"John Adams"

A superlative and perhaps unsurpassed account of the life of the second President of the United States. John Adams was devoted to the cause of independence for the 13 colonies once it became apparent that they were not to be allowed representation in the British parliament. A most fateful and stupid decision which, when we look at what’s happened in Europe over the last 100 or so years, the two world wars and now with Trump sidling up to Putin, the United States could, and should’ve been part of the greater United Kingdom. Would the Kaiser and then Hitler had dared to take us on…? A brilliant narrative that reads like a novel at times, that is also unputdownable portrays Adams as a man ahead of his time, a true statesman and the President that every President thereafter should model his or herself on. 5 stars.

Rarely have I read a book where, as I come to the end I am saddened that I must leave the character(s) and read of them no more. This is no dry historical record. McCullough has written as if he had been present at the time. I enjoyed this book from cover to cover. I had no prior knowledge of John Adams, having first encountered him when I was enthralled by the HBO mini-series with Paul Giamatta as Mr. Adams. The size of the book when it arrived was somewhat daunting. However the easy style of writing and the layout made for a fascinating insight into one of the chief movers of the Declaration of Independence, as well as Washington, Jefferson and Franklin. From birth to death we follow John Adams in his single-minded approach to life, which didn't always assist him in his endeavours. We can be thankful that he and his wife, Abigail were prolific, detailed and eloquent letter writers as the author had a treasure trove of material from which to gain an insight into their personalities, relationships and the times they lived in. The horror of his daughter Nabby undergoing a mastectomy without anesthetic is an example of the tough times people endured without our modern inventions. Adams, perhaps like no other President in the history of America travelled extensively BEFORE he became president, established the first American mission in The Hague, secured funding for the new born republic, was ambassador to the Court of St. James, vice-president and then President. It was remarkable to learn that on the day of his departure from the White House, he caught the public stagecoach at 4am for Baltimore. Can we imagine Obama catching the 4am bus as he leaves the White House? Fascinating insight after fascinating insight. I cannot rate this book highly enough. The 18th century truly was a time of tumultuous changes in America and Europe and that so many 'famous' Americans lived in that period and were players in the times they lived in is truly remarkable. Buy the book. Take your time. Enjoy the eloquence of the letter writing. Read of a life lived to the full and to the end!

Like all David McCullough's books, this one doesn't disappoint. It's the story of John Adams, America's second, and underappreciated, President. It's a biography and not an in depth look at the historical and political issues surrounding his life, so you'll have to have a good working knowledge of the events surrounding the American Revolution. But it will surprise you too. The 4th of July is the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, a day every school child in America knows. But it was actually 2 July when Americans declared their independence and the day Adams thought would be the "most memorable epocha in the history of America." And I was equally surprised to know that Adams represented the British(!) in the trial of the Boston Massacre, that famous moment of British tyranny before the Revolution. As a child, learning about the Revolution in school, it seemed almost inevitable to me that the Americans would win. Until I read this book, I never appreciated how close America came to losing and how many promiment colonial men supported the Tory cause! It's an amazing book, well written, and brings to life one of America's greatest statesmen. It's also a bit irreverant when it comes to that other great statesman, Thomas Jefferson! Adams has always taken second place behind those prominent and celebrated leaders (Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, among others), but McCullough shows us that Adams was much more than he has been remembered for. I would highly recommend it (as I would any of his other books). Five stars is not enough.

A very well written book which covers a momentous period in American history. John Adams contribution to the early development of the USA was incredible.

