School Library Journal Review
Gr 6-10-Behind the scenes in Massachusetts politics and in the formation of the new nation, seldom seeking reward or public credit, Samuel Adams played a major role in the events that brought lasting fame to his cousin John Adams, his close friend John Hancock, and his associate Paul Revere. With the possible exception of Patrick Henry of Virginia, he was the first political figure to see the necessity of revolution decades before the outbreak of the war. Fradin's carefully researched and detailed account, illustrated with black-and-white portraits and prints, does much to clarify the importance of Adams's role in history. Although plagued by financial failure, troubled by family losses, and bearing a reputation for fractious politicking, he worked assiduously through his writings, personal contacts, and behind-the-scenes prompting to push events toward the hoped for confrontation with George III and the establishment of the new nation. This much-needed biography focuses on Samuel Adams as an astute politician, able propagandist, and inspired patriot.-Shirley Wilton, Ocean County College, Toms River, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
This biography clearly demonstrates the pivotal role Samuel Adams played in publicizing the British colonial domination of the thirteen colonies and in coalescing popular opinion against British rule. Archival reproductions effectively complement a descriptive and accurate narrative that imaginatively integrates details of Adams's life with the social and political milieu of the time. Bib., ind. From HORN BOOK Fall 1998, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 5^-9. This attractive, large-format biography introduces Samuel Adams, the Bostonian who devoted his life to creating and driving the public will toward American independence. The author's note states that Paul Revere, John Hancock, and John Adams regarded Samuel Adams as their "political father," and Thomas Jefferson called him "the Man of the Revolution." Following discussions of Adams' youth, education, and family, the text follows his work to provoke and promote the revolution and provides an excellent summary of events from the point of view of one participant. The chapters that follow include Adams' influence on the Constitution and his career as lieutenant governor and governor of Massachusetts. Although Fradin clearly admires Adams, he doesn't shrink from pointing out the man's flaws in areas such as grooming, supporting his family, or twisting the truth to suit his purposes. In this literary portrait, Adams emerges as a complex man, idealistic yet practical, whose influence on American history can hardly be underestimated. Black-and-white illustrations, including reproductions of portraits, engravings, and documents, appear throughout the book. In an unusually personal and readable afterword, Fradin tells of his visits to Boston sites and to a reenactment of the Battle of Lexington as well as a search for an Adams artifact of his own. --Carolyn Phelan
