Recommendations from our site
“Adams is a rich source for a biographer because there are so many private letters. The letters between Washington and his wife, for example. were all burned by Martha Washington. But the letters between Abigail and John Adams still exist, and they show an incredible partnership. John Adams discussed everything with Abigail before making a political decision. This is not only a great biography of John Adams, but also of Abigail, their marriage and their partnership. At the same time, this is a biography about the making of a nation. It’s a portrait of the time, but also a very human portrait of a politician.” Read more...
The Best Biographies of 18th-Century Figures
Andrea Wulf, Historian
“I love biographies and this one in particular strikes me. I don’t believe John Adams comes immediately to mind as one of the great presidents, but he was. Students of history know he had a hand in so many of the founding documents we remember today. Politics today is so polarised – but this division is not unique to our time. If you look back on the relationship between John Adams and Jefferson, it was not always smooth. Yet together they helped make the Declaration of Independence a reality. Progressives should keep their eyes on the prize, but we should never be afraid to constantly engage with those whom we perceive to be rivals…Adams was also incredibly courageous when he defended the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre. He was a patriot who understood that a democratic society cannot undermine the basic democratic rights of even the most despised in our society. There are few today who would be willing to do what he did in today’s supercharged partisan environment. I’m not sure anyone would be willing to do that today.” Read more...
The best books on Progressive America
Antonio Villaraigosa, Politician
