John Adams by David McCullough
John Adams by David McCullough
hardcover 751 pages
published by Simon and Schuster 2001
ISBN-13: 9780684813639
Type: {Impress Your Friends Read: notable; prize-winner or all around intelligent crowd conversation piece.}
Rating: {An Unputdownable: Couldn’t eat or sleep until I finished this book.}
Why You’re Reading It:
- You love U.S. History.
- Lives of influential and culturally important people fascinate you.
- You are a fan of David McCullough.
- You want to learn some valuable lessons.
What I Thought:
David McCullough’s John Adams should be mandatory reading for Americans. In this one volume the reader not only learns about John Adams, but also the birth of a nation, and the lives of Adams’ contemporaries: Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI, and Abigail Adams to name a few.
McCoullough’s ability to take a subject that could be dry (to some people; I happen to find U.S. History as titillating as some people find the Kardashians), and make it come alive is to be admired. The reader will find themselves rooting for certain historical figures while wishing they could reach back through time and slap others. The fact that Abigail and John became real people when set in context, teeming with life and vigor, make this book worth the read alone. However, McCullough doesn’t just leave you with a one sided story, he shows you ideas of the time – what was well received and what wasn’t. It makes the reader start to wonder what the future will think about when reading of our current times.
I admit that I grew attached to Adams throughout this book. I felt more in common with him than any other character — even his downfalls. Would I have thought that I would be exclaiming, “Yes! Totally! I am exactly that way too!” in reference to a small, slightly bug-eyed, often stubborn man from New England, who had completed an entire life 154 years before I even started mine? No way. But yes, in fact, I did exclaim this more often than I ever would have imagined (and have the pages marked to prove it). And as I got to know this highly intelligent (far smarter than I), bookish, vibrant, good man along the way, the prouder I became of those instances where I found something in common with him him.
Though the outcomes of all of the people and situation throughout the book were revealed almost two centuries ago, I found tears in my eyes and a feeling of surprise and loss towards the end as if I were losing friends and an era that I had been a part of. Is that a credit to the writing? To the times? To the man? I’d say all three, and I’d also say get ye to the bookstore/library/swap site and secure yourself a copy of this grand tome. You will be better for having read it.
*I especially want to thank the readers who read along with me for this April/May/June Read-a-Long. I can honestly say that reading it with others, who also felt so connected to the story, made it that much more endearing to me.*
I’ll paste my Goodreads review here!
Oh my goodness, what a book! It’s not only a biography of John Adams, but a “biography” of our nation. An accessible, interesting historical account of the founding of America, as well as the intricacies of John Adams personality. Throughout the book, I kept exclaiming, “Oh THAT’S why ….” The beginnings of America’s economic policies, governmental structure, attitudes toward war and peace… it’s all here. It was also extra special and interesting to read so much about Philadelphia, where I have pretty much spent my whole life.
As I read, I was perturbed in what I thought was McCullough being too neutral, or even conservative, but by the end I realized his moderate tone was a gift. He presented the information, and in not saying anything, he says everything. He didn’t have to write one weighted phrase about Jefferson to give readers a picture of his character. Masterful!
This is definitely one of those books where you get out of it what you put into it. I did so much questioning, digging, researching, and exploring to find out more about different topics. I also have a sizable reading list; Adams was a voracious reader, and I’d love to read more of the works that shaped his thinking.
Warning: You’ll sob the entire last chapter. You have to have a heart of stone to not be moved and at the same time chilled that Jefferson and Adams died within hours of each other on July 4th.
“Griefs upon griefs! Disappointments upon disappointments! What then? This is a gay, merry world notwithstanding” -JA
I REALLY enjoyed reading it with you guys. Thanks for indulging me in my mushrump post, too!
You hit the nail on the head throughout your review. It truly was a biography of our nation as well as John Adams — and you do get out of it what you put into it. You have to read each chapter to feel the connection to the characters and to get into the mindset of the day.
