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America's Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick
An accessible and entertaining biography of our nation’s greatest public servant and original political maverick John Quincy Adams, from the bassist of the Grammy-nominated band the Avett Brothers.
During the tumultuous period between the era of the Founding Fathers and the disunion of the Civil War, John Quincy Adams was the man standing in the breach. After an unsuccessful presidential reelection campaign, he was left reckoning with his political legacy. But Adams would be dragged back into the fray in ways he never expected, pitting him against the slavocracy and Southern congressmen and solidifying him as a key ally to the antislavery cause.
America’s Founding Son tells the tale of Adams’s turbulent government career and his evolving views on slavery. Adams, along with lesser-known abolitionists Benjamin Lundy and Theodore Weld, found himself at the center of the coalition that leveled the first blow against slave power in the United States. The battles they fought would be foundational in the push for emancipation to follow. An entertaining deep dive into an under explored period in American history, America’s Founding Son shows how John Quincy Adams and the grassroots activism of the 1830s and ’40s shifted American politics forever.
During the tumultuous period between the era of the Founding Fathers and the disunion of the Civil War, John Quincy Adams was the man standing in the breach. After an unsuccessful presidential reelection campaign, he was left reckoning with his political legacy. But Adams would be dragged back into the fray in ways he never expected, pitting him against the slavocracy and Southern congressmen and solidifying him as a key ally to the antislavery cause.
America’s Founding Son tells the tale of Adams’s turbulent government career and his evolving views on slavery. Adams, along with lesser-known abolitionists Benjamin Lundy and Theodore Weld, found himself at the center of the coalition that leveled the first blow against slave power in the United States. The battles they fought would be foundational in the push for emancipation to follow. An entertaining deep dive into an under explored period in American history, America’s Founding Son shows how John Quincy Adams and the grassroots activism of the 1830s and ’40s shifted American politics forever.
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Published March 10, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 27, 2026
Crawford's biography covers the period post-presidency when Adams served as a Representative in the U.S. Congress. Easy to read and understand, this work tells me why Crawford admires Adams and why he thinks it is important for me to know this story at this moment in time.
"Adams brought the issue of slavery out of the darkness and into the light of the center of politics in the United States--the People's House. John Quincy Adams preserved and protected the America democracy established by the founding generation--his father's generation John Quincy fought a different revolution, because as hard as it is to create a democracy, it takes the long-suffering skill of perseverance to uphold it. As the man standing in the breach, Adams passed the aspirations of the Declaration of Independence on to the next generation. With one hand reaching back to the founding and the other reaching forward toward the Civil War, John Quincy Adams is a bridge and perhaps the best representation of America's tortured adolescence. John Quincy Adams may not have been an extraordinary president like Washington and Lincoln, but he is our most extraordinary ex-president. A maverick. A public servant. An American hero."
"John Quincy Adams reminds us that change happens when good people have the courage to make good trouble in the face of long odds, violent mobs, and apathetic cynicism."
Publication 2026
"Adams brought the issue of slavery out of the darkness and into the light of the center of politics in the United States--the People's House. John Quincy Adams preserved and protected the America democracy established by the founding generation--his father's generation John Quincy fought a different revolution, because as hard as it is to create a democracy, it takes the long-suffering skill of perseverance to uphold it. As the man standing in the breach, Adams passed the aspirations of the Declaration of Independence on to the next generation. With one hand reaching back to the founding and the other reaching forward toward the Civil War, John Quincy Adams is a bridge and perhaps the best representation of America's tortured adolescence. John Quincy Adams may not have been an extraordinary president like Washington and Lincoln, but he is our most extraordinary ex-president. A maverick. A public servant. An American hero."
"John Quincy Adams reminds us that change happens when good people have the courage to make good trouble in the face of long odds, violent mobs, and apathetic cynicism."
Publication 2026
March 13, 2026
NOT AN ADVANCE COPY. I BOUGHT AND READ THIS MYSELF WHEN IT CAME OUT FOR THE PUBLIC.
Bob Crawford’s “America’s Founding Son” recounts the achievements of John Quincy Adams, the son of John Adams and the inheritor of the Founding Father Generation’s dreams.
This reader immediately finds themselves rooting for John Quincy Adams as he overcomes his own trials and attempts to live up to the expectations set for him by the prior generation. It is a concept that many can relate to. However, John Quincy Adams’ most significant achievements were not found in his Presidency, which was limited to one term, but in the aftermath.
Crawford spends most of the book in Quincy’s post presidency years. Unlike prior Presidents, Quincy did not seclude himself from politics after serving in the highest office in the land. Quincy realized he had a duty to serve his nation and stepped into the House of Representatives, serving there for decades until he died in the Congressional building.
