First Family: Abigail and John Adams
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In this rich and engrossing account, John and Abigail Adams come to life against the backdrop of the Republic’s tenuous early years.
Drawing on over 1,200 letters exchanged between the couple, Ellis tells a story both personal and panoramic. We learn about the many years Abigail and John spent apart as John’s political career sent him first to Philadelphia, then to Paris and Amsterdam; their relationship with their children; and Abigail’s role as John’s closest and most valued advisor. Exquisitely researched and beautifully written, First Family is both a revealing portrait of a marriage and a unique study of America’s early years.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Our Founding Fathers have their own roles: Washington as Father of our Country, Jefferson as the author of the Declaration of Independence and Madison as Father of the Constitution. Although a giant in his own right, John Adams shares his role with Abigail as the First Family of America. Renowned Revolutionary Era author, Joseph Ellis, tells their story in this informative and eminently readable book.
The story of John and Abigail Adams is unique because their long marriage was not only instrumental in forming our country, but is documented in their well preserved correspondence. This couple was the model for other couples and families to follow. As political partners the yield nothing to Franklin and Eleanor or Bill and Hillary. As founders of a dynasty they are rivaled only by the Bush family.
This dual biography focuses more on John as he was the man on the stage of world affairs, while Abigail was the counselor who advised, steadied and made a home for her man as he guided the affairs of the nation. Ellis does not overlook their son, John Quincy, who would be a distinguished force in his own right, following the pattern, with strengths and weaknesses, of his sire. We know that John and John Quincy were the first father-son team to be president, but I learned, through this book, that they negotiated the peace treaties with Great Britain ending the Revolution and the War of 1812, and were the first Ambassadors to the Court of St. James after each war.
This book reminds the reader of many bits Adams family lore, such as Abigail's letter instructing John to "remember the ladies" and John's observation that "I must study Politics and War that my sons may have liberty to study Mathematics and Philosophy, Geography, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Music, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelain." Ellis does not forget John's prayer that "May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof."
Besides tidbits and lore, "First Family" tells a remarkable story. It is a story of a lawyer who represented the accused in the Boston Massacre and the wife who took her children to watch the Battle of Bunker Hill. We read of the husband who drove and coaxed Congress into declaring Independence while his wife maintained the farm and family in wartime Massachusetts. We follow the diplomat who, with his son, eluded the Royal Navy across the ocean, who squabbled with Benjamin Franklin in France, procured a loan from Dutch bankers, negotiated an end to war and then represented his country in European courts before returning as a hero second only to Washington. Through all this Abigail was raising a family, writing him letters and, eventually braving the Atlantic herself to take her place beside him at Court. We then read of eight years a Vice-President followed by a narrow victory in the first contested presidential election.
Adams' presidency was doomed from the start. His Vice-President, Thomas Jefferson, an erstwhile friend, was now the leader of the opposition, while the Cabinet holdovers from the Washington administration were more loyal to Alexander Hamilton than to the President who they nominally served. Add to this the Adams willingness to follow his instincts regardless of their popularity and a few mistakes, such as endorsing the Alien and Sedition Acts, which were strongly encouraged by Abigail, and defeat became a certainty. Despite all of this, news of successful avoidance of war with France, if received earlier, might have secured a second term. Ellis does an excellent job of portraying Adams as one who tried to continue the Washington tradition of a President above party and politics in an era that was rapidly becoming partisan.
Joseph Ellis has written another fine work about giants of our early republic. The prose holds the readers' interest while telling a fascinating tale, one of statesmanship, diplomacy, politics and, at its heart, a love story. I am grateful for this book and look forward to his next one.
The story of John and Abigail Adams is unique because their long marriage was not only instrumental in forming our country, but is documented in their well preserved correspondence. This couple was the model for other couples and families to follow. As political partners the yield nothing to Franklin and Eleanor or Bill and Hillary. As founders of a dynasty they are rivaled only by the Bush family.
This dual biography focuses more on John as he was the man on the stage of world affairs, while Abigail was the counselor who advised, steadied and made a home for her man as he guided the affairs of the nation. Ellis does not overlook their son, John Quincy, who would be a distinguished force in his own right, following the pattern, with strengths and weaknesses, of his sire. We know that John and John Quincy were the first father-son team to be president, but I learned, through this book, that they negotiated the peace treaties with Great Britain ending the Revolution and the War of 1812, and were the first Ambassadors to the Court of St. James after each war.
This book reminds the reader of many bits Adams family lore, such as Abigail's letter instructing John to "remember the ladies" and John's observation that "I must study Politics and War that my sons may have liberty to study Mathematics and Philosophy, Geography, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Music, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelain." Ellis does not forget John's prayer that "May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof."
Besides tidbits and lore, "First Family" tells a remarkable story. It is a story of a lawyer who represented the accused in the Boston Massacre and the wife who took her children to watch the Battle of Bunker Hill. We read of the husband who drove and coaxed Congress into declaring Independence while his wife maintained the farm and family in wartime Massachusetts. We follow the diplomat who, with his son, eluded the Royal Navy across the ocean, who squabbled with Benjamin Franklin in France, procured a loan from Dutch bankers, negotiated an end to war and then represented his country in European courts before returning as a hero second only to Washington. Through all this Abigail was raising a family, writing him letters and, eventually braving the Atlantic herself to take her place beside him at Court. We then read of eight years a Vice-President followed by a narrow victory in the first contested presidential election.
