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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
inspiring
medium-paced
This biography and Franklin's has me obsessed with early American history. Catch up on what you missed throughout your high school education. This is an awesome read.
John Adams is our most underappreciated founding father, or at least that's what I now believe after reading McCullough's brilliant, beautifully-written biography! McCullough takes the mythology out of our national origin story and presents an honest appraisal of this all-too-human group of brilliant agitators and nation builders. Although Adams may have been vain, ambitious and a bit touchy at times, his integrity, intellect and work ethic put the likes of Jefferson, Hamilton and Franklin to shame. And none of them had a wife like Abigail!
David McCullough could make anyone interesting, I think, but I did enjoy these hundreds of pages about one of the founding fathers I knew next to nothing about. I liked learning about the personal relationships with Jefferson and Franklin, and others. Abigail was one smart gal--maybe would have been the Hillary Clinton of her day if women had been allowed to do such things.
I turned the last page of this book with an aching heart. For me, finishing this book was akin to losing a loved one.
Through these pages, David McCullough introduced to me two very dear friends, John and Abigail, and it was difficult to part with them.
The most endearing aspect of this epic biography was how McCullough brought these people to life in such a way that you completed the book feeling as if you really KNEW the subjects' hearts, rather than merely being able to spout off statistics about the various important points of their lives.
That being said, I did not finish the book lacking any knowledge on the Adams' family. McCullough's research resonated with every page, and his ability to effortlessly weave facts almost seamlessly into the background of his overarching narrative is simply stunning. Hence, the Pulitzer, I guess.
I left this book with a much richer understanding of our nation, our founding fathers, our political system, our future, and, of course, our national treasures that are John and Abigail Adams. While Adams might not have been the most "intellectual" of our nation's founders (a title that could go to Jefferson), or the most "commanding" (as would be said of George Washington), I would consider him the most impressive.
His character defied the odds. He believed in doing what was right, rather than what was popular or easy or what would bring him prosperity. From the beginning of his career, he demonstrated this, most notably in his defense of the British soldiers involved in the so-called Boston Massacre.
Then he demonstrated it again in his representation of America abroad, where he did everything from ensuring vital financial loans from the Dutch to helping negotiate the peace treaty with England to serving as the first American ambassador presented before the "tyrant" King against whom he had rebelled.
And finally, Adams demonstrated this during his Presidency (with, of course, the exception of the Alien and Sedition Acts, which are an unfortunate blot on his otherwise stellar career.)
He did all of this without regard for his safety (as evidenced by the King's call for his death) or without regard for his family's stability (as evidenced by his countless years apart from his wife and children.)
Yet he did this because of his insanely urgent desire to serve, despite the fact that he could have made more money as a lawyer.
Finally, I was most impressed by his conviction of character, in that, as one previous reviewer has said, his actions aligned with his conscience. He despised slavery, so he did not keep slaves. He despised debt, so he lived within his means. He despised politicking, so he always supported the people in power, despite ideological differences. (All of this cannot be said with any measure of truth about other founding fathers, particularly Jefferson.) Adams was an honest man of pure integrity, and his contributions to our nation are absolutely priceless.
In conclusion, McCullough has given me a great gift in this book, and it's one I really will cherish many times over.
Through these pages, David McCullough introduced to me two very dear friends, John and Abigail, and it was difficult to part with them.
The most endearing aspect of this epic biography was how McCullough brought these people to life in such a way that you completed the book feeling as if you really KNEW the subjects' hearts, rather than merely being able to spout off statistics about the various important points of their lives.
That being said, I did not finish the book lacking any knowledge on the Adams' family. McCullough's research resonated with every page, and his ability to effortlessly weave facts almost seamlessly into the background of his overarching narrative is simply stunning. Hence, the Pulitzer, I guess.
I left this book with a much richer understanding of our nation, our founding fathers, our political system, our future, and, of course, our national treasures that are John and Abigail Adams. While Adams might not have been the most "intellectual" of our nation's founders (a title that could go to Jefferson), or the most "commanding" (as would be said of George Washington), I would consider him the most impressive.
His character defied the odds. He believed in doing what was right, rather than what was popular or easy or what would bring him prosperity. From the beginning of his career, he demonstrated this, most notably in his defense of the British soldiers involved in the so-called Boston Massacre.
Then he demonstrated it again in his representation of America abroad, where he did everything from ensuring vital financial loans from the Dutch to helping negotiate the peace treaty with England to serving as the first American ambassador presented before the "tyrant" King against whom he had rebelled.
And finally, Adams demonstrated this during his Presidency (with, of course, the exception of the Alien and Sedition Acts, which are an unfortunate blot on his otherwise stellar career.)
He did all of this without regard for his safety (as evidenced by the King's call for his death) or without regard for his family's stability (as evidenced by his countless years apart from his wife and children.)
Yet he did this because of his insanely urgent desire to serve, despite the fact that he could have made more money as a lawyer.
Finally, I was most impressed by his conviction of character, in that, as one previous reviewer has said, his actions aligned with his conscience. He despised slavery, so he did not keep slaves. He despised debt, so he lived within his means. He despised politicking, so he always supported the people in power, despite ideological differences. (All of this cannot be said with any measure of truth about other founding fathers, particularly Jefferson.) Adams was an honest man of pure integrity, and his contributions to our nation are absolutely priceless.
In conclusion, McCullough has given me a great gift in this book, and it's one I really will cherish many times over.
To be fair, I read the abridged for audio version. The book felt choppy and there was not a solid thread through the entire story.
Quotable:
"There are persons whom in my heart I despise, others I abhor. Yet I am not obliged to inform the one of my contempt, nor the other of my detestation. This kind of dissimulation...is a necessary branch of wisdom, and so far from being immoral...that it is a duty and a virtue."
"There are persons whom in my heart I despise, others I abhor. Yet I am not obliged to inform the one of my contempt, nor the other of my detestation. This kind of dissimulation...is a necessary branch of wisdom, and so far from being immoral...that it is a duty and a virtue."
This book took FOREVER to finish. I listened to all 26 CD's and finally finished yesterday and it was well worth the time spent. Excellent biography about the second US president and his role as a Founding Father of our great nation. He was very instrumental in ensuring our current government system of checks and balances was in place. He also played a vital role in suggesting George Washington as the first President and in getting the Continental Congress to ratify the Declaration of Independence. McCullough presented people through letters and other documents. His relationship with Abigail and his family was also very insightful. GREAT book!
