I seriously loved this book!
John Adams was a great journal-keeper so one of the neat things about this book is that as it told about his life events, many times you also knew how he felt about it. John was extremely patriotic, and so was Abigail. They agreed that his greatest "calling" was to his country. Reading about their sacrifices for our country was so inspiring. For example, Abigail would take care of their farm for the greater part of the year while he was away serving in Congress. At that time, they were not paid, so Abigail worked on the farm with 4 kids and no money.
The love story between John and his wife Abigail is so sweet. They would write to each other as, "Dearest Friend." Awww. They couldn't stand to be apart, yet they each felt that John's service for the U.S. was far more important than their personal desires. When John was working in Europe, it would take 6 or more months to receive letters. One time, John sent her a letter that said simply, "Oh! Oh! Oh! That you were here!"
John was extremely honest about himself. He frequently mentioned that his greatest flaw was vanity, yet history shows no record of him putting others down, even if they disagreed. He was always very kind. Furthermore, he was always concerned about the issue, not just about being right or the smartest. For months before the Declaration was written, John wanted a statement of independence to be written. However, he records that he waited until the time was right to propose it so it could be ratified. Then he asked Thomas Jefferson to compose it, although he himself had written several thoughts on the subject.
John Adams frequently felt alone. He loved to be in the thick of the decision-making process, and wanted nothing more than to help the Union succeed. When he was asked to go to Europe, he felt alone and left out. Yet, his loyalty to the cause of liberty was, to him, more important than his personal feelings. He worked hard at his assignment from Congress, large or small. Although he craved recognition for his efforts, and received scorn, he kept working. This is such a common human condition--to want recognition and attention. Some people try to get it any way they can, yet John Adams quietly worked in his task "behind the scenes," whether or not he was "important."
This is probably the best book I have read this year. It was enjoyable and inspiring.