Adams' presidency was doomed from the start. His Vice-President, Thomas Jefferson, an erstwhile friend, was now the leader of the opposition, while the Cabinet holdovers from the Washington administration were more loyal to Alexander Hamilton than to the President who they nominally served. Add to this the Adams willingness to follow his instincts regardless of their popularity and a few mistakes, such as endorsing the Alien and Sedition Acts, which were strongly encouraged by Abigail, and defeat became a certainty. Despite all of this, news of successful avoidance of war with France, if received earlier, might have secured a second term. Ellis does an excellent job of portraying Adams as one who tried to continue the Washington tradition of a President above party and politics in an era that was rapidly becoming partisan.
Joseph Ellis has written another fine work about giants of our early republic. The prose holds the readers' interest while telling a fascinating tale, one of statesmanship, diplomacy, politics and, at its heart, a love story. I am grateful for this book and look forward to his next one.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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53 reviews
45 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Brief but Wonderful Overview of the Adams using Primary References
6 Oct 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Joseph Ellis is one of the finest writers of popular biographical nonfiction in the market today. While on the surface, there seems to be not much new in this book over the other longer biographies by David McCullough and Page Smith, there is still enough justification to read this book to acquire a slightly different slant on John, Abigail and the rest of the Adams Family almost exclusively through their writings to each other, friends, and relatives. Ellis is able to cut through the tangential, while keeping enough of the life and times by focusing on the emotional aspects of this family. Ellis walks a fine line and does it beautifully as the reader will miss very little of the major events occurring as he zeroes in on the effects these extraordinary times have on the entire Adams Family.
If you have read any of the other biographies, then you know the history, but Ellis is able to reflect and delve into the persona of both Abigail and John Adams by going into the details of their periphery correspondence with friends and relatives - especially on the Abigail side of the equation. We get a slightly different Abigail that is wounded deeply by John's constant movement into the political limelight that neglects his family and wife as he puts his political ambitions before his familial obligations. Ellis takes a step further than others by suggesting that John Adams had a thyroid problem that in the absence of Abigail, who was his sense of balance, may have lead to his quick and aggressive temper. Additionally, Ellis puts the question of "favoritism (of John Quincy) squarely on John and Abigail as they put pressure upon John Quincy at a very early age. The other males are not treated in the same pressurized manner and in some cases (Thomas) nearly ignored for long stretches.
Additionally, Ellis examines the reasons that John may have left the Presidency vacated to spend time with Abigail during a seven month period when he left his office to live with her in Quincy as she slowly recovered from a very debilitating bout with disease. While I do not agree, Ellis makes an interesting and plausible case.
The Jefferson - Adams relationship is extensively examined and shows that the once close friends became rivals which lead to the battle of words as the Presidential elections between the two became a reality. It leads to very emotional moments between the three long time friends.
If you have not read the longer versions of the Adams' Family, and do not want to spend the time necessary to do so, then this is an excellent book with which to begin your study of this amazing and pivotal Revolutionary Family. Ellis writes a wonderfully full if short biography that spans the entire family, but leans more towards the effects of John's life choices on Abigail.
I highly recommend this book.
If you have read any of the other biographies, then you know the history, but Ellis is able to reflect and delve into the persona of both Abigail and John Adams by going into the details of their periphery correspondence with friends and relatives - especially on the Abigail side of the equation. We get a slightly different Abigail that is wounded deeply by John's constant movement into the political limelight that neglects his family and wife as he puts his political ambitions before his familial obligations. Ellis takes a step further than others by suggesting that John Adams had a thyroid problem that in the absence of Abigail, who was his sense of balance, may have lead to his quick and aggressive temper. Additionally, Ellis puts the question of "favoritism (of John Quincy) squarely on John and Abigail as they put pressure upon John Quincy at a very early age. The other males are not treated in the same pressurized manner and in some cases (Thomas) nearly ignored for long stretches.
Additionally, Ellis examines the reasons that John may have left the Presidency vacated to spend time with Abigail during a seven month period when he left his office to live with her in Quincy as she slowly recovered from a very debilitating bout with disease. While I do not agree, Ellis makes an interesting and plausible case.
The Jefferson - Adams relationship is extensively examined and shows that the once close friends became rivals which lead to the battle of words as the Presidential elections between the two became a reality. It leads to very emotional moments between the three long time friends.
If you have not read the longer versions of the Adams' Family, and do not want to spend the time necessary to do so, then this is an excellent book with which to begin your study of this amazing and pivotal Revolutionary Family. Ellis writes a wonderfully full if short biography that spans the entire family, but leans more towards the effects of John's life choices on Abigail.
I highly recommend this book.
21 of 24 people found the following review helpful
First Family by Joseph Ellis is a great love story
5 Oct 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I loved McCullough's book on Adams, and it's a history voyeur's dream to read the letters between John and Abigail where they have been collected in a single volume. But this is the first time I've read a great love story that intertwines so seamlessly the lives of these two great Americans with the events of their time. I almost read the entire book in one sitting, but forced myself to prolong it an extra day or two in order to savor every word.
