American Phoenix tells the gripping story of John Quincy Adams’s “honorable exile” during the War of 1812 and the harrowing journey of his wife, Louisa, to be reunited with her family.

American diplomat John Quincy Adams and his wife, Louisa, had two things in common with the audacious Napoleon Bonaparte — speaking perfect French and living in exile. American Phoenix reveals the untold true story of Quincy’s unexpected nomination as the top US envoy to Russia in 1809, and Louisa’s agony at being forced to leave their six and eight year old boys behind in Boston.

Believing that ambition can never repay such sacrifice, she clings to the hope of reuniting with her sons in a year.

Pretension, royal dissipation, extreme weather, covert political manoeuvers, French interference, private tragedy, and two great wars trap them in St. Petersburg longer than their worst fears. Their personal story is soon swept into the public drama of Napoleon’s war with Russia and America’s war with Great Britain, which ultimately force John Quincy and Louisa to live apart.

When Napoleon escapes his exile, his march to reclaim Paris threatens to separate forever John from Louisa and each from their children back home,
forever.

This heart-wrenching, extensively researched chronicle of a crucial part of American history shows the challenges, threats, joys, triumphs, and faith that accompany unexpected journeys in life