The Book of Abigail and John: Selected Letters of the Adams Family, 1762-1784

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UPNE, 2002 - 411 pages
John and Abigail, Abigail and John - their names are as inseparably linked as those of any pair in history. The story of these lovers, domestic partners, and patriots comes to life in this collection of their intimate correspondence. The lives of this remarkable couple unfold alongside events of the Revolutionary War era, a time in which John left his family for prolonged periods to serve his colony and country. Their engaging exchanges follow John's career from provincial lawyer and farmer in Braintree, Massachusetts, to delegate to the Continental Congresses in Philadelphia, to diplomatic success in Europe. John reveals himself as an ambitious, determined, and self-doubting statesman with a trusting, deeply affectionate character and an earthy sense of humor. Abigail's lively and captivating letters show the trials of an intelligent, strong, and resourceful woman who managed the family's farm and business affairs and reared the pair's four children during her husband's long absences. Her missives to John are filled with outspoken remarks on politics, public figures, and world-shaking events. An independent thinker and advocate of equal rights for women, she urged him in one spiri
 

Contents

The Letters
6
August 1774May 1776
65
June 1776October 1777
133
November 1777July 1780
199
August 1780September 1782
267
October 1782August 1784
325
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