What do you think?
Rate this book
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
3 days and 12:37:53
50 copies available
U.S. only
John Hancock: First to Sign, First to Invest in America's Independence
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
3 days and 12:37:53
50 copies available
U.S. only
A compelling, intimate portrait of John Hancock, going beyond the flamboyant signature to reveal the pivotal role that he had in the American Revolution
A contemporary of Samuel Adams, John Adams, George Washington, and the Marquis de Lafayette, Hancock had a list of contacts that read like a who’s who of the American Revolution. But shockingly little has been written about Hancock himself. John Hancock tells the story of a man who deserves far more credit for his contribution to the American Revolution than he previously received—and award-winning scholar Willard Sterne Randall is determined to give him his due at last.
Born into relatively modest means, Hancock was sent to live with his wealthy uncle and aunt as a child. The couple raised him as their own and prepared him to take over the family company. A remarkably successful businessman, Hancock got involved in politics in the mid-1760s. He quickly rose in the ranks, eventually serving as the president of the Continental Congress and the first governor of Massachusetts.
John Hancock details all of the major moments in the Revolution, from the Boston Tea Party to the battles of Lexington and Concord to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Hancock’s actions fundamentally altered each of these events—and ultimately the course of the United States—in ways never taught in the history books. Randall also dives into lesser-known parts of Hancock’s life with nuance and compassion, including his education and controversial work with Harvard; his long courtship and complicated marriage to Dorothy Quincy; and his close relationship and eventual bitter rivalry with Samuel Adams.
John Hancock enjoyed great popularity in Massachusetts during the Revolution, but he left behind few personal writings, making it hard to tell his story. Through extensive research, Randall aims to restore Hancock to his rightful place, celebrated for his achievements as one of our Founding Fathers at last.
A contemporary of Samuel Adams, John Adams, George Washington, and the Marquis de Lafayette, Hancock had a list of contacts that read like a who’s who of the American Revolution. But shockingly little has been written about Hancock himself. John Hancock tells the story of a man who deserves far more credit for his contribution to the American Revolution than he previously received—and award-winning scholar Willard Sterne Randall is determined to give him his due at last.
Born into relatively modest means, Hancock was sent to live with his wealthy uncle and aunt as a child. The couple raised him as their own and prepared him to take over the family company. A remarkably successful businessman, Hancock got involved in politics in the mid-1760s. He quickly rose in the ranks, eventually serving as the president of the Continental Congress and the first governor of Massachusetts.
John Hancock details all of the major moments in the Revolution, from the Boston Tea Party to the battles of Lexington and Concord to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Hancock’s actions fundamentally altered each of these events—and ultimately the course of the United States—in ways never taught in the history books. Randall also dives into lesser-known parts of Hancock’s life with nuance and compassion, including his education and controversial work with Harvard; his long courtship and complicated marriage to Dorothy Quincy; and his close relationship and eventual bitter rivalry with Samuel Adams.
John Hancock enjoyed great popularity in Massachusetts during the Revolution, but he left behind few personal writings, making it hard to tell his story. Through extensive research, Randall aims to restore Hancock to his rightful place, celebrated for his achievements as one of our Founding Fathers at last.
285 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 10, 2025
13 people are currently reading
4188 people want to read
About the author
Willard Sterne Randall
43 books66 followersWillard Sterne Randall is an American historian and author who specializes in biographies related to the American colonial period and the American Revolution. He teaches American history at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 22, 2025
Overall, an enjoyable read. Thanks to Dutton for sending me a gifted copy of this book!!
This is a short biography of one of America’s founding fathers. He’s well-known for his large signature, but not for some of the bigger feats he accomplished and that’s disappointing. While this read incredibly positively of Hancock, I would have liked to get a better understanding of where he stood in the big picture of American politics—tell me the good AND the bad pls! I learned a lot, but still left me wanting a bit more.
Randall’s writing also came off almost unedited at a couple points?? There were some sentences and paragraphs throughout that left me wondering how they got through previous reviews? It felt repetitive sometimes, but not to a point I got frustrated.
I’d recommend this to someone wanting a quick primer to get basic info about John Hancock, but if you’re more of an American Revolution aficionado, I’m not sure you’ll get much out of this. It could also be a good way for someone new to non-fiction to get their feet wet. The writing is simple enough, as well (he does use a few words randomly that even I had to look up to make sure I understood what the author meant to convey, but generally not a difficult book to understand).
