“[John] Adams's letters to [his wife] Abigail are wonderful. In his letters, he is loving, humorous, preachy, learned, and saucy. He speaks to her with almost complete abandon, revealing all of his sensuous and vulnerable nature.” SpeakWifeWonderfulHumorousLettersVulnerableAbandonRevealingSensuousAbigail Author:Gordon S. Wood
“[John Adams] diary, of course, is even more revealing of his feelings. Both his letters to [his wife] Abigail and his diary tell us what he really thinks about people and events.” PeopleThinkingFeelingsCoursesWifeEventsLettersRevealingDiariesAbigail Author:Gordon S. Wood
“[John Adams] letters courting Abigail Smith are especially priceless. In one of 1764 he addresses her as "Miss Adorable" and says that "By the same Token that the Bearer hereof satt up with you last night I hereby order you to give him, as many Kisses, and as many Hours of your Company after 9 O'Clock as he shall please to Demand and charge them to my Account."” GivingLastsNightOrderHoursCompanyMissingPleaseDemandKissingLettersAccountsClockAddressesLast NightPricelessAdorableTokensAbigail Author:Gordon S. Wood
“[John's Adams] description of [Benjamin] Franklin in a letter to [his wife] Abigail in 1775 is laudatory. Only when he experiences all the adulation paid to Franklin in Paris does he begin to change his tune.” DoeWifeLettersPaidParisTunesDescriptionFranklinAdulationAbigail Author:Gordon S. Wood
“[John] Adams's letters reveal his persistence and determination to win over the Dutch against all odds and to convince them and the other peoples of Europe of the potential greatness of the United States and of the importance of the Revolution to the world.” WorldStatesWinningUnitedUnited StatesGreatnessRevolutionEuropeDeterminationLettersImportancePersistenceConvinceOddsDutchAgainst All Odds Author:Gordon S. Wood
“A mutual friend, Benjamin Rush, brought [Tomas Jefferson and John Adams] together in 1812, and they went on to exchange letters for the rest of their lives. But in their correspondence they tended to avoid the most controversial issues, such as slavery.” TogetherIssuesLettersSlaveryMutualControversialCorrespondenceControversial IssuesTomas Jefferson Author:Gordon S. Wood
