John Adams Read-a-Long :: Week Seven

Welcome! We are reading through David McCullough’s John Adams this April, May, and June. Feel free to jump in at any time. You can see our reading schedule and guidelines in the starting post. Feel free to leave your thoughts on this week’s reading or a link to your updates in the comments section! (NOTE: The following post and comments will contain spoilers.)

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Week Seven

Chapter: Seven

Summary:

This chapter concludes the Adamses time in Europe. In London, they feel the prejudice of the English people against Americans. Both John and Abigail mention this specifically in letters sent. They find themselves being pointedly ignored and John is laughed at for being an American Ambassador (the English think this is a silly position).

Back in the U.S. the new country is having trouble trading and their new economy is in a lot of trouble because of it. On top of not bringing enough money in, they are having to pay other countries for peace agreements, furthering their financial troubles. Towards the end of the chapter, Adams is sent back to Holland to try to negotiate for another loan.

We also meet Polly Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson’s daughter, who has no recollection of her father and, after being taken in by her, forms a strong bond with Abigail. We are told that this will be the string that binds Abigail and Jefferson in the future.

In England, Nabby marries William Smith and by the end of the chapter they have a child. The Smiths are set to sail back to the U.S. after the Adamses, who leave for home at the end of the chapter. It will be John’s first significant time home after ten years away!

Thoughts on this Week’s Reading:   

1.) I’d LOVE to visit Adams’s houses! We are told that his birth house and the house he lived in with Abigail are still standing. This will definitely be on my list for my next visit to the Boston area. I love seeing places where specific historical people lived.

2.) Speaking of tourism, I enjoyed reading abut Jefferson and Adams being tourists in England. How they were so excited to be in Shakespeare’s house, not knowing that centuries later people would feel the same way about being in their historical homes!

3.) Did anyone else get a kick out of Abigail’s “gossip” about the princesses and their shapes in her letter home to Mary? I laughed when I read, ‘the ladies of the Court were “very plain, ill-shaped, and ugly, but don’t tell anybody that I said so.”‘ Some things never change.

4.) It was interesting to read about Abigail’s struggles with prejudice while at the performance of Othello. Also to see how self-aware she was about it.

5.) We are introduced to Sally Hemings in this chapter. Although this book is not about Jefferson, I do wonder if we’ll hear more about her later on and if we’ll hear about the Adamses reaction to the relationship that she has with Jefferson.

6.) I admit that I am glad the Adamses are returning home. I am eager to hear about what life will be like for them there, and to watch the beginning of official politics in America.

Who’s Reading Along:

Trisha
@jackiemania
Michelle @ The True Book Addict
Katy F.
socrmom78 (Pam)
Kim
Elspeth
Christina Phillips

(If you are participating and I don’t have you on this list, please let me know. I did not include people who said ‘maybe’ so if you have changed your mind and are definitely reading along with us, let me know so I can add you. Also, if you are not going to be able to join us anymore please let me know and I will take you off the list. If you go for two weeks without sharing the link for your weekly update in my weekly update comments section, I will assume you are no longer participating and will take you off of the list. Thanks!)