John Quincy Adams

American Visionary

By: Fred Kaplan

Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin

Length: 27 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's Summary

Fred Kaplan, the acclaimed, award-winning author of Lincoln, returns with John Quincy Adams, an illuminating biography of one of the most overlooked presidents in American history - a leader of sweeping perspective whose progressive values helped shape the course of the nation. In this fresh and lively biography rich in literary analysis and new historical detail, Fred Kaplan brings into focus the dramatic life of John Quincy Adams - the little known and much misunderstood sixth president of the United States and the first son of John and Abigail Adams - and persuasively demonstrates how Adams's inspiring, progressive vision guided his life and helped shape the course of America.

Kaplan draws on a trove of unpublished archival material to trace Adams's evolution from his childhood during the Revolutionary War to his brilliant years as Secretary of State to his time in the White House and beyond. He examines Adams's myriad sides: the public and private man, the statesman and writer, the wise thinker and passionate advocate, the leading abolitionist and fervent federalist who believed strongly in both individual liberty and the government's role as an engine of progress and prosperity. In these ways - and in his energy, empathy, sharp intellect, and powerful gift with words both spoken and written - he was a predecessor of Lincoln and, later, FDR and Obama. Indeed, this sweeping biography makes clear how Adams's forward-thinking values, his definition of leadership, and his vision for the nation's future is as much about 21st-century America as it is about Adams's own time.

Meticulously researched and masterfully written, John Quincy Adams paints a rich portrait of this brilliant leader and his significance to the nation and our own lives.

©2014 Fred Kaplan (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Destined by birth, mentored by greats...

I've been thoroughly enjoying my series on the founding fathers and although JQA isn't necessarily one of the founders, I found it necessary and natural to follow up David McCullough's book on JQA's father (Previously reading: Washington A Life, and Alexander Hamilton (both by Ron Chernow), Jefferson's War (Wheelan), Washington's Spies (Rose)). What I learned is that despite not technically being a founder, he was in the midst of it all and probably received more diverse mentorship from the founders than anyone else could have based solely off his father bringing him along to Europe.

JQA's experience begins in Europe during the revolution and culminates as a primary catalyst of the inevitable and long foreseen civil war; his was an inimitable place and presence in history.

This book only receives 4 stars because it seemed the author took too much liberty in the introduction with his analysis of JQA. Although he knows far more than me, he set a stage of political partisanship that is resolutely contradicted by his own writing in the book. I only felt this way with the introduction, but again, that set an undesired expectation. Also it seemed as if the author rushed through JQA's presidency preferring to focus on his upbringing (which is vitally important to understanding JQA) and his post presidency (which really cements his legacy). This may be do to the paucity of JQA's own writings at this time as he was extremely busy and also debilitated by old and new injuries to his writing hand.

Highly recommended!

Will be looking for a better John Quincy bio

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

This is a serviceable entry-level biography for John Quincy Adams, but I found myself constantly wishing for more context, more sophisticated political analysis, and some help placing John Quincy among his peers. Better insight into this man's relationship with the many, many other famous men and women with whom he worked and socialized could have given this biography depth and passion. Passion is a trait lacking in John Quincy's personality. His biographer, poor guy, must look elsewhere for it. Biography becomes merely a timeline unless someone -- if not the subject, then certainly the author -- provides passion and interest. Once I became convinced that the narrator was as bored as I was, I abandoned the audiobook. I will finish the biography, however. Then it's off to read another one. Kaplan's is wanting.

Would you be willing to try another book from Fred Kaplan? Why or why not?

No, I think I'm done with Kaplan. His style is a bit turgid for my taste. His sentence structure (which becomes something you notice when you listen to the audiobook) is repetitive and unimaginative. When there are presidential biographers like Jon Meacham working now, there's no need to suffer through these second-rate accounts.

What didn’t you like about Eric Martin’s performance?

As others have noted, he insists on pronouncing Adams' name "Quinzee." Mispronunciations abound, but when "Alien and Sedition" came out sounding like "Eelian and Sedition," I turned it off and returned it to audible. Thank goodness they have that option. I'm pretty tolerant, but this narrator drove me to distraction.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from John Quincy Adams?

