The Origins of Atlas
In January’s ECW newsletter, I explained how I’ve been spending a lot of time in 1776 lately. (Click here to read the newsletter if you haven’t already.) The person most responsible for that time travel has been John Adams. He’s the subject of my newest book, Atlas of Independence. My fascination for Adams goes back two and a half decades, so the publication of this book is the fulfillment of a long-held dream.
Last week at our sister site, Emerging Revolutionary War, I took some time to explain the origins of my Adams fixation and how it led to this writing project. I wanted to pop back over here to the 1860s for a minute to invite you to take a read. I hope you’ll enjoy the diversion a little deeper back into our past.
And while you’re at it, you can get details from Savas Beatie World Headquarters on how you can pre-order a signed copy.
I found John and Abigail to be excellent company while I worked on Atlas, and I suspect you will, too!
Chris, congratulations on your book. Apparently JA was not so “obnoxious and disliked” as he perceived himself in “1776.”
Thanks, Kevin!
David McCullough contends that the only person who referred to Adams as “obnoxious and disliked” was himself–and that was decades later while writing his memoirs. McCullough could not find any contemporaneous accounts from Adams’s peers that suggest Adams was obnoxious or disliked. I haven’t done as much research as McCullough, but I never found anything along those lines, either. Marianne Holdzkom’s book “Remembering John Adams” does a good job of tracing the “obnoxious and disliked” tag to the musical “1776.”
Just placed my order. I have been re-engaging heavily with the Rev War since last May when I went to the ABT Annual Conference in Boston. (As you know.) The “America 250” bug has bitten me HARD. Rob, Mark and the ERW guys can vouch for that! I look forward to reading your book and seeing how you debunk the Adams as unlikeable, sarcastic and obnoxious theme because I’ve read that in many places. I have tickets to see “1776” later this month so I will pay attention to the suggestion that it started with that play. In the HBO series from David McCullough’s book, Paul Giamatti certainly reinforces that image. His Adams was contemptuous of pretty much everyone else but Abigail. 🙂 And, as a Double Hoo and Jefferson fan, I know which one I’m partial too. Their late life reconciliation and the incredible correspondence that resulted–and their simultaneous deaths on July 4, 2026– make up a fascinating slice of American history.
A fiction writer could not write that simultaneous death scene and have anyone think it was credible. It’s such a fantastic story.
I hope you like the book. And I hope you enjoy the production of “1776.” I just bought tickets last night to a production at Ford’s Theatre, which will be a double treat for me!