John Adams

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Summary: John Adams
Review: This book is by far then best biography I have ever read. You may not think this is a good book at first glance but it truly is. The book starts out talking about John ADams life in New England and about when he went to college and got into being a lawyer.Then adams gets involed with the revolution and the book just gets better and better.You follow adams to Philidalpeia where he has meetings with the most important people in the founding of our nation. The declaration of independence is written and eventually Adams is sent to France to negotiate help with the war. You follow all of his hardships like haveing to go from Spain, cross to mountains to get to France. And all the excitment of him being the president. One big topic in the book is the War that was almost fought with France and England because they kept hurting American ships and how Adams saved the country from this wars during the XYZ affair. When Adams was told to give money to France to stop the troubles at sea Adams refused to give France the money and instead built a Navy to protect the ships and cargo. Altogether this book is very interesting following Adams political career and also his family life with his wife Abigail Adams. This is a must read book for anyone and everyone.

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Summary: Good storytelling, fair history
Review: One of the problems with spending a few years researching historical figures is that you tend to fall in love with them. Their accomplishments become greater, and their flaws fewer. It's sort of a writer's Stockholm Syndrome. And that is the one great flaw in what is otherwise an fairly interesting and detailed piece of historical writing. McCullough's John Adams is a man of so little ambition, and such overarching modesty that the reader wonders how he ever managed to hang out his shingle as a lawyer, let alone become the second President of the United States. Adams somehow manages to always be on the right side of an issue in this book, which of course results in men who may have disagreed with him, like Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin, being portrayed as morally corrupt or foolish.

This is not something that McCullough alone suffers from. Readers of Edmond Morgan's "Benjamin Franklin" or Joseph Ellis' "American Sphinx" will note similar prejudices on behalf of their subjects. But McCullough's treatment is probably the least balanced of the group. Even the most lauditory of recent biographies of Franklin note his flaws as well as his accomplishments- see especially Walter Issacson's recent book- and treatments of Jefferson in recent years have also focused on the complexity of the man.

I was also slightly put off by McCullough's elliptical prose style- if you've ever heard his narrations of historical public television shows you'll know what I'm referring to. It's a style that, while not as florid as that of the 18th Century men McCullough writes about, is still better suited to the spoken word than the written one.

"John Adams" is an interesting as well as entertaining book, and it does have more than a little historical minutia for the curious reader. But if you're looking for a more balanced perspective on John Adams and on the Adams family in general, I would recommend instead one Paul Nagels' many books, starting with "Descent from Glory".

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Summary: A Master Work - Plain and Simple
Review: This is one of the finest works of history I have ever read. While I still hold Truman first in my heart, this book is an extraordinary achievement. McCullough writes with the nimble pen of a great novelist and achieves the grand sweep of history. He truly loves and respects Adams, but discusses honestly his mistakes. Adams deserves a more honored place in our history. This book is fine start. Adams, especially as he protrayed in his old age, was an old lion. His love for his wife and his country were and are unsurpassed. This book was engrossing, extraordinary and simply incredible. Should be required reading for anyone who loves America.

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Summary: Truly a remarkable man!
Review: This review is of the 26 CD unabridged audio rendering of the John Adams biography. The reader of the text uses necessary inflection but does not overwhelm the listener or supplant the text. This is a long CD set and well worth the journey. The Pulitzer Prize winning book makes a great audio CD. I have a pre-reading child that has listened intently to all of the CDs. This has been a great way to teach the lessons our nation's founders desperately wish we knew.

The book itself makes for great reading (listening). It exposes the foibles and strength of many of the founding fathers and mothers. No icon is spared. Jefferson (impractical spendthrift and hypocritical), Franklin (egomaniacal spendthrift and disingenuous), Adams (pathologically thrifty, honest, and blunt), and Hancock (vain and bitter)are protrayed as equally human. I love the portrait of Abigail Adams and the story of her and John's famous romance.

