The Quotable Abigail Adams

John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that her letters âeoegive me more entertainment than all the speeches I hear. There is more good Thoughts, fine strokes and Mother Wit in them than I hear in the whole Week. An Ounce of Mother Wit is worth a Pound of Clergy.âe The Quotable Abigail Adams invites you to enjoy Abigail Adamsâe(tm)s wit and wisdom on a wide range of subjects, drawn from writings throughout her lifetime. Abigail shared her penetrating and often humorous observations with correspondents ranging from friends and neighbors to family members to heads of state, offering lively opinions on human nature, politics, culture, and family life. Selected and arranged by topic, these quotations provide an entertaining introduction to the thought and character of Americaâe(tm)s founding mother. They are accompanied by a biographical introduction, source notes, chronology, and a comprehensive index, making this book the primary resource for those meeting this remarkable woman for the first time as well as for her longtime admirers. âeoeThe Service of this Government is not a Bed of Roses, in any department of it.âe âeoeA Nation which does not respect itself, cannot expect to receive it from others.âe âeoeGentlemen are not half as particular as the Ladies are in their details.âe âeoeNo woman of sense will ever make her Husband an object of Ridicule; for in proportion as she lowers him she lessens herself.âe âeoeA woman may forgive the man she loves an indiscretion, but never a neglect.âe âeoeThere is no musick sweeter in the Ears of parents, than the well earned praises of their children.âe âeoeBetter is a little contentment than great Treasure; and trouble therewith.âe âeoeTime, which improves youth, every year furrows the brow of age."

The story of the Adamses as lovers, domestic partners, and patriots comes to life in this collection of their intimate correspondence.

Winner of the Bancroft Prize The New York Times Book Review, Editor’s Choice American Heritage, Best of 2009 In this vivid new biography of Abigail Adams, the most illustrious woman of the founding era, Bancroft Award–winning historian Woody Holton offers a sweeping reinterpretation of Adams’s life story and of women’s roles in the creation of the republic. Using previously overlooked documents from numerous archives, Abigail Adams shows that the wife of the second president of the United States was far more charismatic and influential than historians have realized. One of the finest writers of her age, Adams passionately campaigned for women’s education, denounced sex discrimination, and matched wits not only with her brilliant husband, John, but with Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. When male Patriots ignored her famous appeal to "Remember the Ladies," she accomplished her own personal declaration of independence: Defying centuries of legislation that assigned married women’s property to their husbands, she amassed a fortune in her own name. Adams’s life story encapsulates the history of the founding era, for she defined herself in relation to the people she loved or hated (she was never neutral), a cast of characters that included her mother and sisters; Benjamin Franklin and James Lovell, her husband’s bawdy congressional colleagues; Phoebe Abdee, her father’s former slave; her financially naïve husband; and her son John Quincy. At once epic and intimate, Abigail Adams, sheds light on a complicated, fascinating woman, one of the most beloved figures of American history.

Spanning nearly forty years, the letters collected in this volume form the most significant correspondence—and reveal one of the most intriguing and inspiring partnerships—in American history.

The lively, authoritative, New York Times bestselling biography of Abigail Adams.

"Abigail Adams and Her Times" by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.