Lindsay Chervinsky, a historian specializing in the early American presidency, argues that John Adams deserves far more credit for shaping the office than he typically receives. While Adams is often dismissed as a one-term president overshadowed by Washington before him and Jefferson after, Chervinsky shows how his leadership established crucial precedents that ensured the republic's survival. Most significantly, Adams oversaw the first peaceful transition of power between opposing political parties, a norm that democratic systems depend upon but cannot take for granted. Chervinsky draws on extensive archival research to reveal how Adams navigated fierce partisan conflict, the Quasi-War with France, and internal divisions within his own administration. She examines how he handled the Alien and Sedition Acts and ultimately prioritized peace over popularity. The book places Adams's presidency in the context of a fragile new nation that had no guarantee of survival, showing how his choices created expectations that his successors would follow. Chervinsky's portrait is sympathetic but not uncritical, acknowledging Adams's missteps while arguing that his contributions to presidential norms have been undervalued. This reassessment will interest anyone curious about how American political institutions developed.