Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

John Adams
John Adams
John Adams
Audiobook30 hours

John Adams

Written by David McCullough

Narrated by Nelson Runger

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

4.5/5

()

About this audiobook

The Pulitzer Prize–winning, bestselling biography of America’s founding father and second president that was the basis for the acclaimed HBO series, brilliantly told by master historian David McCullough.

In this powerful, epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the adventurous life journey of John Adams, the brilliant, fiercely independent, often irascible, always honest Yankee patriot who spared nothing in his zeal for the American Revolution; who rose to become the second president of the United States and saved the country from blundering into an unnecessary war; who was learned beyond all but a few and regarded by some as “out of his senses”; and whose marriage to the wise and valiant Abigail Adams is one of the moving love stories in American history.

This is history on a grand scale—a book about politics and war and social issues, but also about human nature, love, religious faith, virtue, ambition, friendship, and betrayal, and the far-reaching consequences of noble ideas. Above all, John Adams is an enthralling, often surprising story of one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateMay 1, 2001
ISBN9780743550864
Author

David McCullough

David McCullough (1933–2022) twice received the Pulitzer Prize, for Truman and John Adams, and twice received the National Book Award, for The Path Between the Seas and Mornings on Horseback. His other acclaimed books include The Johnstown Flood, The Great Bridge, Brave Companions, 1776, The Greater Journey, The American Spirit, The Wright Brothers, and The Pioneers. He was the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. Visit DavidMcCullough.com.

More audiobooks from David Mc Cullough

Related to John Adams

Related audiobooks

Political Biographies For You

View More

Related articles

Reviews for John Adams

Rating: 4.354934500198177 out of 5 stars
4.5/5

2,523 ratings122 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Of the hundreds of books I have read thus far in my life, this is my favorite without question. As an American history teacher, I have an obvious bias toward a book about one of our founding fathers. However, I have read quite a few history books that were not very good and could not hold my attention. This book is written as a narrative and could hold its own as a story written simply for pleasure. It is a page-turner that is all but impossible to put down, and it gives the reader a tremendous knowledge about the time period of the American Revolution. All of the legendary characters of our country's early history are brought to life, and we learn about both the good and bad aspects of each of them. I have read this book through a few times now, and take something new from it each time. This is the perfect book to read for someone who did not like history in high school but feels that it is something they should learn about. It is also the perfect book for anyone who loves history and is looking for a good read.

    1 person found this helpful

  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Outstanding writing. Excellent story. Momentous times . Great man. Lasting lessons.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent! all 650 pages. All good. man of integrity, loved his family. Love McCullough's writing.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book opens up the world of one of the greatest Founding Fathers that help shape the worlds greatest country! Long live John Adams and the many lessons he and his family taught us about Liberty and Freedom!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I learned so much about U.S. history! John Adam’s inspired me. One of my all time favorite books!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent!! A must “read” for all Americans!! Politics have not changed a lot in the last 250 years.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book is undoubtedly one of the best books ever written on the subject of the American Revolution. It is not only a book about John Adams, but also about Abigail and John Quincy as well as Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington and how they interacted with one another. McCullough was able, by gleaning information from many diaries and correspondence between the major actors, to give us an insight into the very thoughts of the characters.I did not know a lot about John Adams going into this book, and the story of his life alone would have been extremely interesting. Adams was involved in so much of our country's early history, and because of his diligent writing and correspondence, we are able to better understand the opinions and sentiments of the time. Adams was able to capture the character of individuals in his thoroughly descriptive, sometimes humorous writings. His correspondence with Abigail shows that she too, was a woman of great knowledge and abilities, and that he often relied on her when he was making important decisions. McCullough was able to gather information and put it together in such a way as to form a fascinating story about a fascinating era in US History. It will now rank as one of my favorite history books alongside Ron Chernow's book, 'Alexander Hamilton.'
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed the HBO film based on this book, although I got a little fed up with the strange way Giamatti delivered his lines after a while. The rest of the cast was marvelous, David Morse as Washington and Tom Wilkinson as Franklin in particular. I'm fascinated with this period -- so I expect I'll like the book even more than the miniseries.

