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    Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams
    Unavailable
    Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams
    Unavailable
    Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams
    Audiobook15 hours

    Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams

    Written by Louisa Thomas

    Narrated by Kirsten Potter

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    An intimate portrait of Louisa Catherine Adams, the wife of John Quincy Adams, who witnessed firsthand the greatest transformations of her time  

    Born in London to an American father and a British mother on the eve of the Revolutionary War, Louisa Catherine Johnson was raised in circumstances very different from the New England upbringing of the future president John Quincy Adams, whose life had been dedicated to public service from the earliest age. And yet John Quincy fell in love with her, almost despite himself. Their often tempestuous but deeply close marriage lasted half a century. 

    They lived in Prussia, Massachusetts, Washington, Russia, and England, at royal courts, on farms, in cities, and in the White House. Louisa saw more of Europe and America than nearly any other woman of her time. But wherever she lived, she was always pressing her nose against the glass, not quite sure whether she was looking in or out. The other members of the Adams family could take their identity for granted--they were Adamses; they were Americans--but she had to invent her own. The story of Louisa Catherine Adams is one of a woman who forged a sense of self. As the country her husband led found its place in the world, she found a voice. That voice resonates still. 

    In this deeply felt biography, the talented journalist and historian Louisa Thomas finally gives Louisa Catherine Adams's full extraordinary life its due. An intimate portrait of a remarkable woman, a complicated marriage, and a pivotal historical moment, Louisa Thomas's biography is a masterful work from an elegant storyteller.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPenguin Random House Audio
    Release dateApr 5, 2016
    ISBN9780147524799
    Unavailable
    Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams
    Author

    Louisa Thomas

    Louisa Thomas has written for the New York Times Book Review, Newsweek, Vogue,  and other publications. She lives in New York. Norman Thomas was her great-grandfather.

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    Reviews for Louisa

    4/5

    26 ratings3 reviews

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    • 5/5
      It has been quite some time since I added a history book to my favorites list, but this book has earned a spot! A fantastic biography of Louisa Adams, the wife of John Quincy Adams who lived a fascinating life. From the England of her childhood, to Germany, Russia, France, and the United States, Louisa had experiences with her husband, and without, that could fill up two lifetimes. The author does an outstanding job of using Louisa's writings and diaries to tell her story and show her grow into a confident, intellectual woman who struggled with and overcame multiple miscarriages and the deaths of children and family members. I cannot do this story justice and will simply say that anyone who loves a great story or early American history should read this book.
    • 5/5
      A well written and documented biography of Louisa Adams, the wife of president John Quincy Adams. This was not an easy life as she must deal with her father's bankruptcy, separation from family, loss of children and her struggle with ambitious feelings in a time when women were dominated by men. The book is made possible through diaries written by many of the principals and a vast quantity of letters saved for posterity. The book gives us a deep incite into this very complex woman.
    • 5/5
      I would just like to thank Louisa Thomas for compiling the life of Louisa Adams, diplomatic former POTUS’s wife extraordinaire and giving my blog a new name “The Adventures of a Nobody”. I can’t believe how much I related to a woman from the 1700s. Its crazy how little the school system focuses on female historical figures. You would think they could add a little blip about them especially when they are so crucial for their husband’s successes. What I learned from this biography was that if it weren’t for Mrs. Adams being so likable, unlikable President Adams would not have won his title. And of course a few other tidbits of information that I would never have learned. Louisa Adams was a reluctant feminist before feminism was even a thing something I related to so badly. But if there were more women that could have taken her under their wing them I certain she would have accepted it as much as I have.