Drawing on a trove of unpublished archival material to trace Adams’ evolution from his childhood during the Revolutionary War to his brilliant years as Secretary of State to his time in the White House and beyond, Fred Kaplan brings into focus John Quincy Adams-the little-known and much-misunderstood president, who was also the son of John and Abigail Adams.

He examines Adams’ myriad sides: the public and private man, the statesman and writer, the wise thinker and passionate advocate, the leading abolitionist and fervent federalist who believed strongly in both individual liberty and the government’s role as an engine of progress and prosperity. In these ways-and in his energy, empathy, sharp intellect, and powerful gift with words both spoken and written-Adams was a predecessor of Lincoln and, later, FDR and Obama.

Meticulously researched and masterfully written, this comprehensive biography makes clear how Adams’ forward-thinking values, definition of leadership, and vision for the nation’s future is as much about twenty-first century America as it is about Adams’ own time.