Lessons in Liberty
Lessons in Liberty is my fifth book and the one I’ve been wanting to write for most of my career. These tales of ordinary Americans becoming utterly remarkable - and shaping our national character in the process – is a book that I passionately believe is made for this moment. You may think you know these icons, but their stories reveal their lesser-known humanity, as well as their heroism. The life choices they made offer simple, modern, practical hacks for how we can all live better and more meaningful lives—in our homes, in our communities, and in the institutions we mean to serve.My students are my muse. As a teacher, I’m passionate about engaging my pupils in conversation about our extraordinary country and increasingly, they are discouraged by what they see. I’m worried that patriotism has left the building. And who can blame our young people as they watch our leaders so often put politics and raw power ahead of the people they represent? I wrote Lessons in Liberty to give them hope. Heck, I wrote it to give me hope!This book is meant for everyone who is heartsick about the current state of our national discourse. I do not mean it to be merely ‘inspirational.' I am confident it will inspire anyone who reads it. But I want something more—I want
Lessons in Liberty to be aspirational. To empower each of us to be the change in our own families and communities.
“Lessons in Liberty is not a Red Book or a Blue Book. It is a distinctly American book that reminds us of what can be.”
-Jeremy S. Adams
About
The first thing you need to know about me is that I’m a teacher who writes vs a writer who teaches. My students have always been my inspiration and my books would be very different if not written through the lens of an educator who is deeply worried that our children have become disheartened about a country I love. To me, this does not feel like an abstract problem. A country without patriotism feels like a country that will wither, a wandering nation without a soul.I’ve taught at one public high school in Bakersfield, CA for over 25 years. The same school where my dad taught for over 20 years. The school where I met my wife and the school I graduated from, as did my 4 siblings.Lest you think I’m a guy who simply can’t get another job, the reason I’ve stayed in one place is because my school is located in a region that is an incredibly diverse microcosm of America. It is endlessly changing and thus always new and fascinating. We have brilliant and beautiful diversity at our school. My students come from money and from poverty; from dozens of countries; from almost every racial and religious identity; from intact and non-existent families. Our school is a laboratory for what’s happening in our country. It informs my books and enriches my life.When I’m not writing or teaching, I’m trying to be the best husband and father I can be. I love the Rams, the Dodgers, and the Lakers. Tennis is my favorite sport and like a giant swath of America - I’m becoming obsessed with pickleball!
“Smart, patriotic, and readable, this book is what our cynical culture needs.”
—Pete Hegseth, author of Battle for the American Mind, #1 The New York Times bestseller.
Ten Completely Modern Lessons the Greats Can Teach Us
George Washington: Our first president’s lifelong struggle to conquer his temper makes him a model for being mindful of our actions no matter where we find ourselves in life—from the battlefield to the highest chambers of power and decision-making.
Thomas Jefferson: Known for writing the Declaration of Independence and being the nation’s third president, Jefferson also understood that some of the most valuable lessons in life require vulnerability—making up with our friends, taking religion seriously even in the face of great doubt, and most of all, embracing a life of constant expansion and experimentation.
Ben Nighthorse Campbell: An iconic American hero whose story could only have happened in the United States, Campbell rose from gut-wrenching poverty and potent family dysfunction to become an Olympian, a successful artist of jewelry, and most of all, a United States senator who effectively helped the plight of Native Americans.
Daniel Inouye: A revered Japanese-American senator who carried out daring missions in World War II, despite being subjected to shocking racial discrimination by the very nation he risked his life to defend.
Arthur Ashe: Famous as a tennis champion, Arthur Ashe was much more. He learned how to battle the likes of McEnroe and Connors, stand up again the atrocities of apartheid in South Africa, and modeled what it means to die with utter dignity and humanity. His life lessons are truly timeless.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Known as a liberal icon for her legal opinions, Ginsburg’s life lessons focus on the importance of always putting family first, being true to the American creed, and always trying to have friends who challenge your political opinions.
Clara Barton: Eleven-year-old Clara Barton nursed her injured brother back to health, discovering the courage and ferocity that would later empower her to pioneer innovative nursing techniques during the Civil War.
Abraham Lincoln: Cherished as the greatest president of all time, Lincoln’s ascent to power required lessons that might surprise many including his unique approach to learning and reading, his belief that ideals should always trump ambitions, and his greatest gift of all—doing the work no one else wanted to do.
James Madison: Perhaps the most under-appreciated person in American history, this Father of the Constitution and fourth president is present in almost every pivotal chapter in early American history. His secret? Always be the most prepared person in the room, don’t worry about who gets the credit, and finally, always be willing to change your mind.
Teddy Roosevelt: Perhaps the most ebullant and larger-than-life American in our history, TR’s path to success included unbelieveable chapters of heartache and grief. His belief in embracing the difficult paths in life and the need to never stop moving are powerful tonics for much that ails us today.
"Self-help manuals and political treatises are thick on the shelves, but what we really need in our disorienting moment is aspirational character study—portraits of people we can look up to. It’s a literary tradition as venerable as Plutarch’s Lives, and almost as badly neglected. Jeremy S. Adams revives it masterfully for the modern day, drawing insight from the lives of figures both well known and unexpected. A book to be savored and handed down, like the stories of our greatest men and women, from parents to their children."
— Spencer Klavan, author of How to Save the West
Books
Lessons in Liberty: Thirty Rules for Living from Ten Extraordinary AmericansThe recovery of national greatness requires that we passionately study our heroes. Lessons in Liberty is the first step to discovering the better angels of our nature by restoring the possibilities of individual freedom. I hope readers will feel my new book is an ode to American heroes from a rich variety of eras and backgrounds. I uncovered thirty different and surprising lessons that can inspire each of us to lead better and more substantive lives.
Hollowed Out: A Warning About America’s Next GenerationIn Hollowed Out, I discuss why students have rejected the wisdom, culture, and institutions of Western civilization and what we can do to win them back. This is a book for every parent, teacher, and patriot concerned for our young people and for our country.
Riding the Wave: Teacher Strategies for Navigating Change and Strengthening Key RelationshipsIn Riding the Wave, I identify what I feel are the five key teacher relationships - the self, students, colleagues, administrators, and the community - and I outline how change impacts each. Riding offers concrete strategies to not only strengthen these relationships, but also rediscover professional purpose.
The Secrets of Timeless Teachers: Instruction That Works in Every GenerationIn The Secrets of Timeless Teachers, I suggest that the methods, habits, and behaviors that constitute powerful teaching do not change over time. In fact, an effective and impactful teacher a hundred years ago used many of the same habits and strategies a powerful teacher uses today.
Full Classrooms, Empty Selves: Reflections on a Decade of Teaching in an American High SchoolTen years into my career, I discovered something ‘just not right’ about my classroom. In my book I tried to capture both the euphoria of teaching and the bitter disappointments along the way, with humor and insight. Full Classrooms, Empty Selves is my account of modern education that culminates in a surprising thesis certain to provoke discussion for readers of all stripes. Full Classrooms, Empty Selves was the recipient of the Middleman Boutique Book Prize.
Contact
Media/Speaking Opportunities
I’d welcome the opportunity to do my best to add value to the national conversation. Topics I can address include:Finding hope in a splintered America. What we can learn from the struggles and successes of the Americans profiled in Lessons in Liberty and how we can apply this learning to our modern lives.The power and potency of education. Why finding real solutions to the pressing issues facing educators, parents and students is imperative.Normalizing Patriotism. Let’s face it, honoring the flag or displaying a peace sign can be completely polarizing. Patriotism has indeed left the building and our country is much the worse for it. How can we begin to pivot so that love of country is again the default position for Americans?
