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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
hornj's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book, and learning more about the Adams. I chose this one because, of the ones on Audible, it seemed the least likely to portray twist Abigail into a modern feminist, and I think Ellis did an ok job on this front. There were certain things he did that I didn't agree with - like when John Adams was fulfilling his duties as a father he was subverting traditional gender roles - but he didn't go too heavy on it. Perhaps Abigail was the ideological mother of feminism, but that doesn't change the fact that she saw her duty as managing the household, while John served his country in the public square.
All I really remembered about Adams' presidency before this was the Alien and Seditions Acts, and this book gave me a wider perspective and more respect for his performance in office. Though like many parts of his life, this book didn't get into all the details, as it was focused on his marriage.
The Adams seem to me to be an example of people who were raised in a post-Puritan New England but who did not understand or accept the reasons for the things that they held to as default. I think you could see examples of this in Abigail's response to Europe and to her daughter's more "modern" child training practices.
There are many worthy aspects of John Adams life and character, but some that stood out to me more starkly were the negative ones. He was a man consumed by ambition, which led him to devote years to public service apart from his family. Ellis argues that his family paid the price, with all of his children, with the possible exception of John Quincy, having tragic life stories.
All I really remembered about Adams' presidency before this was the Alien and Seditions Acts, and this book gave me a wider perspective and more respect for his performance in office. Though like many parts of his life, this book didn't get into all the details, as it was focused on his marriage.
The Adams seem to me to be an example of people who were raised in a post-Puritan New England but who did not understand or accept the reasons for the things that they held to as default. I think you could see examples of this in Abigail's response to Europe and to her daughter's more "modern" child training practices.
There are many worthy aspects of John Adams life and character, but some that stood out to me more starkly were the negative ones. He was a man consumed by ambition, which led him to devote years to public service apart from his family. Ellis argues that his family paid the price, with all of his children, with the possible exception of John Quincy, having tragic life stories.
bookwormmichelle's review
5.0
Well. This is NOT McCullough's John Adams. The book has neither the scope of McCullough's work nor quite as good writing. That said, this is a marvelous contribution to the body of recent work on the Adams family. It says something about the depth of the Adamses themselves and the material they left behind, that one can read half a dozen major books on them and still not be tired of hearing about them. I have long liked Ellis' work nearly as well as McCullough's, and I was delighted with this book. I think Ellis did a very good job of keeping the relationship between John and Abigail central, of elucidating the effects of the relationship upon each of them, and of siting the relationship in the midst of the politics and upheaval of the period. This is not just more treading a too-worn path; this book has its own message and is well worth the read even if one has read McCullough's John Adams, or other books or compilations of John and Abigail's letters. I know Ellis has occasionally been, um, dissed in the professional historical community, but I'm glad he keeps writing good accessible history for the rest of us.
kayba's review
3.0
While I enjoyed the book I was a bit disappointed that it didn't go into as much detail about the family. The title led me to believe there would be detailed information about John & Abigail AND their children. There is much, while interesting, about their relationship as well as their relationship with others outside the family very little is really shared about their children. Why did their son Charles and later son Thomas succomb to alcoholism? Just one of many unanswered questions from the information included by the author.
brimelick's review
4.0
One of the most essential things for any historian who studies the founding era of America should be to read up on all the key figures. As someone who focuses mainly on Thomas Jefferson, it is also critical to understand the surrounding issues and people that directly affect his life. The Adams have always left a lasting mark on American history as one of the strongest political teams, as a married couple they are present in many important scenarios. This book highlights their lives, separately and together, and delves into personal issues through their writings. I loved reading a book on the Adams that also talked a lot about Abigail and her opinions in a world designed for her to be a pawn and nothing more; she decided to be a key player and became her husband's biggest supporter.
nickhinz's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
mindyober83's review
4.0
This well written book gives an in depth look at John & Abigail's partnership from their many letters to each other.
jmdaly95's review
4.0
Book 5 of 40 for 2016
John and Abigail Adams are the original American power couple. Their 54 year marriage and partnership is something we should all strive for. Abigail Adams was an outlier in her generation a woman encouraged by her father and grandfather to read and participate in intellectual discussions though now common place was anything but for women in her generation. And she needed all that intellectual encouragement to take on the challenge of being married to John Adams.
This great read from Joseph Ellis looks at this grand partnership and how it survived and thrived in the many years they were separated by vast distances while the revolution was created and conducted. John was either in Philadelphia or Paris and they communicated by letters that were saved by the family. These 1200 letters provide the story of the revolution and the early government from the Adams perspective.
