Samuel Adams: A Life

by Ira Stoll

The gripping story of the man who was the American Revolution’s moral compass—Ira Stoll tells readers who Samuel Adams was, why he has been forgotten, and why he must be remembered.

Thomas Jefferson called Samuel Adams “truly the man of the Revolution.” Adams, filled with religious fervor, inspired others to fight on and overcome the challenges of the Revolutionary War. He was the editor of the influential Boston Gazette , planner of the Boston Tea Party, and signer of the Declaration of Independence, and yet, he is largely ignored and unknown today. Understanding the leading part Adams played in building and sustaining support for the revolutionary cause gives readers new insight into the way religion motivated the founding of America.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, American History, American Revolution, Politics, Biography Memoir

360 pages, Paperback

First published November 4, 2008

About the author

IRA STOLL is editor of FutureOfCapitalism.com, and the author of Samuel Adams: A Life. From 2002 to 2008 he was vice president and managing editor of The New York Sun. Previously, he served as Washington correspondent and managing editor of The Forward, as North American editor of the Jerusalem Post, and as president of the Harvard Crimson.

Reviews

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. I had never taken a close look at the contribution Sam Adams made to our liberties, and this fine biography shows that the contribution was extensive.

Here are a couple of favorite moments. One adversary said, after Adams' death, that his politics were derived from "two maxims, rulers should have little, the people much" (p. 259).

In another apt application, Stoll refers to Adams' religious tranquility, and notes the odd juxtaposition -- a tranquil revolution. He then applies Perry Miller's wonderful assessment of the Puritan character -- of which Adams was a prime specimen -- a characteristic "most difficult to evoke," that being the "peculiar balance of zeal and enthusiasm with control and wariness" (p. 265).

If you are like many, and need some gaps filled in with regard to your knowledge of Samuel Adams, this would be the place to start. Did you know that the redcoats likely went to Lexington and Concord because they were looking for Sam Adams and John Hancock, who were on the lam?

[Lora Innes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Ira Stoll's take on Samuel Adams, and his attempt to restore him to his rightful place as one of the most influential men of the American Revolution, and certainly as the firecracker who started it all. He also establishes the role of his faith in his life, beliefs and decisions. When most biographies on the founders show how far from faith they really were, the same cannot be said of Samuel Adams who was a man of deep, unshakable religious convictions. Ira Stoll states that Adams has been known as "The Last Puritan" but was really "The First American."

I wished that there had been more time devoted to the men whom he collaborated with: Joseph Warren, John Hancock, James Otis, Benjamin Church... and they do get more than mentions, but I love all the minds that started the Revolution up in Boston and this book really just focuses on one.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/4/2009
I have a feeling this might stay in "reading" a while, though facinating, it is also incredibly dull :P

Finished 1/27/2016
A better title for this book would be, "Samuel Adams: A Political Life." While it follows Samuel Adams, the focus is more on Adams in his public life, specifically as a politician and journalist, than anything personal. The book provides very little insight into Adams' personal thoughts and views. Stoll explains this somewhat at the end. Apparently Adams destroyed most of his letters. I enjoyed reading more about Adams's religious beliefs and the way he used Old Testament illusions to fire up his hearers.
I gained more insight and appreciation for this oft-misunderstood and forgotten Founding Father through reading this book. There is a good use of quotes, as well as commentary from Adams's peers. I'm glad I read it. However, I still rather agree with my 16 year old opinion: "Fascinating...also incredibly dull."

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

In “Samuel Adams a Life” Ira Stoll does not write a narrative history in the style of writers like David McCullough (who he quotes a lot in this text). As a result, the writing is not as griping. If you don’t have a predisposed interest in the subject matter this book will not create it for you. But, for learning more about one of the key players in the founding of our republic this book will serve just fine.
Samuel Adams is often ignored for most of his contributions to the years leading up to the War for Independence and the founding of our nation but this text makes a clear and concise argument for why he was one of the most pivotal figures of the time.
Mr. Stoll quotes others in this book…a lot! There are times when the book seems to be one quotation after another. He will often quote entire letters, sermons, etc. and it breaks up the narrative (as already mentioned). However, often times the quotes are primary sources. Getting it straight from the horse’s mouth so to speak does add a sense of value to what is being said about someone if it is their own words being used. It did not bug me as much as it appears to have irritated some other readers. Maybe because the book is not that long. A wise choice on the author and editor’s part.
The text is well researched (clearly) and has a nice “Notes” and Bibliography section. The final chapter, “Passing of a Patriarch” makes a final summation and case for the importance and legacy of Samuel Adams quite nicely.
“Samuel Adams a Life” gives insight into an important and oft neglected Founding Father. I enjoyed it, and feel that I know a lot more about the character and views of Samuel Adams than I did before I read it. No complaints here.

