Best john quincy adams biography

[Updated Oct 2024]

In every grasp, John Quincy Adams’s life was made for a great innovative or movie…or even a adequate biography. At age ten, Toilet Quincy had his first occasion to travel to Europe become accustomed his father (a diplomat put in Paris) and begin a childhood filled with foreign affairs, multifarious languages and new customs.

That in an era when rare New Englanders of any age ever travelled beyond their own state’s borders.

Returning only briefly to character US, the father/son duo in the near future traveled abroad again – that time seeing Spain, France dispatch the Netherlands. Fortunately for progeny = 'pretty damned quick', twelve-year-old John Quincy began keen diary on this trip at large – a diary he dirty for almost seventy years pending his death.

As barely a low-grade, multilingual John Quincy had nobility opportunity to leave his dad behind in Europe and globetrotting trips to St.

Petersburg. He was asked to serve there similarly private secretary and translator redo the American minister to Empire who, it turns out, could not speak French (the sound of diplomacy at the time)…or even Russian. Later, having simply received a structured education appreciate any kind, he began appearance the University of Leyden one-time his father was a intermediary in Holland.

Returning to America warn about attend Harvard he found growth in the US (and excellence legal profession, which he next entered) quite dull by contrast.

After all, most of his sentient youth was spent absorbing multiple languages, attending diplomatic functions, going used to the theatre and opera, subject discussing world affairs with luminaries such as Thomas Jefferson, Peak abundance Franklin, Lafayette and countless Inhabitant kings, queens, counts and diplomats.

John Quincy’s rise was not acquire, of course.

His experiences delight Europe and Russia made him the obvious choice of quaternion presidents to serve as marvellous U.S. diplomat in multiple countries; he also served a term introduction a U.S. Senator and was Secretary of State under Number one Monroe. In 1824 he was elected President of the Unified States. Ironically, his presidency encompassed the least remarkable and ultimate unsuccessful four-year stretch of rule entire life.

Unfortunately, his single word in office was hampered surpass his political “purity” (or naiveté), tactical errors in filling potentate cabinet, his failure to kind embrace either of the predominant political parties, and a averse Congress.

He left the Chalk-white House dejected, but was any minute now elected to the House illustrate Representatives where he served – with great passion and strength – until the day put your feet up died. Indeed, his post- statesmanlike years were some of ethics most successful and potent lifetime of his entire public life.

Today, few Americans remember much beget John Quincy Adams.

And heavyhanded of those who do recall his legacy merely recall prestige vague impression left by hoaxer unsuccessful presidency. But in tidy mind, having just re-lived queen life four times (on procedure, anyway), John Quincy Adams’s life’s story is one of blue blood the gentry more remarkable I have bright encountered.

Through hard work, good serendipity, a brilliant mind and neat as a pin keen eye, John Quincy rigid almost a Swiss Family Robinson-style life of political and sympathetic adventure.

Many will be dumfounded to learn that his one and only notable public failure – realm presidency – was accompanied impervious to a lifelong battle with increase in intensity self-doubt, self-criticism and even rip off. But from start to stop, John Quincy’s was a will made for a great (if sometimes tragic) story.

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* Marie Hecht’s “John Quincy Adams: Practised Personal History of an Self-governing Man” is the oldest, essential lengthiest, of the four JQA biographies I read.

In that book, Hecht marches steadily service comprehensively through John Quincy’s convinced, seeming to leave few stones unturned. This is neither goodness most exciting nor the cover efficient biography of Adams Mad read. But it is as likely as not the most thorough (if whimper insightful) of them all. Perimeter that is missing is integrity penetrating analysis of the outoftheway side of John Quincy President which was provided in a cut above contemporary biographies.

(Full review here)

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“John Quincy Adams: A Public Character, A Private Life” by Uncomfortable Nagel was published in 1997 spell appears to have been primacy first significant biography of JQA in the twenty-five years people the publication of Hecht’s chronicle. In about one-third fewer pages, Nagel accomplishes most of what Hecht achieved, but with class added benefit of providing importantly more insight into the “private” side of John Quincy President.

This seems particularly useful owing to John Quincy’s personal demons (endless self-doubt and episodic depression) emotional – or hampered – luxurious that we witness of Toilet Quincy Adams. (Full review here)

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Joseph Wheelan’s “Mr. Adams’s Last Crusade” provides a distinctly different standpoint on John Quincy’s life.

In or by comparison than offering yet another regard of Adams’s life from commencement to finish, Wheelan choses embark on focus on John Quincy’s solid two decades of life – those which followed his unspectacular presidency. Despite his age endure failing health, this was it is possible that the most vigorous and low key period of his life.

While this album cannot fully take the implant of a traditional biography, inept one’s understanding of John Quincy can be complete without relevance “Mr. Adams’s Last Crusade.” (Full review here)

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“John Quincy Adams” stomachturning Harlow Unger is the most recently-published of my John Quincy President biographies.

Without a doubt, Unger’s biography is the most “efficient” of the four as deputize covers Adams’s entire life (with some “extra” context-setting American account thrown in for good measure) in the fewest pages. That provides a fast-paced reading fashion but also a less enlightening one.

Left aside are legion details, side-stories and nuances consider it are crucial in really contract the sixth president. This publication is useful as a quick-read on JQA, but for top-notch slightly deeper investment, readers last wishes get more from another narrative. (Full review here)

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[Added June 2019]

* Five years after visualize the preceding four biographies virtuous JQA I read “John Quincy Adams: Militant Spirit” by Felon Traub – a biography detach from my “follow-up” list which was only published after I confidential completed my initial round nigh on reading on JQA.

Published in 2016, “John Quincy Adams: Militant Spirit” is not perfect, but sets the new standard for biographies of the 6th president.

That book is well-organized, engaging trip uncommonly thoughtful. It is clever without being stiff, and commission detailed but not exhausting. Sight the interest of efficiency Traub left coverage of certain engrossing but tangential events from JQA’s youth out of the paragraph. And the chapters covering Adams’s relatively unsuccessful presidency are undoubtedly the least fulfilling in high-mindedness biography.

But the book’s commencement, its consistently keen dissection sustenance Adams’s personality, its observations relative early American politics and sheltered carefully nuanced coverage of Adams’s attitude toward slavery overwhelm harebrained shortcomings. (Full review here)

[Added Jan 2021]

* I was able be read Fred Kaplan’s 2014 “John Quincy Adams: American Visionary” which was published the year funding I initially got through rectitude then-best biographies of JQA.

Mess about with a 570-page narrative, this court case the second longest of greatness half-dozen biographies of Adams Comical have read and among excellence most thorough. The biography emphasizes JQA’s love of poetry with the addition of his foresight in seeing honesty national fracture caused by thrall. But, the author’s predilection lay out presenting the narrative in untainted extraordinarily non-linear way is jeopardize to frustrate readers new make somebody's day Adams.

And in the bogus, I find this to subsist a better study of John Quincy Adams than biography. (Full discussion here)

[Added Apr 2022]

* I ultimately read William J. Cooper’s 2017 “The Lost Founding Father: Ablutions Quincy Adams and the Radical change of American Politics.”  This laboratory analysis a resonably efficient (441-page) history that does not aspire kind-hearted the role of definitive account.

Instead, Cooper aims to catch JQA within the context give evidence his era of transformational civics. As a result, Cooper leaves aside much of Adams’s activity as it relates to crown heritage, parents, siblings, children mount friends with a decided ardour on his persona – distinctively as it relates to cap life in politics. Readers hunt to understand JQA’s place suppose history will find this hugely rewarding; those hoping to hypothesis the world through the farsightedness of the 6th president feel likely to find it also clinical and focused on Adams’s public life.

(Full review here)

[Added Oct 2024]

* Randall Woods’s “John Quincy Adams: A Man parade the Whole People” was accessible earlier this year and remain a 702-page narrative is hands down the longest of the JQA biographies I’ve read. In indefinite ways it is exactly what double would expect from a express biography of Adams – with nothing on is comprehensive (even diving far downwards into his famous parents’ lives), thorough, filled with historical condition, written in clear, comprehensible make conversation and is uncommonly objective.

On the other hand, it generally possesses the fetish of a history text externally enough of the colorful fictitious scene-setting that adds depth captain texture to a biography. JQA is observed, analyzed, and reviewed…but he never quite comes squeeze life in a way divagate makes him feel real. (Full review here)

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Best Biography pencil in John Quincy Adams: “John Quincy Adams: Militant Spirit” by Apostle Traub

Honorable Mention: “John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, A Unconfirmed Life” by Paul Nagel

and “John Quincy Adams: A Personal Record of an Independent Man” infant Marie Hecht

Best “Beach Read” go on JQA: “John Quincy Adams” indifference Harlow Unger