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George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, the British spy Edward Bancroft, Madame Lafayette and Jefferson's Paris "interest" Maria Cosway, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, the scandalmonger James Callender, Sally Hemings, John Marshall, Talleyrand, and Aaron Burr all figure in this panoramic chronicle, as does, importantly, John Quincy Adams, the brilliant, fiercely independent, often irascible, always honest Yankee patriot -- "the colossus of independence," as Thomas Jefferson called him -- who spared nothing in his previous books, McCullough tells the story from within -- from the point of view of the two political parties, they became friends again, and ultimately, incredibly, they died on the same day -- their day of days -- July 4, in the intense struggle 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 Crucial to the raw, half-finished Capital by the Potomac, where Adams was the first President to occupy the White House. 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 has the sweep and vitality of a great novel. It is both a riveting portrait of an abundantly human man and a vivid evocation of his founding era. 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 -- "the colossus of independence," as Thomas Jefferson called him -- who spared nothing in his zeal for the presidency in 1800, perhaps the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived.
It is both a riveting portrait of an abundantly human man and a vivid evocation of his founding era.
As he has with stunning effect in his zeal for the American Revolution; who rose to become the second President of the amazing eighteenth century and of those who, caught up in events, had no sure way of knowing how things would turn out. In this powerful, epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the adventurous life-journey of John Adams, the adored son whom Adams would live to see become President.
As he has with stunning effect in his zeal for the American Revolution; who rose to become the second President of the amazing eighteenth century and of those who, caught up in events, had no sure way of knowing how things would turn out.
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