Customer Reviews

John Adams (Childhoods of the Presidents)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It hasn't been hard to notice that John Adams's reputation has been undergoing a serious rehabilitation in recent years. Joseph Ellis in particular has been dedicated to revising our understandings of both Adams and his nemesis/friend Thomas Jefferson. In his PASSIONATE SAGE: THE CHARACTER AND LEGACY OF JOHN ADAMS, FOUNDING BROTHERS: THE REVOLUTIONARY GENERATION, and AMERICAN SPHINX: THE CHARACTER OF THOMAS JEFFERSON, Ellis has been challenging a long established scenario in which the arch conservative John Adams was pitted against the populist liberal Thomas Jefferson for the political destiny of America, and the hero Jefferson triumphed over the mildly villainous Adams. Ellis has been questioning whether any part of this scenario makes any sense, whether Adams is at all a villain, and whether Jefferson is nearly as heroic. He has done this not by asserting the virtues of conservativism, but whether Adams has been correctly understood at all, both by his contemporaries and by subsequent generations. This reevaluation of Adams was continued by the spectacular and unanticipated mega-bestseller by David McCullough of 2001. This process of reassessment is clearly carried forward by John Patrick Diggins. For the record, I find the rehabilitation of Adams by these and other writers to be both welcome and highly convincing.

For two hundred years, our view of Adams came very much through the lenses of his critics and opponents. The truism that history is written from the standpoint of the victors is perhaps truer of Adams than any other major political figure in United States history. Adams was said to be a closet monarchist, a favorer of aristocracy. In the face of this criticism, Adams explicitly challenged Jefferson to point to a single passage in any of his writings that endorses monarchy or aristocracy. In fact, if one reads extensively in Adams works, as argued by Ellis, Diggins, and McCullough, one finds instead a powerful and subtle critique of the dangers of the development and influence of an economic elite, placing him at the opposite extreme of Alexander Hamilton, whose ideal of government came very close to the espousal of plutocracy. Adams did hope for the emergence of natural elites, but this was based on ability and character, not on wealth. Contained in the reassessment of Adams is implied a questioning of whether Adams is the arch conservative he is often portrayed as being. The case for Adams's conservativism is based largely on his belief in monarchism, his favoring aristocracy, his support for a bicameral Congress, his looking to the past for guidance, and his opposition to the French Revolution. As these authors have shown, Adams transparently did not favor monarchy or the growth of an aristocratic class and a bicameral legislature in the United States has not resulted in the Senate being a sort of House of Lords. Today many leftist historians have found grounds for critiquing the French Revolution, and a host of leftist political figures have found inspiration for their beliefs in the past (not least Karl Marx, who was a student of the Greeks and Romans). Furthermore, Adams was hardly a passionate capitalist, and was suspicious of a life devoted to the acquisition of wealth. In fact, if you compare Adams and Jefferson to that modern conservative icon Ronald Reagan, it is hard to find many issues that Adams would not differ sharply on from Reagan, while one can see a number of points of contact between Adams and Reagan. Diggins, in fact, finds numerous points of contact between Adams's political writings and many French radical writers of the late 20th century. I will say that as a leftist myself, I find much to love in Adams's thought. I share his fear of the negative effects that economic elites have on the democratic process, his belief in the need for a strong central government to protect citizens from the pernicious influence of greed (Adams would understand my fear of deregulation), and his instincts that government rather than less or no government is a better safeguard of individual liberty. Diggins rightly states that the American president who would most closely incarnate Adams's principles would be Teddy Roosevelt, who envisioned government as the means of breaking trusts and promoting economic justice.

Of all the books in the Schlesinger series on the American presidents, this is probably the one that I found most provocative intellectually. It is a dense, rich book, in large part because Diggins focuses more on the thought of Adams than his life. Diggins is more intent on explaining Adams ideas than the various events in his life. In one sense this is a weakness as a biography, but because his discussion of Adams's ideas is so clear and interesting, it more than makes up for the lack of biographical detail. I do regret some of the sketchiness of the biographical narrative. For instance, he doesn't' deal in any detail on how Adams became either vice president or president. This contrasts sharply with the rather deep discussion of Adams's ideas. This is in line with Diggins's role as apologist for Adams. On the purely historical side, most of Diggins's effort is put into dispelling the myth that the election of 1800 represented the defeat of Federalism by Republicanism (that's Jeffersonian Republicanism, not what we associate today with the GOP). I personally found this section less interesting that the sections dealing with Adams's thought.

I would strongly encourage anyone reading this volume to consider picking up the new volume THE PORTABLE JOHN ADAMS, edited by Diggins. I completely agree with Diggins that Adams's writings are more interesting than his presidency, and that he may be the most unjustly neglected political writer in American history. This new volume contains a wide ranging collection of his writings, not merely from his theoretical writings, but his diaries and letters as well.

To start with and to avoid disappointment for those looking for something other than what this is, some of the trade reviews are just plain wrong: this is not a biography focusing on Adams childhood and youth. In fact, it isn't really a biography at all. What it is is a short, to the point but nevertheless fairly deep analysis of Adams' political thought with a particular emphasis on the politics of his presidential administration. It is written from a very positive view point (one shared by David McCullough) and from a view point that is quite hostile to Thomas Jefferson. As such it is an invaluable read for anyone interested in the development of presidential politics in America as well as anyone seeking the "rest of the story" regarding Adams, Jefferson, and their relationship.