    Finished at last. I enjoyed this book greatly. It left me wondering why there is no Adams Memorial in our nation's capital.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    Unbearable narration. You hear him swallowing saliva and taking deep breaths.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    McCulloiugh's book is remarkably well-researched, though I had hoped it might offer a richer illumination of Adams, the man. Unfortunately, Edward Herrmann's narration is shockingly bad. It's an extremely wooden reading, devoid of any sense of the drama that is unfolding in Adams' life. At times, it was so dull, it reminded me of a computer-generated voice. The production was very sloppy, too, so that we constantly had to listen to the reader licking his lips, swallowing and inhaling in ways that are usually inaudible. Disappointing.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I gave a copy of this book to my father. If you enjoy reading about American historical figures, I bet you'll enjoy this.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Very well done! Would definitely recommend! Thank you very much!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This is my favorite general biography of John Adams. It provides a good overview of his entire life and of his character in an engaging style.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is a starry-eyed biography of a president who has spent too many years in obscurity. David McCullough has rightly replaced John Adams in the pantheon of American Heroes and Founders, and this book and the subsequent TV miniseries have rightly re-popularized this crotchety, no holds barred, sharp tongued, quick witted, devoted husband and public servant, also known as His Rotundity.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Magnificent!!! How the author was able to weave the story!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A book for the ages. A must read for all, certainly all Americans. The events in which Adams and Jefferson participated in and around 1776 changed the course of the world monumentally.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Absolutely wonderful insight into an oft-forgotten patriot. Fabulously and descriptively written. I really got a sense of John Adams' emotions and worldview.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I read this book for the first time on my first trip to Washington D.C. It reads as a novel would read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it engrossing. The first scene draws you in and immediately you realize how much the founders sacrificed for their beliefs in their country. They did this at a time when they could be hanged for those beliefs. Before reading this book, I had no idea of the role John Adams played in American History. I knew him as the 2nd President of the United States. After reading this book, my respect for John Adams has grown immensely.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    McCullough has put an unimaginable amount of work into this book. I'm not a big fan of nonfiction, but this book is very readable. I have to admit, though, that by the end I was pretty well exhausted from the hundreds of names, events, scandals, crises, victories. After reading 600 pages I felt like I had lived Adams' life myself. Still, it IS an impressive work of scholarship, and a great opportunity to learn about our nation's origins.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Brilliant and lucid, this is another fine biogrpahy from the pen of David McCullogh. The life and mind of John Adams is presented with the resulting demonstration of his importance to the founding of the United States of America.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Biography of John Adams told in the style of narrative history. Fortunately, Adams left lots of correspondences, which McCullough has used to bring him to life for the reader. We learn about his early life in Braintree, Massachusetts, education at Harvard, marriage to Abigail Smith, involvement in the independence movement, involvement in Continental Congress, visits to France and Holland, vice presidency, presidency, and later years. A good portion of the narrative focuses on his friendship with Thomas Jefferson, their falling out, and reconnection later in life. We learn about his accomplishments and a few blunders. He comes across as a person of integrity, character, and statesmanship.

    McCullough paints his scenes in vivid detail. Adams apparently suffered from malaria, which he initially contracted in his travels. He had a bit of a temper, but never let it get out of control. He suffered from bouts of melancholy, which we might call depression. While President, he pitched in to help in a bucket brigade. I was hoping for more on Adams’ time as President, but this part of the book is fairly sparse and does not appear until the last quarter of this rather lengthy book.

    Nevertheless, it is easy to recommend McCullough’s vivid portrayal of John Adams, a founding father who gets less attention than some of the other notables such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. He comes across as a devoted husband and someone who cared passionately about doing what was best for his country. Fans of American history will enjoy this one.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I really enjoyed this biography of the second President of the United States. It made John Adams into a real person, not just a long-dead Founding Father myth. He was a hard-working, dedicated patriot. He went wherever his country needed him. In addition, he was ethical, principled, faithful, and devoted to his family. I want him to be my neighbor.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed reading this book and it took me some to return to it and complete the tome. I would advise readers to complete the task after a break, to another book if required, and then march on again. This book was highly enjoyable, readable and portrayed an interesting picture of Adams. I was quite interested in how the other Cabinet Ministers would be portrayed in their roles against Adams.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    History has been unkind and unfair to John Adams for the most part. I mentioned to one of my sons that I was reading this book, and I got this feedback: "He was all about making the president the most powerful part of the government and wanted the president to be addressed as "Your Excellency" (okay, that part is true), and he pretty much wanted to have an American monarchy."

