What struck me most in our conversation on Tuesday was that many people felt that Adams’ narrative was not a good book – or good autobiography because he gave us no personal connection to his life. However, I found that through his writings he gives us not only his own views – which is extremely personal – but he also writes for the generation. His work, for me, does not seem to be about “ I am Henry Adams and I feel blah blah” but rather by writing in the third person he makes his own character the personification of western thought that is being constantly challenged and pulled in different directions. Adams writes, “ he was led to think that the final synthesis of science and its ultimate triumph was the kinetic theory of gases” (page 431 in my book). The final summary of science as the theory of gases mirrors Adams (and the time periods) constant movement of thought, just as the world was realizing all matter was in constant flux Adams points out that all thought is too, we are all never still, never concrete. Adams examines every aspect of life, religion, politics, science, history, art – all in this seemingly non personal third person, but really he is showing to us our own world and giving his observations so that we might, in our own right, be educated by his thoughts. Further I think this piece is terribly complex and deep, so much so that it seems to be applicable to many time periods, and so complex that I really am having trouble expressing my ideas. I hope this made some semblance of meaning…