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John Adams
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Binding: Paperback
Edition: 1st Touchstone
Format: Bargain Price
Label: Simon & Schuster
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 752
Publication Date: September 03, 2002
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Release Date: September 03, 2002
Studio: Simon & Schuster
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Editorial Review:
Left to his own devices, John Adams might have lived out his days as a Massachusetts country lawyer, devoted to his family and friends. As it was, events swiftly overtook him, and Adams--who, David McCullough writes, was "not a man of the world" and not fond of politics--came to greatness as the second president of the United States, and one of the most distinguished of a generation of revolutionary leaders. He found reason to dislike sectarian wrangling even more in the aftermath of war, when Federalist and anti-Federalist factions vied bitterly for power, introducing scandal into an administration beset by other difficulties--including pirates on the high seas, conflict with France and England, and all the public controversy attendant in building a nation.
Overshadowed by the lustrous presidents Washington and Jefferson, who bracketed his tenure in office, Adams emerges from McCullough's brilliant biography as a truly heroic figure--not only for his significant role in the American Revolution but also for maintaining his personal integrity in its strife-filled aftermath. McCullough spends much of his narrative examining the troubled friendship between Adams and Jefferson, who had in common a love for books and ideas but differed on almost every other imaginable point. Reading his pages, it is easy to imagine the two as alter egos. (Strangely, both died on the same day, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.) But McCullough also considers Adams in his own light, and the portrait that emerges is altogether fascinating. --Gregory McNamee
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 who spared nothing in his zeal for the American Revolution; who thought, wrote, and spoke out for the "Great Cause" come what might, who traveled far and wide in all seasons and often at extreme risk; who rose to become the second President of the United States and saved the country from blundering into an unnecessary war; who was rightly celebrated for his integrity, 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.
Much about John Adam's life will come as a surprise to many. His rocky relationship with friend and eventual archrival Thomas Jefferson, his courageous voyage on the frigate Boston in the winter of 1778 and his later trek over the Pyrenees are exploits few would have dared and that few listeners will ever forget.
Like his masterful, Pulitzer Prize-winning biography Truman, David McCullough's John Adams has the sweep and vitality of a great novel. This is history on a grand scale -- an audiobook 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, it is an enthralling, often surprising story of one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating: - John Adams
John Adams was fiercely patriotic and complicated and McCullough does an excellent job of relating the man to the reader. Adams friendship with Jefferson was extraordinary considering their diverse political views and it is told well. McCollough at his best.
Rating: - Excellent Book!
It is an excellent book! It is very long, though. It is like reading history and a soap opera, at the same time !! His marriage to Abigail was trully a partnership!! Read it when you have alot of time and quiet,as it is very revering!
Rating: - Should be mandatory High School reading
I don't like to just run with the crowd, but for this book I have to agree with all the 5 stars. I'm a slow reader, and it took me all last summer to finish it, but picking up that book for a few hours everyday was the sweetest part of my day. I hated for it to end! All the real sacrifice and hard work to cobble together a new country and government, all the blood, sweat, tears, terror, joys, and hopes for the future just drench every page. When I went to see the Portrait Gallery in Philadelphia ... Read More
Rating: - John Adams will gain your respect
If you had the basic American History education, you will not even come close to understanding how important John Adams was to the American Revolution and to the development of the United States. Even though this book is thick, your interest will not fail, as his life goes through many stages. I was the most touched by how much John and his wife, Abigail, truly loved each other and expressed it in their letters to each other. I think a book just about Abigail would be just as interesting, as she ... Read More
Rating: - Could Not Put it Down!
Although I know a lot about the founding of the American republic, I was amazed at the depth and reach of David McCullough's work on John Adams. This book, although many pages long, does not overwhelm the reader, rather it brings the reader into the life and times of John, Abagail and their contemporaries. As a fan of McCullough's work, I was not surprised by this superb book, and it deserved every award it received - and more.
If you are interested in American history and great Americans, ... Read More
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