John Hancock

First to Sign, First to Invest in America's Independence

Willard Sterne Randall

$71.95

Hardback

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English

Dutton
10 June 2025

Biography: historical, political & military; History; History of the Americas; Early modern history: c 1450 to c 1700; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900

A compelling, intimate portrait of John Hancock, going beyond the flamboyant signature to reveal the pivotal role that he had in the American Revolution

A contemporary of Samuel Adams, John Adams, George Washington, and the Marquis de Lafayette, Hancock had a list of contacts that read like a who’s who of the American Revolution. But shockingly little has been written about Hancock himself. John Hancock tells the story of a man who deserves far more credit for his contribution to the American Revolution than he previously received—and award-winning scholar Willard Sterne Randall is determined to give him his due at last.

Born into relatively modest means, Hancock was sent to live with his wealthy uncle and aunt as a child. The couple raised him as their own and prepared him to take over the family company. A remarkably successful businessman, Hancock got involved in politics in the mid-1760s. He quickly rose in the ranks, eventually serving as the president of the Continental Congress and the first governor of Massachusetts.

John Hancock details all of the major moments in the Revolution, from the Boston Tea Party to the battles of Lexington and Concord to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Hancock’s actions fundamentally altered each of these events—and ultimately the course of the United States—in ways never taught in the history books. Randall also dives into lesser-known parts of Hancock’s life with nuance and compassion, including his education and controversial work with Harvard; his long courtship and complicated marriage to Dorothy Quincy; and his close relationship and eventual bitter rivalry with Samuel Adams.

John Hancock enjoyed great popularity in Massachusetts during the Revolution, but he left behind few personal writings, making it hard to tell his story. Through extensive research, Randall aims to restore Hancock to his rightful place, celebrated for his achievements as one of our Founding Fathers at last.

By: Willard Sterne Randall
Imprint: Dutton
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 235mm, Width: 158mm, Spine: 26mm
Weight: 482g
ISBN: 9780593472149
ISBN 10: 0593472144
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 10 June 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Willard Sterne Randall is a Distinguished Scholar in History and Professor Emeritus at Champlain College. Prior to entering academia, he had a seventeen-year career as an investigative reporter—during which he garnered the National Magazine Award, the Hillman Prize, the Loeb Award, and the John Hancock Prize—before pursuing advanced studies in history at Princeton University. As a biographer and lecturer, he specializes in the history of the Founding Era.

Reviews for John Hancock: First to Sign, First to Invest in America's Independence

“Willard Sterne Randall's John Hancock should serve as a corrective to generations of neglect that have blanketed Hancock in accounts of the American Revolution. Hancock's prosperous counting house on the Boston waterfront provides a splendid perspective on the economic debates that drove the rebellion, while Randall's account gives long-overdue credit to the importance of Hancock's open-handed generosity and clear-eyed leadership of the Continental Congress and America's most revolutionary state during the years of the Founding.” —David O. Stewart, author of George Washington: the Political Rise of America's Founding Father, winner of the Colonial Dames of America Book Prize