One of the most evocative and interesting collections of letters, full of insights on their times as well as their relationship. To be read and savored more than once.

"Intimacy with the most of People, will bring you acquainted with Vices and Errors, and Follies enough to make you despize them. Nay Intimacy with the most celebrated will very much diminish our Reverence and Admiration."
--John Adams (1735-1826), in a letter to Abigail Adams (1744-1818)
12 April 1764

" Love sweetens Life, and Life sometimes destroys Love. Beauty is desirable and Deformity detestible; Therefore Beauty is not Deformity nor Deformity, Beauty. Hope springs eternal in the human Breast, I hope to be happyer next Fall than I am at present, and this Hope makes me happyer now than I should be without it. "
-- John Adams (1735-1826), in a letter to Abigail Adams (1744-1818)
20 April 1763

"I have Thoughts of sending you a Nest of Letters like a nest of Basketts; tho I suspect the latter would be a more genteel and acceptable Present to a Lady. But in my present Circumstances I can much better afford the former than the latter."
-- John Adams (1735-1826), in a letter to Abigail Adams (1744-1818)
12 April 1764


" I think I write to you every Day. Shall not I make my Letters very cheep; don’t you light your pipe with them ? I care not if you do, tis a pleasure to me to write, yet I wonder I write to you with so little restraint, for as a critick I fear you more than any other person on Earth, and tis the only character, in which I ever did, or ever will fear you. What say you ? Do you approve of that Speach ? Dont you think me a Courageous Being ? Courage is a laudable, a Glorious Virtue in your Sex, why not in mine ? (For my part, I think you ought to applaud me for mine.) – Exit Rattle."
-- Abigail Adams (1744-1818), in a letter to John Adams (1735-1826)
16 April 1764

Summary: Such a cute love story of a lesson in history. I really enjoyed this back and forth between a former first lady and US Pres before the US was formed. My version did not have anything after he became president. Learned a lot. Recommended.

Hoopla does not allow for page numbers, which kinda sucks. But here are some things:
In the intro they talk about how the Queen of England was not so nice to the former first lady. I mean, it was just after the Revolutionary War. Kind of makes sense. But she took it badly

Letter from 9, Oct 1774 - "This is assembly is like no other that ever existed. Every man in it is a great man, an orator, critic, a statesman; and therefore every man upon every question must show his oratory, his criticism, and his political abilities. The consequence of this is that business is drawn and spun out to an immeasurable length." OMG.. nothing has changed in the world!!

5 July 1775 - It's cute to realize this is before we declared independence, so it was just like any day. Anyway, a cute letter that is classically how ladies say they are upset b/c someone hasn't written. In modern times this was the equivalent of complaining about delayed texts. A lot to learn from her language.
She further talks about the extremely poor treatment in Boston. This is so much more lucid than what was in my textbook. It makes me think we've over watered-down history. Sad.

"I was struck with Gen Washington. You had prepared me to entertain a favorable opinion of him, but I thought the half was not told me. Dignity with ease and complacency, the gentleman and soldier, look agreeably blended in him. Modesty marks every line and feature of his face." Total bro crush.

Right around that date, he is writing letters and they start to be slightly coded. He signals that he thinks the messages might be intercepted. That is so 2020! I mean, who doesn't worry that the messages are being seen.

Feb 18, 76 - He talks about the pamphlet called "Common Sense." Wow, Paine was making the rounds.

He talks about how he wished he knew how to speak French as well as his wife. He wanted her to make sure the kids knew. This had to do with a trip to Canada.

Small pox concerns are all over the place. This is a theme.

He talks about how he was into the idea that Paine had in Common sense for a continental government. It was new back then.

He talks about being the president of the war board and that it had endless meetings. It's amazing he finds time to meet write his wife through all of it.

3 July 1776 - the eve of the declaration of independence, it's not looking good. They do it anyway. He recants how it could have been great if earlier, but now it's like solid to do so people don't think we can go backward.

on page 200 left of hoopla, she talks about the fact that women should be educated and that they should, once they get things going in the government sort that out. "If you complain of neglect of education in sons, what shall I say with regard to daughters, who every day experience the want of it?"
Later she goes on: "If much depends, as is allowed upon the early education of youth, and the first principles which are instilled take the deepest root, great benefit must arise from literary accomplishments in women."

There's a cute exchange on Oct 4, 1776 where Adams clearly gets a letter from his wife where he's not writing enough and he's like: "I am seated in a large library room with eight gentlemen round about me, all engaged in coversation. Amidst these interruptions, how shall I make it out to write a letter?" So cute!

There's a weird exchange i don't understand on (74 pages left). She talks about drinking with the officers and how they aren't getting a lot of attention. Then she says: "It would gratify me much, if I had in my power, to entertain every officer in the fleet." Weird... her hubby's gone and that's what she writes?

He's sent overseas and it doesn't seem to be goign well. It's interesting to hear him talk of places and people from the point of view of America at that time.

My laptop is running out of power, so I'm going to close with, I wish this had been assigned in HS. it's just cute.

Shout out to Lin-Manuel Miranda. I NEVER would have picked up something like this if it wasn't for Hamilton. U.S. AND world history has become more important to me over the past few years. Reading letters between a real life married couple doing their best affirms my belief that people are people, no matter when or where they exist. I love how they communicated.