[Lost Planet Airman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little on the pedantic side, with a lot of marginally related quotes from others, more related to the context than to Samuel Adams' life itself. But, as the author tells us, there is far less primary material left behind by Mr. Adams than other founding fathers.

[Vinny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots about other people and seems to go off on tangents. Just kind of bleh. Doesn't have the excitement of Hamilton, or John Adams.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing in this book comes off as cold and technical. The cadence is more like technical writing than the telling of history. I suppose its footnotes function well enough as where to find source material. All-in-all I was disappointed.

[Doreen Petersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even better the second time around!!!

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will actually change my interpretations of Mr. Adams when I give walking tours in Boston. He looms so large in our tours yet is all but forgotten by most Americans. I was actually frustrated reading this book because I felt the author was harping too much on Adams' religious beliefs and "Puritanism". And I had to wonder, for a man who spent so much time writing (he was a journalist and politician) why his works were not drawn on more. Only at the end did I realize that he (wisely for his time and role) destroyed volumes of his correspondence.

A few changes I will make when talking about Adams to tourists: 1) He was the much more famous Adams of his time, especially in London (younger cousin John went on to be 2nd US President, but Samuel was well known to King George III and members of Parliament); 2) He was 2nd Governor of Massachusetts only because Hancock died in office - while he and Hancock were friends, the relationship was strained because of Hancock's "extravagance" vs. Adams's insistence on not taking any more than he needed to live on in his various political assignments; and 3) He did not leave Massachusetts until he traveled to Philadelphia as a member of the Continental Congress at age 51.

A very worthwhile read for anyone interested in the Founders, the Revolution, and the history of Boston.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

If the author's purpose was to show through innumerable quotations how religious Adams was, he succeeded. However, I found reading them tedious.I was disappointed that I felt that i got o know his full personality.In skipping to the last chapter, I understand why. Think I will just read wikipedia to get facts I may have missed.

[Alicia von Kugelgen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry, but this one felt like a slog. I feel as though I know little more about Samuel Adams than I did when I began, other than he appears to have been a religious fanatic intolerant of the faiths of others. Frustrating.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Samuel Adams is as fierce a patriot as their was. But this biographer may love him too much and gives him credit for almost everything under the sun. Still enjoyed it. But there is a new biography coming out this year I’ll look forward to reading.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this book 2.5 stars if possible. The book was what I would call a very general overview of the the life of Sam Adams. I enjoyed parts of it, especially the latter parts of the book that covered Adams' life in the Continental Congress and his role in the Legislature and Executive branches of the Massachusetts Government.

My problems with this book were a few:

1. The author references too many other historians when making historical points. It felt like more of a research paper at times than the writings of an historian making his own judgements and reflections.

2. There were too many quotes. I enjoy a narrative history with quotes mixed in, but there were far too many quotes from Adams about his religious views for example.

3. It was too short. There were many places, especially the post Revolutionary War period, where we learn about what is going on in history with little of Adams' role or thoughts on the matter. The author admits toward the end of the book that there is very little writing of Adams compared to the other founders, but I still expected more from this book considering how much has been written on this period.

[John Martindale · Rating 4 out of 5]

one good thing about this book is to show we should not make blanket statements about the founders such as "They were all deist" and "All rich property owners and thus had mixed motives for revolution". Love him or hate him, Samuel Adams was a Puritan and a religious fanatic and idealist and according to other revolutionaries, he was the main driving force, without him, there would be no United States of America. He lived in poverty much of his life and was anti-materialism, he was against slavery and for education for woman and the native Americans, he was against central government and for state rights. So yeah, those are the good things. but he was a mixed bag too, the book does not necessarily paint a rosy picture of him, i felt it was pretty balanced. Adams was no Gandhi, he would use force and sometimes seemed to have a double standard and he hated Catholics. While learning about him and his active rule as a columnist in a newspaper writing under several different pen names, I was like, this guy was the Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck of that time, no wonder historians have tried to avoid him! Nothing politically could happen without him responding and presenting it from his radical perspective.