This isn't much of a biography. It gives just a quick history of Mr. Adams early life. It mainly focuses on his political and philosophical career and his feuds with Jefferson and Hamilton. It does a good job of reviewing his term as second president and the policies and precedents he initiated. This book may be a stepping stone to a more comprehensive analysis of Mr. Adams's personal and political life.

Over the past few years, thanks to a TV docu-drama bearing his name, our nation's second President, John Adams, has gotten quite a bit of press after years of playing second-fiddle (at least in public perception) to names like Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin. This book only adds to that new-found sense of legacy for Mr. Adams by giving a very clear and concise picture/assessment of his time in office.

The author mostly focuses on how Adam's political philosophy differed so radically from his contemporaries. Whereas George Washington thought himself above politics and government, and Thomas Jefferson thought that "the people" should completely control the government, Adams instead championed the notion that a strong government and executive office is actually NEEDED in order to provide for the masses. Though this idea was ultimately what led to the general sullying of Adams' reputation, as he was labeled a monarchist by a young country fresh off a revolution, Adams was remarkable adept at turning his ideas into practices, some of which still thrive to this day.

Basically, this is the summary of Adams that you want to read if you would like to get to know both the man and his times without poring over volumes of literature. I am currently in the process of working my way through this American Presidents series, and this volume surely did not disappoint.

Personally, I prefer more detailed biographies of historical figures as opposed to briefer ones. Hence, I really appreciated McCullough's detailed work on John Adams. Nonetheless, Diggins' book is a worthwhile addition to one's library. Especially for those who want a briefer, accessible biography, the Diggins' book would be a good investment.

First, unlike most books in The American Presidents series, there is considerable emphasis on the ideas of John Adams. This is most important, given that he had a more philosophical bent than most American presidents, and his writings are, in themselves, contributions to our understanding of American political thought. This alone makes this book most useful to those who are interested in the impact of presidents. In this case, his ideas are important to be aware of.

Second, it is a decent biography in its own right, given its brevity (a hallmark of this series). The book traces the arc of Adams' life from birth to death--a rich, long, full life. We see his friendship with Thomas Jefferson disintegrate and become enmity--only to have the friendship rekindled after the termination of Jefferson's political career. Their letters back and forth are intriguing, in exposing the very different political perspectives at stake in the early 19th century.

We get a sense of the special relationship between Adams and his wife, Abigail. We see his unique, and sometimes problematic, personality at work--desperate for respect and prickly enough. His role as diplomat in Europe. His service as Vice President under George Washington (describing the office as "The most insignificant office that ever man contrived"). His role as President, after having defeated Jefferson. While he had some bad moments (e.g., the Alien and Sedition Acts), he also showed some political, courage (e.g., not caving in to the demand for war against France). He was much aggrieved in his loss in the 1800 election to his archrival Jefferson. He retired to his native Massachusetts and the book describes his life as citizen. . . .

So, in the end, a worthwhile brief biography, that makes a nice contribution in describing Adam's political thinking.

Unlike David McCullough's thoroughly personal biography on John Adams, Diggins presents us a biography that is more political than personal. Rather than focus on Adams as the husband, lawyer, and patriot, whose picture McCullough has already well painted, Diggins focuses on Adams as the philosopher and politician.

Philosophically, we learn that Adams saw government as a check on the warring social classes and as a restraint on their desires to dominate one another. Although such a vision guarantees a stagnant government, for Adams, the solution was found in an energetic executive. Once becoming the chief executive, though, Diggins points out that Adams was too isolated, too idealistic, and too virtuous to put his vision into action. Consequently, Adams could not reconcile himself with the warring factions around him and refused to defend himself from the baseless accusations those factions threw his way. The result, a 4 AM departure from the White House after a single, tumultuous term and a relegation to obscurity for most of America's history.

While Diggins' book is only a fifth the size of McCullough's, this new level of complexity is surprising and welcoming. Recommended for those who desire this level of complexity in their subject matter, but not for those who desire a biography that is more personal.

The author spent an ungodly amount of his space in writing about John Adams theories and thoughs rather than spend the necessary time talking about his short one term Presidency. This clouded the enjoyability of this read. Rather than here what he did during his Presidency, we come away with his thoughts and theories about social class and political functions. Thus, this short read became difficult to those who wanted to know a little about our second President and his term in office.

The American Presidents series are nice little summaries of all our Presidents. This book is not as interesting as some of the latter books.

John Adams (1735 --1826) was rescued from relative obsurity by David McCullough's popular and accessible biography. Engaging as it is, McCullough's work has little on the thought and writings of John Adams and on the impact of his thinking on American government and on Adams's own presidency. John Patrick Diggins's short biography, written as part of the American Presidents series, helps remedy this lack. It provides a deeper picture of an American political philosopher and president. Diggins is a distinguished professor of American history at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He has written widely on American intellectual history, including books on Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, pragmatism, and the American left.