One of my favorite things about the men of this time period is that they were such bookworms! You’ll have to let me know how reading through some of that list goes — I’ll be impressed. Besides Shakespeare, I haven’t read any of it.
The quote you posted at the end is one of my favorites from him — I’ve marked it in my book. I am going to go back through and re-read all of the quotes I marked because they are all so inspiring and beautiful.
I’m looking forward to watching the HBO mini-series now to see how they interpreted this book. Have you seen it?
I have seen the HBO show – I have to say I liked the book better now that I’ve read it, although I liked the show very much when I saw it! I’m curious to hear what you think after you view it.
It will be interesting to compare our thoughts since you saw it before reading the book and I’ll have seen it after. I’ll probably start watching it next week… I have to get it from GoodReads first.
Although I was not 100% faithful in keeping up with the read a long, I just wanted to say again that when the book ended, I felt like I had lost a dear friend in John Adams. I was so sad, it took about 3 weeks to find another book to read. The only other biography that made me so attached to the acutal person was Georgianna, by Amanda Freeman. McCullough did a wonderful job of bringing Adams and his companions to life for us and no matter his faults you loved him. He is most definately a very special American!
Kim
But you finished it! You must have beat us — (Or was this your second read-through, I can’t remember).
“No matter what his faults you loved him.” Isn’t that the truth!
I just put up my post at http://www.wanderingsights.blogspot.com
Wallace, I agree with you that I am better for having read this book:) And very glad that I did it as a Read-Along. It kept me going when I had fallen so far behind.
I, too, loved what bookworms they were, and Jefferson’s love of books and his library were something that I liked about him, when many other times he disappointed me.
I loved so much about this book and learned so much from it. One thing that comes to mind right now is the way we learned of the French Revolution through the eyes and ears of these Americans who had recently lived among these people and negotiated with them!
(Jefferson’s glee at the situation there was slightly morbid in my opinion.) I thought Adams’s reaction was a bit more human.
I would now like to read 1776 by David McCullough and also Walter Scott’s Lady of the Lake, a book that Adams mentions. It’s not the Cicero and Plato that Adams often referred to but I have always wanted to read something by Walter Scott.
Ack! I left you such a long comment on your blog, but then there wasn’t a place for me to enter my name and URL (the WordPress link never works for me for some reason) and when I tried to do something else, my comment vanished! So, just know that you have a nice long comment whirling around somewhere in cyber space from me!
I felt that way often about Jefferson and Adams… I just reacted so much more pleasantly to Adams’ decisions and personality than I did to Jefferson’s. I too want to read 1776 (and also Truman, I have them both sitting on my shelf)! I wonder if I’d be able to get through it alone, though? Hmmm… Maybe we’ll have to read 1776 together sometime. Are you on GoodReads?
No, I’m not on GoodReads, but I’ll check it out. Would love to read 1776 together sometime.
So sorry your comment vanished!! I should try to fix the area where you enter name and URL. Maybe I didn’t set it up right or something.
If you join GR let me know, we could read 1776 together and chat about it on there.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts during the Readalong. So much so that I have ordered the book even though in the past I have passed on it. Thank you for making the book come alive through your posts.
I’m so glad! That’s the goal with the read-a-longs, so you’ve just validated what I’m doing, thank you! I hope you enjoy it as well… it is really such an informative and interesting book if you like US History.
I’m so sorry I fell behind on this and couldn’t participate past the first few chapters! I did manage to finish the book while on vacation this month and loved it! If you hadn’t organized this readalong I probably wouldn’t have gotten up the courage to tackle this book (or even to start it), which would have been sad since it was fabulous! I felt like I got to know John Adams, who has often been portrayed in the history books as an arrogant and quarrelsome man. I suspect those portrayals have been based on what his opponents thought about him, because although he could be quarrelsome, he was also a very personable man.
After finishing this book, I’m dying to read a biography of Jefferson. The way Adams and Jefferson’s lives were so linked was fascinating to me. I love it when good history books push me to go read more history books.