"John Adams" by David McCullough

This admiring, comprehensive biography is must reading for any student of the American Revolution, or anyone interested in American history at all. Also, it's the best biography I've ever read.

We follow Adams's career from his defense of the British soldiers in the Boston Massacre, to the two Continental Congresses, the wartime diplomatic missions, to his administration as his country's first-ever Vice President, and its second President. What the masterful David McCullough also gives us are the essential roles Adams played in bringing the country into being.

John Adams was vital to the selection of Washington to command the revolutionary army, to securing badly needed foreign funding during the war, along with Ben Franklin choosing Jefferson to draft the Declaration of Independence, and most impressive on an impressive list, the design of the three houses of government, the Legislative, the Judicial, and the Executive through the drafting of the Constitution.

We rightfully call Washington the Father of his Country. We need to find a distinguishing nickname for Adams, like the Godfather of his Country, or the cranky old Great-Uncle of his Country. Something.

I came away from the book with a very deep appreciation of Adams, obviously. So will you. This is must reading.