Review: John Adams by David McCullough.
One of my favorite all-time books is McCullough’s Truman. And though the Adams book does not rise to the Truman level, it still ranks as an interesting and thoughtful biography with great insights into the revolutionary war and the U.S. constitution (unfortunately, the book is far less detailed once Adams actually becomes veep and president).
Summation: great book to get lost in. put it on your 2005 list.