John Adams

Additional John Adams Information

In this powerful, epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the adventurous life-journey of John Adams, the brilliant, fiercely independent, often irascible, always honest Yankee patriot -- "the colossus of independence," as Thomas Jefferson called him -- who spared nothing in his zeal for the American Revolution; who rose to become the second President of the United States and saved the country from blundering into an unnecessary war; who was learned beyond all but a few and regarded by some as "out of his senses"; and whose marriage to the wise and valiant Abigail Adams is one of the moving love stories in American history.

Like his masterly, Pulitzer Prize-winning biography Truman, David McCullough's John Adams has the sweep and vitality of a great novel. It is both a riveting portrait of an abundantly human man and a vivid evocation of his time, much of it drawn from an outstanding collection of Adams family letters and diaries. In particular, the more than one thousand surviving letters between John and Abigail Adams, nearly half of which have never been published, provide extraordinary access to their private lives and make it possible to know John Adams as no other major American of his founding era.

As he has with stunning effect in his previous books, McCullough tells the story from within -- from the point of view of the amazing eighteenth century and of those who, caught up in events, had no sure way of knowing how things would turn out. George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, the British spy Edward Bancroft, Madame Lafayette and Jefferson's Paris "interest" Maria Cosway, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, the scandalmonger James Callender, Sally Hemings, John Marshall, Talleyrand, and Aaron Burr all figure in this panoramic chronicle, as does, importantly, John Quincy Adams, the adored son whom Adams would live to see become President.

Crucial to the story, as it was to history, is the relationship between Adams and Jefferson, born opposites -- one a Massachusetts farmer's son, the other a Virginia aristocrat and slaveholder, one short and stout, the other tall and spare. Adams embraced conflict; Jefferson avoided it. Adams had great humor; Jefferson, very little. But they were alike in their devotion to their country.

At first they were ardent co-revolutionaries, then fellow diplomats and close friends. With the advent of the two political parties, they became archrivals, even enemies, in the intense struggle for the presidency in 1800, perhaps the most vicious election in history. Then, amazingly, they became friends again, and ultimately, incredibly, they died on the same day -- their day of days -- July 4, in the year 1826.

Much about John Adams's life will come as a surprise to many readers. His courageous voyage on the frigate Boston in the winter of 1778 and his later trek over the Pyrenees are exploits that few would have dared and that few readers will ever forget.

It is a life encompassing a huge arc -- Adams lived longer than any president. The story ranges from the Boston Massacre to Philadelphia in 1776 to the Versailles of Louis XVI, from Spain to Amsterdam, from the Court of St. James's, where Adams was the first American to stand before King George III as a representative of the new nation, to the raw, half-finished Capital by the Potomac, where Adams was the first President to occupy the White House.

This is history on a grand scale -- a book about politics and war and social issues, but also about human nature, love, religious faith, virtue, ambition, friendship and betrayal, and the far-reaching consequences of noble ideas. Above all, John Adams is an enthralling, often surprising story of one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived.

What Customers Say About John Adams:

It looked like it was still in good shape. John AdamsThe book was shipped with decent shipping time. The content of the book is awesome. It arrived before Christmas so everything was good. My husband loved it even though it was used.

He understood the critical nature of what was happening during the time and that the actions taken at that time would not only influence, but dictate, the future of the country -- and he was willing to sacrifice everything for it. As a reader, I had the compelling sense that I was reading the story precisely as it was, or at the very least, the closest rendition that is now attainable.As to the subject of the book, I can say only that I came away with a sense of respect for John Adams that no other political figure in American history has engendered in me. But it took master craftsmanship to turn this material into one of the best biographies in existence.The story is fascinating. Apart from his extreme patriotism, the importance of Abigail and the relationship with Jefferson were the two overriding themes that were ever-present throughout the book. As a frequent reader of biographical and historical material, I have been offended at the way much of history is colored with political bias and opinion. I cannot now imagine having NOT read this book.

Clearly, the massive corpus of research available -- through John's and Abigail's letters, letters of other family members, Jefferson, and others, made the book possible. In every instance, he put his country first -- sometimes, to a fault -- but his country was his first priority, always. It now seems impossible to me that a person can understand the beginnings of America without having read John Adams.The research and writing are impeccable in every respect. If there is any such bias to be found in this book, I missed it. Read it, read it, read it. The author has made the subject so interesting it is almost impossible to put the book down.

The fluff is nonexistent, with every word being essential and relevant.

As flawed as Mr. What can I say. (and his wife Abigail too by the way) Adams was you can't deny that he was an intragrul part of what made this country great. This was one of those life changing books for me. The lessons that I learned really made me appreciate my american heritage and realize how fragile our democracy is.

All Americans would benefit from reading "John Adams". The first independent nation with a diverse population. This book is a project to read, but worth the time spent with it. Made me even more interested in the men who were responsible for our independence.

His example as opposed to Jeffersons, was that of a responsible father, grandfather, statesman, laywer and citizen always with an eye to how his actions would affect future generations. What struck me as spectacular was that John Adams put as much value in his farm work and his family life as he did in writing the Massachusetts state constitution or being our second President. Anyone who enjoyed the HBO series must also read the book it was based on to truly appreciate the man, his times and the author who penned it all. Growing up in Massachusetts I never felt a connection with John Adams until I read this book. McCullough describes the amazing life of this founding father with a writing style and attention to detail unimaginable for many others.