Friday, September 5, 2008

John Adams - the HBO Miniseries

As a former New Englander, and a Colonial period history buff, I knew that I had to see this movie. What an awesome recount of the life and times of John Adams (Paul Giamatti) and Abigail Adams (Laura Linney). The sets are remarkable in their showing an expert rendition of that time period. From the inception of the Declaration of Independence, to the death of John in 1826, it shows the courage of a man who was hot tempered, yet a great orator in the courtroom and meetings with the delegates. What a thrill to see the White House being built, his being sworn in, and many other tidbits of his life.


As we know from our history books, Abigail was an integral part of her husband's life as a President. While he was in France, Abigail wrote many letters to John, but he was silent. You can see the uncomfortable atmosphere portrayed after their 3 years of being away from each other. Their love for each other through all the hard times keeps them strong for everything that they had to endure.

The author of the book, David McCullough, was on site while the film was being made, and he was really excited at how good the production crew made his book come alive. This movie is not for the faint-of-heart as a man is tarred and feathered and surgeries are done with no anesthesia. It makes me thankful for how far we have come in the medical field. It is for adults and young adults alike. A must see for every history buff.

To request your copy from the JCLC catalog click here.