John Hancock
First to Sign, First to Invest in America's Independence
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John Hancock
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Narrated by:
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Steve Hendrickson
About this listen
A compelling, intimate portrait of John Hancock, going beyond the flamboyant signature to reveal the pivotal role that he had in the American Revolution
A contemporary of Samuel Adams, John Adams, George Washington, and the Marquis de Lafayette, Hancock had a list of contacts that read like a who’s who of the American Revolution. But shockingly little has been written about Hancock himself. John Hancock tells the story of a man who deserves far more credit for his contribution to the American Revolution than he previously received—and award-winning scholar Willard Sterne Randall is determined to give him his due at last.
Born into relatively modest means, Hancock was sent to live with his wealthy uncle and aunt as a child. The couple raised him as their own and prepared him to take over the family company. A remarkably successful businessman, Hancock got involved in politics in the mid-1760s. He quickly rose in the ranks, eventually serving as the president of the Continental Congress and the first governor of Massachusetts.
John Hancock details all of the major moments in the Revolution, from the Boston Tea Party to the battles of Lexington and Concord to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Hancock’s actions fundamentally altered each of these events—and ultimately the course of the United States—in ways never taught in the history books. Randall also dives into lesser-known parts of Hancock’s life with nuance and compassion, including his education and controversial work with Harvard; his long courtship and complicated marriage to Dorothy Quincy; and his close relationship and eventual bitter rivalry with Samuel Adams.
John Hancock enjoyed great popularity in Massachusetts during the Revolution, but he left behind few personal writings, making it hard to tell his story. Through extensive research, Randall aims to restore Hancock to his rightful place, celebrated for his achievements as one of our Founding Fathers at last.
©2025 Willard Sterne Randall (P)2025 Penguin AudioCritic reviews
“Deploying meticulous research, sharp analysis, and the same narrative verve he has used to illumine Washington, Franklin, and Hamilton, Willard Sterne Randall has produced a biography that finally elevates John Hancock from bold-face name to crucial American founder. Randall will not disappoint readers expecting a dramatic recounting of Hancock’s “signature moment,” but this book amplifies his extraordinary life both before and after the Declaration of Independence. We cannot possibly mark the nation’s semi quincentennial without learning more about the man who made its founding document a billboarded testament to his own personal courage.”—Harold Holzer, winner of the Lincoln Prize, author of Brought Forth on This Continent
“A concise, insightful look at one of America’s more neglected founding fathers. Willard Sterne Randall’s latest is another important contribution to our understanding of the financial origins of the American Revolution and the republic it produced.”—Randall Woods, author of John Quincy Adams
“John Hancock pledged his life, his considerable fortune, and his sacred honor to the cause of American independence. Although in his day a highly respected national leader and an extremely popular Massachusetts governor, Hancock remains a comparatively neglected Founding Father. Randall's highly readable biography is therefore a splendid gift to celebrations of the 250th birthday of the United States.”—Richard Sylla, New York University, author of Alexander Hamilton: The Illustrated Biography
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