Improvement of the World reveals the great events of Adams’s later years: his "partnership" with the young, beautiful, and capable Elizabeth Cameron; his influential friendship with Secretary of State John Hay; his travels - all over the world - and his subsequent returns to Washington as the capital’s leading person. And finally, there is a shower of great writings featuring the masterpiece of the twentieth century, The Education of Henry Adams.

About the Author

Improvement of the World is written by Edward Chalfant, Professor Emeritus of English at Hofstra University and former co-director of the American Studies program there. Mr. Chalfant has been studying Adams for many years, and has had access to archival and private material previous biographers had not seen. He has fashioned his trilogy on the life of Adams so that each volume stands alone. Together, they provide a complete picture of a brilliant, politically clairvoyant, and industrious American whose life touched every important aspect of his era.

"This is the final volume in Chalfant’s trilogy on the life of the great historian. Unlike his great-grandfather (John) and grandfather (John Quincy), Henry made his mark in academia rather than politics. Yet his relationship with his father, the diplomat Charles Adams, gave him a deep understanding of politics, diplomacy, and the uses and limits of power. Chalfant, professor emeritus of English at Hofstra University, views his subject with both reverence and realism. Adams’ belief in the power of committed individuals to improve the world is compelling, even in today’s cynical climate. Chalfant’s recounting of Adams’ writing of the classic of medieval history, Mont Saint Michel and Chartres, is a revealing look at the workings of a first-class mind. Although this final volume can stand alone, general readers who have not read the previous two volumes may struggle here. However, for both specialists and general readers with a solid grounding in American history, this work will be an enriching experience." –Booklist (02/01/01)

Edward Chalfant’s first book in the Adams trilogy, Both Sides of the Ocean: A Biography of Henry Adams, His First Life, 1838-1862, was published in 1982. The second volume, Better in Darkness: A Biography of Henry Adams, His Second Life, 1862-1891, came out in 1994.