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Summary: Rejoice Ever More in the Old Oak
Review: I have spent the past few days reading ADAMS; in fact, I have not wanted to put it down. Not a student of history, like many Americans, I have little depth in my understanding of the period which created the USA. McCullough brought to life a time mainly held captive in museums. His rich portraits of the men, who are often presented one-dimensionally, and the women, who are seldom presented at all, are rich and compelling. The relationship between John and Abigail Adams, and theirs with the members of their families, are tender and strong. The trials of separations, family illnesses and deaths, and the enduring love between Abigail and John Adams brought tears at times and a deep respect for the sacrifices made to bring the United States to life. Adams's service with Franklin and Jefferson in France, prior to the impending French Revolution, brings illumination to the political struggles of their time. Adams was no saint but an exceedingly hard-worker and a prolific, to his detriment at times, writer. Jefferson was the tall, smooth slave-owner who retains history's blessing. Both held "these truths to be self-evident" and come to life with a force and a friendship understandable over 200 years later. I look forward to a volume on Jefferson.
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Summary: Book review of John Adams
Review: In David McCullough's biography on "John Adams" he reveals the human side of one of Americas founding fathers. Using mostly primary surces, diaries and letters, McCullough unmasks John Adams' foibles, fears, and passions. McCullough begins with Adams as a young man and continues through to when Adams lived and endured hardships during the American Revolutionary war; to when he became president of the United States, to finally when he spent his last days in Quincy Massachutts. The letters by John and Abigail Adams, to each other, and the many letters between friends, reveal a candor and a forthrightness unparalleled from any other founding father. For example, Abigail wrote her husband once complaining how she missed him and that shes "been living like a nun in a cloister", for lack of sex. With vivdness and honesty readers can move into their lives and almost see and feel what the Adams felt. According to McCullough there are some "608 microfilm reels" or more than "five miles of microfilm" of the Adams' correspondences (Pp. 653). However, McCullough fails to show, with clear thought as Russell Kirk has done in "The Conservative Mind" that John Adams was a conservative. McCullough does show that Adams was at odds with the Jeffersionians and even with members of his own party, such as Hamilton. He dos not clarify, with clear perception, what exactly his political philosophy he embraced. Moreover, McCullugh fails to clarify what religious persuasion Adams embraced. Was he a Calvinist, like his forbears? Or was he a Unitarian like so many was and becoming in Massachutts in his day? McCullough does show that Adams was a very deep religious man but to what bent or persuasion the reader finds asking. Over all McCullough's book on John Adams is a fantastic read and it reveals the human side of Adams, with all his strenghts and weaknesses. It pulls back the veil of a founding father and allows modern day readers to get a glimpse of a great man and his family.
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Summary: a historical page-turner
Review: I have read a lot of history books, and I never expected this one to be as good as it was. It was one of those books that make you feel bad when you come to the end, because you just wish it could go on and on.
Rating:
Summary: Some perspective on the Alien and Sedition Acts
Review: In response to david w. starfield who titled his review "An Apologist for Adams": Please get some perspective. How can you seriously claim that the Alien and Sedition Acts are "arguably the greatest infraction of civil liberties in American history"? Ever heard of slavery? Japanese internment camps? Hello!
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Summary: John Adams, the exciting story by David McCullough
Review: David McCollough's ¨JOHN ADAMS¨ is a knock-out. David McCollough tells of the wonderful accomplishments, thinking spirit of John Adams. David McCollough's narrative and facts of John Adam's life never lets you get bored for a single moment. McCollough is an expert by including Europe to part of John Adams life by describing the affect it had on him (John Adams was often being criticized for believing in the European system of Monarchy). The scenery in this book always changes. What makes this book so special and content is it's descriptiveness and creativity added on to John Adam's life. If you buy this book you will not be dissapointed.
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Summary: A New Light
Review: This book is a historical view bridged with parts of correspondents between the characters. It brings an amazingly bright softness to a President we really hardly new in deep detail. His outward hard appearance was softened in a new light. In summmary I thought that this was a phenomenal read. I loved it. Historical human insights to that era's time and philosophy accented with a deep love story between John and Abigail Adams. This is a permanent addition to my library, bravo David McCullough!
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Summary: A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS
Review: Using many sources, but basically drawing on the extensive collection of the Adams Papers housed in the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston, David McCullough has written a fascinating biography of John Adams. Unlike conventional biographies, the text covers his immediate family devoting considerable detail to his wife, Abigail, which makes for a balanced narration. This is a biography of John Adams and not a history of the Revolution and the post revolution era so that incidents, actions, etc. not closely related to John Adams are given minimum coverage making for a contiguous account that is not distracted by events (though important) in which Adams was not involved. By quoting from their numerous letters, journals and diaries, this is a highly personal account revealing Adams and Abigail's thoughts and feelings. The narration of Adams activities in France, Great Britain, Holland and Belgium is fascinating. This is a subject that is only briefly covered in most survey courses of American history so that the casual reader of history will find the text well worth reading. The intrigues and manipulative politicians in Europe made for a serious challenge to John Adams' abilities and for the future of the new nation. In many respects, the European attitudes the text outlines in Adams era are still present today regarding America. The text notes that Adams recognized the critical role of a navy for gaining and then maintaining independence. The author states "That he pressed doggedly for a greater part in the war by the French navy would stand as one of his own proudest efforts, and with reason given what happened at Yorktown." During his presidency he initiated a program of navy ship construction and persuaded Congress to authorize funds to equip and man three frigates constructed during Washington's administration, but never equipped for service. These became the three famous frigates CONSTITUTION, UNITED STATES and CONSTELLATION. He further recommended to President Jefferson the establishment of a Naval Academy to which Jefferson agreed. The founding of the US Navy was one of Adams greatest accomplishments. McCullough provides an excellent account of Adams' relationship with Jefferson. Jefferson is not pictured in the typical honorable schoolboy image, but rather the text gives a balance account of Jefferson who did not always follow the highest ethical principals especially regarding political rivals. The author notes that Adams never knew when Jefferson, his Vice President, might be working secretly to undercut or thwart him, for Jefferson's abiding flaw, Adams had concluded, was "want of sincerity". Most interesting is the text's narration of the 1791 public controversy over Jefferson's endorsement of Thomas Paine's pamphlet THE RIGHTS OF MAN. Jefferson had endorsed the pamphlet and in private correspondence ascribed to Adams "the political heresies that have spring up among us" and then blamed the pamphlet printer for his endorsement. In 1809 at the urging of his friend Benjamin Rush, Adams wrote Jefferson, their friendship was renewed and remained strong through the rest of their lives. The text tells of Adams less than high opinion of Benjamin Franklin who Adams considered lazy. In Adams written documents, the image of Franklin as a wholly honorable statesman/scientist is brought into question. However, Adams still had high praise for Franklin stating that if he had done nothing else then invent the lightning rod he had done the world a great service. The text also narrates many situations which were a harbinger of the American Civil War noting the strong differences between New England and the South principally with Jefferson's Virginia. The author quotes Adams who wrote " I know it is high treason to express a doubt of the perpetual duration of our vast American empire, but a struggles between the states over slavery might rend this mighty fabric in twain." In his easy to read narration, the author describes the political world in early America. This account is most intriguing since if only the names and the dates are changed, politics and government today is the same as in Adams age. For example. McCullough writes "Colonel Smith was in Washington. Having failed at nearly everything he ever tried, he had lately been elected to Congress" and Adams is quoted as stating "I would to God there were more ambition in the country....ambition of that laudable kind, to excel." In another example, the text notes that "The more Adams thought about the future of his country, the more convinced he became that it rested on education and wrote "The education of a nation instead of being confined to a few schools and universities for the instruction of the few, must become the national care and expense for the formation of the many." Today, politicians are debating the same topic. To be sure John Adams had his faults and the author does not try to ignore his shortcomings in this biography. His support of the Alien and Sedition Acts was most reprehensible.Perhaps his greatest fault was that he was hard headed; however, this was tempered by Adams integrity. In today's "me first" and "what's in it for me" society, it is pleasant to read the biography of a person (even a whole family) which put public service above self interest. The reader may not agree with McCullough, but will never find the book dull reading.
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Summary: It's history, it's a love story, and more
Review: David McCullough is a remarkable writer as he has so ably demonstrated with Truman, Path Between the Seas, and The Great Bridge. It's when he get's the chance to tackle a subject as fascinating as the life of John Adams that he really shines. He tells the story of this remarkable individual and sheds light on the love story of John and Abigail. He provides insights into the founding of the country, the challenges faced in everday life at the time, and, most importantly, the power of character and integrity in true leadership. Simply put, one of the best books I've read.
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Summary: This is what the telephone killed
Review: Before the phone, people used to write more letters. This book seems to have written itself, in large part, due to all of the letters of John Adams and Abigail Adams, and also their numerous family, professional and business contacts. McCullough does an incredible job of pacing his description to Adams's life cycle, bringing Adams to life scene by scene, year by year. He lets Adams develop before our eyes in a very genuine way, so well done that it is Adams himself who confronts his own limitations and flaws, mostly by admitting and exploring them in his correspondence. The scope of Adams's work is brought out here: Farmer's son, schoolteacher, lawyer, local road commissioner, delegate to numerous revolutionary conclaves, signer of the declaration of independence, author of the Massachusetts constitution, first U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands, first U.S. ambassador to Great Britain, personally acquainted with George III and with Louis XVI, Washinton's Vice President, President. And father of an alcoholic no-good son, and of a daughter felled by breast cancer. First occupant of the White House. First President sworn in as a successor to another one. Lots of firsts here. Adams's critiques of so many other founders are also excerpted deftly, and just when I thought it was permissible to be outraged at Jefferson, it turns out Adams won't let me, since he himself insisted on and was nourished by the friendship of Jefferson, although punctuated by two decades of estrangement. Alexander Hamilton takes a big hit in this book, and Hamilton's opposition to not only Burr and Jefferson, but also to Adams, is laid out convincingly by McCullough. Authors like McCullough are rare. I'm looking forward to whatever he decides to write next.
Rating:
Summary: An Apologist for Adams
Review: The author provides great insight into the nation's second president and one of our least respected founding fathers. McCullough shows how Adams acted independently, from his defense of British soldiers to his foreign policy of neutrality toward France following the XYZ Affair. Unfortunately, criticism is withheld when our hero acts reprehensibly in supporting the Alien and Sedition Acts, arguably the greatest infraction of civil liberties in American history. In contrast, Jefferson's conduct is consistently viewed by the author as weak and duplicitous. Although slow in spots, the book was insightful and worth reading.
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