Friends Divided

A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of 2017 A Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2017 From the great historian of the American Revolution,New York Times-bestselling and Pulitzer-winning Gordon Woodcomes a majestic dual biography of two of America’s most enduringly fascinating figureswhose partnership helped birth a nationand whose subsequent falling out did much to fix its course. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams could scarcely have come from more different worldsor been more different in temperament. Jeffersonthe optimist with enough faith in the innate goodness of his fellow man to be democracy’s championwas an aristocratic Southern slaveownerwhile Adamsthe overachiever from New England’s rising middling classespainfully aware he was no aristocratwas a skeptic about popular rule and a defender of a more elitist view of government. They worked closely in the crucible of revolutioncrafting the Declaration of Independence and leadingwith Franklinthe diplomatic effort that brought France into the fight. But ultimatelytheir profound differences would lead to a fundamental crisisin their friendship and in the nation writ largeas they became the figureheads of two entirely new forcesthe first American political parties. It was a bitter breachlasting through the presidential administrations of both menand beyond. But late in lifesomething remarkable happened: these two men were nudged into reconciliation. What started as a grudging trickle of correspondence became a great floodand a friendship was rekindledover the course of hundreds of letters. In their final years they were the last surviving founding fathers and cherished their role in this mighty young republic as it approached the half century mark in 1826. At laston the afternoon of July 4th50 years to the day after the signing of the DeclarationAdams let out a sigh and saidAt least Jefferson still lives. He died soon thereafter. In facta few hours earlier on that same dayfar to the south in his home in MonticelloJefferson died as well. Arguably no relationship in this country’s history carries as much freight as that of John Adams of Massachusetts and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. Gordon Wood has more than done justice to these entwined lives and their meaning; he has written a magnificent new addition to America’s collective story.