David McCullough has done it again! McCullough, the Pulitzer Prize winning author of several previous superb works of history and biography (most notably, "Mornings on Horseback," "The Path Between the Seas," and "Truman"), has written a wonderfully well rounded picture of a man to whom every American owes a tremendous debt of gratitude. John Adams' many contributions to establishing this great Nation of ours, and the freedoms we cherish, are incalculable. He was indeed, in the words of Thomas Jefferson, the "colossus of American independence." "John Adams" is literate, elegant in tone, entertaining, and, above all, highly informative. It's not, however, your typical Presidential biography. In this masterful book, there's much less emphasis on the political career of its subject, and more weight given to Adams' personal life. And it was indeed an extraordinary life! In 1735 John Adams is born into a middle class family in Quincy, Massachusetts. During his childhood and youth, his father decides upon a career in the ministry for his son; but John has other plans. He wants to become a lawyer. After attending Harvard, he practices law intermittently until the outbreak of the American Revolution. During the years before the war, he meets and marries the great love of his life, Abigail Smith Adams. Throughout their long lives together, this extraordinary woman remains a tremendously positive influence on him. Adams is one of the earliest to realize the inevitability of American independence from Britain. His arguments in favor of independence are always lucid, logical, easy to understand, and have broad popular appeal. Adams' service to America continues throughout the Revolutionary War years and beyond. He serves as an American delegate to the Paris Peace conference, and, after the war, as an American minister in Europe. In 1788, Adams is recalled to the United States, after faithfully serving his country in the courts of Europe for nearly eight years, three of them separated from his beloved Abigail and their children. Later in 1788, he is elected Vice President of the United States, an office he holds for the next eight years. Finally, in 1796, he is elected President of the United States. It is the first contested election in American history. Adams' Presidency is marked by two notable achievements, one of them positive and the other negative. In what Adams considered his greatest accomplishment, he prevents a war with France over the issue of French privateers attacking American ships. His most negative achievement is the signing of the Alien and Sedition Acts, a set of laws that gave the President the legal right to expel any foreigner he considered dangerous, and made "writing against the government, Congress, or President... crimes punishable by fines and imprisonment." Adams' four years as Chief Executive are also marked by political wrangling unknown in America up to that time. Throughout his term, he is hounded by his political enemies. Foremost among them is Thomas Jefferson, a former friend and the leader of the newly created "Republican" party. Jefferson accuses the Federalist Adams of having "monarchical" tendencies; of advocating a pro-British foreign policy; and of attempting to destroy the republic by concentrating power in a strong central government. Adams is unable to fight back effectively against these charges. In 1800, he loses his bid for re-election to Jefferson. The last quarter-century of Adams' life is spent in relative obscurity in Quincy. During this period, he experiences tremendous sadness and joy. His son Thomas dies prematurely from alcoholism, and daughter Nabby dies from cancer at age 49. His beloved Abigail follows their children to the grave a few years later, leaving Adams alone after over 50 years of marriage. Adams is consoled by a renewed friendship with his old nemesis, Thomas Jefferson. They will carry on a decade-long correspondence that heals old wounds. In 1824, John Adams experiences perhaps the moment of pride in his nearly nine decades-long life: he sees his son, John Quincy Adams, become President of the United States. In one of the great historical ironies of all time, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson - the last surviving signers of the Declaration of Independence - will die on the same day: July 4, 1826. It is the 50th anniversary of the adoption of that immortal document that both labored so hard to help create. When I picked up "John Adams" for the first time, I hadn't really paid much attention to the historical figure who became the second President of the United States. After all, the career of this short, stocky, seemingly colorless man, whose one term as President was marked by controversy, political wrangling, and an apparent lack of great accomplishment, was nowhere as interesting as the careers of our more famous and charismatic Founding Fathers. "John Adams" filled in many gaps in my knowledge of this great man. From this magnificent and highly informative book, I learned not only many facts about Adams' life that I didn't know before, but I also learned about the kind of man Adams was. McCullough goes to great lengths to give readers a glimpse of the true character of this extraordinary man. As with all books authored by David McCullough, "John Adams" is brilliantly written with McCullough's trademark mellifluous, elegant prose. The book reads more like a well crafted historical novel than a straight biography. Readers will find it lively and entertaining on every page. "John Adams" is the finest biography of America's second President available to general readers. Scholarly yet not stuffy, well researched, brilliantly organized, and eloquently written, it brings to life the man who rightfully belongs in the pantheon of the greatest Americans of all time. Read and enjoy!

Uno dei più bei libri che io abbia mai letto. Emozionante, avvincente. Scritto con maestria ed accuratezza. E poi John Adams. Una vita incredibile, un uomo che diede, e dà ancora, lustro al suo Paese, al quale dedicò tutta la sua vita con devozione, senso del dovere ed equilibrio. Un esempio anche oggi, tremendamente attuale, per l'amore che profuse per la libertà, la democrazia e la pace, che ricercò sempre lottando strenuamente e incessantemente per ottenerle. Un grande uomo che McCullough, un maestro in questo campo, ha saputo valorizzare egregiamente. Indimenticabile.

I saw the series on DVD and was totally entertained. For a history buff like myself, David McCullough is the best. kk

John Adams foi o primeiro vice-presidente e o segundo presidente dos Estados Unidos. Disputou a reeleição e perdeu para seu vice, Thomas Jefferson. Anos depois seu filho, John Quincy Adams se elegeu presidente e igualmente só conseguiu um mandato. Adams, o pai, foi indiretamente responsável pelo nascimento do controle de constitucionalidade das leis, que surgiu durante a presidência de Thomas Jefferson (1803/1811) e pelas mãos do Chief Justice (Presidente) da Suprema Corte dos Estados Unidos, John Marshall. Ocorre que um ato de Adams não foi implementado na presidência de Jefferson o que motivou o ajuizamento de um Mandado de Segurança, que teve como autor William Marbury e "réu" os Estados Unidos, representado pelo então Secretário de Estado James Madison, daí o caso Marbury v. Madison (1803). No livro "Suprema Corte dos Estados Unidos - Principais Decisões" (Atlas, 4a edição, 2021) o autor João Carlos Souto discorre minuciosamente sobre o tema, dedicando-lhe todo o capítulo II. Com relação ao livro de David McCullough, é um clássico, escrito por quem conhece a fundo a História/EUA e escreve com clareza e objetivdade.