Joseph J. Ellis

Passionate Sage

A fresh look at this astute, likably quirky statesman by a National Book Award-winning author.

"The most lovable and most laughable, the warmest and possibly the wisest of the founding fathers, John Adams knew himself as few men do and preserved his knowledge in a voluminous correspondence that still resonates. Ellis has used it with great skill and perception not only to bring us the man, warts and all, but more importantly to reveal his extraordinary insights into the problems confronting the founders that resonate today in the republic they created."—Edmund S. Morgan, Sterling Professor of History Emeritus, Yale University

"The author’s vivid sketch of the famous Adams-Jefferson correspondence shows his subject’s delightful personality, intellect, warmth, and capacity for friendship, as well as his devotion to the Union. . . . Capture[s] the man’s appealing spirit, providing new perspective on an unfairly neglected Founding Father."—Kirkus Reviews