The Revolutionary (2022) offers a nuanced look at one of the most central figures in the lead-up to the American War of Independence. It reveals a man of character and contradiction, whose revolutionary thinking and deep commitment to civil liberties came to define a revolution.

Introduction: Discover the man whose ideas shaped a revolution.

While names like Washington and Jefferson spring to mind when thinking about the Revolutionary War in America, the movement which actually made that war necessary was decades old by 1776. And no one had worked harder to make the conditions for revolution more necessary than Samuel Adams. This Massachusetts malter’s son had been a thorn in the side of the King and Parliament for decades. His writings united the colonies and his politics were revolutionary. But to uncover his story is to understand the obscurity: he wanted it that way.

While Stacy Schiff’s The Revolutionary covers Adams’s life well into the Revolutionary War, in this summary, we’ll primarily focus on the events leading up to it. We’ll take a closer look at Samuel Adams’s political roots and how he became the thinker whose Enlightenment ideals formed the backbone of the American Revolution.

The Public Enemy

The death of Samuel Adams, senior, in 1748 left his son Samuel in dire straits. Although his father had been a successful roaster of barley for local breweries, in the process he’d also accrued a sizable debt. Now, not only was that debt the problem of Samuel Adams, junior, but the sheriff and public officials were trying to sell his family’s home to cover it.

Despite the finest classical education and two degrees from Harvard University, Samuel’s professional life had been a disaster. His devout Christianity led to interest in the ministry, which promptly faded with his divinity studies. Same for reading law and starting a business. While everyone in Boston knew Samuel as a highly intelligent and influential man, he was by no means conventionally successful.

Unconventionally, too. When his first wife died, instead of quickly remarrying like most of his peers, he spent seven years lovingly raising his children alone. When he remarried, his second wife’s family bestowed a particularly valuable wedding present for the time – an enslaved woman. Samuel proclaimed to the family that if this person were to live in his house, then she must be free. It’s a promise he immediately kept.

Samuel Adams cared quite little for what others thought about him. He valued his privacy as much as his ideals. The time he’d spent with Enlightenment philosophers in Harvard’s main library had formed him into a man of reason and compassion, who had a deep understanding of what motivated individuals to fight for their own interests.

But the struggle over his father’s debt was caused by the dissolution of the Land Bank – a colonial improvisation to grant Massachusetts business owners and farmers access to the credit they needed, secured by land. When England dissolved the Land Bank as counter to their own interests, Adams’s own precarious position felt like nothing compared to that of the colony’s. Forced to rely on London for everything from house paint and mirrors to hard currency, the fate of the owners and farmers was entirely up to the whims of a King and Parliament who couldn’t point out Boston on a map. Samuel’s cousin John Adams, recalled this moment as the first time Samuel stepped out onto Boston’s political stage. And he came out roaring.

Instead of collapsing under the weight of this disaster, it forged Samuel Adams, into a powerful adversary of English rule. One who had, in almost every sense, nothing to lose.

A Ghost

At the ripe age of 41, Adams stepped out onto the political stage for the first time. After accepting a modest elected position as market clerk in early 1747, with a small salary that staved off poverty, he decided to join together with several friends to start a newspaper.

In January 1748 the Independent Advertiser debuted, covering a recent violent uprising against a British admiral. When Admiral Knowles’s British crew deserted, he thought nothing of pressing Bostonian men into replacement service the London way – by kidnapping them from the wharves and taverns.

The violent uprising that resulted as Bostonians fought off their unlawful capture with bricks and clubs gave Samuel his first real taste of the power of collective resistance. He was sure his articles, often written under a pseudonym, could stoke the fires of civil disobedience and highlight the discrimination the people faced as colonial subjects when it came to matters of self-governance.

The writing was deeply partisan with a true bias against British rule. At a time when newspapers largely published official reports, the impassioned, and mostly anonymous, writings drew attention. It was here that ideas like the balance of power and taxation without representation were voiced and argued by an unknown writer who was likely Adams himself.

