The Wisdom of John Adams

John Adams was America's first vice president, second president, and a leading revolutionary, yet his remarkable accomplishments have sometimes been overshadowed by his peers Washington and Jefferson. David McCullough's Pulitzer Prize-winning biography has helped reestablish Adams as a truly heroic figure in his own right -- intelligent, passionate, fiercely patriotic, and staunchly committed to the ideals of the United States. Now The Wisdom of John Adams further reveals -- in Adams' own words -- this distinguished leader's brilliance, foresight, and conviction. Here are excerpts from his greatest speeches and published works, including his oration on independence in the Continental Congress; Thoughts on Government, later the guide for several state constitutions; and his three-volume A Defense of the Constitutions of the United States. The Wisdom of John Adams also includes a selection of his forthright correspondence, as well as his tender love letters to his wife and strongest ally, Abigail -- in all, essential reading for any student of the "American Experiment." Book jacket.