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John Adams | 
 enlarge | Author: David Mccullough
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Category: Book
List Price: $20.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  770 reviews
Sales Rank: 1192
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 768
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.2
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6.1 x 1.5
ISBN: 141657588X
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.44092
EAN: 9781416575887
ASIN: 141657588X
Publication Date: January 29, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BRAND NEW, IN-HOUSE READY TO SHIP!!! NOT A BARGAIN, REMAINDER OR BOOKCLUB BOOK!!! WE ARE A 5 STAR SELLER.
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Amazon.com 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
Product Description
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 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 most moving love stories in American history. 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.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 765 more reviews...
 Deserved attention for John Adams October 15, 2008
Thomas Jefferson and George Washington are well known as founding fathers of the USA. Less well known but at least equally important is John Adams, the second President. David McCullough brings John Adams back to life in this very well-written and mostly easy to understand biography. It is gratifying that such a great man is receiving some well-deserved attention. However, the reader who is unfamiliar with the history of the USA will have some difficulty tying all the pieces together, such as the role of the Continental Congress. Of course, John Adams didn't work alone and McCullough does an admirable job of discussing some of Adams' contemporaries, including Thomas Jefferson. Indeed, this book was to have been a biography of both men but the author decided to focus on Adams. This is made obvious by the text because McCullough spends a disproportionate amount of space on Jefferson. Another key figure in the book is Abigail Adams, John Adams' wife and a remarkable woman in her own right. Unfortunately, McCullough quotes extensively from letters between John and Abigail, but given the changes to English over the past 200 years, this wasn't really meaningful. Interestingly the book ends with a conversation with the author section which was actually quite interesting. Overall this book taught me a lot and was well worth the time investment.
 Page Turner October 8, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I absolutely loved this book! I enjoy reading history and biographies, but as anyone who does the same knows dry and dull writing can simply kill the experience. David McCullough is an amazing writer and honors his philosophy of making history interesting and turning it into a story. The book is very well researched, historically accurate, and interesting to read. I found it a "page turner" and finished the entire book in a very short period of time because it read like a novel and not some try academic tome. To anyone that has an interest in American history and the Founding Fathers you will not be disappointed with this book.
Terrific Book for U.S. History September 25, 2008
John Adams is a wonderful book for anyone studying U.S. History. I have learned just as much ( or more) in this book as in my textbook. The writing is terrific and not boring at all. I have learned all that I ever needed to learn on early American history in this book, and I've enjoyed it! Students could skip the first couple chapters in their text book and learn just as much in John Adams!
John Adams is a fascinating read! September 14, 2008
I had no idea John Adams was such an intelligent and fascinating man! This book not only give insight into his thoughts and ideas about the future of the United States, but also lets us in on the love and admiration he had for his wife, Abigail, who is just as intelligent and fascinating as he is. Their letters to each other just make me sad to think that letter writing is a lost art. This is not a fast read. It needs to be savored for the historical facts and information about this great man and how this country came into being.
John Adams - a much unappreciated man September 10, 2008
Like everyone in America I knew who John Adams was and remembered some few facts concerning him from history classes in school - however, I never knew just how great the man was and how important a part he played in the birth of the United States.
In fact, from the information in this wonderfully written book, it is obvious the United States would not exist had it not been for his tenacity, stubborn determination and his great personal sacrifice along with that of his amazingly strong, loving wife Abigail.
I had always thought Thomas Jefferson to be "the man" of our revolution; I was wrong - it was John Adams!
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