“This is a fine collection of essays on the Adamses and an excellent introduction to one of the most admired, despised, honored, and disrespected families in American history.” (Presidential Studies Quarterly, 1 June 2015)
“This is an excellent resource for any academic reference collection or special library with specialization in Colonial America, politics, or regional history.” (Reference Reviews, 1 January 2014)
“David Waldstreicher has compiled a glittering collection of essays surveying the lives and times of the second and sixth presidents of the United States. The public and private lives of John, John Quincy and the inimitable Abigail Adams continue to fascinate both academe and the reading public.” (Expofairs.com, 6 May 2013)
?David Waldstreicher has compiled a glittering collection of essays surveying the lives and times of the second and sixth presidents of the United States. The public and private lives of John, John Quincy and the inimitable Abigail Adams continue to fascinate both academe and the reading public. The distinguished collection of authors who contribute to this volume deal with everything from diplomacy and politics to religion, science and literature. This is a must read for anyone hoping to keep up with the Adamses.? - Randall B. Woods, author of the forthcoming John Quincy Adams: "A Man for the Whole People" ?This splendid collection offers something wonderful for every scholar and casual reader who values the Adamses, from brief life and literature surveys of John, Abigail, John Quincy, and Louisa Catherine to essays on both presidencies, four presidential elections, and contested issues of politics, diplomacy, and culture from the American Revolution to the slavery crisis.? - Richard Alan Ryerson, Former Editor in Chief of The Adams Papers
From the Inside Flap
A Companion to John Adams and John Quincy Adams presents a collection of original historiographic essays contributed by leading historians that cover diverse aspects of the lives, politics, and post-presidential careers of the second and sixth US presidents, as well as their respective spouses, Abigail and Louisa Catherine. Initial chapters focus on John Adams and proceed chronologically from his background in Massachusetts through key topics relating to his presidency, including foreign affairs and domestic politics. Several essays bring to light issues that continue to foster scholarly debate, such as Adams’ role in the tailspin of the Federalists in the late 1790s, while other essays consider Abigail Adams and her significance as a touchstone figure in the history of American women.
The second section of this companion addresses the extraordinarily rich career of John Quincy Adams, placing special emphasis on topics relating to domestic and foreign affairs, two presidential elections, and his especially noteworthy post-presidential career as a Congressman who played a pivotal role in the sectional strife over slavery during the 1830s-40s. The Adams’ enduring family legacy is further explored through coverage of film representations and relationships among the first and second generation of Adamses. A Companion to John Adams and John Quincy Adams offers illuminating insights into the most recent scholarship on the lives and careers of the Adams presidents and their influential families.
From the Back Cover
A Companion to John Adams and John Quincy Adams presents a collection of original historiographic essays contributed by leading historians that cover diverse aspects of the lives, politics, and post-presidential careers of the second and sixth US presidents, as well as their respective spouses, Abigail and Louisa Catherine. Initial chapters focus on John Adams and proceed chronologically from his background in Massachusetts through key topics relating to his presidency, including foreign affairs and domestic politics. Several essays bring to light issues that continue to foster scholarly debate, such as Adams’ role in the tailspin of the Federalists in the late 1790s, while other essays consider Abigail Adams and her significance as a touchstone figure in the history of American women.
The second section of this companion addresses the extraordinarily rich career of John Quincy Adams, placing special emphasis on topics relating to domestic and foreign affairs, two presidential elections, and his especially noteworthy post-presidential career as a Congressman who played a pivotal role in the sectional strife over slavery during the 1830s-40s. The Adams’ enduring family legacy is further explored through coverage of film representations and relationships among the first and second generation of Adamses. A Companion to John Adams and John Quincy Adams offers illuminating insights into the most recent scholarship on the lives and careers of the Adams presidents and their influential families.
About the Author
David Waldstreicher is Professor of History at Temple University and co-editor of the Journal of the Early Republic. His books include Runaway America: Benjamin Franklin, Slavery, and the American Revolution (2004), Slavery’s Constitution: From Revolution to Ratification (2009), and A Companion to Benjamin Franklin (Wiley-Blackwell, 2011).