Abigail was John's true confident and main political advisor not until Eleanor Roosevelt do we see a first spouse as critical to their spouse as Abigail is to John.
If you've read David McCullough's John Adams or even if you've only watch the HBO miniseries based on the book this book is a great followup about the letters they exchanged and the partnership that help create this grand republic.
John and Abigail Adams are the original American power couple. Their 54 year marriage and partnership is something we should all strive for. Abigail Adams was an outlier in her generation a woman encouraged by her father and grandfather to read and participate in intellectual discussions though now common place was anything but for women in her generation. And she needed all that intellectual encouragement to take on the challenge of being married to John Adams.
This great read from Joseph Ellis looks at this grand partnership and how it survived and thrived in the many years they were separated by vast distances while the revolution was created and conducted. John was either in Philadelphia or Paris and they communicated by letters that were saved by the family. These 1200 letters provide the story of the revolution and the early government from the Adams perspective.
Abigail was John's true confident and main political advisor not until Eleanor Roosevelt do we see a first spouse as critical to their spouse as Abigail is to John.
If you've read David McCullough's John Adams or even if you've only watch the HBO miniseries based on the book this book is a great followup about the letters they exchanged and the partnership that help create this grand republic.
buddy524's review
3.0
The strength here is Ellis' ability to be straight forward and present historical events in a completely accessible way. The book did not match the premise. There seems to be a lack of a connection between John and Abigail. At times it read more of a biography of them separately rather than a portrait of their marriage.
texastink's review
4.0
This book offers a fascinating look into the lives, ambitions, and marriage of one of the foremost families of the Revolution era. I found it to be particularly fascinating because it isn't just a re-telling of their life - it offered a sort of "behind-the-scenes" look into their thoughts, attitudes, and motives through use of their copious amounts of letters and journals. As the reader, you aren't just walking through the events of their life, you're journeying into their heart. I also found the book to be very well-written - the words and thoughts flow so nicely together that it made reading both easy and very stimulating.
The book is about 250 pages with only seven chapters - so needless to say, the chapters can be lengthy. There are quite a few sub-headings in each chapter though so it's fairly easy to find a good stopping point. I haven't done much reading or studying on this family of the Revolution so I was very interested to learn more about them and they era they lived through.
One of the main currents of the book (because it was also the main current of their lives) was the preoccupation with fame. John Adams didn't care to have spiritual goals or be consumed with the pursuit of wealth.
"Mere worldly success in terms of wealth was never enough for him; indeed, it was actually dangerous, since wealth inevitably corrupted men and nations by undermining the disciplined habits that produced the wealth in the first place. Making wealth your primary goal, as he saw it, was symptomatic of a second-rate mind destined to die rich but unfulfilled."
Instead of pursuing wealth, John wanted fame. He wanted to be acknowledged as one of the key leaders of the Revolution and founding of this new country. He adamantly considered himself to be such and took issue with anyone who tried to lessen or demean his impact on history. He spent his entire life grasping after what he never could attain - partially because his reputation was damaged by self-centered, egotistical pursuit of his own fame. That passion also took a turn into angry, almost malicious writing when he came across people who either stood in his way or demeaned his impact on society. On his "villians" list were such notable persons as Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson. (though he later reconciled with Jefferson near the end of his life)
It was sad to see his relationship with his children. He was away most of their formative years and without the benefit of modern communication, they lacked a strong bond and friendship. His children lacked his fatherly guidance through much of their young lives. His two younger sons, though showing early promise, ended their lives in dissolution and lost to alcoholism. All the weight of carrying on both his father's mantle of fame and the great family name and legacy rode on the shoulders of their oldest son, John Quincy. Ironically, late in his life, the elder John Adams tried to dissuade his son from following in his footsteps that had led to such turmoil and dissatisfaction - but by then it was too late.
I found the look into Abigail Adam's life quite intriguing. She wasn't confined to society's views of women. She was very educated and well-read for her day and she kept up with and understood politics better than most men of her day. She was an apt helpmate for John, readily able to understand and discuss any policy or opinion of the day. They were true partners together. She also tempered his personality when they were together - she knew how to handle his rantings and oftentimes overly-hard pursuit of fame and a good name. At the same time, Abigail fully embraced her role as wife and mother. She readily accepted her domestic duties and had to run both the family and her household and farm while John was away. At the same time, she never lost her opinionated mind or her personal independence that led her to do things her own way and not always be dictated to by society. While her parenting may not have been the best and her family later fell apart, I found her ability to fully embrace her roles as homemaker and wife while still retaining her personal opinions and individuality to be a great example.
