greatlibraryofalexandra's review against another edition
4.0
I was intrigued by the mentions of JQA's life while reading McCullough's "John Adams," and this book really drove home for me what an interesting life this man had. As a member of the foreign service myself, I was riveted by his long career serving oversea for a fledgling State Department, and the unprecedented insights into who JQA was privately really made this book enjoyable. He was certainly a fascinating man, and that makes him an easy topic to study.
A few major problems keep this from being a full 5 star read.
For one, as others have noted, Nagel boasts repeatedly that he only includes one chapter on JQA's presidency, so full and rich was the rest of his life. While he's not wrong, I think the lack of analysis of the presidency was a mistake. Rather than underscoring how full JQA's life was, it tended to flippantly write off a major event. By the end of this book, I found myself forgetting he was, in fact, a president.
Again, as others note, Nagel focuses so heavily on the personal that significant aspects of the political get glossed over. I feel the need to read an additional book on JQA to get a better sense of the public aspect of his long, illustrious service.
And lastly: Nagel does an abysmal job of discussing JQA's relationship to slavery, which I feel is inexcusable, and he also has a bizarre, unpalatable habit of demonizing Abigail Adams whenever she is brought up. It is constant, and inexplicable: Nagel does not mention Abigail Adams without adding that he was "stern" "austere" "a shrew" - et cetera, and this comes off as merely personal rancor, as he provides very little (if any) evidence to indicate a) that JQA felt this hostile towards her and b) that she was acting any differently than John Adams the father was. In fact in one instance, Nagel demonizes Abigail only to then report how devastated JQA was by her death. It was difficult to get through these irritating parts of the book.
Nagel's attention to Louisa Adams is much kinder and more invigorating, and though this book definitely makes me want to read about Louisa herself, I am completely turned off to find that Nagel has a book on the Adams women.
But as a whole, this is a very enticing, energetic read that is truly interesting. The life of this man spans so many vastly interesting decades; the length of his life itself, and his time spent in public service, is astounding. I was particularly entranced by JQA's awareness of his own impending death, and the ability he had to record it in his journals. This is a president I will happily revisit, and I'd easily recommend this book.
A few major problems keep this from being a full 5 star read.
For one, as others have noted, Nagel boasts repeatedly that he only includes one chapter on JQA's presidency, so full and rich was the rest of his life. While he's not wrong, I think the lack of analysis of the presidency was a mistake. Rather than underscoring how full JQA's life was, it tended to flippantly write off a major event. By the end of this book, I found myself forgetting he was, in fact, a president.
Again, as others note, Nagel focuses so heavily on the personal that significant aspects of the political get glossed over. I feel the need to read an additional book on JQA to get a better sense of the public aspect of his long, illustrious service.
And lastly: Nagel does an abysmal job of discussing JQA's relationship to slavery, which I feel is inexcusable, and he also has a bizarre, unpalatable habit of demonizing Abigail Adams whenever she is brought up. It is constant, and inexplicable: Nagel does not mention Abigail Adams without adding that he was "stern" "austere" "a shrew" - et cetera, and this comes off as merely personal rancor, as he provides very little (if any) evidence to indicate a) that JQA felt this hostile towards her and b) that she was acting any differently than John Adams the father was. In fact in one instance, Nagel demonizes Abigail only to then report how devastated JQA was by her death. It was difficult to get through these irritating parts of the book.
Nagel's attention to Louisa Adams is much kinder and more invigorating, and though this book definitely makes me want to read about Louisa herself, I am completely turned off to find that Nagel has a book on the Adams women.
But as a whole, this is a very enticing, energetic read that is truly interesting. The life of this man spans so many vastly interesting decades; the length of his life itself, and his time spent in public service, is astounding. I was particularly entranced by JQA's awareness of his own impending death, and the ability he had to record it in his journals. This is a president I will happily revisit, and I'd easily recommend this book.
socraticgadfly's review against another edition
4.0
A good, solid bio of someone who was perhaps a bit the George H.W. Bush of his day,only better at it. Not a real "partisan," he voted Jeffersonian not Federalist half the time when a U.S. Senator. The author of the "Monroe Doctrine," and the defender of the US issuing the idea alone, not in conjunction with Britain. Dedicated to free speech as a Congressman. A man miserable as president.
And miserable trying to live up to a domineering mother, a weight of family history and a scolding self-conscience. Paul Nagel does a good job of filling in the life of Adams the person. I learned most about his relationship with Abigail, followed by that with his sons, the oldest two of whom, along with a brother, all died of alcoholism, directly or indirectly.
Yet, I can't quite five-star this book. That's as much my feeling, upon reading this book ... that there's just not quite enough "There" there for a five-star life story. Is that some fault of Nagel's, or is that the bottom line about JQA? Still not sure.
