During my Lenten blog break and during the month of February for my Semicolon Book Club, I read the biography of John Adams written by David McCullough. I also watched the mini-series based on McCullough’s book. Both book and video series were excellent. I learned a lot about our second president and came to admire him sometimes in spite of his faults, which he would be the first to admit were many.
Here’s what a few other people said about Mr. Adams:
Benjamin Franklin: “He means well for his country, is always an honest man, often a wise one, but sometimes and in some things, absolutely out of his senses.”
Thomas Jefferson: “His vanity is a lineament in his character which had entirely escaped me. His want of taste I had observed. Notwithstanding all this he has a sound head on substantial points, and I think he has integrity.”
Jonathan Sewall: “Adams has a heart formed for friendship and susceptible to its finest feelings. He is humane, generous, and open, warm in his friendly attachments, though perhaps rather implacable to those he thinks his enemies.”
Thomas Jefferson, again: “Mr. Adams is vain, irritable, stubborn, endowed with excessive self-love and still suffering pique at the preference accorded Franklin over him in Paris.”
John Adams himself to James Warren:
“Popularity was never my mistress, nor was I ever, or shall I ever be, a popular man. But one thing I know, a man must be sensible of the errors of the people, and upon his guard against them, and must run the risk of their displeasure sometimes, or he will never do them any good in the long run.”
The real John Adams? Perhaps all of the above. We are all mixtures of vanity and generosity and common sense and sometimes absolutely out of our senses.
What a great collection of observations! So much can be accomplished through imperfect, gifted, willing people.
My DH and I watched the HBO series when it came out and we were rivoted. I don’t recall learning anything about him in public school. The HBO show of the ‘behind the scenes’ of the production is also worthwhile to watch and hear how they produced the show.
Another HS mom friend phoned me when the show was over, knowing I was also loving it, and said she was sad when the series ended as she got to really admire and enjoy John Adams.
Glad to hear the book was good too. I should read it but I have so much on the TBR pile it is ridiculous.
The entire Adams family from colonial America on down is remarkable…. the Johns, Henry, Charles all authors in their own right. All worth reading and remembering.
Circa History Guild owner/entrepreneur bought all the items from the HBO set and has sold some of them – beds, china, tea crates, candlesticks….
Irving Stone’s novel about John and Abigail is good, too.
I really like all these quotes.
I am slowly working my way through this book via reading and audio.
So far, I am enjoying this one very much. I really like the author’s writing style.
I am liking Adams. I am really liking how Adams and Abigail are with their relationship.
Hopefully, I will say those same two things once I am done with this book.
How does the HBO series compare to the book? Does the series follow the book closely?
I’ve only read one book by McCullough, but have this one on my TBR Shelf. I’m happy to read that you thought it was excellent. 🙂