Edith Gelles Book Event: "Abigail and John: Portrait of a Marriage"

Abigail and John were a uniquely compatible duo, and in their remarkable union we can see the strength of a people determined to achieve full independence in the face of daunting odds. While much has been written about each as an individual, "Abigail and John" provides, for the first time, the captivating story of their dedication and sacrifice that helped usher in the founding of our country, a time that fascinates us still. Edith B. Gelles, Ph.D., holds degrees from Cornell, Yale, and the University of California-Irvine. She has taught at several universities, most recently at Stanford, and is currently a Senior Scholar at Stanford's Michelle R. Clayman Institute for Gender Research. A historian of colonial America, Gelles has written two biographies of Abigail Adams. Portia: The World of Abigail Adams (1992, paperback 1996) was co-winner of the American Historical Association's Herbert Feis Award. First Thoughts: Life and Letters of Abigail Adams (1998) was published in paperback by Routledge with the title, Abigail Adams: A Writing Life. Gelles wrote the centennial catalogue for the Libraries of Stanford University: "For Instruction and Research." She has published many articles and reviews and has taught in the Humanities as well as the Continuing Studies Programs at Stanford. She lives in Palo Alto, California, with her husband. “Edith Gelles has given us a “portrait” of the marriage of John and Abigail Adams of great subtlety and depth. The story she tells is of an extraordinary couple whose marriage grew in understanding and affection in a time of immense change and tension……… Above all, the story Gelles tells is of an extraordinary couple who surmount enormous challenges in a revolutionary period. She reconstructs this story in prose that is always lucid and frequently moving. Altogether this is a book of great power and interest” Robert Middlekauff, Preston Hotchkis Professor of History, Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley Books will be available for sale at the event.