That said, there is one other thing I learned. Yes, he may have had more than his share of "integrity," but, a lot of what people call "integrity" in him is actually prickliness that surpassed even his dad's.
And miserable trying to live up to a domineering mother, a weight of family history and a scolding self-conscience. Paul Nagel does a good job of filling in the life of Adams the person. I learned most about his relationship with Abigail, followed by that with his sons, the oldest two of whom, along with a brother, all died of alcoholism, directly or indirectly.
Yet, I can't quite five-star this book. That's as much my feeling, upon reading this book ... that there's just not quite enough "There" there for a five-star life story. Is that some fault of Nagel's, or is that the bottom line about JQA? Still not sure.
That said, there is one other thing I learned. Yes, he may have had more than his share of "integrity," but, a lot of what people call "integrity" in him is actually prickliness that surpassed even his dad's.
bowienerd_82's review against another edition
2.0
John Quincy Adams lived such an interesting life, from his childhood on up to his old age, even to the moment of his death. The years of 1767-1848 were such a fascinating time for American history, from the end of the colonial era to the American Revolution, to the War of 1812, through the rumblings that led to the Civil War. He lived through the American Industrial Revolution, going from wind power to steam, from horses to trains, from painting to early photography.
And JQA lived all over the world, first during his childhood accompanying his father to the courts of France, of Holland, and the UK, and then in his own right, as a diplomat serving in Holland, the UK, Germany (Prussia), and Russia.
This book makes a brief joke about the fact that probably no other president's biography devotes only a single chapter to their actual presidency, but that's all that JQA's really needed.
And then there is his singular post-presidency life as a member of the House of Representatives, and his work on the defense in the Amistad case.
And yet, with such a fascinating and full life, I'd expect a better book. While the style of this one was fairly readable, it definitely lacked the polish and finesse that a better writer would have provided. The author often went on for long periods of time about pointless tangents and uninteresting subjects, while glossing over or completely skipping major events in the world and in Adams' life. With the life JQA led, this book should have been fascinating; instead it was fairly mediocre.
There was also a complete lack of footnotes, and only a brief list of sources. I know the author was working mostly off of JQA's diaries, but still, I expect way more in the way of citation, especially for a modern book.
And I doubt I would have finished this book anywhere near as quickly as I did but for the fact that I had two long train rides in two days.
Anyway, I debated between 3 stars and 2, and wish again that I could give half stars, because I think this one deserves 2.5.
And JQA lived all over the world, first during his childhood accompanying his father to the courts of France, of Holland, and the UK, and then in his own right, as a diplomat serving in Holland, the UK, Germany (Prussia), and Russia.
This book makes a brief joke about the fact that probably no other president's biography devotes only a single chapter to their actual presidency, but that's all that JQA's really needed.
And then there is his singular post-presidency life as a member of the House of Representatives, and his work on the defense in the Amistad case.
And yet, with such a fascinating and full life, I'd expect a better book. While the style of this one was fairly readable, it definitely lacked the polish and finesse that a better writer would have provided. The author often went on for long periods of time about pointless tangents and uninteresting subjects, while glossing over or completely skipping major events in the world and in Adams' life. With the life JQA led, this book should have been fascinating; instead it was fairly mediocre.
There was also a complete lack of footnotes, and only a brief list of sources. I know the author was working mostly off of JQA's diaries, but still, I expect way more in the way of citation, especially for a modern book.
And I doubt I would have finished this book anywhere near as quickly as I did but for the fact that I had two long train rides in two days.
Anyway, I debated between 3 stars and 2, and wish again that I could give half stars, because I think this one deserves 2.5.
jasond's review against another edition
3.0
You find out a lot about his private life, but his public life gets short shrift.
Adams was like his father, he took bold, principled stands that cost him politically. Fortunately, he lived long enough to see his views vindicated.
p.s. Fuck Andrew Jackson
Adams was like his father, he took bold, principled stands that cost him politically. Fortunately, he lived long enough to see his views vindicated.
p.s. Fuck Andrew Jackson
lspargo's review against another edition
4.0
JQA lead a very interesting life, and this book did a good job of including a more personal side of what was going on in his life.
alanfederman's review against another edition
3.0
In my quest to read a biography of every president, this is #6. The writing was good, but there seemed to be too much on JQA as a person and not enough of his politics or the politics of the time. There was more written about his legal apprenticeship than his presidency. However he is a very interesting character - a master of languages at a young age (he taught himself French well enough at age 14 to speak at the French royal court!) and avid swimmer but did not come across as very personable. Next on to Andrew Jackson.
nicholasbobbitt1997's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not a huge fan of Nagel's writing style, but it's a competent book.
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