Read-a-Long with Unputdownables – John Adams by David McCullough
I love history, and US history in particular. It has been a long while since I’ve read a biography of an historical figure, and even longer since that of a president. John McCullough is the creme de la creme of biographers and he has written a Pulitzer Prize winning one about John Adams (which was made into an HBO mini-series starring Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney). Once again, I am getting a group together to do a read-a-long (if you’d like to see the Unputdownables schedule of read-a-longs you can view them here). I’d like to see how many people are interested in reading this book together. If there are not at least five interested people who would like to do a blog read-a-long, can chat about it on Twitter instead.
What is John Adams about? 
One of America’s greatest storytellers has turned to one of America’s greatest stories as the source for his most recent inspiration: a tale of one of the most influential, and often the most misunderstood, Founding Fathers: John Adams. The result is a tour de force and pure joy for the reader.
John Adams is a sweeping epic, often cinematic in its lively sense of everyday detail, that moves at a wonderful pace from Adams’s earliest days in Massachusetts as a country lawyer to the halcyon days of American Revolution; the enormous work of diplomacy in Paris, The Hague, and London; the earliest years of government in the fledgling Republic in both New York and Washington; and the establishment of the large Adams clan, whose own lives were to become so interwoven in the fabric of the young nation.
The book reexamines both the most famous and least well known stories of Adams’s contribution to the experiment in American democracy — from his complex and often troubled relationships to Thomas Jefferson and the manipulative Benjamin Franklin to a brilliant interweaving of some of the most moving of the now-famous conversations on paper between John and his beloved wife, Abigail.
David McCullough has given us a biography written in a style that allows us full glimpses into the workings of palace intrigue, early presidential scandals, the birth of the two-party system, and quiet days on a beloved farm: All are presented with a grace that makes this book an essential read for any lover of history. (Elena Simon for Barnes and Noble Review)
Some Facts About the Read-a-Long:
- You do not have to be a book blogger to join.
- We will be reading the book in April, May, & June (12 1/2 weeks) / the book is 651 pages (hardcover) so that’s roughly a 8 pages a day.
- I will have resources available so that you can get the most out of the reading.
- Don’t be intimidated. We will be going at a slow pace and discussing the book throughout our reading. (And there is a movie to watch at the end when you make it through!). And just think, afterwards you will have all sorts of new wrinkles in your brain and you will be able to add a Pulitzer Prize winning Non-Fiction book to your library.
Please let me know in the comments section of this post if you are interested! Hope you’ll join us, the more the merrier!
I have so wanted to read this book, but keep putting it off. I love the slow reading schedule you are proposing. Count me in. I enjoyed the Villette read along.
This is so freaking tempting….I have to look over my current schedule, but the fact that I have both the book and the DVD on my shelves (untouched) is really pushing me to join in!
You can give it a try… if it doesn’t work with your schedule, no worries. We promise not to hunt you down.
Me! Me!
I so want to do this…I’m a ReadAlong freak…but especially like the slower ones. I’m trying to catch up on Villette so I won’t feel like a complete total failure
I have owned this book for a while now and have wanted to read it for years. Although I’m pretty busy, you seem to read and discuss at a fairly slow pace that I think would be manageable for me. So…I’m game!
I’d definitely participate! I’m actually currently reading this one, but would love to participate in discussions!
I’ve had this on my bookshelf for YEARS tempting me. I’m scared of its length and depth but curious nonetheless. Can I be a tentative yes? I’m already scared I’m going to start and dropout!
Absolutely. What happens is, I’ll add your name to the list of people participating and you check in each week to join in on the discussion. If two weeks go by without a check in, I take you off the list. No problem.
Amazingly (with the Villette read-a-long) about 95% of the people are still with us — and we’re almost done. I think there’s something about knowing a whole group of people is reading with you helps… as does a weekly check in.
This is something I would not pick up to read myself!
At the moment I’m all about challenging myself and pushing boundaries. I’m also enjoying Villette’s read along so much 
). Will let you know later about my commitment, but you certainly have me very interested!
Therefore, I think this is perfect for a read along!
I’ll see if I can put my hands on a copy of it and brush up the little United States history that I know (not much more than the fight for independency and the Boston Tea Party
Oh gosh, readalongs are the best way for me to read those books I kind of want to read but am a little scared of. I love that you’ve got it broken down into small pieces (especially since I’m going to be super busy during these months). Count me in. I need to read some nonfiction and this one fits in with the class I’m teaching.
I would love to but don’t know if I can realistically do this. I will have to see if I can get a hold of a copy first.
I have had this book on my To Be Read shelf for a long time. I will gladly participate.
I’m in for the readalong! Sign me up!