The accomplishments of these founders in the face of numerous hardships and detractors still resonate 200 years hence. The annealing experiences of strife against enemies and nature are largely lost in these days. I shudder to think what Adams would think of the current culture in the US. Libertine behavior of a pedestrian nature they observed in France shocked them. Despite the efforts of the ardent multi-culturalists, human foibles of the subjects of the text, and the passage of time, the United States will never become a mediocre nation if it heeds Adam's lessons and learns from his ideals. Many complain that McCullough does not describe negatively enough the Alien and Sedition act, but when compared to the whole of his career for our nation, I think McCullough gives it proper context.

John Adams seems to be the kind person I would have loved to meet. Very much a man's man and wonderfully loyal friend, I would have really enjoyed his friendship. A person, who was also acknowledged as honest as could be found, I find many of his characteristics those I hope to find in my friends. This account of Adam's life will show a 3D rendering and adds color to boot. Well done Mr. McCullough.

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Summary: the life of the second president
Review: the life of the second president is detailed in the extroudanary book of this founding father. most interesting is the uneasiness and dislike he has for some of the other major players of the time and his alliances. we see the diplomatic realations with britain, france and russia. we see the battles during the revolutionary war and the decisons whether to sign accords with the british or to continue the fight for liberty

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Summary: Attack and Counterattack 1791-1792 XI
Review: Trash, I'm sure.

To quote Alexander Pope, Alexander Hamilton's favorite poet, "The Dull, flat Falsehood serves for policy; and in the Cunning, Truth itself's a lie".

I write this 199 years after Hamilton's demise at the hands of one supposed Christian, Aaron Burr.

I must refer you to Forrest McDonald's biography of Alexander Hamilton. (See Chapter XII, The duel with Jefferson 1793). Ninety nine percent of Hamilton's biographers are misinformed, misled, mistaken. BROOKEhiser's biography is trash, version 2.2.

Why? Because the writers of the Constitution and the writers of the Declaration had vastly differing views of how government should operate. YOU WOULDN'T HAVE A CONSTITUTION IF IT WEREN'T FOR ALEXANDER. But of course it's been tampered with over the years, of course, legitimately. And if the truth's known, people like Adamns and Jefferson really only wanted their debts to Great Britain cancelled. They and their likes were landed aristocracy who wanted to continue Lording it over the common people.

Hamilton was different. He stellarly fought in the war while fat, but learned folks like Adams sat in Congress. After reading Mr. McCullough's book, read Forrest McDonald's and find out how different they were.

P.S. I'm a Southerner born and bred and a relative of Alexander. I'm very proud to have Hamilton blood flowing through my veins. It's a very noble name for those who rightly see, for those who have the same sense of social justice as Alexander. He hated slavery, but thanks to Jefferson, slavocracy was continued for another 50 YEARS after Britain abolished the system. And of course all Americans know that only a brutal, bloody, lawless, civil war ended it. THE STUFF YOU DON'T LEARN IN AMERICAN HISTORY CLASS!! If only, Americans would wake up and smell the coffee!!

P.S.S. I lied about the 5 star rating, I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone.

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Summary: The Founding Father
Review: For many years Adams was overshadowed by many of the other "founding fathers." This book by David McCullough attempts to redress this balance.

Though not the great writer that Thonas Jefferson was, nor the awe-inspiring figure of Washington, Adams's contribution was more broad and in someways more effective. Without the contribution of John Adams, the passage of the Declaration of Independence might never have happened. While Jefferson was able to distill the essence of the Enlightenment in that remarkable document, Adams was the one who persuaded congress to vote for it. It was the support of Adams the ensured Washington's appointment as commander in chief of the contenental army. Both of these gentlemen owe their later glory to Adams's behind the scenes operations.

In a sense this sort of thing was what Adams excelled. Washington may have led troops in battle (with mixed results) and Benjamin ZFranklin may have charmed the French, but Adams secured loans from Dutch Bankers that made the American Republic a reality.