[Jera Gunther · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book to learn about Samuel Adams' role in the American Revolution and setting up of a new government. He played a bigger role than I thought. I've been rather obsessed lately with politics and government and thought Samuel Adams has good practical advice that we cannot have liberty without virtue. I think our general lack of virtue as a people is the source of much of our difficulties. I had some trouble keeping up with the way the author would sometimes switch around in time, but I don't have a good suggestion for doing it better...

[Richard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoy history, but I'm sorry... this book was boring. Too much detail, including too much of his and others original writings (with the original grammar and spelling), that added little to the narrative or to the understanding of the man.

I wanted & expected to like this book - as I do with almost every book I read - but I found it a chore to push through to the end. And the book isn't even that long.

[Martin Whatwouldthefoundersthink · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a pretty good book although the author had to face challenges not found in researching other founders. Namely, Sam Adams periodically burned all his papers! I've done a complete review here

[Riff · Rating 1 out of 5]

In the acknowledgments section at the end of the book, Stoll quotes some truly terrible advice from the historian Amity Shlaes about writing that "a book is a collection of facts." Stoll seems to have taken this awful recommendation to heart & proceeded to lay this egg. The book is almost entirely made up of, mostly unnecessary, quotations stung together haphazardly by Stoll, some of which take up more than a page. There might not be a single paragraph in the entire book without some quotation. I'm not against primary sources, but when half the text is quotations taped together, it turns into an unreadable mess. The text moves from one long winded summary of a speech or newspaper article (of which at least 50% of the text is quotations) to another. Critical moments in Adams' life or the events happening around him are often handled in a short paragraph. Meanwhile there will be pages of text summarizing & endlessly quoting official sermons given by preachers while Adams was governor of Massachusetts or listing every type of profession & number thereof that marched in some parade. Lots of other weird things too. Stoll likes to brandish the academic credentials of historians he quotes, noting someone teaches at Harvard or whatever. He insists on always telling us not just the date of every imaginable event, but also the day of the week. Important figures that Adams interacts without are never introduced, they just appear out of the mist of facts & the reader has to figure out who they are from prior knowledge or piecing together haphazard information. I did however enjoy Stoll's emphasis on how Adams' Congregationalist beliefs (common to many of his Massachusetts compatriots & fundamental to the colony's culture) laid the foundations of his political actions & ideology, even if Stoll seems to have a pretty shallow understanding of those beliefs & absolutely bludgeons you to death with this point. This especially informs Adams radical Communitarian views, which Stoll stupidly confuses with libertarianism & pre-Trump modern conservatism. Few historians of this period pay a lot of attention of the religious aspects of the ideologies of the revolutionaries. I will be looking for a more scholarly book on the influence of Puritanism/Congregationalism on revolutionary Massachusetts. Samuel Adam's very warm relationship with Jefferson (unlike the tempestuous friend/enemy relationship of Jefferson & John Adams) is especially interesting given their almost polar religious beliefs. Wish this was explored more. Anyway a disappointment & I will be researching a bit if there is a better biography of this man.

[Bobby Desmond · Rating 4 out of 5]

My main critique of this book is that, since much less is known about Samuel Adams than other notable Patriots, this book is less a biography and more a telling of the American revolution (and, more specifically, Boston’s role therein) through the eyes and activities of Samuel Adams and those who knew him.

Though a failed business man and tax collector, Samuel Adams is one of the most successful political revolutionaries in world history, due in no small part to his compelling ability to spark protest of and coordinate resistance to coercive British actions through his publications. He advocated for many admirable policies, even when compared to the positions other signers of the Declaration of Independence, including being a stark opponent of slavery and taxation without representation, and a fervent proponent of the right to petition the government without reprisal and a system of personal property (while being ardently anti-materialistic in his own personal life.) However, he also held some untoward positions that depart from the platforms of other founding fathers, including his rigorous commitment to Puritanism and severe hostility to Catholicism (despite the importance of the free exercise of religion to American democracy.) In today’s world, he would probably be a skilled social media influencer or cable news host that uses religious overtones to support his preferred political causes.

[Dan · Rating 1 out of 5]

For revolutionary history buffs only. Some decent info and a few interesting highlights, but very poorly written and at times painfully boring. Through quote after quote after quote after quote, we learn that Adams' motives were substantially driven by his religious fervor and that he was highly biggoted against Catholics, but we don't learn a whole lot more. It's the only biography of Sam Adams I've read, but I have to assume there are better ones out there.

