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Book review: Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation — 3 Comments

  1. For one who convicts Ellis of such a bias view this review certainly has a certain swing. In fact the review only goes into the flaws of book rather than its remarkable accomplishments. Although the book does tend to show a different view than that of popular history (the version that tends to glorify Jefferson) that does not mean the book was ever “sloppy”. Ellis goes into careful analysis of historical documents and only offers his opinion to explain these findings. In fact your own review seems to be guilty of the very flaws it condemns, the bending of the evidence. Ellis does not put the blame of Adams presidency on Abigail’s shoulders, in fact he praises her political judgement numerous times. In fact he preludes Adams solo decision to send the envoy to France with “Ironically, the most significant … decision of the Adams presidency occurred when Abigail was recovering form a bout of fever” (p.191). Clearly this indicates that Abigail’s influence was beneficial, rather than the cause of Adams bad presidency.
    Next time when you wish to attack the reputation of a far more accomplished historian than yourself in an area of expertise he specializes in, I humbly suggest you truly read the book, rather than just spew out your own preconceived notions of what History was “supposed” to be.

  2. Pingback:Joseph J. Ellis’ Founding Brothers « Jorie's Reads

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