Rating: 
Summary: Excellent review on a often overlooked individual
Review: Paul Nagel has provided an excellent insight into John Quincy Adams and his life. Nagel details JQA's life from childhood until his death while serving in the U.S. House of Representatives. The biography seems very realistic due to the many references to writings in JQA's diary, which he kept for the majority of his life. Nagel is an excellent writer and does not shy away from JQA's irritability and lack of sense of humor as perceived by others. I recommend this book to everyone who is interested in this time in American history. If you liked David McCullough's biography of John Adams you will enjoy Nagel's biography of his son.
Rating: 
Summary: Probably one of my favorite reads........
Review: This book illuminates one of the most enigmatic men in American History, a substandard President, but a huge success in every other endevour he engaged in. Because of his substandard Presidency and being the son of such a distinguished man, he is overshadowed, but he has much to brag about himself. The only fault that I really find in this book is that it does not go into his post-presidential congressional career near deep enough which was the time of some of his greatest triumphs, but still, worth the read!
Rating:
Summary: Focuses on private life
Review: This book is an excellent discussion of JQA's private life, his thoughts, motives, feelings, etc. I feel that I understand him as a man after having read the books and learned a lot about determination and perseverance that personally benefited me. However, the author did not discuss his achievements and impact on American society in sufficient detail. For example, there is only one brief chapter on his presidency, and it mostly is concerned with how JQA felt about the presidential campaign. It says very little about his interactions with other politicians of the day or how great issues of the day, like slavery were dealt with during his administration.I debated whether to give the book 3 or 4 stars, but I finally settled on 4 because the writing is interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Focuses on private life
Review: This book is an excellent discussion of JQA's private life, his thoughts, motives, feelings, etc. I feel that I understand him as a man after having read the books and learned a lot about determination and perseverance that personally benefited me. However, the author did not discuss his achievements and impact on American society in sufficient detail. For example, there is only one brief chapter on his presidency, and it mostly is concerned with how JQA felt about the presidential campaign. It says very little about his interactions with other politicians of the day or how great issues of the day, like slavery were dealt with during his administration. I debated whether to give the book 3 or 4 stars, but I finally settled on 4 because the writing is interesting.
Rating:
Summary: ARGUABLY THE GREATEST ADAMS
Review: With the success of David McCullough's recent biography, John Adams, and with the intriguing story I discovered in the movie Amistad, I looked to find a good biography of John Adams' oldest son, John Quincy. I found the perfect match in John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, a Private Life by Paul C. Nagel. Nagel's portrait aptly introduces the reader to one of America's greatest presidents and, arguably, the greatest and most accomplished member of the renowned Adams family of New England. Like all great biographies, Nagel's work takes the good with the bad and provides a front on look at the sixth president. While John Quincy's shortcomings are clearly delineated, his strengths, long forgotten in history, come through vividly. I found myself wondering how America might have forgotten one of its very strongest leaders. But then I realized that one of John Quincy Adams' greatest strengths was his aversion to the political shenanigans that continue began in his day and continue to this day. We don't want to remember someone who served as well and with so little scandal. No, a scene including interns frolicking near the Oval Office with an incumbent president is more our strong suit. If, however, you want to discover how a person can serve for over sixty years with strength and honor you won't be disappointed with Nagel's John Quincy Adams. You'll also want to view Steven Spielberg's Amistad while you're at it.
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