The crown’s dissolution of the Land Bank in 1741, which was Massachusetts’s first real attempt at establishing a local economy, had revealed that the interests of the colony and those of the King and Parliament were quite opposed. Adams’s writing shows he’d grasped this fact very early and believed that if he could persuade constantly and loudly for Massachusetts interests, he might forge a solidarity that could bring about real change.

Like his public writing, Adams had a real concern that his private letters could be used against him or his network. His messages often ended with, ”burn after reading.” Several times, cousin John found him burning stacks of letters. At his cousin’s shock, Samuel remarked that he cared far more about the safety of his friends than his place in history.

Behind All the Right Doors

In 1751, instead of settling Land Bank debts, the English government set up another committee to assign debt to the original borrowers and their heirs. When Samuel Adams climbed the statehouse steps for the meeting, it was the second time he’d faced off against collectors. He’d carefully prepared ledgers to prove his debts were mostly paid off, but these were ignored. Just his asking whether or not the committee would consider such evidence sparked offense among members.

But Boston’s response to news of this confrontation was to elect him as one of six public tax collectors. Not a lucrative position and one that meant becoming personally liable for uncollected taxes. But Adams took the position knowing it would stave off his deepening poverty and allow him the possibility of lightening the economic burdens of fellow citizens by remaining hopeless at his job.

He grew a remarkable network by granting dispensations and arguing against collection after local disasters like the 1760 fire that consumed much of Boston Wharf and blew up a nearby arsenal. By 1764 he’d accumulated a tax debt of over 8,000 pounds, more than double that of the second-worst collector. In 1765 he refused reelection and his enormous debt was settled over several years through a committee of private donors, including many of his old friends from Harvard. But Bostonians seemed to approve of his approach to tax collection and elected him to the House of Representatives shortly after in 1769.

Adams seemed to have a natural ability to be in all the right rooms at all the right times and the influence of his persuasive ideas could be heard resoundingly throughout all classes in Boston. Adams’s election to the House put him in yet more influential circles and at the center of the coming political storm.

Between Acts

If the Land Bank confrontation had spiraled Samuel Adams into both debt and resistance, it was the next series of acts by the British Parliament that set his sights on independence.

The Sugar Act, signed into law by King George III on April 5, 1764, had a singular purpose: to raise money taxing colonial sugar imports to help offset the costs of maintaining the colonies. Many raised the concern over taxation without representation. Benjamin Franklin sent up the alarm, too, noting that by restricting trade in the colonies to Britain alone, they were already raising money to offset the cost of the colonies by enriching London merchant coffers.

Adams let slip the rhetorical dogs of war in his newspaper. Noting again that colonists claimed the rights of British citizens by birth, this new sugar tax levied on them amounted to discrimination and injustice. If citizens could be subject to extra taxes based on the situation of their birth, why not to subjugation or loss of life? Politics were suddenly everywhere and Adams worked tirelessly to keep the conversation going.

By the end of May, news of the Stamp Act arrived. A new tax striking at the heart of the resistance. This act would require all paper to be purchased with a royal stamp, which added considerably to the cost. A diploma could now cost two pounds, and you could no longer print a death certificate, a newspaper, or a license without an official stamp.

If the resistance to the Sugar Act was through boycott and a thriving local molasses trade, the Stamp Act of 1765 couldn’t be so easily avoided. Here, Adams engineered a different response. While confronting the act through official channels, including letters to England and lobbying Parliament, his back channel network of merchants, tradesmen, and laborers made sure no royal paper would be unloaded onto Boston docks without risking violence.

British officials on American shores soon learned the precariousness of their own position when the Stamp Act remained impossible to collect without troops to squash violent resistance. If the far-away British Government couldn’t enforce the law, it was forced to repeal it, but in doing so it reaffirmed its ability to tax at will.

