American Phoenix by Jane Hampton Cook

Early in the history of America there was a time in which we were not recognized as an independent nation separate from the British Empire. We had fought the War for Independence but in the eyes of the other nations we were not recognized as sovereign.

 President Madison sent John Quincy Adams to Russia as our ambassador in order to get us recognition  as a sovereign nation.

 Or I should say, he was exiled. What else could be done with the son of a former president who had lost his favor as a senator and was dead weight?

Cook presents us with a  little known period of history- the time between 1809 and the war of 1812 when John Quincy Adams was sent to the courts of Russia to represent a small newly born country  struggling to be independent.

  Napoleon is part of the story as he controls the seas and is in conquest mode.    Someday  John Quincy will become president. But at this period of history he has been shuffled off to Russia. Traveling by ship was dangerous and slow. For all intents and purposes he is a forgotten man.

 I enjoy history and especially American history. This is a period of history that I didn’t know. The history books that are in class rooms didn’t cover this . That is why it is necessary for writers to research and write connective narratives.

I would recommend this book for students of history. And for those who are doing studies of our presidents.     

 I have received this book gratis from BookSneeze for review. I was not obligated to give a positive review. The views expressed are mine and not those of the publisher.   
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