Review: "John Adams"

I've been in a rather classical, historicized, romantically political mood lately because of the book I recently finished. I tore through the biography of John Adams (all 600+ pages) by David McCullough in the last couple months. Alright, maybe that doesn't qualify as "tore through". But still, it's a large book. I read the last couple hundred pages in only a couple weeks.

McCullough is an incredibly gifted historian, and a very good writer. He won a Pulitzer for his biography of Truman, and later for the biography of Adams. It was published in 2001, and I received an inscribed copy in 2002, but I did not have the occasion to read it until this year. I'm glad I did.

I've gained a new perspective on the dawning years of American democracy, as seen through the eyes of a New England patriot, ardent Christian, and enlightened federalist democrat. Adams was from a line of established, land-owning farmers in Massachusetts. Though blessed with some advantages (such as a college education at Harvard), Adams was thoroughly a self-made man, the epitome of the American success story. He worked hard to become a successful lawyer, a respected politician, and ultimately, the leader of the United States.

The writings that John Adams left behind are voluminous. From his teens, he began keeping a journal, which he continued, with only occasional breaks, for the rest of his life. Most of these journals survive today. In addition, he wrote tens of thousands of letters to his wife, Abigail, his children, friends, colleagues, and even strangers. No other character from the Revolutionary period left such an extraordinary written record of their life.

Many things struck me in Adams' biography, not the least of which was his unfailing sense of honesty and duty. Though he was an ardent supporter of American freedom, as a successful lawyer he agreed to defend the British soldiers accused of murder in the Boston Massacre trial. He believed strongly that everyone should receive a fair trial and defense, even those he personally did not care for: 6 of the 8 soldiers were acquitted of any wrongdoing. Throughout the rest of his life, he risked unpopularity, public scorn, and even disgrace to do what he considered the right thing. And he was usually right.

Also immensely interesting to me was the relationship Adams shared with Thomas Jefferson. They first met at the Continental Congress in 1776, and were on the committee responsible for writing the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson has received the credit for writing it, but it was Adams who was responsible for defending it in full Congressional session, and ultimately responsible for it's acceptance. Adams was the voice, Jefferson the words. It was the beginning of a long, varied relationship.

During the course of the Revolution, Jefferson and Adams eventually lived together in Paris as American emissaries. It was here that their friendship really blossomed. They became very close, and thoroughly enjoyed the qualities which they both shared: classical educations, backgrounds in the law, a love of liberty, and an enjoyment of culture. Abigail also formed a close friendship with Jefferson, and they began a correspondence that would last the rest of their lives. Yet years later, back in America, Adams and Jefferson's political views separated. Jefferson insulted Adams, and for years, decades even, they did not speak. Even while Adams was President, and Jefferson Vice President, they rarely saw or spoke to each other. This after being the closest of friends years earlier.

Finally, after both had retired from public life, they began a correspondence that last over a dozen years, in which they discussed all they did before. Here were two of the greatest minds of their generation, pontificating on nearly everything under the sun. It is a most incredible occurrence that each lived until the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1826, and died only then, just hours apart: one in his magnificent mountain home, Monticello; the other in his enlarged New England farmhouse.

Without waxing on more romantically about the biography, let me end here by saying that I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone interested in American democracy, American history, or just American life. It's a very well-written book -- which other, smarter people than I have recognized -- and will teach as well as entertain and amuse you. So there you go.