American Phoenix: John Quincy and Louisa Adams, the War of 1812, and the Exile that Saved American Independence
In a marriage that lasted more than 50 years, John Quincy and Louisa Adams shared a life as full and eventful as John Quincy’s more celebrated parents, John and Abigail Adams. Here, Cook concentrates on a critical phase of their personal lives as well as an important formative period in the history of the young American republic. In 1809, John Quincy was appointed first minister to the Russian court. Distance and the severe climate meant it wasn’t a plum assignment, but it became an increasingly important one. Louisa, not blessed with good health, found their stay especially difficult; her two young sons were left at home, and she endured the sorrow of the death of an infant daughter. Yet Cook utilizes the letters and diaries of the Adamses to indicate that she was a great asset, using her social graces to compensate for John’s blunt, gruff manner. She also traversed a war-torn continent in an effort to rejoin John in Paris. Historians may question Cook’s assertion that the diplomatic efforts of the Adamses saved American independence, but this is an informative, easily digestible glimpse at a successful political partnership. --Jay Freeman