Smith Family Book Club: November 2010

Welcome message

Welcome to all!! Thanks for joining our book club. We hope that you will enjoy it and that it will be an uplifting experience for all who participate as well as a way to stay in closer contact with family. We came up with the idea when Dale posted information about a current book he was reading on his and Leisa's blog. Shortly thereafter, Aunt Beth read a book review online. It wasn't the review of the book itself so much but what the blogger shared about her extended family's virtual book club that sparked the idea of seeing what level of interest we might garner to create one of our own. So welcome again to all. Feel free to do as little or as much as you feel inclined to. If one of our selections doesn't appeal to you or you don't have time to read, don't worry. This is one club where there are no membership requirements. Enjoy!!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

"John Adams" - A Little Past the Halfway Mark

How is everyone doing with Mr. Adams? Anyone bogged down? Wondering how you'll ever finish it at all, let alone by the end of November? Whatever you do, don't worry over it. To reiterate, the idea behind this endeavor was to enlarge our sphere of reading and share the results with others in the family. Since we did not plan to suggest a book for December, you can of course continue reading Adams to your heart's content.

For those of you who are into the book far enough to have formed some opinions and ideas, have you learned something about that time period you didn't know before? Has anything in particular impressed you about John and Abigail or other significant participants in our country's beginning days?

If you find 750+ pages a bit overwhelming, consider checking to see if your library has an abridged version on CD or MP3. Mine did and I didn't feel like I missed anything significant.

Good luck and most of all, enjoy!

John Adams

It is a life encompassing a huge arc--Adams lived longer than any president. The story ranges from the Boston Massacre to Philadelphia in 1776 to the Versailles of Louis XVI, from Spain to Amsterdam, from the Courts of St. James's, where Adams was the first American to stand before King George III as a representative of the new nation, to the raw, half-finished Capital by the Potomac, where Adams was the first President to occupy the While House. This is history on a grand scale--a book about politics and war and social issues, but also about human nature, love, religious faith, virtue, ambition, friendship and betrayal, and the far-reaching consequences of noble ideas.

Above all, John Adams is an enthralling, often surprising story of one of the most important and fascinating Americans who ever lived.

David McCullough

He is called the "citizen chronicler" by Librarian of Congress James Billington. His books have led a renaissance of interest in American history—from learning about a flood in Pennsylvania that without warning devastated an entire community to discovering the private achievements and frailties of an uncelebrated president. His biography of Harry Truman won him a Pulitzer, as did his most recent biography of another president, John Adams. David McCullough throws himself into the research of his subjects, tracing the roads they traveled, reading the books they read, and seeing the homes they lived in. His diligence pays off in detailed and engaging narratives.

Mr. McCullough was part of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s 2009 Christmas program. He said “he met director Wilberg last May and was invited on that occasion to be part of the concert. In September, the historian presented some ideas of what could be done on the program. Brother Wilberg said he liked the draft that Mr. McCullough sent to him and asked him to expand on it.