the captivating and often unexpected life story of one of the most significant and intriguing Americans in history, John Adams.
The exciting life story of John Adams, the brilliant, fiercely independent, frequently irascible, and always honest Yankee patriot—"the colossus of independence," as Thomas Jefferson dubbed him—is told in this powerful, epic biography by David McCullough. Adams spared no effort in his fervor for the American Revolution, went on to become the second President of the United States, and prevented the nation from plunging into needless war. Though he was considered "out of his senses" by some, he was far more learned than most, and his union with the brave and wise Abigail Adams is one of the most touching love stories in American history.
David McCullough's biography of John Adams, like his Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork Truman, has the scope and energy of a great book. Drawn in large part from an exceptional archive of letters and diaries belonging to the Adams family, it is both a vivid depiction of his period and a captivating portrayal of a man full of humanity. Specifically, the over a thousand extant letters between John and Abigail Adams—nearly half of which have never been made public—offer unprecedented access to their personal life and allow readers to get to know John Adams unlike any other prominent figure from his founding age.
McCullough narrates the tale from inside, as he has done so well in his earlier novels, focusing on the perspectives of individuals living during the extraordinary eighteenth century and those who, being caught up in the moment, had no way of predicting how things would end. Notable figures in this expansive history include John Quincy Adams, the beloved son whom Adams would live to see become President, as well as 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 scandal-mongering James Callender, Sally Hemings, John Marshall, Talleyrand, and Aaron Burr.
The connection between Adams and Jefferson, two born opposites who are short and thick and tall and spare, respectively, is central to the plot, as it was to history. Adams is the son of a Massachusetts farmer, while Jefferson is the aristocrat and slave owner from Virginia. Jefferson shied away from controversy; Adams welcomed it. Jefferson had very little sense of humor; Adams, plenty. However, they had a similar level of loyalty to their nation.
They were fervent co-revolutionaries at first, then good friends and fellow ambassadors. With the formation of the two political parties, they became into fierce competitors and even foes during the furious 1800 presidential contest—possibly the bloodiest election in history. Subsequently, miraculously, they reestablished their friendship, and finally, unbelievably, they passed away on July 4, 1826, their "day of days."
There are numerous things regarding John Adams's life that readers may not know. Few would have ventured and few readers would ever forget his valiant expedition aboard the frigate Boston in the winter of 1778 or his subsequent trip across the Pyrenees.
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 a novel about politics, war, and social concerns, but it's also about human nature, love, religion, morality, ambition, friendship, betrayal, and the far-reaching effects of good ideals. It's history on a grand scale. Above all, John Adams tells the captivating and often unexpected tale of one of the most significant and intriguing Americans in history.