[Marci · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been trying to work my way through all my biographies lately that have been on hold for the fiction I had at hand and picked this up on a whim. What an incredible man Samuel Adams was! According to the book Adams was the force behind the Revolutionary War. Through multiple newspaper articles, meetings with local leaders, and other persuasive means Adams planted the ideas in the Boston public and soon in the general American public that Americans could stand up to British policies. When the British pushed back and started taking away the Colonists right to rule themselves Adams planted the idea that perhaps a split with England was the right course of action. He started Correspondence committees, which in turn led to the Continental Congress, he organized revolts, he was a behind-the-scenes mastermind who, it would seem, single-handedly directed the course and destiny of the United States of America. There were a few tears shed on my part over what seems to be divine intervention in many of the early events in the Revolutionary War and the great love and respect I have for these early founding fathers was greatly enhanced by the information I read in this book. I had intended to give this book away but have now convinced a son to read it and might keep it in my collection since it describes the early years of the revolutionary war so well.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

The "Forgotten" Founding Father

George Washington. Thomas Jefferson. Benjamin Franklin. John Adams. All there at the founding of our country. All recognized for their unique contributions to the revolution. Author Gary Wills noted that Adams was "the most influential man at the first two Congresses." He was on the committees of correspondence that tied the colonies together in the first place and no one was on more committees in the Continental Congress. It is easily argued that Samuel Adams had as great a role, if not greater than any other member of the Congress. He had such an integral part to play that a local newspaper noted in his obituary that "to give his history at full length, would be to to give an history of the American Revolution."

In Samuel Adams: A Life Ira Stoll tells the story of Samuel Adams. Called by some the Last of the Puritans for his strong religious faith and willingness to express it openly, Adams was certainly one of the strongest defenders of liberty from the outset. In fact, a general amnesty was offered to everyone in the Massachusetts colony by the British government, except for Samuel Adams and John Hancock...

Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ira Stoll has written a wonderful book with true dedication to the life of Samuel Adams. Adams, notable as one of the first real revolutionary visionaries, often takes a backseat to the more notable of founding fathers, but I would argue nowadays with our current political climate his approach to politics would ring ever-true in the hearts of many Americans. Stoll has carefully pieced together the persona of intertwining religious duty and approach to the ideals of liberty Adams dedicated his life to. The book is brief, but provides a good starting point for readers to learn more about Adams than simply his namesake being used with the contemporary beer company that so pains me to hear. Stoll never quite reaches the historical storytelling power of giants like McCullough or Goodwin, but nevertheless makes a well rounded approach to tackling Samuel Adams.

[Jeff Bracken · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author's sentence structure and focus on detail made the book hard to read. It would have been better if he had written the entire book like he did the last few chapters when he summed up Adams' life.

[Stan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good biography but weirdly God-obsessed . It tries, unsuccessfully, to paint Sam Adams as a modern right-wing evangelical Christian of the 21st Century Republican Party. The mental gymnastics really take away from what would have been an excellent biography.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah history and biography books, you always lift me up when I've had a string of bad books.

This was an awesome biography. I honestly feel like I know Samuel Adams so much better. I give the author a lot of credit. I have started many biographies of people from this era that I quickly gave up on because the author had no grasp of the philosophies and sentiments of the time. This author not only understood that, but took the time to learn about Adams's motivations.

This is a great biography that I can highly recommend.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much of the description of Samuel Adams' life has to do with his faith in God. He even used thank you notes to express his faith in God. Thanks to Ira Stoll, I'd like to learn more about Adams!

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a frustrating book overall.

On the upside, there were a lot of interesting points about Samuel Adams made that I don't think most people knew (I certainly didn't know that the British were after him and John Hancock at Lexington, for instance).

However, the style and structure of the book leaves a lot to be desired. Specifically, it feels at times that the author went searching for justification for a thesis; namely, that Samuel Adams was a deeply religious/pious man and, as a pivotal revolutionary, these views helped to shape the US. Fine. However, there are a number of problems with the way that this is presented.

Firstly, we aren't given much of a glimpse into his contemporaries' view of him and his piety until the end (notwithstanding the views of the British, which are obviously focused on his revolutionary, rather than religious, activities). And what we're told in the end, that several of his contemporaries basically found him exasperating on the topic of religion, doesn't lend any credence to the implied argument that 'because Samuel Adams drafted a lot of text spurring the country to revolution and a lot of text that later become enshrined in legal documents, therefore, the US is a more Christian country than some (ahem - liberals) would like you to believe) is a pretty spurious one.

