Product Description
Covers the life of Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence. Begins with his early interest in books and learning and traces the many roles he played, including his role in Congress during the American Revolution and as third President of the United States. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Junior Scholastic, published by Scholastic, Inc. on March 2, 2009. The length of the article is 1295 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Eleanor Roosevelt: the U.S. president's wife was once expected to be a silent partner. Eleanor Roosevelt changed that rule forever.(American History)(Biography)
Author: Sean Stewart Price
Publication: Junior Scholastic (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 2, 2009
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Volume: 111Issue: 13Page: 19(4)

Article Type: Biography

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

english--sara c.
For more than fifty years, Helen Hayes has been a star on stage, screen, and television. In that time, she crossed paths with some of Broadway's most famous stars: Charlie Chaplin, Scott Fitzgerald, Gloria Swanson, and many more. As for being acclaimed First Lady of the American Theater, Hayes starred in her first play when she was just six years old. My Life In Three Acts tells about Hayes's hit play, such as Victoria Reigna, and about some of her not so respected plays. In her autobiography, Hayes speaks with wit and wisdom on topics that are both public and private. She expresses her thoughts on World War Two, and about the assassination of Kennedy. She reflects on the mournful parts of her life: the death of her husband and daughter, and the alcoholism of those dear to her. Hayes also supplies amusing anecdotes about her friends, which include John Ford and Al Capone. After finishing her career as an actress, Hayes expresses her opinion on what is wrong with the American theater today, such as how porn theaters are taking over classic Broadway theaters.
I found My Life In Three Acts to be inspiring by how Hayes improved her life everyday. Throughout Hayes's career, her life was rousing in every aspect. "George Tyler, (a movie producer,) once told me that I were only four inches taller, I could reach the heights too." I liked this quote because I could tell that throughout Hayes' acting days, she was growing by exceeding heights and overcoming problems. Such as after a horrific event occurs in her family, Hayes finds a way to deal with the problem by taking sympathy from others, moving homes, and doing what she does best; act. Hayes was able to capture her emotions and to put them into words that made me feel like I was engaged in the experiences as well. For example, she wrote about a delightful childhood treat of hers that her grandmother used to prepare for her. "She would cut a hole in the orange, insert a peppermint stick, and then we'd squeeze the orange and suck the juice through the stick."I felt as if I was enjoying the treat myself.
The events Hayes encountered were very detailed and made My Life In Three Acts exciting. Some of my favorite parts of the book describe the stirring parties Hayes attended. "The people who sat around that table in the Algonquin Hotel's Rose Room set the style for New York, dictating what one should read, think, wear, eat, what plays to see, what opinions to have, and so on." Not only did this quotation capture `the style for New York,' but it also described the style of the kind of people that were at the parties and in Hayes's life. I thought that it was also exciting to hear about the different places Helen toured through throughout her career, from France to Oklahoma City. One time while touring, Hayes got ready for bed on the train and saw a breathtaking site; the stars in the night sky seemed close enough to touch, and the snow sparkled like diamonds. Hayes then rushed to tell the rest of the actors on the train, and they became enthralled too. This scene in the book demonstrated all of the simple things in Hayes's life that she appreciated and didn't take for granted. Everyday there seemed to be excitement in Hayes's life. Because of how inspired and excited I felt reading this book, I can defiantly call it an engrossing memoir that is able to take a reader back to stimulating theater life in the mid-1900's.

A Classy Lady's Non-Classy Memoirs
Helen Hayes whose life story would be fascinating to all fans of Broadway and/or Hollywood pretty much squanders this effort by traducing a large assortment of individuals.What makes this badmouthing all the moreunpleasant is the fact that most of her targets were deceased at the timeof its publication and unable to present their side of the story.

Whilethe recurring instances of charcter assasination are the book's biggestliability, the First Lady of the American Theater also comes off assomewhat self-centered and shallow.

Those who respect the many nobleactions which typified Helen Hayes' final decades will be disappointed andlikely disturbed by this autobiography that does not do her memory justice. ... Read more

Product Description
Although Martha Washington has been the subject of several popular biographies, her writings, scattered into private hands, archives, and repositories, have never before been collected and published. This book attempts to publish all the known Martha Washington papers from every possible source. Most of her correspondence relates to key periods in her life--her first widowhood, the Revolutionary War, Washington's presidency, and the period after his death. Widowed at the age of twenty-six, her early correspondence was to settle and manage the affairs of her husband's estate, documenting well both legal and commercial affairs. During the revolutionary era, her letters, to friends, family, and acquaintances, are especially revealing for references to military affairs. The largest portion of the letters, written to friends and relatives during the presidential years, shed light on the Washingtons' life at Mount Vernon, New York, and Philadephia. This book will be valuable to scholars of the Washington era and will interest all who are curious about Martha Washington. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Perfect primary reference
what could be better than getting the words right out of someone's mouth? that's exacty what this book is, simply the words of Martha Washington from Martha.It also give you a context in which the letter was written to help give you a better understanding of the letter itself and what is really being said.If I had a complaint it would be that it is hard to read for any length of time, can't really read it as a novel for example.But if you want to know what Martha was like, her life, her loves and her period give it a read.You'll be glad you did. ... Read more

