John Adams

[stoutfellow]

I'm finding McCullough's biography of Adams very interesting. It has, among other things, confirmed my opinion that "1776" treats James Wilson unfairly; he was not the spineless ditherer depicted in the movie. In fact, he defected to the pro-independence camp well before the formal vote. He's not the only one who gets slandered; Stephen Hopkins was not the amiable sot who appears in the movie. (In fact, Adams claimed that Hopkins never drank to excess.) I have my suspicions about Rev. Witherspoon, too, although that may just be James Noble's performance. (Noble is unsurpassed at representing a good-hearted but terminally bewildered fellow.) But the worst libel may be of Adams himself, though it comes from his own mouth - the infamous "obnoxious and disliked" line. Adams claims, in his memoirs, to have delivered that line to Jefferson, but Jefferson explicitly denies it in his autobiography. In fact, according to McCullough, among the existing public and private papers of the delegates to the Congress, the only disparaging words about Adams appear in his own writings, many years later.

Anyway. Today was an otherwise undistinguished day, except that I began presenting the basics of group theory in my abstract algebra class. That was the first bit of abstract algebra I ever learned, and it's still dear to my heart. I'm going to try interweaving two or three topics in an unorthodox fashion, mainly aiming at showing my students what groups are good for, in addition to the rather arid abstractions that need to be dealt with early.

Ah, well. I'm a bit tired, and my hayfever is flaring up again. This is shaping up to be a bad year in that respect, I'm afraid. On the plus side, my weight continues its slow decline. At this rate, I'll be down where I should be in about... five years time. Patience, patience...

Comments

[neonnurse.livejournal.com]

Did you ever see that PBS show, The Adams Chronicles? I wouldn't mind seeing that again sometime.

Good job on the weight decline!

[stoutfellow.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't seen it. I wonder if it's available on tape or DVD? Have to check.

I still love "1776", and it will remain part of my Independence Day rituals, but the historical inaccuracies remove a little of its sheen.

[trolleypup.livejournal.com]

Losing weight slowly, if steadily is better than not at all.

It is so damned easy to be bad.

[hornedhopper.livejournal.com]

And *so* much tastes so good!

[stoutfellow.livejournal.com]

"Bein' good isn't always easy/No matter how hard I try..."
(Brownie points to anyone who places that quote. There's a hint out there.)

[hornedhopper.livejournal.com]

Okay, so I cheated ... per Google:

Artist: Aretha Franklin Lyrics
Song: Son Of A Preacher Man Lyrics

Billy Ray was a preacher's son
And when his daddy would visit he'd come along
When they gathered around and starting talkin'
That's when Billy would take me walkin'
Out through the back yard we'd go walkin'
Then he'd look into my eyes
Lord knows, to my surprise

The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacherman
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacherman
Yes he was, he was, ooh, yes he was

Bein' good isn't always easy
No matter how hard I try
When he started sweet-talkin' to me
He'd come'n tell me "Everything is all right "
He'd kiss and tell me "Everything is all right "
Can I get away again tonight ?

The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacherman
The only boy who can ever teach me
Was the son of a preacherman
Yes he was, he was, ooh, yes he was ( yes he was )

How well I remember
The look that was in his eyes
Stealin' kisses from me on the sly
Takin' time to make time
Tellin'me that he's all mine
Learnin' from each other's knowin'
Lookin' to see how much we've grown and

The only one who could ever reach me
Was the son of a preacherman
The only boy who could ever teach me
Was the son of a preacherman
Yes he was, he was, ooh, yes he was

( The only one who could ever reach me )
He was the sweet-talkin' son of a preacherman
( The only boy who could ever teach me )
Was the son of

[stoutfellow.livejournal.com]

Huh. That's not quite what I was thinking of; "Son of a Preacher Man" was Dusty Springfield's most famous hit. I wasn't aware that Aretha recorded it too (a year later, 1970 vs. 1969).

[hornedhopper.livejournal.com]

It just goes to show, she says primly, that cheaters never *learn* when they cheat (g).