Louisa cover art

Louisa

The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams

Preview

Try for $0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Louisa

Written by: Louisa Thomas
Narrated by: Kirsten Potter
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $46.31

Buy Now for $46.31

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

An intimate portrait of Louisa Catherine Adams, the wife of John Quincy Adams, who witnessed firsthand the greatest transformations of her time.

Born in London to an American father and a British mother on the eve of the Revolutionary War, Louisa Catherine Johnson was raised in circumstances very different from the New England upbringing of future president John Quincy Adams, whose life had been dedicated to public service from the earliest age. And yet John Quincy fell in love with her almost despite himself. Their often tempestuous but deeply close marriage lasted half a century.

They lived in Prussia, Massachusetts, Washington, Russia, and England, at royal courts, on farms, in cities, and in the White House. Louisa saw more of Europe and America than nearly any other woman of her time. But wherever she lived, she was always pressing her nose against the glass, not quite sure whether she was looking in or out. The other members of the Adams family could take their identity for granted - they were Adamses; they were Americans - but she had to invent her own. The story of Louisa Catherine Adams is one of a woman who forged a sense of self. As the country her husband led found its place in the world, she found a voice. That voice resonates still.

In this deeply felt biography, the talented journalist and historian Louisa Thomas finally gives Louisa Catherine Adams' full extraordinary life its due. An intimate portrait of a remarkable woman, a complicated marriage, and a pivotal historical moment, Louisa Thomas' biography is a masterful work from an elegant storyteller.

©2016 Louisa Thomas (P)2016 Penguin Audio
Biographies & Memoirs Historical United States Women Marriage England War Imperialism Massachusetts
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What the critics say

“[A] lushly detailed, authoritative book.” (Smithsonian.com)

“Utterly enjoyable.... Louisa thus leaps from the page as contradictory, observant, ambivalent, self-pitying, strong, and human.” (Bookforum)

“Thomas has written an insightful, compassionate portrait of a young girl expected to be prim and passive, who grew into a strong woman, an avid writer, and shrewd political partner. Readers of biography will find Thomas’s book engaging as well as educating.” (Historical Novels Reviews)

What listeners say about Louisa

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.