Samuel Adams: Son of Liberty, Father of Revolution (Oxford Portraits) [Hardcover]

Benjamin H. Irvin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 2002 | Series: Oxford Portraits

The story of one of the most important -- and most elusive -- figures of the American Revolution, Samuel Adams traces the life of the "Man of the Revolution," as he was called by Thomas Jefferson, from his childhood as a fifth-generation New Englander to his pivotal role in the Boston Tea Party and war that followed to a life spent in public service. Benjamin Irvin explores the fascinating contradictions of Samuel Adams's life: he was born into a family of high rank, but lived a humble, almost impoverished life; he could barely manage his personal household, but brilliantly managed the Massachusetts House of Representatives; he pushed for the Revolution, but resisted the Constitution; he spearheaded resistance to the English government but staunchly opposed resistance to the U.S. government. A perceptive look at the life of a complex man, Samuel Adams is an evocative portrait of one of our nation's most interesting Founding Fathers.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-This book's prologue cites the important role that Adams played in the Revolutionary War and speculates as to some of the reasons that he has "largely eluded our popular imagination." He is portrayed here as a passionate man whose influence and actions were pivotal in our nation's history. Largely responsible for instigating the Boston Tea Party, Adams and the Sons of Liberty were active and vocal about England's control over Colonial trade. Irvin's account of events is exciting and written in a compelling narrative style. He presents an unbiased assessment of Adams's actions and character. Like Thomas Paine, Adams's talent for writing stirring articles was integral in invoking citizen support for an independent nation. Some articles and other primary-source documents, judiciously abridged, appear throughout the book. Black-and-white reproductions add visual appeal. Students will enjoy knowing such trivia as the fact that Adams's tuition to Harvard, at age 14, was paid in flour. A fine, objective biography that establishes the subject's egalitarian philosophies and explains the political realities of his day in an engaging manner.
Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 9-12. From the Oxford Portraits series, this book presents the life and contributions of Samuel Adams. Adams being Adams, the biography becomes inextricably intertwined with the history of Boston, particularly in the eventful and pivotal years that led up to the American Revolution. Irvin notes the relative obscurity of this Founding Father, who guarded his privacy during his life and, by destroying personal papers and letters, after his death as well. Still, there's a great deal of information here, well organized and well written, about Adams' family background, his strengths, his shortcomings, his goals, and his many achievements. Black-and-white reproductions of period paintings, prints, and documents illustrate the text. Occasional one- or two-page features introduce pertinent selections from the writings of Adams and his contemporaries. A chronology and a bibliography are appended. This solid, detailed biography will suit a somewhat older audience than Dennis Fradin's Samuel Adams: The Father of American Independence (1998). Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (October 31, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195132254
• ISBN-13: 978-0195132250
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #874,901 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Much More Than a Great Beer Maker!, February 12, 2006

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Monty Rainey (New Braunfels, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Samuel Adams: Son of Liberty, Father of Revolution (Oxford Portraits) (Hardcover)

There are literally hundreds of volumes written on John Adams, but only a handful on his equally important founding cousin, Samuel. This book, SAMUEL ADAMS, SON OF LIBERTY, FATHER OF REVOLUTION, by Benjamin Irvin, is a fine place to learn about the forgotten Adams.

The book begins with a detailed instruction of life in Puritan New England in the 1700's. The book details how Samuel's father, himself a brewer, lost most of his fortune in a banking scheme. This event led the way for Samuel's distrust of British government.

Irvin devotes the major part of the book to a portrayal of the role Adams played in the events leading to the American Revolution. The author details such events as Adams protests against the Stamp Act and Townsend Duties and Adams inevitable rise to popularity with his involvement in organizations and events such as the Sons of Liberty, organizing boycotts of British goods, and writing petitions and resolutions of protest.

Irvin depicts Adams, as he should be, at the center of revolutionary activity protesting the Boston massacre, proposing the "committees of correspondence," and helping initiate the Boston Tea Party. Adams also served in the 1st and 2nd Continental Congress and was a signor of the Declaration of Independence.

In the post-revolution era, Irvin tells of Adams reluctant work in the ratification of the Constitution. Adams somewhat feared the powers being granted the federal government, but gave in to the federalists arguments.

Irvin concludes by telling us that Adams was the single most instrumental person in making the revolution a reality. This brief book is one of the better works available on the life and times of Samuel Adams.