John Quincy Adams

By: Harlow Giles Unger

Narrated by: Johnny Heller

Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

He fought for Washington, served with Lincoln, witnessed Bunker Hill, and sounded the clarion against slavery on the eve of the Civil War. He negotiated an end to the War of 1812, engineered the annexation of Florida, and won the Supreme Court decision that freed the African captives of La Amistad. He served his nation as minister to six countries, secretary of state, senator, congressman, and president.

John Quincy Adams was all of these things and more. In this masterful biography, award-winning author Harlow Giles Unger reveals Adams as a towering figure in the nation’s formative years and one of the most courageous figures in American history - which is why he ranked first in John F. Kennedy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Profiles in Courage.

A magisterial biography and a sweeping panorama of American history from the Washington to Lincoln eras, Unger’s John Quincy Adams follows one of America’s most important yet least known figures.

Harlow Giles Unger, a former distinguished visiting fellow in American history at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, is a veteran journalist, broadcaster, educator, and historian. He is the author of 20 books, including several biographies of America’s Founding Fathers. He has also authored histories of the early Republic as well as numerous books on American education. He lives in New York.

©2012 Harlow Giles Unger (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[Unger] eloquently details the diplomatic headaches caused by both the infamous XYZ Affair and ever-changing Gallic governments. Spare prose clarifies the overview of political complications and intricate family dynamics, revealing Adams as a historically overlooked yet key transitional figure who witnessed the birth of the nation and endured its nearly irreparable geographic squabbles of the 1840s." ( Publishers Weekly)

"A neglected president receives his due as a statesman and practical politician.… A fine examination of a life, well deserving a place alongside David McCullough’s study of Adams père." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Putting it all together

This along with several historical fiction books like I, Eliza Hamilton and America’s first daughter have really brought the 1750-1850s alive. Shocking how much responsibility he had at 15. In many ways, politics doesn’t seem to have changed much.

The Sage from Quincy

A great book.
It's always nice to hear more about actors in history and JQA was filled with history.
Great performance.

John quincy Adams

What a pleasure to have a splendid biography presented so well. I had no idea what a contribution this Adams made to our country. I was touched and moved by especially the drama of his unswerving attempt to abolish slavery and the fact that he uttered his last word in congress. A resounding no. But I am gratified to know he was duly honored as his coffin was transported.
I do wish that some words regarding Louisa during that time were given. Surely she wrote some words we would be glad to read.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful book.

Worthy biography

I loved it, it was easily digested and interesting throughout. As the time setting was quite a long time ago and the use of the English language was far richer and deep the book handled quotes and speeches very well.

An amazing president!

Quincy’s life is inspiring. He was way ahead of his time especially in regard to slavery.

An insightful glimpse into the first Americans...

John Quincy Adams is not so much the when story, rather part of the great story of the birth of America from a diplomatic and very patriotic viewpoint.

Really enjoyed this

John Quincy Adams, even though he was unknown, his book really highlights the great work he did

A too little known great man

I chose this book because I knew too little about John Q Adams. I am delighted to have listened to this book. The author understood the foibles and the greatness of Adams, as well as his important role in American history. This book gave background and color to key historical events, such as the 1812 war, the Monroe doctrine, and the states' rights and slavery issues. I love this book.

Better as a Former President

Some U.S. Presidents make much, much, better former presidents. Jimmy Carter, for one. I remember him being president, but all I remember about that was horrible inflation and boycotting the 1980 Olympics. As a former president, he is an adept and respected international negotiator who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. There's the 10th Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, William Howard Taft, who was instrumental in shaping the modern Court. He was also, against his desire, the 27th President. Add another to that list: John Quincy Adams, who was so politically ineffective in office that he spent hours every day horseback riding, just to kill time. Out of office, the 6th President changed history.

John Quincy was the oldest son of Founding Father and 2nd President, John Adams and his strong willed wife, Abigail Smith. As a teenager and young adult, John Quincy traveled extensively with his father, eventually speaking half a dozen languages fluently. He attended Harvard - after nearly being derailed by a petty administer who disliked the Adams family - and became a mediocre lawyer. He was rescued from an ignominious life negotiating contacts and litigating property lines by his father, followed by his mentor and friend, Thomas Jefferson. John Quincy, as Secretary of State to James Monroe, was the architect of the Monroe Doctrine.

After his ineffective presidency from 1825 to 1829, he brilliantly defended the 35 slaves of the Amistad who revolted. John Quincy's friends and neighbors elected him to Congress where he served successfully for 18 years. He was ardently and eloquently anti-slavery and helped lay the foundation for what became the Emancipation Proclamation.

Harlow Unger's "John Quincy Adams" (2012) is a nice follow up to to David McCullough's 2002 "John Adams." McCullough's book won the Pulitzer, but to be fair to Unger, John and Abigail Adams were prolific writers. John Quincy kept a journal for 68 tumultuous years, but his wife, Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, was not the prolific correspondent Abigail was. I do plan to listen to more of Unger's books - he's written dozens of books and they look intriguing.

Johnny Heller narrates, and he is - as always - a kick. He did two recent non-fiction narrations I really enjoyed - Bill Wasik and Monica Murphy's "Rabid: A Cultural History of the World's Most Diabolical Virus" (2012); and the amusing "You Might be a Zombie and Other Bad News" (2011), which was written by an author that Audible has asked me not to disclose in this review.

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Reading Biographies Of The Early Presidents...

and this is clearly one of the best. Clear, insightful and unbiased, a wonderful addition to the canon of presidential biography.