Rating: 
Summary: A Walk into History
Review: This is a terrific book, providing much more information about Adams than I had ever known in the past. Clearly well researched, the real joy of the book is found in the descriptive letters exchanged by John and Abigail Adams. The love the two of them shared is powerful, and the mutual respect is obvious. The presentation of these letters allow the reader to feel a connection with the Adams that a regular history book would not allow. John Adams' love for his family and his country is clear as one reads this book. You share in his adventures and his defeats. The relationship between him and Jefferson also is interesting as the book shows the tension that exsisted between the two men, as well as the respect. I highly recommend this book.
Rating: 
Summary: JOHN ADAMS, THE UNDER-RATED FOUNDING FATHER
Review: In recent years, there has been much written about John Adams, one of the founding fathers and, of course, our second president. For many years, Mr. Adams' reputation as a founder, diplomat, politician and statesman has been overshadowed by other, more charismatic leaders. A New England country lawyer, Mr. Adams was typically presented, in history classes, as a provincial politician, curmudgeon family man and second rate diplomat, particularly in comparison with such charismatic men as Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. In an era where style overshadows substance, the resurgence of Mr. Adams' reputation is indicative of the recognition of the inherent greatness of the man.JOHN ADAMS, by David McCullough presents an engaging and articulate biography of this remarkable individual. As with Mr. McCullough's other biographies (TRUMAN, e.g.), the author provides both professional and personal insight into the man, neither placing the subject on a pedestal, nor glossing over his human frailties. A theme of "personal integrity" in matters public and private presents Mr. Adams, not as a relic of late 18th century America, but as a living, breathing human being, with virtues and flaws as immediate today as they were during those early days of the republic. One of the most engaging aspects of this book is the comparison between Adams and Jefferson. Both men emerge as "two sides of the same coin," with love of country as the common bond. Their friendship ultimately epitomizes the concept of "agreeing to disagree." Unlike his more charismatic friend, Mr. Adams' intellect and brilliance often remain hidden beyond a presentation of stolid New England character. This book is highly recommended for those seeking a thorough understanding of Mr. Adams and his times. For those who wish to read further, there is another excellent biography, JOHN ADAMS: A LIFE, by John Ferling.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing read!!!
Review: It's hard to say where to start on reviewing this gem. I have found that it is indeed a rarity when a history ("Yuch!! Not History!") book falls into the category of "hard to put down."
This one does!
What Mccullough has skillfully acomplished deserves merit: He has combined the task of bringing a (relatively) little known figure to life, both personally and politically, while making the narrative appealing to those readers who previously cared little for our second President, much less American history itself.
Tough task.
Mccullough blends Adam's interactions with the key players of the late 18th and early 19th century, namely, Jefferson, Washington,as well as some European diplomats, and how these relationships changed, both for the better and worse, during the events of the time.
My only criticism, albeit a small one, was Mccullough devoting only one or two sentences to the Hamilton/Burr duel.
Perhaps I'm being picky here.
For anyone interested in American history, I need not recommend this book; they no doubt have already devoured it; for those skeptical about finding anything enlightening about our second President, pull up a chair and give your TV a rest.
Rating:
Summary: Godfather Of Our Country
Review: John Adams is perhaps the least studied founding father of our country, yet I believe he probably had the greatest impact. No matter which theatre of the American revolution might draw the most attention, if you look closely you will see Adams` hand was certainly involved. Be it choosing the head of our army, international negotiations, financial securities, or the writing of the Declaration itself, John Adams was there. He sacrificed more of himself for the cause than any other patriot of his time. He was not the First American, he was not the Father Of Our Country, nor did he write The Declaration of Independence. However he did accomplish more for the good of the 'nation yet to be' before he was even voted President of the new United States.
I believe David McCullough has finally done justice to a most deserving soul. After reading this book one discovers the true meaning of patriotism.
Rating:
Summary: :How, but not why
Review: Mr McCullough did lots of very hard work studing an interesting subject. Adam's life and his relationships with his contemporaries are covered in excellent detail. This makes a good reference as to what Adams did when and with whom. The essential Adams, however is missing. Why did Adams make revolution? Why did he risk his neck for the goal of independence? We follow Adams through some scary times and had work, but his reasons are as mysterious at the end of the book as they are at the begining. McCullough recognizes that there fundimentals to Adams. He makes mention of these things when he is contrasting Adams to Jefferson, whose essentials are almost diametricly opposed to Adams. Why then were these men allies? McCullogh never bothers to ask. How Adams got along with Jefferson is an essential part of the story. Adams's moral code of standing for right but being 'christian' explains his forgiving Jefferson, but where this code came from or how Adams felt about it arent' covered at all. This is an enjoyable book, and it was a fast read, but there is something missing that would make it a great book
Rating:
Summary: The only biography I ever read that I couldn't put down!
Review: Working a very intense job in the high tech industry, I pick and choose what I can read during my brief vacation with great care. This biography was the cornerstone of my vacation reading this year. I literally could not put it down once I started. Mr. McCullough is a master at leveraging the amazing content of the letters between the Adamses (and others)to weave a spell that takes the modern reader squarely into the events of this time.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Man
Review: Mr.McCullough has done the almost impossible. He sticks to his subject. We are so used to hearing more about other founding fathers, that it takes us by surprise when McCullough actually writes about JOHN ADAMS. Yes, the other guys are mentioned too, but only in light of their relationship to John Adams. Adams' interactions with and views of Jefferson, Washington, Franklin, Hamilton and others shed light on them that we probably have not seen before. The author's ability to stick with his subject is more than commendable--its as honorable as the subject himself. I was very grateful for all the new insights into this plain, if vain, simple man whose integrity was impeccable. Nation-making is no simple task. America was far more fortunate than it knew to have John Adams as a Founding Father, and we are now most fortunate to have this fine biography. I was also happy that I didn't have to wade through the long history of all his ancestors for the first five chapters of the book. We learn all about John Adams and family, but McCullough inserts the information in an unobtrusive, pleasant way. I was also pleased to read how well John and Abagail educated their son, John Quincy, who would become our sixth president. This is a fine book.
