lakecake's review against another edition
4.0
I didn’t know much about John Quincy Adams before this book, but this is a comprehensive bio that will certainly change that if it’s the case for you. I knew he was the 6th president and that’s about it, but man did he live a full and interesting life. He also seemed like a not wholly pleasant person—not mean, but never content, always a bit complainy or grasping for more, needy in fairly vain ways and a bit egotistical to boot.
mjsteimle's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent biography of an incredibly talented but exasperating man.
xxstefaniereadsxx's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
3.0
John Quincy Adams was born in, what is now, Massachusetts in 1767. His parents were President John and Mrs. Abigail Adams. John Quincy served the United States in several different capacities, including as a Senator, Dean of the House of Representatives, Secretary of State, and 6th President of the United States. When he beat out Andrew Jackson for the presidency, Jackson posited that the Speaker of the House, Henry Clay, rigged it so that Adams would win. I had never heard that conspiracy theory before. While there is apparently still no substantial evidence that occurred, it is interesting to note that Henry Clay was appointed Secretary of State after Adams was elected. Anyone with any sense knows that politicians and government officials are always up to some type of shenanagins, so this might be a pretty believable theory. There were a few takeaways from this book that I feel are important. One is that he was opposed to slavery, which was pretty interesting to me. I have to admit that I have the assumption that most of the early Presidents were pro-slavery and/or slave owners at the least, so it was interesting to note that he wasn't for the enslavement of human beings. The second is that he behaved more favorably to Indigenous people than Jackson later would. The third is that he proposed the annexation of Texas, swearing it would cause a Civil War....and that is especially interesting in today's climate where all of our Southern states, including the one I live in, are behaving in such an unhinged and destructive manner towards the people living and working in them.
I had read another book a while back about John Quincy Adams, and I felt that this one provided many more details than the other one I read. This book did a pretty hard look into his life and service. I also learned from this book that he was a member of several political parties, a couple of which that I had never heard of before now. (Not that I would have, because I have never been a fan of [whitewashed] US history.) The book was very obviously researched well, and conveyed a lot of good facts. I learned a lot about this President that I had not known before, so it was worth the time it took for me to read this one. I am also glad to have it off my TBR shelf.
I had read another book a while back about John Quincy Adams, and I felt that this one provided many more details than the other one I read. This book did a pretty hard look into his life and service. I also learned from this book that he was a member of several political parties, a couple of which that I had never heard of before now. (Not that I would have, because I have never been a fan of [whitewashed] US history.) The book was very obviously researched well, and conveyed a lot of good facts. I learned a lot about this President that I had not known before, so it was worth the time it took for me to read this one. I am also glad to have it off my TBR shelf.
spinnerroweok's review against another edition
4.0
Here's a sci fi connection for you. JQA wanted to build the first observatory in the states. I didn't know anything about JQA before except for the movie Amistad. He was an interesting guy. His presidency was the least interesting part of his life. He was central to getting the Smithsonian Institution off the ground. He was a linguist and poet. He seemed to always be afraid of not living up to his own expectations.
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
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