Crawford is an effective storyteller and his writing kept me mostly engaged, but his historical layout of this book is lacking. Crawford attempts to make this book somewhat scholarly, providing quotes and adding sources at the end, but without notations for the sources within the chapter, Crawford has made it hard to show what he is referencing. Crawford also periodically inserts himself and his view into the book and often includes pop culture references that may quickly become dated. This adds to the book feeling less scholarly and more like a pop history book.
Bob Crawford’s “America’s Founding Son” recounts the achievements of John Quincy Adams, the son of John Adams and the inheritor of the Founding Father Generation’s dreams.
This reader immediately finds themselves rooting for John Quincy Adams as he overcomes his own trials and attempts to live up to the expectations set for him by the prior generation. It is a concept that many can relate to. However, John Quincy Adams’ most significant achievements were not found in his Presidency, which was limited to one term, but in the aftermath.
Crawford spends most of the book in Quincy’s post presidency years. Unlike prior Presidents, Quincy did not seclude himself from politics after serving in the highest office in the land. Quincy realized he had a duty to serve his nation and stepped into the House of Representatives, serving there for decades until he died in the Congressional building.
Crawford is an effective storyteller and his writing kept me mostly engaged, but his historical layout of this book is lacking. Crawford attempts to make this book somewhat scholarly, providing quotes and adding sources at the end, but without notations for the sources within the chapter, Crawford has made it hard to show what he is referencing. Crawford also periodically inserts himself and his view into the book and often includes pop culture references that may quickly become dated. This adds to the book feeling less scholarly and more like a pop history book.
April 6, 2026
Really, really enjoyable ! A perfect intersection of two of my biggest interests (the Avett Brothers and lesser-known historical figures) but the title is a bit misdirecting; this is much more of a study on the rising anti-slavery advocates directly preceding the Civil War. They were several chapters where Adams doesn’t even make an appearance, but this was a super engaging listen nonetheless !
May 14, 2026
As someone who is obsessed with John Quincy Adams (“But, Beth, who isn’t?” I HEAR YOU.) and who had a significant folk rock phase, I was cautiously optimistic about this book.
No need for caution. The book is fairly well researched, very well written, and has unfortunately only added fuel to the fire of my JQA fixation.
No need for caution. The book is fairly well researched, very well written, and has unfortunately only added fuel to the fire of my JQA fixation.
May 20, 2026
3.5/5. Enjoyable listen about John Quincy Adams. Explored a period of history I’ve never really thought about but it gave me a lot of good insight of today’s political climate vs the 1830s and how the cycles do not change. Worth a read if you are interested in the rise of anti-slavery in America and the political power of JQA after being president and serving in congress.
May 19, 2026
I received a copy through Goodreads giveaways
I'll be generous and give this book 3 stars because it was informative, But I have to say that I was disappointed. I was interested in this book thinking that it would be about John Quincy Adams, but he only appeared in about half the book. Sometimes it seemed like he was an afterthought.
I'll be generous and give this book 3 stars because it was informative, But I have to say that I was disappointed. I was interested in this book thinking that it would be about John Quincy Adams, but he only appeared in about half the book. Sometimes it seemed like he was an afterthought.
March 17, 2026
A consummate American, the sixth U.S. President, John Quincy Adams, for one term from 1825-1829, began when he was ten years old accompanying his father to various diplomatic postings to Europe leading up to two terms as Secretary of State before assuming the presidency. . It was sad to read that his father and mother expected him to become president due to his exposure to political life and his actual experiences. His father went so far to say it would be his laziness, slovenliness and obstinacy if he never achieved that office. He goes on to serve in the House of Representatives for seventeen years earning the reputation of “the old orator” often outwitting his opponents in the House by his knowledge of law and outwitting them. While never owning a slave he had early on in his career appeared to be neutral as to whether a state could have slaves but became one of the most vocal as an abolitionist. The author, Bob Crawford, dedicates a large portion of the book to the dedication of Benjamin Lundy to dedicate his life to freeing the slaves from approximately 1815 to 1830s. Did you recognize the name of the author Bob Crawford? I will leave it to you to read this book and learn what his actual career is and it is his love of John Quincy Adams that this book happened. Many thanks to the author, NetGalley, and Zando Projects for a digital ARC of this book; this is my honest review.
April 16, 2026
This is a novel with horrifically misleading notes on historical events. I’m admittedly a JQA fan, I’ve read more than one biography about him, his own letters and speeches, and a biography of his wife. This book would be better titled “before the civil war.” It goes on multiple tangents that extend into present day and spends as much time talking about Andrew Jackson (favorably) as it does talking about JQA. It gives credence to fictional tropes about JQA. As someone who is currently reading the biographies of all the US presidents this is not even a biography. I’m up to FDR at present and when I saw this book published I decided to read it because I love JQA. I beg of you if you are trying to learn more about this person or time period look elsewhere.
