John Adams

I received a delightful Father's Day gift -- the DVD set of the HBO film series, John Adams, based on the David McCullough book.

The film series is excellent. I would think it would be appropriate for older teens through adults. There are some scenes that I would not recommend for younger children, and frankly the pacing and plot are not likely to hold the attention of a younger child.

The texture, detail, and difficulty of living in colonial America is brought to your eyes and ears. That generation would rightly call us soft.

The film is even better than the book at bringing out the decadence of Paris as an assault on John Adams' sensibilities.

The special features show how many special effects were used, but they're transparent and so good that you don't realize you're watching a post-processing effect at all. So there is no distraction from the plot.

I have a few wishes, though. The film focuses more on some of the darker elements of Adams' life, and makes him seem much more douer than other accounts. (It's difficult to imagine such a uniformly grumpy man being successful if public life.) Also, there is very little religious aspect brought out in the film, though it's clear that the Adams were deeply religious.

Still, I hope the film series piques more interest in our history, and more appreciation for the hand of Providence in the lives of men and women. On this last point, if you'll also read McCullough's excellent 1776, it will be hard to believe that God was not protecting people and steering events.

My advice would be to watch the film series, then read the book for the fuller story.