A review by rebecca76
First Family: Abigail and John by Joseph J. Ellis, John Adams, Abigail Adams

3.0

A book that looks at the intimate relationship, partnership of one of America's founding couples. This book shows the private struggles and thoughts of a couple as a country is born. John's torn loyalty between family man and patriotic duty and the guilt he carried for choosing Country. Abigail's desire to have her partner home and her duty to his career and the new country, choosing country and accepting long absents and depression as the price . Showing people often seen as remote, flirting, discussing mundane topics, worrying about family and discussing the fate of a new nation. This book makes hisorical figures human, their grief as their children died before them, their joy in each other, their worry over the future and finally the loss of a spouse reminds us The Great Founding Generation were humans often making it up as they went along.