John Adams by David McCullough
A New Hero For Me
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 McCulloughs 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
Features:
Title: John Adams by David McCullough
Pages: 656
Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 2 ½ years
Days spent reading it: 10 days.
Why I read it: I read 1776 by David McCullough and really enjoyed it. I
thought I might like his biography of John Adams as well.
Brief review: I am not usually a biography person. David McCullough is
changing my mind. John Adams is a phenomenal account of one of our
founding fathers. McCullough, rightly, throws us right into the American
Revolution and fills in John Adams' back story as the biography
progresses. McCullough is in control of the story the whole time. He
masterfully weaves the primary sources of John Adams' life into the
narrative. There is enough to keep us in touch with how the characters
themselves felt, but not so much to overwhelm the reader.
John Adams' story really is remarkable. I was totally drawn into Adams'
world. In this biography you feel his triumphs, and his failures. If there is
anything that falls short in McCullough's telling, it is tha t we love Adams too
much. Even though Adams has faults, it is difficult for the reader to
recognize those faults or accept them.
There were a number of highlights in this book for me. First, it is interesting
to see that the political scene during Adams' day had striking similarities to
today. Newspapers were one-sided. Politicians were accused of (and
committed) adultery. This sometimes ruined or advanced their careers.
Political parties made clear lines that hurt the nation, fighting for their party
instead of what is right for America as a whole. The world seemed like it
was in moral decay. There were even boring sermons, and thankfully
some not so boring . And I could say something about the French (like
here), but I'll (sort of) refrain.
Second, issues surrounding the Civil War were not absent from the
founding of the country. The North/South divide was evident even in the
founding of the nation. There were issues of economics, culture, slavery,
and state's rights even in the beginning. They would si mply come to a
head in the Civil War. Slavery especially was a real issue during this time.
One question that is constantly raised, but never resolved, is: How could
men like Jefferson and (gasp!) even Washington promote the God-given
freedom of all men, but kept slaves even until their deaths? Adams did not
have slaves and abhorred the idea. He was true to his principles even
when it was not popular or advantageous. I respect that a lot.
This biography was fantastic. I loved reading it from start to finish. I think
McCullough has a master's touch in writing history. He really pulls us into
the time period. Through his writing I felt like I was actually there. I would
definitely recommend this book to anyone. It is a must read for history
lovers. And in truth, it is a book that inspires. Adams' history is America's
history. Here was a man who gave everything for his country, and laid the
foundation for the freedom America enjoys today. If you take the time to
read this tome (and it is pretty long), you will definitely be rewarded. It is
rich with lessons about life and liberty that we can all apply to our lives. I
highly recommend.
Favorite quote: [In commenting about the French Revolution]: "But he had
'learned by awful experience to rejoice with trembli ng.' He could not accept
the idea of enshrining reason as religion, as desired by the philosophes. 'I
know not what to make of a republic of thirty million atheists.'"
Stars: 5 out of 5.
Final Word: Revolutionary.
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