One or two references to his sense of duty and a compulsion to perform whatever public job was next offered to him would have been enough. The insistence that John Quincy was compelled into public service makes him sound more robotic than he was. I also think there was not enough of an effort made to read between the lines in John Quincy's diary (kept daily for many decades). Surely John Quincy is not as opaque as he appeared to be under Kaplan's lens.

Engrossing

I recently read a review of Kaplan’s John Quincy Adams American Visionary. I was impressed with the review and decided to read Kaplan’s book. I had read Harlon Giles Unger’s “John Quincy Adams” in August 2014. Unger’s book took ten hours to read and Kaplan’s is twenty-seven hours and thirty-nine minutes or 672 pages.

The book is well written and researched. Kaplan provides an in-depth view of the life of JQA. Not only does Kaplan review the history of the times but also covers an inside look at politics of the era. JQA was a most interesting man. He had a brilliant mind and spoke seven languages. JQA was the first president elected by winning the electoral college and losing the popular vote. I found Adams’ view of political parties on the mark. Kaplan covers Adams’ role in the fight for universal education insightful. Our battle over universal health care is only a continuation of Adams’ battle about the basic fundamental view/belief in what are or not human rights. Adams stated without an educated electorate democracy will fail. The author also describes Adams’ critical role in the creation of the Smithsonian Institution. I have been interested in the Adams’ family and have read extensively about them. Kaplan provides a thorough look at the life of JQA. This is an excellent read.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is twenty-seven hours and thirty-nine minutes. Eric Jason Martin does an excellent job narrating the book. Martin has won both an Earphone Award and the Audie Award.

If you can stand this narrator ...

What did you love best about John Quincy Adams?

The details.

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

The letters to JQA from his parents.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Stop pronouncing "QuinCy" As "QuinZZZZy". Truly awful and a 27 hour trial.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The death of his first child.

Any additional comments?

Someone really should listen to audiobooks prior to release. The mispronounciation of the main characters name is abhorrent in this case.

Freshly retired 71 yr old lawyer

Fabulous review of the struggles of my nation, most relevant to the current struggles of our Republics decline. What a "stud" he was and what he sacrificed for his country is unsurpassed by the current thieves, cowards and semiliterates in Wash DC today. Doug

A Total Waste of Time

Would you try another book from Fred Kaplan and/or Eric Martin?

No. It is a shame that the narrator will be judged by the content of this book, but he should have at least read the book first to determine its overall contents.

Would you ever listen to anything by Fred Kaplan again?

Never, and I went so far as to lookup what other books he had written. It was obvious that the author had/has a political agenda. He has used this book as a way of publishing as much false information about the founding fathers and the beginnings of the United States of America as possible.

How could the performance have been better?

A few actual facts about John Quincy Adams and the men who were his contemporaries would have been nice. Seems this author took the time to locate and use every undocumented accusation he could locate.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from John Quincy Adams?

Actually, in all honesty I would never allow my name to be associated with a book with so few facts and repeating so many false accusations about John Quincy Adams and the men who were his contemporaries.

Any additional comments?

This book is a total waste of time. For some unknown reason the author seems to believe that this books readers are going to be totally uninformed and ignorant about the life and times of John Quincy Adams and the men who were his contemporaries. There were so many false accusations and misrepresentations presented in the first two chapters that I couldn't bring myself to finish the book. This book was so poorly researched that I couldn't even force myself to continue beyond chapter two to determine what the authors true agenda was. By the end of chapter two the author had lost all credibility.

Excellent presidential biography

I loved everything. First: the material. An amazing man whose life story is presented in an interesting way. Second: the narrator's voice is mellifluous - not irritating.

A Life for the People

John Quincy Adams: American Visionary is an incredible walk through of a life of America's forgotten hero

Magnificent storytelling for a magnificent man

This is my sixth presidential biography on Audible and is second only to McCullough's on JQA's father. I had to get used to the narrator initially, but he ended up being one of my favorites thus far. 10/10!

Great book!

Very much enjoyed this book, thank you so much to the author for wonderful work.