While the American colonies had remained largely isolated and dependent on English trade up until now, the Stamp Act united them across geography with a singular purpose. So the act designed to exert British dominance over the colonies had in fact united them against it. And this was just the beginning.

From Resistance to Revolution

While the repeal of the Stamp Act was met with joy on colonial shores, Adams was troubled. He realized that Parliament and the King weren’t acting in the best interest of the colonies, either through ignorance or ill will. If it was the former, he’d educate them. If it was the latter, he’d do his damnedest to organize resistance to tyranny.

To increase transparency and solidarity in local government, he organized the building of a public gallery in the House of Representatives, so private citizens could observe the proceedings. Resolving to counter misinformation in London about the colonies, the Massachusetts House hired its own agent in London with the sole responsibility of presenting colonial points of view to London.

While English lawmakers had imposed a raft of other importation taxes, called the Townshend Act, and were sending English customs officers to Boston to collect, the House was kept from convening by the governor.

This time, Adams encouraged a boycott of all these taxable imports. If fabric or mirrors were to be taxed, then homespun and humble surroundings would be the fashion of the day. He took his argument against this new raft of taxes to English noblemen directly, penning impassioned letters countering widely held views about the colonists being disloyal, unfaithful, or uncivilized subjects.

Adams even wrote on behalf of the House of Representatives to the King himself. Appealing to reason, he argued that the imposition of taxes and the attempt to rule from afar were impractical and untenable. The colonists should self-govern but remain loyal subjects. Building on the unification of the colonies around the repeal of the Stamp Act, he asked the House to circulate his letter widely before sending it on to London.

This idea was met with shock by some of the representatives as it amounted to a rebuke of Parliament. In short order, though, Adams appears to have worked his persuasive magic behind the scenes, and weeks later, by a large majority vote, the Massachusetts House of Representatives voted to circulate the letter to all the American colonies.

Every attempt of the English government to tax the colonies had been met with resistance since Adams first stepped into the center of Massachusetts politics. And it was forcing a crisis of epic proportions on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Midnight Ride

On the evening of April 18, 1775, at around 10:30, the whispered order went through the barracks of British officers currently occupying Boston. Their aim was to counter the growing violent resistance in the colonies and confront the Massachusetts militia near Lexington. With the countryside occupied by troops, Paul Revere pulled on his riding boots. It was time to get the message to his friends: the British were mobilizing.

Just after midnight, he reached his destination. Just two hours earlier he’d dodged British sentries throughout Boston trying to get the word to the last patriots in town. His goal was to get news to Adams and Hancock, who were traveling to Philadelphia for a gathering of colonial governments responding to the recent British military occupation.

No man had made himself more dangerous a nuisance in the run-up to the revolution than Samuel Adams and he realized several days earlier that he was no longer safe in Boston. His careful nurturing of resistance through political persuasion and constant writing, whether anonymous or not, had made colonial revolt inevitable. The British hoped to eliminate him quickly. If things had gone differently, they would have.

But decades of discipline in working discreetly and erasing all records of himself had taught Adams to see the writing on the wall. He was several steps ahead of British intelligence. When London sent General Gage in June 1774 to squash the growing Massachusetts rebellion, all eyes were on Samuel Adams.

Adams had formed a careful network of spies and analyzed every move of the British occupiers. British officers often lamented that the colonial network had early and very good intelligence on their every move. Samuel seemed to have an uncanny ability to anticipate every single move General Gage made. So even though Paul Revere didn’t gallop into town until well after midnight, Adams and Hancock were ready for him, and so was the armed resistance.

The revolution had begun.

Summary

No founding father had a greater influence on the ideals that shaped the American Revolutionary War and early American democracy than Samuel Adams. His views formed early in life through education and his unique talent for reason, argument, persuasion, and discretion served him well. Helping unite the colonies, resisting British taxation, and surviving the revolution that formed a new nation, his obscurity reveals his own success in erasing himself from the historical record.

