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John Adams

Questions About John Adams

by David McCullough

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Answered Questions (4)

I have not read McCullough. What book to read first? Book or audio?
Susan Zographos My first McCullough book was Truman. I listened to the audio and then read the book. It was wonderful. I love history and McCullough makes the past co…moreMy first McCullough book was Truman. I listened to the audio and then read the book. It was wonderful. I love history and McCullough makes the past come alive! (less)
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Please help! On page 466 John Adams isn't President. Then on Page 467 he is. Given this is a biography of John Adams, why did McCullough skip the how part? So weird. Such a great 466 pages then BOOM! I really don't want to read anymore but only have 200 more pages, maybe the author explains it all.
Clarke Owens Section V, Chapter 8 contains the election. It took several months to count the votes. Jefferson was expected (by Adams) to win, but then fortunes tur…moreSection V, Chapter 8 contains the election. It took several months to count the votes. Jefferson was expected (by Adams) to win, but then fortunes turned. The change in fortune occurs on the couple of pages before 466 in my paperback edition.(less)
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This book portrays Hamilton in a negative light. I haven't seen it, but assume he's portrayed positively in the musical. What is the take-away from people who have read John Adams and seen Hamilton?
Magen I thought this book showed Hamilton as overly ambitious, sometimes off the ledge, and a thorn in people’s side which the musical highlights too. To me…moreI thought this book showed Hamilton as overly ambitious, sometimes off the ledge, and a thorn in people’s side which the musical highlights too. To me, it seemed less about being portrayed in a negative light but seemingly a realistic yet slightly different context or vantage point than the Chernow biography. What the Adams book doesn’t get into about Hamilton but is portrayed in both the Chernow biography & musical are Hamilton’s “pick him up from the bootstraps” mentality, his concern about legacy (being that he came from nothing and felt he had a lot to prove), and how his influence shaped core tenets of government given his proximity to power and influential relationships. McCullough’s book doesn’t hide the fact that Washington and Adams weren’t particularly close whereas the Hamilton/Washington relationship was very significant to both of them and how the government was run. (less)
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Does this book say if George Washington ever met John Quincy Adams? I know that JQA met Lincoln. It would be great to connect to Washington.
S Yes. McCullough describes them meeting at City Tavern and at Church in Philadelphia, and quotes a few letters. They met a couple of times (2-3) and Ad…moreYes. McCullough describes them meeting at City Tavern and at Church in Philadelphia, and quotes a few letters. They met a couple of times (2-3) and Adams was a strong proponent of Washington since GW hailed from Virginia and they wanted (needed!) Southern support for independence to provide a unified front.(less)
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