First Family: Abigail and John Adams by Ellis, Joseph J.

In this rich and engrossing account, John and Abigail Adams come to life against the backdrop of the Republic's tenuous early years.

Drawing on over 1,200 letters exchanged between the couple, Ellis tells a story both personal and panoramic. We learn about the many years Abigail and John spent apart as John's political career sent him first to Philadelphia, then to Paris and Amsterdam; their relationship with their children; and Abigail's role as John's closest and most valued advisor. Exquisitely researched and beautifully written, First Family is both a revealing portrait of a marriage and a unique study of America's early years.

Author: Joseph J. Ellis
Publisher: Vintage
Published: 09/06/2011
Pages: 320
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 7.90h x 5.10w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9780307389992

Review Citation(s):
New York Times Book Review 10/09/2011 pg. 34

About the Author

JOSEPH J. ELLIS is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Founding Brothers. His portrait of Thomas Jefferson, American Sphinx, won the National Book Award. He lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with his wife, Ellen, his youngest son, three dogs, and a cat.