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.