    His comment was a sandwich, one bit of fact sandwiched between two slanderous lies. But this was what my son had been taught. Oddly enough, I remember learning absolutely nothing about John Adams other than that he was our nation's second president and people didn't like him. Once again, this was a mixture of fact and myth.

    I am so happy I took the time to read all 651 pages of this marvelous book. Adams, like all human beings, was imperfect. That's no surprise. What was a surprise is how honest, sincere, persistent, and intelligent he was. He was decidedly NOT a monarchist, nor was he universally disliked. He was a victim, starting with his vice-presidency under George Washington, of party politics. It was enlightening to discover that our current polarization is nothing new. It has been with us from the beginning. Adams was not a willing participant and his reputation has been wounded to this day because of it.

    But I found so much to admire about him in this biography. He was a stout and loyal friend for life to many; he was a devoted and truly loving husband to Abigail and father to his children. But most important to us, he was devoted to the welfare of the fledgling democracy that he had been indispensable in founding.

    McCullough also gives us a rare peek at what life was like in those times, as well as into character traits of such American mythological beings as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington. It was an easy, put-your-feet-up-and-savor-every-word kind of book for me. I highly recommend it.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    John Adams' heroic legacy continues on to his grandson, Charles Frances Adams.As the American Ambassador to London during The Civil War,he convinced the British government to stay neutral and so prevented The Southfrom gaining desperately needed support.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed the book but it was a slow read for me, except for the last chapter, at which point I felt so comfortable with John Adams that I enjoyed his company.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Though the T.V. mini series was intriguing, the book is far more so. The televised series really didn't give much focus to Adams' spiritual life and his intimacy with his wife. The way that the book ended, though pretty well represented through the series, was amazing.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This is such a huge book to review, I'm not sure where to start. I thought the research was good, with the exception of some of the Thomas Jefferson bits. I am not a fan of the Jefferson as self satisfied, aristocratic, spendthrift slave owner. I won't get into the economics of inheritance, etc. here, just had to say that that particular interpretation of Jefferson irks me.I was impressed by both John and Abigail's willingness to sacrifice everything for their country. I had no idea that they spent so much time separated throughout the war and after. I had no idea Adams spent so much of the war in Europe. I really liked the excerpts from their letters and I plan to read My Dearest Friend sometime this year. Abigail was unique in her level of education combined with political understanding and her ability to advise her husband.A few things that I found interesting: political intrigue was alive and well from the beginning and the media was just as irresponsible and partisan as the politicians. I was impressed by Adams and Jefferson, that they were able to reconcile later in life and enjoy a rich renewal of friendship through their correspondence.I feel like I know a lot more about this hero of American Independence. I think his value was extremely understated throughout my years of formal education.Quotes:Abigail in 1777, while John is with the Congress in Philadelphia: "Posterity who are to reap the blessings will scarcely be able to conceive the hardships and sufferings of their ancestors.""to be honest and grateful to our allies, but to think for ourselves."arguing with Rousseau in the margins of a book: "There is no doubt that people are in the long run what the government make out of them...," Adams read in Rousseau. "The government ought to be what the people make it," he wrote in response.To a granddaughter late in his life: "You are not singular in your suspicions that you know but little...the longer I live, the more I read, the more patiently I think, and the more anxiously I inquire, the less I seem to know...Do justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly. This is enough... So questions and so answers your affectionate grandfather.""Griefs upon griefs! Disappointments upon disappointments. What then? This is a gay merry world notwithstanding."
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A Great book to read about Adams, The biggest thing, I learnt from him were, knowing history is important.
    Human nature doesn't change, this made him on the contrasting side with Jefferson.
    Jefferson wasn't concerned much about people's sin nature.

    Strive to do the best.
    I fell in love with his constant correspondence of letters with his wife. She was supportive of him, I hope to write letters to the one I marry, I feel letters are special.

    His marriage reflected his values. Adams was well read and taught me to be frugal.

    Virtues are more important and you ought to stand what you believe for,
    Some quotes which are in my head,

    "I will not die as an ignorant fool."
    "Never speak unkindly of anyone, speak only handsome things." - Abigail


    Have fun reading the book.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    An excellent portrayal of our President. The HBO mini-series was extremely well done also with Paul Giamatti doing his usual outstanding work.