David S. Brown Ordre des livres

Henry Adams stands out as one of the most eclectic and significant American writers of his era. His autobiography, a modern classic, is often regarded as one of the finest nonfiction works in English from the 20th century. As the last prominent member of the Adams family, following his great-grandfather John Adams and grandfather John Quincy Adams, he is remembered as a historian, political commentator, and memoirist. Historian David Brown illuminates the remarkable yet underappreciated life of this influential intellectual. Adams experienced the Civil War and the Industrial Revolution firsthand, meeting figures like Abraham Lincoln and Queen Victoria, and befriending notable personalities such as Secretary of State John Hay and President Theodore Roosevelt. His private letters offer keen insights into Gilded Age America as it transitioned into the modern era. The narrative explores his relationships with his wife, Marian "Clover" Hooper, and later, Elizabeth Cameron, a senator's wife from Ohio. Through thousands of letters, Adams's struggles with depression, family expectations, and his life as a widower are revealed. This account provides a more "modern" and "human" perspective on Henry Adams, enriching our understanding of his unique life and the historical context of the 19th century.