John Adams: A Life [Paperback]

John Ferling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 1996

John Ferling's masterful John Adams: A Life is the most comprehensive single-volume biography of the man who succeeded George Washington in the presidency and shepherded the fragile new nation through the most dangerous of times. Drawing on extensive research, Ferling depicts a reluctant revolutionary, a leader who was deeply troubled by the warfare that he helped to make, and a fiercely independent statesman.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Historian Ferling presents the highly eventful life and times of the second president.

Copyright 1996 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

John Adams will always fascinate historians, if only because he left so many introspective ruminations. Ferling, the biographer of George Washington ( The First of Men , LJ 8/88) masterfully reinterprets these and other writings. Ferling relies heavily on outstanding recent investigations of Adams's family, especially his wife Abigail. His solid, comprehensive, moving biography sees Adams as a "one-dimensional man" who sacrificed his family to a relentless pursuit of recognition and fame. "America's first great nationalist," the self-styled "John Yankee" could be petty, vain, self-centered, acerbic, and his social skills were extremely limited. He was not a military leader. But he drove himself with intellect and ambition to the front of the Revolution. Ferling emphasizes Adams's compuslive need for personal sacrifice as a substitute for military service. This is an outstanding biography; Adams will not have to be redone for this generation.
- Harry W. Fritz, Univ. of Montana, Missoula
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 536 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks (June 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805045767
• ISBN-13: 978-0805045765
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #684,198 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #74 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( A ) > Adams, John

More About the Author

John Ferling is a leading authority on late 18th and early 19th century American history. He is the author of many books, including Independence, The Ascent of George Washington, Almost a Miracle, Setting the World Ablaze, and A Leap in the Dark. To learn more, please visit his website: www.johnferling.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An inspiring story of an important and unique American., July 25, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Haverhill, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Adams: A Life (Paperback)

I have been reading biographies of the founding fathers from Washington to Madison. I picked up this book knowing that Adams was the one that I, and most people, know the least about. Ferling brings this man to life to the point that I felt that I knew him personally more than any of the other bios I've read so far. I was amazed at how attached I became to this intense and profoundly intelligent person who is regrettably most remembered as a vain and awkward curmudgeon. Ferling's story is complete, covering the varied facets of Adams as farmer, lawyer, philosopher, negotiator, statesman, friend, husband and father. If John Adams is more of a mystery to you than the much celebrated likes of Washington, Jefferson, Franklin and Madison, then this is the book for you.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sterling biography, December 27, 2000

By 

Candace Scott (Lake Arrowhead, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Adams: A Life (Paperback)

Before reading this magnificent book, the only Adams biography I had read was Page Smith's two volume book and that is now quite dated. This book must now stand as the definitive Adams biography. Ferling paints a riveting portrait of this complex and misunderstood American hero. Adams is unfairly tossed off by the uninformed as a peripheral figure in the American Revolution, but this book shows clearly that Adams was an integral force throughout.

Ferling also takes great pains in illuminating Adams' amazing breadth of intellect and this a trait sometimes not associated with him. When one thinks about the intellectual titans among the Founding Fathers, Jefferson, Madison and Hamilton generally come to mind. Add Adams to that list and the Father of the Constitution should remain on this lofty list for all time.

Many American Revolution buffs eschew Adams and toss him off as not as interesting, flamboyant or "essential" as the other leading players. I challenge them to read this biography, which shows Adams was not only extremely intelligent, but likable and thoroughly human. This is biography at its finest.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars John Adams, December 23, 1999

By 

Johnny Dixon (Atlanta, Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Adams: A Life (Paperback)

As Richard Brookshire put it in his biography of Alexander Hamilton, it's really hard not to like John Adams. Ferling paints a great picture of why it's so hard not to like him. Adams was arrogant, brash, hot headed, aristocratic, etc. These are traits of our second president Ferling doesn't dance around. But on the other hand, Adams was also what we should all be, brutally honest, outgoing in spirit, unwavering in his beliefs,and probably the biggest thing I didn't know about Adams, madly and hopelessly in love with his wife and completely devoted to his family until his very last breath. Ferling doesn't kill us with unnecessary detail as is so common in historical biographies of the founding fathers. As Adams did, Ferling lays it out, and lets us be the judge. He states Adams' position on countless issues, right or wrong, and then allows the reader to pass the judgement. A fine work. Thank you Mr. Ferling.