As John and Abigail Adams had spent so much time apart, they became prodigious letter writers. Their correspondence has greatly informed historians, most notably David McCullough, whose biography of John Adams brought the John and Abigail letters back to prominence.
The fascination history lovers have with the correspondence between John and Abigail Adams actually began in the 1840s, when their letters were first published. Those original editions have been digitized, and are available for download.
With these convenient links you can help yourself to a digital bookshelf devoted to John and Abigail Adams.
Letters of Mrs. Adams
Little Brown, 1840, now in public domain
Abigail Adams wrote a great many letters, and the discovery of her writing talent is not a modern fad. This edition of some of her letters was published in 1840, and contains an introductory essay by her grandson, Charles Francis Adams.
The letters date from the 1760s to 1814. There are vivid descriptions of life during the American Revolution, impressions of life abroad while John Adams was an ambassador in Europe, and also remarks about life as First Lady. Abigail Adams had very firm ideas about politics, government, the rights of women, and the issue of slavery, and her opinions turn up frequently in the letters. Even when she was simply writing of daily events, her prose can be quite entertaining.
Letters of John Adams Addressed to His Wife, Vol. I
New York Public Library
Following the publication of the letters of Abigail Adams, Charles Francis Adams edited a two volume set of his grandfather's letters in 1841.
This first volume covers critical years of the American Revolution, ending in 1777. Readers in the 1840s might have had a particular interest in reading the letters pertaining to the Continental Congress and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
Letters of John Adams Addressed to His Wife, Vol. II
New York Public Library
This second volume of the John Adams letters edited by his grandson covers the years from 1777 to 1800.
Many of the letters were written in Europe, when Adams was serving as an ambassador, though some of the later letters were written when he was the nation's second president. One of the last letters in the book, written in June 1800, mentions that Adams had visited Mount Vernon and that members of Washington's family send "many friendly greetings."
A very famous quote appears in the last letter in the book, written from the newly constructed executive mansion: "May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof!"
Familiar Letters of John Adams and His Wife Abigail
In the preface of this 1876 edition of letters between John and Abigail Adams, their grandson Charles Francis Adams mentioned that while the public was interested in the letters, copies of the editions published in the 1840s had become difficult to locate.
Besides making the letters available to a new generation of readers, the improvement of this edition is that the letters by both John and Abigail Adams are contained in the same volume. So a reader can get a better sense of the conversation back and forth.
The book begins with an informative 30-age memoir of Abigail Adams written by her grandson. The letters themselves cover the years of the American Revolution, from 1774 to 1783.
John Adams, The Statesman of the American Revolution
This 1898 book of essays by a prominent Massachusetts judge, historian, and librarian, Mellen Chamberlain, begins with a lengthy essay about Adams that focuses on his contributions in guiding the Continental Congress. "I see no one who could have filled his place from 1774 to 1777," Chamberlain wrote.
At the conclusion of the essay Chamberlain makes an eloquent case for the reputation of Adams, which he apparently feared was fading at the close of the 19th century.
The History of the Administration of John Adams
Published in 1802, only a year after Adams left the presidency, this account of his life, his political philosophy, and his administration of government is generally skeptical and in place overtly critical. The author, John Wood, considered Adams was a poor choice to follow Washington as president of the new republic, and does not hide his feelings.
Much of the book deals with arcane matters, but it's still an interesting example of a very early book on American politics.
Grateful acknowledgment for images is given to the New York Public Library Digital Collections.