This is a short biography of one of America’s founding fathers. He’s well-known for his large signature, but not for some of the bigger feats he accomplished and that’s disappointing. While this read incredibly positively of Hancock, I would have liked to get a better understanding of where he stood in the big picture of American politics—tell me the good AND the bad pls! I learned a lot, but still left me wanting a bit more.
Randall’s writing also came off almost unedited at a couple points?? There were some sentences and paragraphs throughout that left me wondering how they got through previous reviews? It felt repetitive sometimes, but not to a point I got frustrated.
I’d recommend this to someone wanting a quick primer to get basic info about John Hancock, but if you’re more of an American Revolution aficionado, I’m not sure you’ll get much out of this. It could also be a good way for someone new to non-fiction to get their feet wet. The writing is simple enough, as well (he does use a few words randomly that even I had to look up to make sure I understood what the author meant to convey, but generally not a difficult book to understand).
February 15, 2025
If you are looking for a relatively simple and informative read about one of the main leaders of our nations first pass at government, this is a very solid choice. Randall is an established biographer who knows how craft well and it’s a very enjoyable and well researched look into Hancock’s life.
I did find the book quite repetitive and overly positive at times. Hancock often reads as a well loved man who was popular but there is little critical feedback of how his peers viewed him and how he managed some of the horrific parts of this early country such as slavery and the take over of Native American lands. Very little in here also tested the politics of the age which would have helped many stories in this book. I know the author was trying to provide a different look into Hancock’s life but I think it went too far to celebrate him as a heroic figure vs a real person with nuance. Much of the book about his gout was over done and went on for too long of a time.
Overall, this is a solid biography and I learned a lot about Hancock not previously taught in history classes so worth a quick read given he is one of the main revolutionary figures.
I did find the book quite repetitive and overly positive at times. Hancock often reads as a well loved man who was popular but there is little critical feedback of how his peers viewed him and how he managed some of the horrific parts of this early country such as slavery and the take over of Native American lands. Very little in here also tested the politics of the age which would have helped many stories in this book. I know the author was trying to provide a different look into Hancock’s life but I think it went too far to celebrate him as a heroic figure vs a real person with nuance. Much of the book about his gout was over done and went on for too long of a time.
Overall, this is a solid biography and I learned a lot about Hancock not previously taught in history classes so worth a quick read given he is one of the main revolutionary figures.
March 29, 2025
I received an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review on my 카지노싸이트 page. Mr. Randall is known for his many wonderful biographies and histories of the Founding Fathers and the Revolutionary period. This book was a sorely needed modern day biography of one of the most little known Founding Fathers, John Hancock. I read a biography on Hancock last year that left a terrible impression of him as a snob, among other things. This biography was much more cheerful and showed just how essential Hancock was to the success of the Revolution and ultimately, the ratification of the Constitution. From his birth to his death, this book succinctly and chronologically covers Hancock's life. Many times historians will get too technical in their biographies, but this book was easy to read and enjoyable. It would be appropriate for reading for both the casual history buff and the more seasoned history reader. I especially enjoyed how the author put modern day dollar amounts when discussing money which in this instance, really supplied a great deal of modern perspective to just how much money Hancock spent on charity and the Revolution out of his own pocket. The book also gave the reader insight into the historical events surrounding the subject without being overpowering in this regard. Highly recommend this book and will purchase a copy for my library when it is released in June!
June 28, 2025
(Audiobook) A solid, if not spectacular, biography about one of the more famous, but least known, of the Founding Fathers. Most know him as the President of the Continental Congress when the Declaration of Independence came into being, and that his was the 1st and largest signature on that document. Yet, there is more to his life than just that one document. He was one of the leading businessmen in Massachusetts in the lead-up to the American Revolution, and became a force in the Massachusetts delegation, even if he lacked the fire of Sam Adams or the political acumen of John Adams. He would go on to be a leading political figure in Massachusetts as a governor in the last years of his life, usually as a moderate. However, there isn’t a lot of direct correspondence for historians to sort through, so the author had to do a lot of research of other documents/sources to try to get information on the man. Was Hancock the braggart of his reputation? Not necessarily, or at least, no more or less than any other figure in the founding of the American Republic. Still, worth the read just to try to get some insight into a known, but not really known/understood figure in US History.
June 7, 2025
Offering a fresh perspective on the life of John Hancock, this engaging and informative biography reveals his pivotal role in the American Revolution. The book covers his business success, political career, and personal life, exploring his significant but often overlooked leadership and financial contributions to the independence movement.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
June 29, 2025
A well written account of a founding father who doesn't seem to get the recognition he deserves. Certainly, he served the citizens of Boston, Massachusetts, and the fledgling US of A extremely well.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.