Adams was born to a family of modest means in Massachusetts. Following graduation from Harvard, he became a lawyer and married Abigail Smith. Adams early became involved in the Revolutionary movement and served in the Continental Congress. During the Revolutionary War, Adams was abroad where he made vital contributions to the war effort in France and Holland. He helped draft the treaty by which the United States secured its independence. Adams served restlessly as Washington's vice-president and then became the second president in a close election against Thomas Jefferson, who became vice-president. After his narrow defeat by Jefferson for reelection in 1800, Adams retired to his home in Quincy.

More important than these external events, Adams was a writer and a thinker who wrote works in support of American independence in the 1770s and books expounding his political philosophy and his understanding of American constitutionalism in the late 1780s and continuing early into his tenure as vice-president. Adams continued his writings in his long retirement, particularly in a wonderful series of letters he exchanged with his former rival, Jefferson.

Diggins gives a good overview of a complex body of thought. Adams was opposed to the French Revolution and to writers such as Thomas Paine whose works helped to spearhead the American Revolution. Adams developed a philosophy based upon the unreliable and depraved nature of the human heart and its ambitions for power, wealth and success. He argued that a diverse government structured to allow for the wealthy classes and the common people, headed by a strong executive, would be the best way to restrain human greed and folly and to channel these traits for the common good. He objected to the French Revolution for its levelling tendencies -- for its attempt to obliterate distinctions, which Adams thought, were ingrained in the human desire to compete and excel, and which could not be artifically supressed. Adams also objected to the French Revolution because it was not properly succeeded with a solid institutional form of government. The American Revolution, which unlike the French revolution, was not based upon classes within the United States, and the American Constitution, with its separation of powers and strong executive were, for Adams, the antithesis of the French Revolution.

During his presidency, Adams was excoriated by his fellow-Federalist Alexander Hamilton, who found Adams too weak and vacillating and by Thomas Jefferson, who attacked what he claimed were aristocratic and monarchical tendencies in Adams. Yet Adams worked carefully and delicately to avoid a war with France, the most significant accomplishment of his presidency. He established a tax system and pardoned a group of protesters who had been found guilty of treason by opposing it. Adams strengthened the military and left the budget with a surplus at the conclusion of his presidency. During his presidency, Congress enacted, and Adams enforced, the Alien and Sedition Acts, which Diggins somewhat downplays in his account.

In 1800, under attack from both Hamilton and Jefferson, Adams came in a close third to Jefferson and Burr in the presidential race. Jefferson prevailed in the House of Representatives when Hamilton lent his influence and support. This hotly contested and little-known election marked a watershed in American politics as it marked a peaceful transition from Adams to a leader and a party with a far different stated political agenda. The American era of party politics, based upon images, perceptions, and the pursuit of power, had begun.

Diggins is not afraid to state his own positions, and he shows a marked sympathy for John Adams over his rival, Jefferson. He sees Adams as a unique example of a president who tried to govern based upon principle rather than party or power. Together with Lincoln, Jefferson, Madison, and perhaps Theodore Roosevelt and Wilson, Diggins places Adams in a small group of American presidents who demonstrated intellectual leadership and accomplishment prior to and in the Executive Office.

For Diggins, Adams's strengths as a thinker, together with his curmudgeonly disposition, led to the weaknesses of his presidency. He writes (p. 174) "At times the sin of pride cursed the Adams presidency. He often preferred to work alone, rarely sharing his thoughts or seeking the input of others as we was making up his mind. ... Adams was one of America's most solitary presidents, and the isolation of the mind, while healthy for poetry or phiosophy, is fatal in the sphere of politics.... politics dwells in the present, in bargains and distortions, naneuvers and manipulations, and other strategies of exigency that had no appeal to a thinker better at analyzing power than dealing with people."

Diggins has written a thoughtful introduction to a thinker and president who remains incompletely understood. This short book should inspire reflection on Adams and on the nature of the political system which he helped bequeath to us.

Robin Friedman

It's about our 2nd presdent and his life and how he came to be. I liked It because well just because he was the 2nd presedent of the united states.

All other reviews on Amazon at the time of my writing this review are for a completely different book in a different series, The American Presidents, and erroneously placed under this book. This is a review of the John Adams book for the Childhoods of the Presidents series.

This book is a simple, short (40 easy pages, including many pictures) telling of Adams's life, with an emphasis on his childhood. It would be appropriate for children from 3rd-6th grade, although all ages would enjoy reading it. Far from being a dry textbook, it's written in an engaging, easy-to-read style, with a short glossary in the back for words a child might not be familiar with (such as "diplomat" and "pulpit"). My 11 year old homeschooled daughter and I love this series of books. In less than one enjoyable hour, you get an accurate (if brief) biography of the president, with a focus on the influences and circumstances that led him to become the man he did. If we didn't get to read it for school, we'd read it for pleasure. It should be noted that there are only a few pages dedicated to his actual presidency, and no mention of his affiliation with the doomed Federalist political party, so any student doing a book report on Adams would certainly need other sources. But for a basic, interesting introduction to United States history and our presidents, this series can't be beat.