Showing posts with label John Quincy Adams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Quincy Adams. Show all posts

John Quincy Adams's Pet Alligator Was A Crock


My hunt for the truth behind Gatorgate.
There are three “facts” about John Quincy Adams that I see repeated on the internet more than anything else about the sixth president:
  1. While he was skinny dipping in the Potomac, female reporter Anne Royall sat on his clothes until he agreed to grant her an interview.
  2. He said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
  3. He kept a pet alligator in the White House, a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette, and he loved terrifying his guests with it.
All three, it seems, are bogus.

John Quincy Adams's Footloose Winter


Young JQA and the preacher who hated dancing

Hoofing in Haverhill

More than fifty years before he became an outspoken crusader against slavery, 18-year-old John Quincy Adams was an unlikely champion for the right to boogie.

Solar Eclipse Tips From John Quincy Adams


Sage advice from an early American eclipse chaser.
John Quincy Adams loved astronomy, and he was a huge fan of solar eclipses – from predicting and observing them to writing weird sonnets in their honor. In preparation for the Great American Eclipse on August 21, 2017, here are a few do’s and don’ts from JQA.

John Quincy Adams's Prophetic Diary Entry


He's bringing eloquent back.
Following his father’s advice, John Quincy Adams started a diary at age 12 and kept it up for the rest of his life. The result is a treasure trove of historical insight and wit and a fascinating window into 70 years worth of Adams’s private thoughts.

To commemorate the notorious JQA's 250th anniversary this July, Library of America just put out a beautiful brand new two-volume selected edition of his diary, which I immediately ordered. It arrived last night and immediately sucked me in. I found myself tearing through the pages of his life from the age of 12 through 22, astounded at how precocious and utterly relatable he was.

John Quincy Adams and Jack the Ripper


Unraveling A Giant Mystery  
Long before I embarked on this presidential biography project, I was a big fan of horror. Just how big a fan became evident my first week of college.