Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams
When:
Thursday, Jun 09, 2016 6:00p -
7:00p
Thursday, Jun 09, 2016 6:00p -
7:00p
Where:
Boston Athenæum
10 ½ Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108
Admission:
$30.00
Categories:
< 21, Alcohol, Date Idea, Lectures & Conferences, Meetup, Nightlife
Event website:
https://www.bostonathenaeum.org/events/3763/louisa-extraordinary-life-mrs-adams
Born in London to an American father and a British mother on the eve of the Revolutionary War, Louisa Catherine Johnson was raised in a manner very different from the New England upbringing of her future husband and president John Quincy Adams. Their often tempestuous but deeply close marriage lasted half a century. They lived in Prussia, Massachusetts, Washington, Russia, and England; they lived 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 identities 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 America found its place in the world, she found a voice. That voice resonates still. In this talk, Louisa Thomas will share excerpts from her biography of Adams, a deeply felt and intimate portrait of a remarkable woman, a complicated marriage, and a pivotal historical moment.
Louisa Thomas is a writer for Grantland and a former fellow at the New America Foundation. She is the author of "Conscience: Two Soldiers," "Two Pacifists," "One Family—a Test of Will" and "Faith in World War I."
Reception to follow.
Registration begins May 26 at 9 am.
To register, go to: https://bbd.bostonathenaeum.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=300
--
The Athenæum's five galleried floors overlook the peaceful Granary Burying Ground, and, as Gamaliel Bradford wrote in 1931, "it is safe to say that [no library] anywhere has more an atmosphere of its own, that none is more conducive to intellectual aspiration and spiritual peace." The building was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1966.
