Books Abound in John Adams Unbound
Boston, MA. - From September 2006 - April 2007, more than 3,800 books from John Adams’s personal library were on display at the Boston Public Library. A native of Braintree, Massachusetts, Adams graduated from Harvard College, eventually becoming a lawyer and politician. I had the opportunity to visit the John Adams Unbound exhibition and discovered that the second president of the United States had a passion for collecting books.
Upon entering the hall, there was an imposing portrait of Adams suspended from the ceiling. Captions on kiosks described selected books in the collection. Volumes were stacked in columns more than 10 feet high in a semi-circle glass case. In several of the books Adams’s written comments remain in the margins. His collection includes books by authors such as Homer, Adam Smith, and Mary Wollstonecraft.
Another section of the exhibit was divided into seven themes found in a quote from Adams’s diary. On January 30, 1768, Adams wrote, “I am mostly intent at present upon collecting a library, and I find that a great deal of thought and care, as well as money, are necessary to assemble an ample and well chosen assortment of books. Fame, Fortune, Power, say some, are the ends intended by a library. The Service of God, Country, Clients, Fellow Men, say others. Which of these lie nearest my Heart?”
In the “Clients” portion of the exhibit visitors could view Adams’s role in the aftermath of the infamous Boston Massacre. Adams was the defense attorney for the British troops who were on trial for shooting into a crowd of protesters. He won the case for the British soldiers.
The “Country” portion of the exhibit described Adams’s interest in foreign languages and geography. Books representing eight languages are contained in Adams’s collection, according to the John Adams Library Web site.
In 1774, Adams was selected to attend the First Continental Congress on behalf of Massachusetts Bay colony. Adams’s library contains 49 volumes of proceedings from the United States Continental Congress, 1774-1778.
Adams continued his diplomatic efforts after the Continental Congress when he was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands. It was there, in May 1782, where Adams established the first U.S. embassy in a foreign country.
The Unbound exhibit also contained a copy of the Massachusetts Constitution, which was enacted in 1780 and co-authored by John Adams, Samuel Adams, and James Bowdoin. The state of Massachusetts still abides by the constitution penned by Adams, making it the oldest existing constitution in the world. Seeing the Constitution was my favorite aspect of the exhibition.
Adams shared his love for books with his wife Abigail and their children. Adams once wrote that books are, “of the utmost importance… in business, as well as the most ingenious and elegant entertainment of your life.” He left a legacy for his children and thanks to the Boston Public Library his legacy can be shared by interested people in the present and the future.
I would encourage anyone who is interested in learning about Adams’s love for books to visit the online exhibit at www.johnadamslibrary.org
Upon entering the hall, there was an imposing portrait of Adams suspended from the ceiling. Captions on kiosks described selected books in the collection. Volumes were stacked in columns more than 10 feet high in a semi-circle glass case. In several of the books Adams’s written comments remain in the margins. His collection includes books by authors such as Homer, Adam Smith, and Mary Wollstonecraft.
Another section of the exhibit was divided into seven themes found in a quote from Adams’s diary. On January 30, 1768, Adams wrote, “I am mostly intent at present upon collecting a library, and I find that a great deal of thought and care, as well as money, are necessary to assemble an ample and well chosen assortment of books. Fame, Fortune, Power, say some, are the ends intended by a library. The Service of God, Country, Clients, Fellow Men, say others. Which of these lie nearest my Heart?”
In the “Clients” portion of the exhibit visitors could view Adams’s role in the aftermath of the infamous Boston Massacre. Adams was the defense attorney for the British troops who were on trial for shooting into a crowd of protesters. He won the case for the British soldiers.
The “Country” portion of the exhibit described Adams’s interest in foreign languages and geography. Books representing eight languages are contained in Adams’s collection, according to the John Adams Library Web site.
In 1774, Adams was selected to attend the First Continental Congress on behalf of Massachusetts Bay colony. Adams’s library contains 49 volumes of proceedings from the United States Continental Congress, 1774-1778.
Adams continued his diplomatic efforts after the Continental Congress when he was appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands. It was there, in May 1782, where Adams established the first U.S. embassy in a foreign country.
The Unbound exhibit also contained a copy of the Massachusetts Constitution, which was enacted in 1780 and co-authored by John Adams, Samuel Adams, and James Bowdoin. The state of Massachusetts still abides by the constitution penned by Adams, making it the oldest existing constitution in the world. Seeing the Constitution was my favorite aspect of the exhibition.
Adams shared his love for books with his wife Abigail and their children. Adams once wrote that books are, “of the utmost importance… in business, as well as the most ingenious and elegant entertainment of your life.” He left a legacy for his children and thanks to the Boston Public Library his legacy can be shared by interested people in the present and the future.
I would encourage anyone who is interested in learning about Adams’s love for books to visit the online exhibit at www.johnadamslibrary.org
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