Phyllis Lee Levin

An enthralling book about a fascinating character who felt driven to succeed due to parental expectations and his own nature. A world traveler by the age of sixteen it was none the less very sad to read what his sister wrote, "It is a very unpleasing idea to me, that a whole family, should grow up strangers to each other, as ours have done, yet it has been unavoidable, and will tis probable still continue so." He was impatient for success and its immediate lack often depressed him. He also voted with his fledgling country's best interests at heart rather than with his party's which made him enemies that weren't content just to see him out of office but wanted to see him personally ruined. He wound up being pushed into marrying Louisa Catherine Johnson whose father was on the verge of bankruptcy and trying to marry them off without dowry. She was fragile both mentally and physically and depending on how she was feeling her husband's greatest supporter of detractor. A very interesting man from a family that had its share of problems.… (meer)

This biography would probably be more interesting if you were more of a US history buff than I am. It's well researched, but Levin doesn't really do a good job of taking her many facts and telling a consistent story. JQA was, I think, a bit of an odd duck, but this book doesn't do a good job of capturing this. I learned that JQA's parents cared a lot about him and his education, but maybe put too much pressure on a young boy. One of the things that was interesting to me was how often family members, parents/children; spouses; were separated for long periods of time, with relatively little contact due to the slowness of the mail and of travel. Levin implies that this had an effect on JQA's relationships and character, but I think she could have done more to round this out.… (meer)