Samuel Adams is one of the most dynamic founding fathers, often overshadowed in classrooms by his cousin John Adams as the second President of the United States but not in the true makings of the revolution. Samuel Adams (son of the Samuel Adams who now adorns a beer brand) could arguably be called the grandfather of the American Revolution. It was largely his words — sometimes under three or four pseudonyms, that fanned the flames of independence in the hearts of the American colonists long before the battles of Concord or Lexington.

There is little doubt he was a master of propaganda and frequently accused of, if not directly linked to, some of the most violent episodes leading up to the revolution. He vilified many English loyalists along the way, rightly or not, including Thomas Hutchinson and General Thomas Gage. Neither nemesis had any chance to quell the convictions of Samuel Adams, who painted their every advance as unprovoked aggression and every retreat as inept cowardness. Hutchinson was eventually exiled and Gage was later recalled to Britain. 

Reading about Adams stroking the fires of independence before the revolutions is fascinating, But Schiff's writing takes some time before finding its stride. Despite being well-researched, the early chapters often feel disorganized and jumbled (perhaps as much as Adams' actions were at times). As the book progresses, Schiff finally steadies her pace, almost in time with Adams becoming more focused in his affairs. Unfortunately, however, as Adams attempts to take on more traditional roles, it feels like Schiff has so much less to write about, leaving the last few chapters to feel thin and rushed. 

It's not all her fault, it seems. Samuel Adams was better at fanning the flames of independence than he ever was at governance. History frequently notes that Adams' waxes and wanes over his lifetime, becoming a force to be reckoned with and then quietly slipping into the shadows. While some argue he belonged to a school of revolutionists whose purpose became obscured by an actual revolution in 1776, his influence continued to shape American politics — such as adding the Bill of Rights to the Constitution. Schiff doesn't spend much time on the subject but does note that he had earned the admiration of  Thomas Jefferson. (Indeed, although I do not remember it included in the book, Jefferson once said "If there was any Palinurus to the Revolution, Samuel Adams was the man."

In sum, Schiff does a fine job flushing out Jefferson's "Palinurus" before the Declaration of Independence. She also breathes some life into several other historical allies such as Paul Revere, John Hancock, and Richard Henry Lee. But if the work feels less grounded than her usual historical offerings. Then again, we can blame the rascal she chose to write about, given he proved too much for Gage and Hutchinson and anybody else to pin down, too.