Abigail Adams: A Biography Book

Abigail Adams was the daughter of a country parson, a lively, brilliant girl of eighteen when she met the fiery young lawyer, John Adams. Immediately attracted to the "best educated woman he had ever met," John "did not scorn to share with her a man's world." After their marriage Abigail was her husband's full partner and confidant in all he did, and from her first simple, natural concern with his and their family's welfare her horizon immeasurably widened as he was drawn into grave revolutionary and national matters. Their participation in the revolution was whole-hearted, although somewhat less hearted than that of John's cousin, Sam. When John left Boston to be delegate to the Continental Congress, envoy to France, Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Abigail followed him first with her letters, then in person. Finally, she was able to fully express her passionate patriotism as First Lady.

The sources of this biography are largely Abigail's letters, and she was a peerless letter writer. These are crammed with interesting small sidelights by-passed by most history books. They have enabled Mrs. Whitney to create a vibrant portrait of a charming and vivacious lady and the remarkable times in which she lived.