John Adams by David McCullough, 751 pages

  This story was a journey for me, having read more than three-quarters of it before accidentally leaving it behind in a waiting room, losing it, and then mourning my lack of closure with the Adams family on and off for a few years before excitedly finding the book in audio form on our library shelves.

  Political biographies don't typically appeal to me, but I decided to give this one a chance because the piece was set in the context of a family and included people critical to the birth and early years of our nation.

  While John Adams was the first U.S. Vice President, second President, and father of a U.S. President, his service to our country included much more. John (I feel as though I can call him by his first name after all the time I spent with him) was an imperfect farmer, husband, father, neighbor, and scholar who felt a great deal of moral responsibility for his community and the people who lived in the colonies/new nation. His sense of moral responsibility was so strong that he couldn’t bring himself to not use what skills he had whenever called upon; and he was called upon . . . again and again and again. He was a servant who sacrificed personal gain, pleasure, and even well-being for most of his life for the common good. Everyone who lives in the U.S. today benefits because of his service.

 Right next to him was Abigail who was just as wise, kind, hard-working and giving to the point of personal poverty.

  This is the story of Abigail and John together and individually, their families, life, minds, and love. The book is pieced together from their private letters to each other and from other documentation of the time. I’m glad to have learned through the extensive research and writing of David MCullough, and I’m glad to have finally made it to the memorable closure of the book.