Rating:
Summary: History Review
Review: I am just truly enjoying this book. It is full of those important historical events that made our United States the place it is today. It also has a lot of those interesting little tidbits of information in the way of correspondences that make for a great read. I am learning my US history all over again and loving it.
Rating:
Summary: A Giant of a Man
Review: Every once in a while a biography of an historical personage blazes across the horizon that makes a reader sit up, wide-eyed, and take notice. And, if the reader is lucky, this biography will catapult him or her into a sort of time machine where events of the past are vividly experienced in the present and persons from the antique pages of history will become intimate acquaintances. Such is the magnificent biography of John Adams by David McCullough. As a long-time admirer of Adams and the Revolutionary War period, I naively thought that there wasn't much left to know - that is, until I started reading this book. Mr. McCullough has masterfully hitched the dates and facts to the human element, some of the facts newly "discovered" and riveting in their "newness". It is clear that Mr. Adams and Mr. McCullough are on intimate terms and that Mr. McCullough is also well acquainted with the myriad of people who walked in Adams's world, people who, up until now, have basically remained only names in history books, their painted faces staring out from the "photo section" of historical biographies. John Adams - just the name evokes patriotic feelings, but no biography of this Founding Father that I have yet read brings this larger-than-life man into greater focus. He was one of America's giants. He knew everyone of consequence during this troubled and vibrant era and was never shy about expressing his decided opinions. Some of the time the reader wants to argue with him and at other times, take him into an embrace and hug the daylights out of him. You might not agree with everything Mr. Adams pontificates about, but you have to admire the man for having the nerve (in many instances) of voicing his thoughts! John Adams was very fortunate in his choice of his life's partner; his beloved Abigail never ceased to evoke utterances of passion and admiration and she, in turn, loved her "Mr. Adams" almost from the moment she laid eyes on him until her death in 1818. These two brave souls had an inner core of granite, enabling them to withstand long separations and hardships of every kind and bolstering each of them when it seemed as if the entire world had turned against them. The author's description of how John handled Abigail's death would melt a stone. Mr. McCullough also manages to bring the Adams brood to colorful life: the stressed-out and severe John Quincy, poor introverted Nabby who suffered through a horrific marriage only to die at age 48 of breast cancer; the baby daughter, Susanna, who died while still a toddler (John Adams was never able to talk about her for the rest of his long life), and the two youngest sons who were faded reflections of what their parents hoped they would be. Adams's comments on his fellow Founding Fathers were absolutely hilarious (the man had a well-developed sense of the ridiculous), especially his acid remarks about Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton. Many times his outspoken comments and true-to-the-mark observations made enemies, but that didn't stop Mr. Adams! On he went, energetic, sputtering, irascible, stubborn, prudish - yet warm and loving. The book details the friendship between the short, pudgy Adams and the tall, elegant Jefferson which, due to political differences, turned to bitterness, only to dawn again into friendship. The correspondence between the two old men in the twilight of their years made beautiful reading. Likewise, Mr. McCullough presents the many years of Adams's service to his country, both in America and abroad, in such a way that the reader can easily understand what is happening and why it is happening. I suspected on more than one occasion that Mr. McCullough was John Adams himself writing, so intimately did the author know his subject. By the book's final chapters I, of course, knew what was going to happen - Adams was going to die and pass into the pages of history. I was dreading that moment because I had shared with Adams his many trials and his many joys and the thought that we would part company was almost painful, we had become such good friends. When Adams did die, on the same day as his old friend Jefferson, on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1826), I felt that a little light had gone out in my heart and I actually grieved for him. This was the direct result of the splendid writing of Mr. McCullough who is a wizard at bringing the dead to life and making them old friends of the reader. I had finished the book and had enjoyed many a delightful hour with Mr. Adams and I inwardly thanked him for being the person he was and I appreciated in a profound way what he had done for America. I also said "thank you" to Mr. McCullough for giving me the privilege of knowing Mr. Adams through his book. Not long after finishing the book, I traveled up to Quincy, MA to visit the crypt where John, Abigail, John Quincy and his wife Louisa, rest. It was a cold autumn day in Quincy and all was still. In the crypt, the four stone sarcophagi stood side by side, each containing the remains of four of America's greats. I went to each one, placed my hand on the lids of the sarcophagi and said "Howdy-do" and "Thank you" to my old friends. I am sure that Mr. McCullough would know exactly how I felt.
Rating:
Summary: The Importance of Not Being Important
Review: A person who is not generally considered by history texts on the same level as the other four of first five presidents, John Adams' behind the scenes accomplishments are illuminated in this book. McCullough employs Adam's own words to demonstrate what a self-conscious, thoughtful, and determined person he was. In the process, McCullough brings historical figures(George III, Hamilton, Jefferson, Louis XVI and more)some life by presenting how a contempory would consider them. Don't be deceived by the book's lengthiness. It's hard to put down once it's opened.
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