Review 1

Sure, here is a brief review of the book The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff:

The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams is a 2022 biography of Samuel Adams, a Founding Father of the United States and one of the most important figures in the American Revolution. The book is written by Stacy Schiff, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who has written biographies of other historical figures, including Cleopatra and Vera Nabokov.

Schiff’s book is a comprehensive and well-researched account of Adams’s life and career. She traces his journey from a young man who was indifferent to politics to a leader who helped to shape the course of American history. Schiff also provides insights into Adams’s personality and motivations, and she shows how he was able to use his skills as a writer, speaker, and organizer to mobilize public opinion in support of the Revolution.

One of the strengths of Schiff’s book is her ability to bring Adams to life. She does this by weaving together historical accounts with Adams’s own words, taken from his letters, speeches, and other writings. This allows the reader to get a sense of Adams’s wit, his passion, and his commitment to the cause of liberty.

Another strength of the book is Schiff’s analysis of Adams’s role in the American Revolution. She shows how Adams was able to use his skills and his network of contacts to build support for the Revolution, both in Boston and throughout the colonies. She also shows how Adams was able to adapt his tactics as the Revolution progressed, and how he was able to maintain his influence even when he was not always in the public eye.

Overall, The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams is a well-written and informative biography of a complex and important figure in American history. Schiff’s book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the American Revolution and the role that Samuel Adams played in it.

Here are some of the pros and cons of the book:

Pros:

• The book is well-written and engaging.
• Schiff provides a comprehensive and well-researched account of Adams’s life and career.
• Schiff provides insights into Adams’s personality and motivations.
• Schiff shows how Adams was able to use his skills as a writer, speaker, and organizer to mobilize public opinion in support of the Revolution.

Cons:

• The book can be a bit slow at times.
• The book is quite long, at over 700 pages.
• The book is not for everyone, as it is a detailed and scholarly work.

Overall, The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about Samuel Adams and the American Revolution. The book is well-written and informative, and it is sure to be of interest to anyone who is interested in American history.

Review 2

The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff is a biographical account of one of the most influential figures of the American Revolution. Schiff portrays Adams as a political genius who mobilized the colonies against British tyranny with his high-minded ideals and bare-knuckle tactics. She also explores the mysteries and contradictions of his life, such as how he rose from obscurity and failure to fame and glory, and how he struggled to adapt to the new republic he helped to create.

Schiff draws on a variety of sources, including Adams’s surviving letters, his friends’ and enemies’ accounts, newspapers, pamphlets, and official records. She vividly recreates the events and atmosphere of colonial Boston, where Adams orchestrated protests, riots, elections, and propaganda campaigns. She also follows him to Philadelphia, where he served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and helped to draft the Declaration of Independence.

Schiff’s biography is not only a portrait of a remarkable man, but also a history of a turbulent era. She shows how Adams shaped and was shaped by the forces of revolution, such as popular sovereignty, civil disobedience, conspiracy theories, and violence. She also examines his complex relationships with his family, his friends, his rivals, and his enemies. She reveals his strengths and weaknesses, his virtues and vices, his successes and failures.

The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams is a compelling and insightful book that restores Adams to his rightful place in American history. It is a tribute to a visionary leader who dedicated his life to liberty and justice. It is also a reminder of the challenges and costs of making and maintaining a republic.

Review 3

Here is my review of the book The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff:

The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams is a book that explores the life and legacy of one of the most influential and controversial figures of the American Revolution. The author, Stacy Schiff, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and historian who has written several books on topics such as Cleopatra, Benjamin Franklin, and the Salem witch trials. In this book, she brings her masterful skills to Samuel Adams, the man who Thomas Jefferson called “the man” of the Revolution.

