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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
After I got into it, John Adams was very difficult to put down. What an incredible life! His story gives an interesting perspective (that of an absent diplomat) during a number of the foundational events of the US--like the writing and ratification of the constitution. The writing style was a little difficult to handle, as the author uses endless block quotes from the writings of John and Abigail Adams and others; this was a bit jarring. However, the letters are amazing, and I am glad to have read these bits and pieces of them. I was also really interested by the dynamic friendship/rivalry between Adams and Jefferson and how they became close again toward the end of their lives--fascinating.
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I am most acquainted with this book through the 2008 HBO miniseries by the same name. This is the fourth biography I’ve read this year on the American Founding Fathers and so far it’s been my least favorite. It’s not to say that the book was bad or not enjoyable, it's just to say that it isn’t what I was looking for in a biography. I’ve become enamored by the 1970 article by mid-century German political economist, Albert Hirschman, entitled “The Search for Paradigms as a Hindrance to Understanding.” In the article, Hirschman argues that biography (in this case John Womack’s book, Zapata and the Mexican Revolution) can provide a rich description of events in a way that unfolds a deeper understanding of structures and processes around those events.
If this is the standard in which I’m reading biographies, McCullough’s book doesn’t meet them. If left understanding very little about the early development of America, particularly within the rise of growing geopolitical conflicts and revolutions happening at the time. This was disappointing because I looked most forward to this book as Adams wasn’t only the second president of the United States but a diplomat to France, England, and Holland. What is more, I rarely got a sense of the values and beliefs driving Adams, only that he was for American independence and had a realistic sense of nation-building.
Instead, what I walked away with was a deeply intimate portrait of Adams, his family, his friendships, the betrayals, and the reconnections, most notably Adams’s reconnections with Benjamin Rush and Thomas Jefferson in later years. McCullough focuses much of his book on primary texts and places a heavy emphasis on the personal correspondence between Adams, his wife, Abigail, his children, grandchildren, and friends. In addition to the intimate portrait that McCullough paints, he also goes to lengths to provide rich descriptions of seemingly superfluous elements, whether it be the ship he embarked to make his first voyage across the Atlantic or the writing styles he used when writing his letters in his later years. In addition, when important events were focused on, particularly within the Adams’ presidency, such as the declaration of war on France or the passage of the Alen and Seditions Act, they were looked at more through the lens of personal relationships shaping these decisions, rather than the larger historical significance they had.
So, while I enjoyed this book as a narrative replete with vivid storytelling, memorable characters, and a momentous historical setting, I also felt it was inferior to other things I’ve read that balanced more the life of the individual being studied, and the larger historical context in which they operated in.
If this is the standard in which I’m reading biographies, McCullough’s book doesn’t meet them. If left understanding very little about the early development of America, particularly within the rise of growing geopolitical conflicts and revolutions happening at the time. This was disappointing because I looked most forward to this book as Adams wasn’t only the second president of the United States but a diplomat to France, England, and Holland. What is more, I rarely got a sense of the values and beliefs driving Adams, only that he was for American independence and had a realistic sense of nation-building.
Instead, what I walked away with was a deeply intimate portrait of Adams, his family, his friendships, the betrayals, and the reconnections, most notably Adams’s reconnections with Benjamin Rush and Thomas Jefferson in later years. McCullough focuses much of his book on primary texts and places a heavy emphasis on the personal correspondence between Adams, his wife, Abigail, his children, grandchildren, and friends. In addition to the intimate portrait that McCullough paints, he also goes to lengths to provide rich descriptions of seemingly superfluous elements, whether it be the ship he embarked to make his first voyage across the Atlantic or the writing styles he used when writing his letters in his later years. In addition, when important events were focused on, particularly within the Adams’ presidency, such as the declaration of war on France or the passage of the Alen and Seditions Act, they were looked at more through the lens of personal relationships shaping these decisions, rather than the larger historical significance they had.
So, while I enjoyed this book as a narrative replete with vivid storytelling, memorable characters, and a momentous historical setting, I also felt it was inferior to other things I’ve read that balanced more the life of the individual being studied, and the larger historical context in which they operated in.
