John Adams

John Adams (2001) by David McCullough. This book is a masterful biography of one of our founding fathers, the brilliant, patriotic, often irascible John Adams -- a man who excited as much hatred as admiration in his contemporaries, but who would prove essential to the founding of the United States of America. Adams rose from humble beginnings to eventually become the second president of the U.S., and McCullough does a beautiful job of describing the ups and downs along the way, the triumphs and losses, the victories and the tragedies. I just read a book about Benjamin Franklin, in which Adams was a character, and he certainly gets a more sympathetic showing in this book than he did in the Franklin book. McCullough is quite balanced in his telling, though, and many times he is obliged to describe Adams' shortcomings as well as his immense talents. I found this to be a most enlightening, enjoyable book to read, and hope to read it again, soon. Grade: A-