The book is divided into three parts: Part I: The Making of a Revolutionary, Part II: The Making of a Republic, and Part III: The Making of a Legend. In Part I, Schiff traces Adams’s early years, from his birth in 1722 to his emergence as a leader of the resistance against British taxation and oppression in the 1760s and 1770s. She shows how Adams, despite his lack of wealth, education, and charisma, managed to mobilize and inspire his fellow Bostonians to defy the British authorities. She also reveals how Adams orchestrated some of the most famous events of the Revolution, such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and the first Continental Congress.

In Part II, Schiff follows Adams’s role in the war for independence, from his participation in the battles of Lexington and Concord to his involvement in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. She shows how Adams, despite his radical views and uncompromising principles, worked with his more moderate and pragmatic cousins John Adams and John Hancock to secure support from other colonies and allies. She also examines how Adams faced challenges and criticisms from both his enemies and his friends, such as Thomas Paine, George Washington, and Thomas Hutchinson.

In Part III, Schiff evaluates Adams’s legacy in the aftermath of the Revolution, from his election as governor of Massachusetts to his death in 1803. She shows how Adams, despite his popularity and influence, struggled to adapt to the changing political and social landscape of the new republic. She also explores how Adams’s reputation and memory were shaped by his admirers and detractors, such as John Quincy Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, William Gordon, and David Ramsay.

The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams is a book that offers a captivating and comprehensive portrait of a complex and contradictory man who played a pivotal role in the founding of America. It is not a book that glorifies or vilifies Adams, but rather a book that presents him as he was: a shrewd and eloquent politician, a passionate and principled patriot, a loyal and loving friend, a flawed and human being. It is a book that combines research and storytelling, analysis and drama, humor and wisdom. It is a book that is suitable for anyone who is interested in or curious about the history of America and its revolutionaries. It is a book that I highly recommend for anyone who wants to learn more about The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff.

Review 4

“The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams” by Stacy Schiff is a meticulously researched biography that delves into the life of one of America’s key founding figures, Samuel Adams. Here’s a comprehensive review of the book’s key elements, strengths, potential limitations, and overall impact.

Summary:
“The Revolutionary” provides an in-depth exploration of Samuel Adams’ role in the American Revolution and his contributions to shaping the nation’s early history. Through thorough research and engaging storytelling, Stacy Schiff paints a detailed portrait of Adams, showcasing his pivotal influence on the revolutionary movement and the birth of the United States.

Key Elements:

• Biographical Account: The book offers a comprehensive and intimate portrayal of Samuel Adams’ life, from his early years to his pivotal role in fomenting revolutionary fervor.
• Political Activism: Schiff examines Adams’ political tactics, his dedication to colonial rights, and his use of written materials to ignite public sentiment.
• Relationships and Influence: The biography delves into Adams’ relationships with other key figures of the time, including John Adams and George Washington, shedding light on his influence within revolutionary circles.
• Historical Context: The author places Adams’ life within the broader context of colonial America, providing insights into the challenges and complexities of the era.

Strengths:

• Thorough Research: Schiff’s meticulous research is evident in the extensive historical details and primary source references, contributing to the book’s credibility.
• Engaging Narrative: The author’s skillful storytelling keeps readers engaged, making historical events and figures come alive through vivid descriptions.
• Balanced Portrayal: The biography presents Adams as a complex and multifaceted individual, highlighting both his strengths and flaws.
• Historical Relevance: The book sheds light on Adams’ often underestimated impact on the Revolutionary War and early American governance, enriching readers’ understanding of the nation’s history.

Potential Limitations:

• Complexity: The intricate historical and political context might be challenging for readers less familiar with the events and figures of the American Revolution.
• Focus on Adams: While the biography covers Adams’ life extensively, it may provide less attention to broader social and cultural aspects of the time.

Overall Impact:
“The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams” significantly impacts readers by offering a comprehensive and insightful exploration of a pivotal figure in American history. The biography’s in-depth research and engaging narrative allow readers to gain a deeper appreciation for the complex dynamics that led to the nation’s founding.