DO NOT READ.
Misleading.
Not a biography.
DO NOT READ.
Misleading.
Not a biography.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I wanted to like this book but it is very dryly written. I relied on Wikipedia to understand what I was learning from this book. I would recommend this book to college history professors who specialize in early American history.
May 18, 2026
While titled to imply this is just an autobiography of John Quincy Adams, this is really a book about the period of time from his presidency to death that was just prior to the Civil War. If you aren't familiar with John Quincy Adams, he was the son of founding father John Adams, and was the first "son of a President" to be elected President. However, his presidency was just a small piece of his legacy as he only served one term as President, but shortly after was elected to Congress.
While he was quick to always state that he was not an abolitionist, John Quincy Adams strongly opposed slavery and fought to abolish it throughout his career. He believed, however, that it needed to be done politically and through the use of the Constitution, and not in the ways most abolitionists believed.
If you aren't familiar with Crawford outside of this book, he's also the bassist of the band The Avett Brothers and he evidently also hosts a podcast. I really enjoyed Crawford's style of writing. He uses a more relatable storytelling style rather than the more dry style author's often use when writing a biography and/or historical book. Despite the more storytelling style, it was well researched and informative. I recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about a historical figure that from the early years of our country that may not get talked about as much as some others.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
While he was quick to always state that he was not an abolitionist, John Quincy Adams strongly opposed slavery and fought to abolish it throughout his career. He believed, however, that it needed to be done politically and through the use of the Constitution, and not in the ways most abolitionists believed.
If you aren't familiar with Crawford outside of this book, he's also the bassist of the band The Avett Brothers and he evidently also hosts a podcast. I really enjoyed Crawford's style of writing. He uses a more relatable storytelling style rather than the more dry style author's often use when writing a biography and/or historical book. Despite the more storytelling style, it was well researched and informative. I recommend this to anyone who wants to learn more about a historical figure that from the early years of our country that may not get talked about as much as some others.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I was so excited to read this book by one of the members of a favorite band! Bob fell for John Quincy Adams much like I fell for Adams’ wife, Louisa, and I love when people follow their passions and write a book about them! Bob’s obvious admiration and respect for John Quincy Adams shines through as he discusses Adams’ work as an antislavery crusader in his later years as a member of the House of Representatives. Our country has much to be grateful for in his sacrifice and toil to make America a more perfect union. Bob delves into the political machinations of the era in a readable way, making even the most intricate policy understandable.
In this year of celebrating America’s 250th, I can’t think of a better way to commemorate the best our country has to offer than to highlight the life and work of John Quincy Adams (and his wife). He was a true statesman with principles, and he knew that America had yet to live up to its ideals. He wanted to make our country a better place, and he should be remembered for his success rather than his one-term presidency. I highly recommend reading this book to learn more about this founding son.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.
In this year of celebrating America’s 250th, I can’t think of a better way to commemorate the best our country has to offer than to highlight the life and work of John Quincy Adams (and his wife). He was a true statesman with principles, and he knew that America had yet to live up to its ideals. He wanted to make our country a better place, and he should be remembered for his success rather than his one-term presidency. I highly recommend reading this book to learn more about this founding son.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.
April 23, 2026
Bob Crawford’s America’s Founding Son delivers a vivid, unexpectedly energetic portrait of John Quincy Adams, portraying him not as a dusty historical figure but as a relentless political maverick whose post‑presidential career reshaped the nation. Drawing on rich historical detail, Crawford follows Adams through the turbulent decades between the Founding era and the Civil War, highlighting his fierce battles against the slavocracy and his alliance with abolitionists like Benjamin Lundy and Theodore Weld. The book paints Adams as a man dragged back into public life by moral conviction, standing “in the breach” as the country lurched toward disunion. Crawford’s narrative blends accessible storytelling with deep research, showing how Adams’s evolving antislavery stance and the grassroots activism of the 1830s and ’40s helped lay the groundwork for emancipation. The result is an engaging, modern-feeling biography—infused with the author’s distinctive voice—that reframes Adams not just as a former president, but as a pivotal force who pushed America toward its better ideals.
March 13, 2026
I love Crawford's passion for this time period! I think this book would be best suited for someone who is really a history buff and wants to dive even deeper into this particular time period/person. As a casual history reader, the book sometimes assumed previous knowledge I didn't have/couldn't always quite follow. However, it was still interesting and I learned a lot! My favorite bits were the more personal aspects of Adams' life and would have loved to read even more of that. I also loved when Crawford pointed parallels to current events. I recently read "Burn Down the Master's House" by Clay Cane (an historical fiction that centers the stories of enslaved people), and found it interesting to consider the stories of those characters in the context of this more "political" perspective.
