Customer Reviews

The Book of Abigail & John: Selected Letters of the Adams Family 1762-1784

5 star:		(2)
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This was a very interesting book showing the way a women saw the start of a new country. It also shows the sacrifice that both John and Abigail both had to make to still be together while John was helping the colonies. John tells Abigail all of the political happenings that have been going on not including deaths etc... Abigail is very much into politics and reminds John to "remember the ladies" when writing the Declaration of Independence. This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to learn more about the war at a different perspective than what just the history books say.

This collection is the first assemblage of the letters between John and Abigail Adams published by Harvard University Press. Subsequently, in 2007, an expanded collection was published by Harvard, under the editorship of different scholars, with the title of "My Dearest Friend: Letters of Abigail and John Adams" (which I also reviewed on Amazon). While the newer version has more letters (289 v. 226), and covers the period of John's Vice Presidency and Presidency, this earlier edition continues to have value. It includes more editorial material, some correspondence with third parties, and a larger number of illustrations--though not the beautiful color plates found in the newer volume. As I mentioned in my other review, the star of the letters clearly is Abigail, who carried on alone under the most challenging of circumstances while John was absent. She manifests both a literate perspective, as well as a sharp eye for political issues. John's letters afford an invaluable insight into a most critical period of American history; especially perceptive are his assessments of some of the leading political figures of the day. Either volume is well worthy of consideration and study--perusing both is doubly helpful.

It's very good reading, the letters are really good. I just finsh reading John Adams that's a really good book too. And I just brought John Adams DVD it was on HBO early this spring!!! I'm trying find more books on John and Abigail books and other time period books in the 1700 and other history books. I just can't find any but I keep trying. I know they are there I just have I to looked!!!