Final Thoughts:
Stacy Schiff’s “The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams” offers a well-researched and engaging biography that brings to life the critical role Samuel Adams played in the American Revolution. Through its careful examination of Adams’ life and his lasting impact on the nation’s foundation, the book stands as an enriching resource for those interested in understanding the origins of the United States and the individuals who shaped its destiny.

Review 5

Sure, here is a brief review of the book The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams by Stacy Schiff:

The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams is a 2022 biography of Founding Father and American Revolution activist, politician, and patriot Samuel Adams, written by Stacy Schiff. The book was a finalist for the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Biography.

Schiff’s book is a meticulously researched and well-written account of Adams’s life. She draws on a wide range of sources, including Adams’s own writings, as well as the writings of his contemporaries. Schiff also provides a detailed analysis of the political and social context of Adams’s time.

The book is divided into three parts:

• The Apprentice: This section tells the story of Adams’s early life, from his birth in Boston in 1722 to his rise to prominence as a political leader in the 1760s.
• The Politician: This section focuses on Adams’s role in the American Revolution, from his organizing of the Boston Tea Party to his participation in the Continental Congress.
• The Statesman: This section recounts Adams’s career after the Revolution, including his service as governor of Massachusetts and his role in drafting the United States Constitution.

Schiff’s book is a balanced and nuanced portrait of Adams. She acknowledges his flaws, such as his stubbornness and his tendency to hold grudges. However, she also celebrates his strengths, such as his intelligence, his eloquence, and his commitment to liberty.

The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams is a valuable addition to the literature on the American Revolution. It is a well-written and informative book that provides a comprehensive and insightful account of Adams’s life and legacy.

Here are some of the pros and cons of the book:

Pros:

• The book is well-written and engaging.
• Schiff provides a balanced and nuanced portrait of Adams.
• The book is based on extensive research.
• The book is full of insights into the American Revolution.

Cons:

• The book can be a bit long and detailed for some readers.
• The book does not provide a comprehensive overview of Adams’s life.
• The book does not explore Adams’s personal life in depth.

Overall, The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams is a valuable resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the American Revolution and the life of one of its most important figures.

I hope this helps!

Review 6

Stacy Schiff’s “The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams” is a meticulously researched and engaging biography that delves into the life and legacy of one of America’s most influential founding fathers. With her masterful storytelling and attention to detail, Schiff brings Samuel Adams to life, painting a vivid picture of his role in shaping the American Revolution.

The book begins by exploring Adams’ early life, providing valuable insights into his upbringing, education, and the influences that shaped his political ideology. Schiff skillfully navigates through Adams’ formative years, highlighting his deep-rooted commitment to liberty and his unwavering dedication to the cause of American independence.

One of the book’s strengths lies in Schiff’s ability to capture the essence of Adams’ character. She portrays him as a passionate and persuasive orator, a tireless advocate for colonial rights, and a skilled political strategist. Through her meticulous research, Schiff uncovers Adams’ pivotal role in organizing and mobilizing the Sons of Liberty, a secret society that played a crucial part in the lead-up to the American Revolution.

Schiff also delves into Adams’ complex relationship with other key figures of the time, such as John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington. She explores the dynamics of their interactions, shedding light on the challenges and conflicts that arose within the revolutionary movement.

Furthermore, Schiff provides valuable insights into Adams’ political philosophy and his vision for a democratic society. She explores his views on individual rights, limited government, and the importance of citizen participation in shaping the nation’s future. By examining Adams’ writings and speeches, Schiff offers readers a deeper understanding of his political thought and its lasting impact on American governance.

“The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams” is not just a biography; it is also a compelling narrative of the American Revolution itself. Schiff skillfully weaves together historical events, personal anecdotes, and political analysis to create a comprehensive account of this transformative period in American history. Her vivid descriptions and attention to detail transport readers back in time, allowing them to experience the tumultuous events that shaped the birth of a nation.