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
emotional
informative
slow-paced
I’m pretty sure this might be the first biography I’ve actually read, and I think it did suffer from misplaced expectations. I’m on a real “early American politics” kick at the moment, but McCullough is far more interested in Adams’ personality than his politics. Which is fair - it’s a biography after all, and Adams was a very interesting guy - but it does mean he spends twice as long talking about Adams’ time in France than his time as, y’know, President of the United States. Anyway, that aside, it’s a pretty good biography! A bit slow, at times, and probably confusing for someone without previous knowledge of the area, but McCullough offers a vivid and intimate portrait of Adams that I really appreciated. Perfect for people who really like history and really hate Hamilton.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Slavery
Closing this biography after the final page was a little sad. It was saying good bye to a friend whom I was speaking on good terms with every day for the past four weeks. Through David McCullough I got to know John Adams very very well.
For some reason I feel the need to state I am not American. I come from a country (New Zealand) that has a very different colonial history and experience. I went into this biography not knowing much about the American Revolution and the history that surrounds it. If It wasn't for catching a glimpse of the HBO mini series 'John Adams' I would have never picked up McCullough's biography.
'John Adams' is not the perfect introduction into the Declaration of Independence, and its following war, and birth of the United States of America. But McCullough does take you back to the later half of the 18th Century, and vividly, with all its colours and characters. You can almost feel the freezing snow of a Massachusetts winter, the fiery stench of a disease ridden Philadelphia summer. You can hear the extravagance of France ringing like bells, the bustling and swelling streets of Amsterdam, even the coolness and decorum of England. It was a very broad landscape.
McCullough, it is safe to say has a bit of boy crush on Adams. I have this image of McCullough like an excited fan boy running around the 'Adams' papers, all hopping and gleeful, much like a Trecky meeting Leonard Nimoy. McCullough has no pretensions of snobby and high minded objectivity, he admires John Adams in everything he did as well as the other Founding Fathers (especially Thomas Jefferson who at times threatens to over take the bio with his quiet force of personality). Though he tries to defend Adams where ever he can, he still lets his character shine through. This was a man who spoke his mind, no matter what (not a healthy trait in a political/diplomat), he was stubborn and also thought he was right, even when he was wrong. A loveable fanatic.
But I can't get through this review without speaking of Abigail Adams, John's wife. Who was a creature all of her own creation. Independent minded, strong, stoic, and patient, Abigail Adams was John Adam's soul mate in every way shape and form. I could hear her voice loud and clear throughout the biography, she was many ways was John's compass, no matter how far he travelled he would always go home to her.
David McCullough's work has peaked my interest in American Colonial history, something I thought impossible.
For some reason I feel the need to state I am not American. I come from a country (New Zealand) that has a very different colonial history and experience. I went into this biography not knowing much about the American Revolution and the history that surrounds it. If It wasn't for catching a glimpse of the HBO mini series 'John Adams' I would have never picked up McCullough's biography.
'John Adams' is not the perfect introduction into the Declaration of Independence, and its following war, and birth of the United States of America. But McCullough does take you back to the later half of the 18th Century, and vividly, with all its colours and characters. You can almost feel the freezing snow of a Massachusetts winter, the fiery stench of a disease ridden Philadelphia summer. You can hear the extravagance of France ringing like bells, the bustling and swelling streets of Amsterdam, even the coolness and decorum of England. It was a very broad landscape.
McCullough, it is safe to say has a bit of boy crush on Adams. I have this image of McCullough like an excited fan boy running around the 'Adams' papers, all hopping and gleeful, much like a Trecky meeting Leonard Nimoy. McCullough has no pretensions of snobby and high minded objectivity, he admires John Adams in everything he did as well as the other Founding Fathers (especially Thomas Jefferson who at times threatens to over take the bio with his quiet force of personality). Though he tries to defend Adams where ever he can, he still lets his character shine through. This was a man who spoke his mind, no matter what (not a healthy trait in a political/diplomat), he was stubborn and also thought he was right, even when he was wrong. A loveable fanatic.
But I can't get through this review without speaking of Abigail Adams, John's wife. Who was a creature all of her own creation. Independent minded, strong, stoic, and patient, Abigail Adams was John Adam's soul mate in every way shape and form. I could hear her voice loud and clear throughout the biography, she was many ways was John's compass, no matter how far he travelled he would always go home to her.
David McCullough's work has peaked my interest in American Colonial history, something I thought impossible.
Beautifully detailed and written. I learned so much. McCullough is the greatest storyteller of his time.
DNF 40% since we aren’t continuing homeschool and my interest isn’t high enough to read on my own (as a fiction lover). There is an abridged version of this audiobook which was about half the length; I wish I had chosen that one since this one was exceptionally long. There’s also a HBO mini series based off this book and they follow each other very closely. I didn’t love the narrator for this one.