Books like Abigail Adams by Alexandra Wallner

A richly detailed biography that traces John Adams’s rise from Revolutionary patriot to the United States’ second President, highlighting his political convictions, marriage to Abigail Adams, and lasting impact on American governance.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s early life is the focus of this biography, detailing her childhood and formative years before she became First Lady and a renowned humanitarian.

Eleanor Roosevelt, the longest-serving First Lady, used journalism, books, radio, and public speeches to champion social issues and educate the nation.

Raphael explains the central purpose of his "people's history" thusly: "By uncovering the stories of farmers, artisans, and laborers, we discern how plain folk helped create a revolution strong enough to evict the British Empire from the thirteen colonies. And by digging deeper still, we learn how people with no political standing -- women, Native Americans, African Americans -- altered the shape of a war conceived by others." After carefully reconstructing the histories of all these groups, he concludes: "The story of our nation's founding, told so often from the perspective of the 'founding fathers,' will never ring true unless it can take some account of the Massachusetts farmers who closed the courts, the poor men and boys who fought the battles, the women who followed the troops, the loyalists who viewed themselves as rebels, the pacifists who refused to sign oaths of allegiance, the Native Americans who struggled for their own independence, the southern slaves who fled to the British, the northern slaves who negotiated their freedom by joining the Continental Army". Raphael's account rings true: these people made the American Revolution. - Marcus Rediker, University of Pittsburgh.

A biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, a politician, writer, first lady, and humanitarian who was instrumental in drafting the United Nations' "Universal Declaration of Human Rights" and convincing member nations to adopt it.