My favorite quote from the book came from Abigail Adams.
"My pen is always freer than my tongue, for I have written many things to you that I suppose I never would have talked."
As an introverted, reflective person that quote really resonated with me. I've often said similar things. If I didn't have the ability to communicate through written word, there would be a lot that I would simply find very difficult or impossible to communicate. For some reason it's easier to write than to talk for me. So I enjoyed that quote - I'm going to have to put it somewhere!
In ending, I really enjoyed this book. It goes much deeper than regular biographies by digging into who they really were and why they were like that while at the same time giving you plenty of information about all the various events that were taking place and shaping their lives. It was a fascinating look into John and Abigail's life and the Revolutionary era and beyond that they helped mold. I would highly recommend this book.
The book is about 250 pages with only seven chapters - so needless to say, the chapters can be lengthy. There are quite a few sub-headings in each chapter though so it's fairly easy to find a good stopping point. I haven't done much reading or studying on this family of the Revolution so I was very interested to learn more about them and they era they lived through.
One of the main currents of the book (because it was also the main current of their lives) was the preoccupation with fame. John Adams didn't care to have spiritual goals or be consumed with the pursuit of wealth.
"Mere worldly success in terms of wealth was never enough for him; indeed, it was actually dangerous, since wealth inevitably corrupted men and nations by undermining the disciplined habits that produced the wealth in the first place. Making wealth your primary goal, as he saw it, was symptomatic of a second-rate mind destined to die rich but unfulfilled."
Instead of pursuing wealth, John wanted fame. He wanted to be acknowledged as one of the key leaders of the Revolution and founding of this new country. He adamantly considered himself to be such and took issue with anyone who tried to lessen or demean his impact on history. He spent his entire life grasping after what he never could attain - partially because his reputation was damaged by self-centered, egotistical pursuit of his own fame. That passion also took a turn into angry, almost malicious writing when he came across people who either stood in his way or demeaned his impact on society. On his "villians" list were such notable persons as Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson. (though he later reconciled with Jefferson near the end of his life)
It was sad to see his relationship with his children. He was away most of their formative years and without the benefit of modern communication, they lacked a strong bond and friendship. His children lacked his fatherly guidance through much of their young lives. His two younger sons, though showing early promise, ended their lives in dissolution and lost to alcoholism. All the weight of carrying on both his father's mantle of fame and the great family name and legacy rode on the shoulders of their oldest son, John Quincy. Ironically, late in his life, the elder John Adams tried to dissuade his son from following in his footsteps that had led to such turmoil and dissatisfaction - but by then it was too late.
I found the look into Abigail Adam's life quite intriguing. She wasn't confined to society's views of women. She was very educated and well-read for her day and she kept up with and understood politics better than most men of her day. She was an apt helpmate for John, readily able to understand and discuss any policy or opinion of the day. They were true partners together. She also tempered his personality when they were together - she knew how to handle his rantings and oftentimes overly-hard pursuit of fame and a good name. At the same time, Abigail fully embraced her role as wife and mother. She readily accepted her domestic duties and had to run both the family and her household and farm while John was away. At the same time, she never lost her opinionated mind or her personal independence that led her to do things her own way and not always be dictated to by society. While her parenting may not have been the best and her family later fell apart, I found her ability to fully embrace her roles as homemaker and wife while still retaining her personal opinions and individuality to be a great example.
My favorite quote from the book came from Abigail Adams.
"My pen is always freer than my tongue, for I have written many things to you that I suppose I never would have talked."
As an introverted, reflective person that quote really resonated with me. I've often said similar things. If I didn't have the ability to communicate through written word, there would be a lot that I would simply find very difficult or impossible to communicate. For some reason it's easier to write than to talk for me. So I enjoyed that quote - I'm going to have to put it somewhere!
In ending, I really enjoyed this book. It goes much deeper than regular biographies by digging into who they really were and why they were like that while at the same time giving you plenty of information about all the various events that were taking place and shaping their lives. It was a fascinating look into John and Abigail's life and the Revolutionary era and beyond that they helped mold. I would highly recommend this book.
elemmire's review against another edition
5.0
Find a history book that is well written and entertaining is difficult. I knew very little about this person until reading this book. Part of me is ashamed to say that being a history buff and an American. But it is true. The letters between these two are amazing. The pain Abigail went through missing her husband is very emotional. I wish I could have heard more from her.