McCullough's efforts to restore Adams to prominence take all this into account. He clearly admires Adams as person and for his accomplishments. Perhaps his finest hour was when president and managed in defiance of his own party (particularly a dangerously unstable Hamilton), by a mixture of carrots and sticks to keep the peace. While military glory might be the sort of thing to inspire blockbuster history paintings and burnish the reputation with everlasting glory, but Adams knew that America could not win this war and there was scant reason to risk the work of a lifetime (the establishment of the American republic)for war with France. Hamilton seemed to be urging war mainly out of a sense of pique. He would have been at home on many of the TV chat shows today. Hamilton's actions during this period probably are the strongest arguement for euthanising retired politicians, or least urging them to take up a hobby. When Adams left public life he read the classics and did as Voltaire urged, he tended his garden. In this as in many other stages of his life, Adams set a good example.

Adams may have been at his best operating behind the scenes, he was at his worst when leader of the Federalist Party. While MCCullough lauds the insistance of putting principle over party, this did diminish Adams effectiveness as chief executive. He was better at selecting effective subordinates, John Marshall for instance than he was running a political party. If he had sacked George Washington's cabinet (which was filled with Hamilton's cats paws) and selected his own, one wonders how things might have been different.

This book is one of the best on Adams ever written. Although it is not without its flaws. I think McCullough might have been a bit more harsh on Adams over the Alien and Sedition acts. His involvement with these two acts has undermined and overshadowed his reputation for many years. I think that perhaps McCullough's admiration for his subject might have overwhelmed his critical faculties. McCullough also gives short shift to the political writings of John Adams. While not as influental as those of Hamilton and Jefferson (and whose are?), they do represent a kind of halfway house between the two. Filled with a mixture of good sense and scholarship, they deserved more attention. In this area Page Smith's book does a better job in this issue. Despite these shortcomings, I can give this book the highest possible recommendation.

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Summary: Justice Rendered to Under-estimated Overachiever
Review: David McCullough masterfully extracts John Adams from the oblivion into which he has sunk. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, towering figures of the American Revolution, tend to overshadow John Adams. For that reason, some people are inclined to downplay Adams's key contribution to the birth of the United States of America and its nascent development. McCullough follows Adams from his beginnings in Massachusetts to his move to Philadelphia where he quickly took a leading role in the War of Independence against Britain in 1776. Adams, persuasive, hardworking, obstinate and upright, was uncompromising about the need to cut all ties with Britain. In Congress, Adams was the most forward thinking about the risks and opportunities that independence entailed. Abigail, his witty and faithful wife and confidant, was as strong-minded and politically savvy as Adams was. Abigail supported him in his endeavors here and abroad to advance the cause of independence, despite her personal hardship and long absences from her beloved one. McCullough describes with much verve the peregrinations of Adams through Europe to secure money and military support for defeating Albion. Overseas, Adams tirelessly and efficiently worked on the promotion of the American Revolution, often without much guidance from the home front. Benjamin Franklin and John Jay were the other key actors who were involved in that foreign enterprise that ultimately culminated in the Paris Peace Treaty in 1783. After the recognition of the American Independence, Adams served primarily in Paris and London, and occasionally in Amsterdam. Franklin and Jefferson served in France. To his credit, McCullough systematically brings to life the tumultuous, complex relationship between Adams and Jefferson over a period of more than fifty years through a judicious use of their correspondence. Readers clearly understand how different and similar both men were. Like Adams, Jefferson was a "true blue" patriot and family man and could not live without books. Unlike Adams, Jefferson was socially sophisticated and was often not practicing what he was preaching: e.g., slavery, economy, and party politics. McCullough then narrates the two-term vice presidency that Adams assumed under the leadership of President Washington first in New York and then in Philadelphia after his return from Europe in 1788. Adams rightfully found his new, ceremonial position too passive after being in the crux of action for more than a decade. During Adams's second mandate, John Quincy, his favorite son, was nominated minister to the Netherlands where Adams had booked his first success abroad. Quincy, who was not yet thirty years old, was more widely traveled and more fluent in both French and Dutch than any American diplomat yet sent to Europe. McCullough then draws the attention of his audience to show how tight the contest between Adams and Jefferson was for the presidency after Washington's withdrawal. Adams narrowly defeated Jefferson in the Electoral College and became the second President of the nation in 1797. Adams became the first President to serve in Washington after starting his presidency in Philadelphia. Jefferson was elected his Vice President and reduced to a ceremonial role that he did not enjoy at all. However, Jefferson, a skilled political operator, was systematically undermining Adams by playing party politics behind the scenes. Furthermore, most of Adams's closest advisors, whom he inherited from the previous Washington administration and kept too long against his better judgment, were plotting against him. Adams's greatest achievement during his presidency was neutralizing bellicose Alexander Hamilton and avoiding war with both Revolutionary France and Spain in 1800, despite domestic pressure to the contrary and warmongering attitude of his former French ally. On the home front, Adams had the vision to nominate John Marshall, probably the greatest Chief Justice that the country has ever had. The low point of Adams's presidency was his signature of the unconstitutional Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 whose inspiration was a rampant fear of an internal "fifth column." Adams got tired of party politics, above which he stayed during his elected mandate. Adams did not bother to vigorously deny the calumny of treacherous Hamilton and fight full-strength against intriguer Jefferson during the next presidential election. Adams was duly defeated. Shortly after his victory, Jefferson stopped any epistolary exchange with Adams for eleven years. In 1801, Quincy came back with his family to the country after a successful diplomatic career in Europe. Quincy quickly entered politics and successfully followed in the footsteps of Adams. Benjamin Rush, common friend of Adams and Jefferson, helped smooth their strained relationship after convincing Adams to restart a rich correspondence with Jefferson in 1812. Besides writing letters to his friends, Adams read, wrote his autobiography and enjoyed the family life on his ancestral grounds for the rest of his life. Abigail preceded him in death in 1818. Quincy, on his turn, became President in 1824 after a brilliant diplomatic and political career here and in Europe. Adams finally died on July 4, 1826, a few hours after Jefferson succumbed on the same day. By 2016, the nation will hopefully be mature enough to elect a woman as exceptional as Abigail - likely first to the vice presidency and then to the presidency of the United States of America. It is now up to the Republican and Democrat parties to show vision once again and remain truthful to both the letter and spirit of our Declaration of Independence that promotes among other things equality between men and women.