March 31, 2026
Grappling with his legacy after a failed re-election bid, John Quincy Adams became a champion against slavery. Doubtful of the ability of small, scattered abolitionist groups to effect meaningful change, he spearheaded the political wing of the early antislavery movement, striking the first legislative blows. Engaging and enlightening, the book reveals a passionate and often overlooked leader who forever changed American society.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
April 11, 2026
I heard about this book when my favorite historian, Heather Cox Richardson, interviewed the author. It sounded fascinating. I learned a lot. Some was riveting and some was hard to read (lots and lots of names and old terminology), but overall I really enjoyed expanding my knowledge about JQA. His career after his presidency reminds me a little of Jimmy Carter, though they did things differently. I greatly appreciated JQA’s slow and steady fight against slavery at a time when that may have seemed futile.
April 16, 2026
Amazing to think Bob researched and wrote this book while playing with his band The Avett Brothers. He delivers a masterly, engaging portrait of John Quincy Adams in The Founding Son. Moving beyond the presidency, Crawford highlights Adams’s relentless post-White House crusade against slavery. It’s a deeply researched, passionate look at a political maverick that proves Crawford is as talented a historian as he is a musician. I also love his contemporary references to twitter, dropping the mic, and other well-know pop culture terms.
April 9, 2026
Very readable, but well researched, bio of a little known President who should be better known. It's relatively common knowledge about his time in the House of Representatives after leaving the Presidency and about his success in the case of the Amistad. This book fills in a lot of detail about his struggles with being heard in the House about his struggles with the "salveocracy" and his ultimately successful fight against the "gag rule." A very good and informative read.
May 3, 2026
“John Quincy Adams may not have been an extraordinary president like Washington or Lincoln, but I believe he is our most extraordinary ex-president and nations’s greatest public servant.”
This is a presidential biography that’s more a chronicle of a post presidency. Written for the masses without bulky footnotes, I was enthralled! I have always said that John Q was my favorite president, but that’s a misnomer because he was far more prolific as an ex-president. Great book!
This is a presidential biography that’s more a chronicle of a post presidency. Written for the masses without bulky footnotes, I was enthralled! I have always said that John Q was my favorite president, but that’s a misnomer because he was far more prolific as an ex-president. Great book!
April 1, 2026
Although it is not what you would call a deep and descriptive research biography, this armchair approach was engaging and enjoyable to read. I learned a lot about a president that I had not heard much about. The fact that Quincy Adams laid a lot of the groundwork down for the abolitionist movement should be more well known.
April 14, 2026
I loved it! The author does such an excellent job of conveying his own excitement and interest in the subject matter in a way that makes it contagious for the reader. I couldn't help but to be drawn into Adam's journey and to grow in my own excitement for him along the way. I learned so much from reading this and have already recommended it to my history-loving friends!
April 1, 2026
Run out and get this one. There's hardly a more important person in the 19th century, someone whose life went from Washington to Lincoln and from the presidency to abolitionism. He's an example of what leadership looks like, even when failing. A story from the past that enlightens the present.
April 14, 2026
What a banger. Quincy has always been maligned and it is nice to see him get his due. I appreciate Crawford’s decision to show him warts and all. He, like Taft after him, deserve to be revered as great public servants. Thanks NetGalley!
Read
April 20, 2026I was a little put off when he started using modern colloquialisms to talk about historical events, but it kind of worked! The best book about John Quincy Adams I’ve ever read! (However it is also the only book about John Quincy Adams I’ve ever read.)
May 9, 2026
Excellent popular-level history of an oft-forgotten character of a forgotten era of American life that has much to teach us about out present. Also, listen to Bob's great podcast with Dr. Ben Sawyer, The Road to Now: https://theroadtonow.com/
May 17, 2026
A great overview of Adams’ post-presidential career focused on his fight against the slavocracy. Readers will gain new appreciation for Adams’ role in shaping antebellum America. Also more evidence that history does indeed rhyme.
May 23, 2026
Two stars, even though I couldn't finish it. I got about 1/4 of the way through but just wasn't invested in the book. Sharon McMahon recommended it and I wanted to love it but couldn't. Wish it was a better read for me.
November 19, 2025
Interesting and well presented. A lesson for current leaders
Want to Read
November 23, 2025I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. It is a Zando preview edition.
November 25, 2025
Outstanding, both myself and my wife read it, enjoyed it and discussed the book in detail.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews