If You Think Politics Are Crazy Now

I loved, loved, loved this book (First Family). I loved David McCullough's book on John Adams and the subsequent mini-series and would be inclined to agree with much of Adam's analysis of the issues of his day.

And because I've read several of McCullough's book, First Family was familiar territory. But several things stood out to me:

Ellis says Abigail and John were so much a team that it is impossible to write about one without writing about the other. I love that. She was a better writer, but he was probably the better policy mind. She was ready to go to war with France and he very carefully kept us out of war and probably saved our young nation. She was an early feminist (for her time) believing women should have the vote (John did not agree with her). She also flatly ignored the law of the time and made up a will, distributing her income from investments and her belongings at her death. The judge overlooked that she had no legal right to her own property and honored it. Obviously  her husband respected her enough not to interfere. She made him a better leader, and he was a wise man to realize it.

Sadly the price of leadership exacted a horrible toll on the Adams' family. Two sons died of alcoholism, a daughter made a miserable marriage to a man who kept asking for favors from his father-in-law to cover his massive debts and poor decision-making. And John Quincy's son committed suicide at 29. Ellis attributes much of this to an absent John Adams, climbing the ladder of political ambition abroad during his children's formative years.

Some of the Founding Fathers were scoundrels. Brilliant, yes? History-changing? Yes? But Bill Clinton had nothing on some of these guys. E.g.'s:

• Aaron Burr probably did us a favor when he shot Alexander Hamilton. In fact, Hamilton was a hot-headed, power-hungry, American Napoleon. He ran a shadow government during Adams' presidency, controlling the Cabinet and attempted to undercut Adams' power repeatedly. He tried to get us into a war with France we couldn't have sustained. It appears he challenged Adams to a duel as well; Adams was just a more reasonable sort than Burr. 
• Franklin lived a decadent life-style in France, engaging in very public displays of affection with at least one married woman. He was known for wooing much younger women. Oh, and while he was married himself.
• Thomas Jefferson was a liar among other things. He flatly denied paying someone to dig up political dirt on Adams when he was in the running for the presidency against him; the person hired to do so came up with the bill of sale with Jefferson's signature. The investigator hired then turned around and exposed his affair with his very young slave, Sally Hemings, as payback for Jefferson's failure to pay him enough and his duplicity. 

Our young country was in jeopardy of annihilation repeatedly from hot-headed  and misguided politicians and from national debt. So the next time you get a forward saying we won't survive Obama or that China will take us over within the year, pick up a copy of good early American history. It will give you perspective.