Secondly, we aren't given a lot of context for the events occurring around Adams, even though we are given reams of direct quotes (to the point where I felt I at times I was reading a collection of Adams's writings rather than a book about his life). I get that it's about him, but we are told about his friend dying at Bunker Hill *after the fact.* Why? Why is there no mention of the events leading up to Bunker Hill? And why, for example, are we not told almost any details about his relationships with Hancock (other than it was tumultuous, with nary an example of said tumult) or Thomas Jefferson, who wrote to him as if to a very old and dear friend (near the end of Adams's life)? This seems bizarre. We're also told that family and faith are extremely important to Adams, and yet we receive almost no inkling of how his family interacted with him. It's all about Sam, all the time, even though the author directly references letters written by his wife and children to him. Why not include some quotes from that correspondence as well to provide a more-balanced and nuanced portrait of the man?

Thirdly, and this is directly related to the above: the author laments the volume of writing left behind by Sam Adams (4 volumes of correspondence rather than Washington's 36 or whatever), ostensibly because he instructed a lot of his letters to be burned. Fine, but that begs two questions then: why weren't others' more-extensive writings used to plug some of the gaps? And why wasn't this mentioned *at the outset of the book* rather than near the end? Because doing so would lead a lot less weight to the counterarguments the author makes about some of the record of Sam Adams (for example, that there's 'no evidence' that Sam Adams directly participated in the Boston Tea Party). OK, well, if you knew beforehand that Adams was highly-secretive and often asked his correspondents to burn his letters, then suddenly that bold statement carries a lot less force.

All in all, my feelings can be summed up in describing this book as a personal research project. It lacks the rigor and contextual depth that a professional historian would have given his/her subject, despite the copious footnotes. I also didn't appreciate the 'Acknowledgements,' which was more focused on name-dropping than acknowledging contributions to the actual work (again, personal project). His motivation seemed to be 'Hey! Walter Isaacson wrote this biography about Benjamin Franklin, so how about I write one about Sam Adams?' Riveting.

tl;dr: a pet research project got published because the author is a member of the right New England societal circles, but could've used a more-professional historian's help and editing.

[Paul Taske · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting. Stoll presents a full picture of Adams’ life and his contributions to America’s founding.

It can certainly be said that without Adams’ influence the call for independence may have been long-delayed or, perhaps, never have occurred. Yet, although Adams was an educated man he was not, strictly speaking, an intellectual. His contribution to the revolution is chiefly observed through what would today be called public relations, political commentary, or punditry. Stoll also highlights some contributions by Adams which influenced the construction of the Constitution, despite Adams’ initial staunch opposition to the document.

Yet, the most interesting piece of Adams’ life is his staunch and zealous religiosity. By Stoll’s account, Adams is easily the most religious of the founders. In fact, we’re Adams alive today his religious outlook would be akin to the Amish in that it embraced every aspect of his life. While Adams was certainly a champion of liberty and an opponent of Tyranny he did, I think, tend toward a theocratic approach to government when in power himself.

Adams is certainly worth looking into for a better understanding of the roots of America’s attitude toward religion and the central role it plays in the lives of many.

My criticism of this book is simply that Stoll’s style and method of presentation is not the most engaging, and at times feels a bit awkward/filled with extraneous details about other people who ought not have been included. Yet, this is somewhat understandable and explained at the end when Stoll notes that Adams left very little documentation of his own life for historians to examine having shredded or burned much of his writings or correspondence throughout his life.

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samuel Adams (1722-1803) was one of the founding fathers that historians have not written much about. I recently read “Lion of Liberty: Patrick Henry and the Call to a New Nation” by Harlow Giles Unger as part of my attempt to read about the lesser known founding fathers.

Stoll’s book provides basic information but unfortunately is not an in-depth biography. Adams’s father sold beer malt and also was christened Samuel. Before hostilities began Adams the younger was a fiery journalist writing under a variety of pen names. He made invaluable contributions to the revolution. Samuel Adams and John Hancock were hiding from the British in Lexington and heard the first shot of the revolution. Samuel Adams was John Adams cousin. John Adams was the second president of the United States.

Before and after the revolution Adams devoted much of his life to public service, as a representative to Continental congresses, a state legislator, lieutenant governor and the governor of Massachusetts. He also helped create the Massachusetts' constitution.

Stoll quotes frequently from Adam’s published articles and correspondence. Adams likes to compare American’s revolutionaries with the biblical Israelites. The author argues that Adams’s religious belief fueled his revolutionary zeal. Adams apparently believed that religion should be the heart of American life.

I found the book a good general overview of Samuel Adams life but the book was just too short to cover anything other than a basic overview. Paul Boehmer narrated the book.