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Summary: Insight about a Great and Underestimated President
Review: John Adams never did get around to publishing an autobiography. He was far too aware of his own vanity to ever finish one to his satisfaction. How refreshing! A self-aware politician too patriotic to pollute the atmosphere with his own self-aggrandizing account of his life! I would say it's sad that he lived two-hundred years ago, but without him, it is likely we would never have formed our own nation under the principles of freedom Adams (and others) promoted. For his efforts and sacrifices, we owe him our thanks and respect.

McCullough's writing ability in this biography makes the length of the book worth the while. If I could, I would read it daily. If you're a student of history, keep a pencil handy when you read this book. It is well-researched, and should be the book of record on the life of John Adams.

McCullough gives us a sympathetic peek at John Adams. A strong and driven man, Adams represented New England libertarian thought like no other. Whatever Adams' vanity amounted to, both he and his political enemies were aware of it. However, EVEN his enemies had to admit that Adams was honest and forthright; there wasn't a mark against his integrity.

Adams' prose in speech and writing, which is often quoted throughout the book, is both reasoned and simply poetic. While not as extravegant as Jefferson's style, Adams showed a warmth for God, his country, his wife Abigail, and his family. Because he knew he was ambitious, his actions were always tempered by his duty to those others he loved. Every politician should read this book and try to emulate the warmth and honesty of John Adams.

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Summary: The Best Book in the World! 14 yrs. old reader
Review: I have never seen (or read) a thick book and actually liked it! But I LOVED this book! It's a very easy read and gives you tons of information. It usually takes me 10 minutes to read 2 pages because there is SO much in it! David McCullough takes a non-fiction person and makes it sound like a fictional story. He weaves his word SO well, and your never lost or confused. I highly recommend this book for anyone 13 and up studying the American Revolution.