I thought the way they discussed womens' rights, freedom, government, parenting, slavery, and abolition was also fascinating. ♥️

My favorite quotes:

"I wish most sincerely there was not a Slave in the province. It allways appeard a most iniquitious Scheme to me-fight ourselfs for what we are daily robbing and plundering from those who have as good a right to freedom as we have. You know my mind upon this Subject." - Abigail Adams

“I long to hear that you have declared an independency. And, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.” - Abigail Adams

"Posterity! you will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it." - John Adams

These letters will blow you away. Behind those hopelessly stilted cover portraits of our second president and his first lady, there lived and breathed two vibrant, opinionated, brilliant and fully human individuals who were, among other things, deeply in love with and committed to one another--as well as to their newborn country. These letters cover the full span of the American Revolution, a time when John and Abigail were often separated for unbearably long stretches of time (sometimes years), and they bring both the writers and the world in which they lived to life in a way that no movie or historical novel ever could. You'll come away from this book not only with a genuine affection for what was, after all, the original Adams family, but also with a whole new appreciation for the extraordinary vision lies at the foundation of who we still are as a nation, more than two hundred years later.

I think the main thing that stands out from this is the extent to which the revolutionary war was also a civil war. There are various dimensions to this: firstly Adams records the failure of the 1775 Battle of Quebec. Adams feared that the defeat in Canada could embolden others within the thirteen colonies: "Others there are in the Colonies who really wished that our enterprise in Canada would be defeated, that the Colonies might be brought into danger and distress between two fires, and be thus induced to submit."

Although Adams does often frame the war as between America and Britain, he also frames it as a battle of Tories and Whigs, typically with the implication that said Tories represented a fifth column in American society: "A Tory here is the most despicable animal in the creation... I heartily wish every Tory was extirpated from America ; they are continually , by secret means , undermining and injuring our cause... The unprincipled and unfeeling and unnatural inhabitants of Staten Island are cordially receiving the enemy , and , deserters say , have engaged to take arms . They are an ignorant , cowardly pack of scoundrels." In practice, this tension of Whig and Tory was an international one, with British Whigs looking favourably upon the colonists. Franklin records seeking their support in his autobiography. The revolution was a fissure within countries as much as between them, which raises an interesting counter-factual: what if Whig policy had prevailed in London? In that case, American independence would presumably have followed a similar course to that taken by Canada and Australia, albeit with the possibility that slavery might well have still lead to secession in the Southern states at some point.

On that point, there's also the question of native and African Americans, reflecting the role of slave owners in the revolution: "There has been in town a conspiracy of the negroes . At present it is kept pretty private... They conducted in this way : got an Irishman to draw up a petition to the Governor , telling him they would fight for him , provided he would arm them and engage to liberate them if he conquered." Slavery would be abolished thirty years earlier in the British Empire than the United States, although the departure of the Southern States may well have undermined the influence of their counterpart plantation owners in the West Indies.

A collection of letters written during the Revolutionary war. From the founding of the continental congress until the recognition of the independence of the colonies from Britain, John and Abigail were separated in distance but not in correspondence. Although many of the letters sent were lost at sea or intercepted, enough remain to tell a story about two people who were very influential in the birth of the United States of America.

This was the other book I had with me on my flights. now that was a bit of mental whiplash -- going from 1770's Boston to 1990's Boston and back again! whee! This was so interesting to read -- it covers pretty much the entire span of the Revolutionary War. It makes everything feel much more real. Abigail is constantly complaining that John never writes often or long enough. John keeps reminding her to save money and to set a good example for their children. Abigail keeps cutting stories short because "someone else will surely write to you about it"; John keeps telling her that he gets better information about what's going on in Boston from her than anyone else, so "please give me details"! It's stunning to realize how little time they actually spent in the same place during that decade, and how difficult that was for both of them. Especially when John is in France trying to get support for the war - so many of the letters ended up in the ocean when ships were attacked by the British. it makes you appreciate email -- you don't even have to know *where* the person is, but you can be pretty certain they'll get it!

This is an edited collection of the letters between John and Abigail Adams. I found it very enjoyable to read their correspondence, which contains everything from political news, to home matters, and their love for each other. Some may find it tedious to read all their letters... especially if your history needs some brushing up. :) I recommend reading, "John Adams," by David McCullough first.

I have long been a fan of Abigail Adams. Though she was largely educated by her mother and grandmother (having been determined to be too sickly for public education), she became one of the most intelligent and knowledgable women of her time. She was an advocate for women's rights long before it was a popular idea, and was almost as involved in politics as her husband.

The letters in this volume were written while John was in Philadelphia and other cities as a delegate to the First Continental Congress, and later while he was in Europe as an ambassador. They not only serve as a history lesson on the progress of the War of Independence, but shed light on the politics and other dealings of both Abigail and John. John relied on her for advice and counsel on many matters, and she was did not hold back her opinions. The close relationship they had, despite his long absences from home, is always evident.

The book took me a while to read. Most non-fiction does, and this one was a bit more so because it is written in the rather formal style of the 1700's. Many words are used differently than they are today, and it sometimes took a bit to untangle the meanings. Still, it was a fascinating read, and one any American history buff would probably enjoy.

For a required history text, this was actually rather entertaining and enjoyable. The personalities of John & Abigail Adams shine brilliantly as they explain their lives to one another during the era surrounding the founding of the United States.

Remarkable correspondence between two remarkable people.