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John Adams | 
 enlarge | Author: David Mccullough
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Category: Book
List Price: $20.00
Buy New: $4.40
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Avg. Customer Rating:  762 reviews
Sales Rank: 20784
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1st Touchstone
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 752
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.5
ISBN: 0743223136
Dewey Decimal Number: 973.44092
EAN: 9780743223133
ASIN: 0743223136
Publication Date: September 3, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: NEW.this book has been displayed,MILD shelf wear
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Amazon.com's Best of 2001
Left to his own devices, John Adams might have lived out his days as a Massachusetts country lawyer, devoted to his family and friends. As it was, events swiftly overtook him, and Adams--who, David McCullough writes, was "not a man of the world" and not fond of politics--came to greatness as the second president of the United States, and one of the most distinguished of a generation of revolutionary leaders. He found reason to dislike sectarian wrangling even more in the aftermath of war, when Federalist and anti-Federalist factions vied bitterly for power, introducing scandal into an administration beset by other difficulties--including pirates on the high seas, conflict with France and England, and all the public controversy attendant in building a nation. Overshadowed by the lustrous presidents Washington and Jefferson, who bracketed his tenure in office, Adams emerges from McCullough's brilliant biography as a truly heroic figure--not only for his significant role in the American Revolution but also for maintaining his personal integrity in its strife-filled aftermath. McCullough spends much of his narrative examining the troubled friendship between Adams and Jefferson, who had in common a love for books and ideas but differed on almost every other imaginable point. Reading his pages, it is easy to imagine the two as alter egos. (Strangely, both died on the same day, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.) But McCullough also considers Adams in his own light, and the portrait that emerges is altogether fascinating. --Gregory McNamee
Product Description
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 who spared nothing in his zeal 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 senses"; and whose marriage to the wise and valiant Abigail Adams is one of the moving love stories in American history.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 is an enthralling, often surprising story of one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 757 more reviews...
 Pulitzer Prize Winning for Good Reason September 1, 2008
It's pretty much an excercise in repeating praise to comment upon this stellar biography of John Adams, and so I'll just limit my comments to say that the lauding of the readibility of this book combined with the well written insights into this Founding Father and early president are all well placed. There is clearly a well researched effort that brings the reader into the world of John Adams and family as well as by necessity in close brushes with Washington and Jefferson too.
It's sadly interesting to see the attempts at criticism from the lesser luminaries whom it appears, probably have more chance at being read in rebuttal to McCullough than their own primary efforts would appear otherwise.
The proof, as it were is in the pudding. While this work is very well referenced and based in solid research, it's value is that it reads cleanly and clearly inviting the common reader in to know and understand better both the man and the times. To have approached it otherwise, as some appear to suggest with a more academic emphasis, would no doubt have endeared it to those whose lives are spent in the midst of dusty tomes and intellectual sophistry , but the point is that because it is so seamlessly written and interestingly presented, the impact is much broader for the effort and the bonus is that the accurasy really doesn't suffer for it, except to the narrowest of academics who appear to need to justify themselves by casting stones from their ivory towers.
Well worth the time and effort to read.
5 undisputed stars.
Bart Breen
The first American Political Intellectual August 23, 2008
In the field of historical writing there is this great chasm. There are the intellectual Professional University Scholars who delve into the abyss of historical matter and come up with the historical truth. Unfortunately their writings are boring and state the rather moribund cold facts. On the other hand we have great writers who also do their due diligence but are able to write a coherent historical accounting of the past.
David McCullough is a writer of that other ilk in writing and historical perspective. John Adams happens to be his second best writing in his oeuvre of works.
His detailing of the life and times of John Adams is a work of historical importance that actually brings back a time of life in the early formation of the United States of America. His writings of the correspondence between Abigail Adams and John are remarkable. The following of the raising and the lives of their offspring are indeed new founded and compelling. The recording of John Adams forays with the other founding fathers and his travels abroad are indeed both interesting and compelling. Adam's relationship with Thomas Jefferson is fully explained and exposed.
McCullough goes on to explain the complete political philosophy of John Adams. This is indeed a great read. I consider David McCullough to be a true and actual historian for the common folk. Five Stars No Problem!!!!
An Exceptional Read... August 18, 2008
One of the best books I have read in years. I highly recommend it.
History comes alive! August 13, 2008
It's so much easier to learn & remember history when the writer allows you to become intimately involved with the subject and the period. David McCullough's writing is so personable, so charming, and so precisely informative that I walked away from this book with a deep appreciation of Adams and the time in which he lived. I believe McCullough could fascinate his readers even if he wrote about the telephone book! It was hard to put this book down, I always wanted to know what was coming next. His descriptions of time & place were very visual, putting the reader directly in the midst of the story -- seeing the colors, hearing the voices, feeling the tension, learning about small details. The people he writes about are recognizably human and vulnerable, yet the reader can't help but feel awe for what these people accomplished under such seemingly hopeless situations. One of my favorite history books!!
Finally Giving the Devil His Due August 9, 2008
Much like his book on President Truman, Mr. McCullough has taken a frequently maligned historical figure and helped to burnish his place in history. Many of the books I have read about other great figures from that era always seemed to minimize John Adams contributions. Mr. McCullough is a gifted historian who makes all his subject matters come to life. The author shows how little has changed since the founding of our country when it comes to brilliant individuals willing to compromise their morals in the pursuit of winning in the political arena. It is a balanced, thought-provoking and highly entertaining biography. Well-worth reading even though the weight of this tome made my wrists sore.
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