top of page

John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, a Private Life

Paul C. Nagel

Top 10 Best Quotes

“The young John Quincy Adams begins it lifelong habit of keeping a journal with reluctance that he might one day have to read it. He hopes, though, that the flaws in his earlier entries will be balanced by the progress he is able to see.”

“I was born for a controversial world, and I cannot escape my destiny. John Quincy Adams”

“John Quincy Adams' depression was treated by his aunt with some reliable remedies, first sleep and then compassion. She said, " He was half cared for by having someone to care for him.”

“The president notices that when he takes off his coat to dig, people take more notice of the visual than they did his preceding remarks.”

“Foolish defiance was his lifelong response to being ill.”

“When John Quincy Adams in the Netherlands was placed with elementary students and belittled because he did not speak Dutch, either the author or John Adams accuses school authorities of "littleness of soul".”

“The world shall retire from me before I shall retire from the world. John Quincy Adams”

“The two grappled in the quiet of old-fashioned personal diplomacy.”

“The life-changing encounters that John Quincy Adams made as an adolescent on his own in Stockholm began with a friendship he struck up at a bookstore.”

“The author points out that, with life in provincial Washington difficult for those not of independent means, Adams and his wife undervalued the social connections that others found vital. They often made an impression as distant and prideful.”

Except where otherwise noted, all rights reserved to the author(s) of this book (mentioned above). The content of this page serves as promotional material only. If you enjoyed these quotes, you can support the author(s) by acquiring the full book from Amazon.

Book Keywords:

openness, curiosity, relationship, relationships, empathy, discipleship, mortality, emotion, anxiety, vocation, evangelism, ministry, nativism, work, pride, maturation, flesh, fallibility, compassion, racism, spiritual-warfare, prejudice, immigration, servant-leadership, providence-of-god, calling, journaling, fragility, positive-regard, self-care, humility, confrontation, graciousness

bottom of page