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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
This well written book gives an in depth look at John & Abigail's partnership from their many letters to each other.
I felt like this was a great introduction into the lives of the Adams.
I absolutely loved this book. Here's yet another example of a much better work of history than "The Lincolns: Portrait of a Marriage." Ellis demonstrates how to write about the marriage of a famous historical couple without delving into hypothesis and speculation.
Granted, Ellis had a lot more historical documents and other evidence to work with. I love the fact that the Adams specifically retained their letters, even going so far as to write multiple copies. (This, as opposed to Martha Washington burning her entire correspondence with George.)
I haven't thought out this review as well as the book deserves.
I will state that it is well written with only occasional "cringe" moments. (For me, those are moments in the book where I cringe because the author has veered slightly...or sometimes much more than slightly...off the path of excellent historiography. No author is perfect. All historical works will have these moments.)
I like it so much that not only do I recommend it, but I also plan to add it to my wish list for my own personal library.
Granted, Ellis had a lot more historical documents and other evidence to work with. I love the fact that the Adams specifically retained their letters, even going so far as to write multiple copies. (This, as opposed to Martha Washington burning her entire correspondence with George.)
I haven't thought out this review as well as the book deserves.
I will state that it is well written with only occasional "cringe" moments. (For me, those are moments in the book where I cringe because the author has veered slightly...or sometimes much more than slightly...off the path of excellent historiography. No author is perfect. All historical works will have these moments.)
I like it so much that not only do I recommend it, but I also plan to add it to my wish list for my own personal library.
Such a great book to start off the new year! Nice to finally read something that gives Abigail just as much time in the spotlight as John. Would 10/10 recommend the audio book!
Since I love John and Abigail Adams, I was pretty sure I would enjoy this book - and I did. There were some sections where some extra editing would have been good (repeated phrases, some confusing chronology), but overall, a great addition to my bookshelf (I actually bought this one - first book purchase in over a year (and I used a gift card, so it doesn't really count...))
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.