Ellis is masterful in his deft handling of the irascible and insecure John by allowing us to view him through the eyes of time and Abigail. Likewise we come to know Abigail through her love of John, her children, and by her "saucy" demeanor displayed by her acute sense of politics and her willingness to speak her mind. Although distance kept them apart for extended periods during their marriage, history as well as the reader benefits because of their extant letters, providing us with what Ellis refers to as "the paradox of proximity." In other words, when John and Abigail are together they don't correspond, so we only know what they're thinking or feeling through their letters.
By the end of this book, I felt like I knew John and Abigail better than I had ever known them before. I was surprised to find myself more sympathetic to John, perhaps in part due to my fondness for the more serene Jefferson. But I came to realize that Adams, at times paranoid in his mistrust of nearly everyone, had occasion to be justified in his feelings. The behind-the-scenes machinations of practically everyone in his cabinet would be grounds for treason today. And the libelous nature of the media then would never make it to press now. Abigail, while no where near the 21st Century definition of feminist, is still admirable by the standards of today in her equality of feeling and intelligence with her husband. That she kept property separate from her husband was unheard of at the time, albeit with John's knowledge and approval. Something tells me though had he disapproved, Abigail might have reconsidered his proposal.
This is by far one of the best books I've read in quite some time. If you love history and have a soft spot for romance, this book treats both topics with scholarly expertise.
Ellis is masterful in his deft handling of the irascible and insecure John by allowing us to view him through the eyes of time and Abigail. Likewise we come to know Abigail through her love of John, her children, and by her "saucy" demeanor displayed by her acute sense of politics and her willingness to speak her mind. Although distance kept them apart for extended periods during their marriage, history as well as the reader benefits because of their extant letters, providing us with what Ellis refers to as "the paradox of proximity." In other words, when John and Abigail are together they don't correspond, so we only know what they're thinking or feeling through their letters.
By the end of this book, I felt like I knew John and Abigail better than I had ever known them before. I was surprised to find myself more sympathetic to John, perhaps in part due to my fondness for the more serene Jefferson. But I came to realize that Adams, at times paranoid in his mistrust of nearly everyone, had occasion to be justified in his feelings. The behind-the-scenes machinations of practically everyone in his cabinet would be grounds for treason today. And the libelous nature of the media then would never make it to press now. Abigail, while no where near the 21st Century definition of feminist, is still admirable by the standards of today in her equality of feeling and intelligence with her husband. That she kept property separate from her husband was unheard of at the time, albeit with John's knowledge and approval. Something tells me though had he disapproved, Abigail might have reconsidered his proposal.
This is by far one of the best books I've read in quite some time. If you love history and have a soft spot for romance, this book treats both topics with scholarly expertise.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
A Well researched but dry look at the private lives of John and Abigail Adams
18 Nov 2010
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I picked up this book as a way to learn a little more about a period in American history that I am woefully ignorant about. My interest was to learn about the historical events that took place during the life of John Adams and to get some insight into the famous marriage of John and Abigail.
The author has definitely researched this book very well. Based on the many letters written between John and Abigail, as well as letters written by them to others, the book chronicles the lives of the couple. The story of their meeting, their romance, their marriage and many seperations (due to John's political committments) and eventually their golden years is well described.
The major thing I found lacking in this book was atmosphere. Yes, it is a book based on historical events and, in that, it is an excellent catalog of events, but I do like a book that draws you in into what the day to day lives of the people of the period would have been. What did it entail for Abigail to run the farm when John was in Philadelphia?? What might have it been like when the wounded soldiers were at Braintree needing medical assistance? Abigail does express some frustration in her letters to John and perhaps the author did not want to put words into her mouth but an image or two of what events might have been like would have made this book quite a bit richer for the reader.
Apart from that, the book is an excellent, if dry, chronicle of the correspondence and events of John and Abigail's lives. It did inspire me to watch the History channel's documentary on the couple and the HBO miniseries, also available on Amazon, is next on my list of must-see programs.
The author has definitely researched this book very well. Based on the many letters written between John and Abigail, as well as letters written by them to others, the book chronicles the lives of the couple. The story of their meeting, their romance, their marriage and many seperations (due to John's political committments) and eventually their golden years is well described.
The major thing I found lacking in this book was atmosphere. Yes, it is a book based on historical events and, in that, it is an excellent catalog of events, but I do like a book that draws you in into what the day to day lives of the people of the period would have been. What did it entail for Abigail to run the farm when John was in Philadelphia?? What might have it been like when the wounded soldiers were at Braintree needing medical assistance? Abigail does express some frustration in her letters to John and perhaps the author did not want to put words into her mouth but an image or two of what events might have been like would have made this book quite a bit richer for the reader.
Apart from that, the book is an excellent, if dry, chronicle of the correspondence and events of John and Abigail's lives. It did inspire me to watch the History channel's documentary on the couple and the HBO miniseries, also available on Amazon, is next on my list of must-see programs.
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