Customer Reviews

The Education of Mrs. Henry Adams

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This book (which began life as a dissertation) will very much interest women's history buffs and students of American literature but is less likely to please physicians or students of abnormal psychology. Clover Hooper comes out of a Boston family almost as intriguing as that of the Adams. She is one of Henry James's ideal American girls, and might have become James's wife had he been inclined to marry. She maintained a glittering establishment while Henry Adams was in Washington, and many of her points of view are reflected in The Education of Henry Adams. Clover's father was her closest intellectual companion and when he died, in her mid 30s, she fell into a depression and within a few months had committed suicide. The Education of Mrs. Henry Adams was published in the late 1970s and includes as complete a bibliography, to that time, as one could wish, including a reference to Susan Phinney Conrad's witty Perish the Thought: Intellectual Women in Romantic America, 1830-1860.

A very well written, easy-to-read biography for those interested in Henry Adams's wife, who committed suicide amidst the wealth and finery of her husband's successful career. Very interesting story. Wonderful book!

In anticipation of the new biography of Clover Adams, I bought this out-of-print book purely out of curiosity. Clover, or Mrs. Henry Adams, as she was more commonly known, is connected most frequently to her elaborate burial site in Rock Creek Cemetery. Her claim to fame seems to be her memorial by St. Gaudens known as Grief. While she shares her grave with her husband writer Henry Adams, most reference items focus their attention on her husband.
Henry Adams only marriage was to Clover and it was thought to be a good match, Clover was a popular society woman and cordial hostess. The only stain on her reputation was her death in her '30's. Like a lot of celebrated people, she died not only be her own hand but did it using the chemicals she used when developing photos.
This book provides a lot of information about her upbringing as a member of a socially prominent family, her courtship and marriage to Adams, her social activities and life amidst the titans of the 'gilded age' society, as well as her attempts to develop interests beyond her social status.
This book is clearly not going to be of interest to everyone. What attracted me to Clover was her presumed anonymity, her connection to the golden age, and general aura of mystery. What I liked about this bio was the realization that Clover was far more, and in a sense, a precursor to the modern age.
When I get my kindle edition of new bio of Clover Adams, I may revisit this review.