the recognition long deserved
Review: Not only is David McCullough a great writer, he is a historian of the highest order. The writing is so clear, and easy to read, the story so engrosing you forget that this is a true story, and an important history lesson. It is a character study, an adventure, a love story and an exploration into the very soul of one of the most over looked and under appreciated founding fathers. I enjoyed this read so much I reccommend it to everyone who desires an unforgettable experience. You will wonder, as I do, why we have not recognized such an important historical figure with a granite memorial in Washington DC on a par with the Washington Monument, Jefferson or Lincoln Memorials, for surely John Adams' contribution was no less profound or significant than those of any of his contemoraries. I would proudly support replacing at least one of the subjects on our old, out dated coinage or currency with his image, and keep it there for the next hundred years. Wow, wow, wow.
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Summary: Refreshing view of a historic figure
Review: McCullough has written a fascinating book. I was looking for a good biography to read, and "John Adams" did not disappoint. The main strength of the book is that it illustrates how Adams' relations with others changes as power and politics affect lives. Franklin, Jefferson, Hamilton....we get to read about how Adams felt about all of them through various stages of his life. Most interesting is his friendship with Jefferson, which practically vanishes during Adams' administration but blossoms again when both men have long since retired (How is this for creepy: Adams and Jefferson both died on the same day, the 4th of July!). The book paints a vivid picture of the early American political sene. I was particularly interested with the vicious pamphlets and newspapers of the day. Just goes to show you that the "rabid media" is nothing new. "John Adams" is a fine book and one that has inspired me to read about other early Americans (I just ordered a John Marshall biography). You can't go wrong with Mccullough.
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Summary: The type of hero today needs.
Review: David McCullough's volume was of great satisfaction to me. Mr Adams and his son John Quincy have always been personal heros of mine. Just as Amistad gave the country a look at John Quincy, Mr. McCullough give us a look at John warts and all. The warts are few. Over and over we see a man singing the praises of virtue, frugality, honesty, in short CHARACTER! I suspect that the success of this book has something to do with the times. Adams (and his son and wife) are just the type of examples and heroes we need these days. They set the example by DOING what is right and proper for the country, rather than by platitudes for public consumption (or Polls). In these times of spin (read lies and deceptions) thanks to McCullough's discovery that he and NOT Jefferson was the picture he wanted to paint, Mr. Adams and his family manage to serve their country by reminding us what we are and what we can be. The book is worthy of the praise it has recieved. I only wish every member of congress and all those who work for BOTH political parties can read it and learn. Unfortunately I suspect some will learn that the price of honesty and true public serivce is a single term and no face on Rushmore. I hope and pray that I am wrong.
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Summary: John Adams, a whale of a life
Review: David McCullough presents both the life of John Adams and the era he grew from with a clarity that leaves other biographies cold. If I had to describe this book to a friend I would say it was a "page turner". I couldn't put it down for long before I found my self sneaking off to read some more.
McCullough tells us the things that made John Adams unique. A family man, a country lawyer, a commited farmer, a man devoted to his children....all these factors reveal a man special for his time. Even more important is the fact that as the story of Adams is developed so is the history that molded him and that was molded by him. We are also provided valuable insights to Jefferson, Washington, Hamilton, and the early American press.
Anyone who reads this book will have to become a better American because of it.
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