While the book is undoubtedly a valuable resource for those interested in American history, it may not be suitable for readers seeking a light or casual read. Schiff’s writing style is dense and scholarly, requiring a certain level of commitment and concentration. However, for those willing to invest the time and effort, “The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams” offers a rich and rewarding exploration of one of America’s most influential figures.

In conclusion, Stacy Schiff’s “The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams” is a meticulously researched and thought-provoking biography that sheds light on the life and contributions of Samuel Adams. Through her engaging storytelling and thorough analysis, Schiff brings Adams’ story to life, providing readers with a deeper understanding of his role in shaping the American Revolution. This book is a must-read for history enthusiasts and anyone interested in the founding of the United States.

Review 7

The book [The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams] by [Stacy Schiff] is a biographical account of one of the most influential and elusive figures of the American Revolution. The author is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and writer who has authored several books on historical figures and events.

The book aims to shed light on the life and legacy of Samuel Adams, the Bostonian leader who orchestrated the resistance against British taxation and tyranny. The book explores how Adams, a failed businessman and tax collector, became a political genius and a master of public opinion. The book also examines how Adams mobilized the people of Boston and the colonies to rebel against the British crown, creating the cause that created a country.

The book is based on extensive research and analysis of the available sources, as well as the author’s own interpretation and insight. The book covers the major events and episodes of Adams’s career, such as:

• His role in the Stamp Act Riots, the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and the First Continental Congress
• His collaboration with other patriots, such as John Hancock, Paul Revere, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson
• His evasion of British arrest and his participation in the Declaration of Independence
• His challenges and struggles in the post-revolutionary era, such as his opposition to the Constitution, his governorship of Massachusetts, and his declining health and influence

The book is written in an engaging and accessible style, with vivid descriptions, anecdotes, and quotations that bring the characters and events to life. The book also provides useful context and background information on the historical, social, and cultural aspects of the colonial era. The book is suitable for anyone who is interested in American history, politics, or biography.

The book is available in various formats, such as hardcover, paperback, audiobook, and ebook. The hardcover edition has 432 pages and costs $17.71 on Amazon. The paperback edition has 432 pages and costs $17.88 on Amazon. The audiobook edition has a length of 6 hours and 30 minutes and costs $13.99 on Amazon. The ebook edition costs $14.99 on Amazon.

The book has received positive reviews from critics and readers who have praised its originality, clarity, and usefulness. The book has a rating of 3.74 out of 5 stars on Goodreads based on 4,716 ratings. The book has also been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best History & Biography in 2022. Some of the comments from the reviewers are:

• “This book is a fascinating and compelling portrait of Samuel Adams, one of the most important but least understood figures of the American Revolution. It reveals his personality, motivations, strategies, and achievements in a captivating way. It’s a great read for anyone who wants to learn more about this revolutionary hero.”
• “I enjoyed this book very much. It’s well-researched, well-written, and well-argued. It shows how Samuel Adams was a visionary leader who inspired and mobilized a nation to fight for its independence. It also shows how he was a complex and contradictory man who faced many challenges and dilemmas in his life. It’s a book that makes you think.”
• “This book is a remarkable biography of Samuel Adams, one of the most influential and elusive figures of the American Revolution. It offers a balanced and nuanced perspective on his life and legacy. It also provides a rich and vivid picture of the colonial era and its people. It’s a book that educates and entertains.”

In conclusion, [The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams] by [Stacy Schiff] is an excellent book that can help you understand the life and legacy of Samuel Adams, one of the most influential and elusive figures of the American Revolution. It covers his major events and episodes in his career, from his role in the resistance against British taxation and tyranny to his challenges and struggles in the post-revolutionary era. It provides clear and detailed guidance that can help you understand his personality, motivations, strategies, and achievements. It’s a must-read for anyone who is interested in American history, politics, or biography.