John Adams

By: David McCullough

Narrated by: Edward Herrmann, Jan Maxwell

Length: 8 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

In this powerful, epic biography, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian 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. Adams thought, wrote, and spoke out for the "Great Cause" come what might; he traveled far and wide in all seasons and often at extreme risk; he rose to become the second president of the United States and saved the country from blundering into an unnecessary war; he was rightly celebrated for his integrity, and regarded by some as "out of his senses"; and his marriage to the wise and valiant Abigail Adams is one of the most moving love stories in American history.

Much about Adams' life will come as a surprise to many. His rocky relationship with friend and eventual archrival Thomas Jefferson, his courageous voyage on the frigate Boston in the winter of 1778 and his later trek over the Pyrenees are exploits few would have dared and that few listeners will ever forget.

McCullough's John Adams has the sweep and vitality of a great novel. This is history on a grand scale - an audiobook about politics, 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, it is an enthralling, often surprising story of one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived.

©2001 David McCullough (P)2001 Simon & Schuster, Inc., All Rights Reserved

Critic reviews

• Audie Award Winner, Non-Fiction (abridged), 2002
• Pulitzer Prize Winner, Biography or Autobiography, 2002

"The portrait that emerges is altogether fascinating." (Amazon.com)
"Brilliant...a winner." (Publishers Weekly)
"McCullough writes to be heard as well as read." (AudioFile)

Huh?

What did you love best about John Adams?

Great story. Loved Edward Hermann's narration.

What about Edward Herrmann’s performance did you like?

It was Edward Hermann. Nuff said.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not quite, but close.

Any additional comments?

At the end of chapter three a woman (sounding much like a robot) started reading! Huh? No explanation. She read for several minutes and then, when chapter 4 began, narration went back to Edward Hermann. How jarring...how strange. What was the thinking with that? It felt like I might have been listening to a live performance and Edward Hermann stepped out for coffee, leaving whoever was handy to keep the story going. Clumsy. I don't know if this will happen again in later chapters, but I really hope not. Other than that, terrific story, read well by Edward Hermann.

Excellent

The writing and story are excellent. Edward Hermann's narration is superb. I gave the performance 4 stars because there are brief segments that are narrated by someone else. I found these transitions jarring and disappointing

Very Good Story and History Review

What made the experience of listening to John Adams the most enjoyable?

the story itself

What was one of the most memorable moments of John Adams?

overall story

Have you listened to any of Edward Herrmann’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Any additional comments?

N/A

Highly recommend. Excellent Narration!

McCullough is an excellent historian, writer, and narrator. I highly recommend this Audible book.
I'm buying McCullough's 1776 also (the companion to this work).

Excellent biography of Adams

I really like how his relationships with Jefferson and his family were shared in the book. They brought out the real man. Well done. RIP Mr. McCullough.

Informative and interesting

A tremendous piece of work. I will listen to it again in the next long trip.

An under appreciated president

I truly enjoyed learning about John Adams. His contributions to America are too often overshadowed by the bookends of Washington and Jefferson. When Adams is the focus, his personal contributions shine and he can be appreciated for his own greatness.

John Adams - Father of the Revolution

I listened to this book on a recommendation from a friend who read the book. I throughly enjoyed the writing style of David McCullough and his descriptions of our early history. I not only learned much about our history but also listened to the story like a novel. A must-read for anyone interested in the birth of the United States or anyone who likes a good novel.

Get the unabridged, by all mean

Bought the abridged version by accident. Loved this book, but I felt like I'd missed all the good parts. Get the unabridged version.

J.A. is underrated. Integrity and Honor.

John Adams is so far my favorite president. His story should serve as an example. We need more leadership like this now more than ever.