American Phoenix: John Quincy and Louisa Adams, the War of 1812, and the Exile that Saved American Independence by Jane Hampton Cook

American Phoenix: John Quincy and Louisa Adams, the War of 1812, and the Exile that Saved American Independence by Jane Hampton Cook is an accessible, entertaining, and informative narrative.

The early 1800s – years of cultivation and characterization for the United States – are told through the story of John Quincy and Louisa Adams. Cook tells American history largely from the perspective of Louisa Adams when she is on European soil. The location of the American diplomats allows for the War of 1812 and the events leading up to it to be told with a European slant: The reader gets inside information about what was going on across the ocean. Cook spends ample time discussing Napoleon and other significant figures in Europe, and the bits of conversation recorded from the Adams’ journals enliven the story.

The excerpts of journal entries are expertly intertwined with the narrative and add authenticity to the story Cook is telling. However, often Cook makes assumptions about what may have been happening at the time, and while her claims are undoubtedly researched, the language used to include them removes the reader from the setting and causes the book to be read more as a textbook and less as a narrative.

Nonetheless, the book intrigued me and sparked desires for further research. The way in which Cook portrays Louisa is inspiring. I want to read more about her story. Also, the excerpts Cook included about Abigail Adams made me want to read more about her too. Cook’s prose (she composes beautiful sentences) and research successfully entertains, educates, and inspires her readers.

I recommend this book to other readers.

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.