Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams
Drawing on letters, diaries, and other primary sources, historian Louisa Thomas has painted an in-depth picture of a woman whose place in American history is unknown to many of us. Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, the wife of John Quincy Adams, stayed on the sidelines while her husband served as a senator, Secretary of State, the nation’s sixth president, and representative, but she was by no means a timid helpmeet.
John Quincy Adams, whose father John Adams served as America’s third president and whose mother was the redoubtable First Lady Abigail, was dedicated to a life of public service. Through it all, Louisa bolstered her husband’s standing with considerable social skills. Appearing demure and fragile, Louisa was a woman of strong opinions and indomitable will. Her wit, ever acerbic, often caught others by surprise. Her marriage to John Quincy, although lasting fifty years, was rancorous and difficult. Louisa suffered through long separations, hazardous and life-threatening travel, and the deaths of all but one of their four children. Even so, as historian Thomas makes clear in describing their last days together, their deep love and friendship is obvious. Louisa, having been denied the chance to say good-bye, grieves deeply, as do readers of this satisfying biography.
Thomas has written an insightful, compassionate portrait of a young girl expected to be prim and passive, who grew into a strong woman, an avid writer, and shrewd political partner. Readers of biography will find Thomas’s book engaging as well as educating. Trivia fans might like to know: Louisa Johnson Adams, born in London in 1775 to an American father and an English mother, is America’s only foreign-born First Lady.