Product Description
This complete, up-to-the-minute autobiography of the Doles takes an extraordinary look at Washington life at its highest levels and provides an account of a unique marriage that has thrived in the pressure cooker of Capitol Hill. A personal view of a unique partnership, Unlimited Partners offers a tale of courage and triumph as well as a timely story of politics. of photos.Amazon.com Review
In their quest to become the next First Couple, Bob andElizabeth Dole have written the story of their lives, from hischildhood during the Depression to his long-seated political career(with an emphasis on his military service), from her days inthe Harvard Law School to her presidency of the Red Cross (with anemphasis on her scrutiny of the proper role of a First Lady).Thisbook is particularly notable because Mr. Dole seems to have finallydiscovered the first person! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A True American Journey
This is an incredible book co-authored by Bob and Elizabeth Dole. The book is very honest and heartwarming because they each get a chance to tell their side of the story. I know that Mr. Dole has a hard time when it comesto talking about his injury during World War II and in the book, hedescribes what happened in Italy in 1945 so vividly that I thought I waswatching the whole thing happen all over again while I was reading thisbook. I admires Mrs. Dole for being a trail-blazer as one of the few womento graduate from Harvard Law School the the mid 1960's when women wereexpected to go to school and learn how to be homemakers and they wereexpected to settle down, get married, and raise a family. Instead offollowing the conventional rules, Mrs. Dole goes out and overcomes manyobstacles. I admire the Doles for sharing their story. I brought this bookin the summer of 1996, just a few weeks before the Republican Conventionand after reading this book, I realized that this is a side of Bob andElizabeth Dole that the media does not show. The book was well worth it! ... Read more

Product Description
A biography of the First Lady who, despite her shyness, followed her conscience and devoted her life to helping others and working for peace. ... Read more

Product Description

Judith Sargent Murray (1751-1820), poet, essayist, playwright, and one of the most thoroughgoing advocates of women's rights in early America, was as well known in her own day as Abigail Adams or Martha Washington. Her name, though, has virtually disappeared from the public consciousness. Thanks to the recent discovery of Murray's papers—including some 2,500 personal letters—historian Sheila L. Skemp has documented the compelling story of this talented and most unusual eighteenth-century woman.

Born in Gloucester, Massachussetts, Murray moved to Boston in 1793 with her second husband, Universalist minister John Murray. There she became part of the city's literary scene. Two of her plays were performed at Federal Street Theater, making her the first American woman to have a play produced in Boston. There, as well, she wrote and published her magnum opus, The Gleaner, a three-volume "miscellany" that included poems, essays, and the novel-like story "Margaretta." After 1800, Murray's output diminished and her hopes for literary renown faded. Suffering from the backlash against women's rights that had begun to permeate American society, struggling with economic difficulties, and concerned about providing the best possible education for her daughter, she devoted little time to writing. But while her efforts diminished, they never ceased.

Murray was determined to transcend the boundaries that limited women of her era and worked tirelessly to have women granted the same right to the "pursuit of happiness" immortalized in the Declaration of Independence. She questioned the meaning of gender itself, emphasizing the human qualities men and women shared, arguing that the apparent distinctions were the consequence of nurture, not nature. Although she was disappointed in the results of her efforts, Murray nevertheless left a rich intellectual and literary legacy, in which she challenged the new nation to fulfill its promise of equality to all citizens.

Product Description
- Laura Bush's profile will be updated for this edition. - New ratings of the first ladies based on the 2003 Siena College Research Institute Poll. - The First Ladies National Historic Site is in Canton, Ohio. - The author is an op-ed columnist for The New York Times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

The First L:adies: Excellent!
An excellent insight on the (many little known) contributions of the First Ladies to the greatness of this country. Well worth your time.

MORE THAN MISTAKES, MISINFORMATION.
I REALLY LIKED THIS BOOK UNTILL I GOT TO ELEANOR ROOSEVELT. WHY WRITE A BOOK ON RATING THE FIRST LADIES BASED ON SOMEONE ELSES RATINGS WHEN YOU HATE THE WOMAN WHO IS RATED NUMBER ONE BY THEM. I SAW THE AUTHOR ON PBS AND THOUGHT THIS BOOK WOULD BE FUN. I WAS BESIDE MYSELF. WE ALL KNOW ELEANOR WAS BISEXUAL. WAS THERE ANY VALID REASON TO POINT OUT THAT HER FEMALE LOVER HAD A BEDROOM IN THE WHITE HOUSE FOUR TIMES IN A TWELVE PAGE CHAPTER? NOT ONLY THAT BUT AS SOMEONE WHO WORKED FOR REGAN, I SHOULD HAVE NOT BEEN SURPRISED TO SEE THE AUTHOR SLANDER EVERY DEMOCRATE AND ATTRIBUTE THEIR TRIUMPHS TO THE REPUBLICANS. HE ACTUALLY TRIES TO JUSTIFY MCCARTHYISM AND FAILS TO EVEN POINT OUT THAT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT PLACED MARIAN ANDERSON IN FRONT OF THE LINCON MEMERIAL TO SING " GOD BLESS AMERICA " AFTER THE SNUB BY THE DAUGHTERS OF THE REPUBLIC. THIS GUY ACTUALLY BRINGS UP ANDERSON WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT MAMIE EISENHOWER. I REALLY LIKE THE BOOK UNTILL YOU GET TO RECENT ADMINISTRATIONS.
I HAVE TO ASK THE AUTHOR WHAT COLOR IS THE SKY IN YOUR WORLD.

First Ladies Fanatic
I'm a fanatic for books on first ladies. I found out about this book when I saw the author's television interview on John McLaughlin's show, One on One. After reading it, I can't believe I hadn't heard about this before! What a great exploration of how women have been White House partners. There are also lots of juicy scandals and some truly bizarre behaviors glossed over in other books. This is must reading for any fan of first ladies!

5-Star Hidden History!!!
Why haven't other authors probed the hidden political history of first ladies like this book does?There is no other single book about first ladies which comprehensively examines the contribution each and every woman has made in shaping our history. This is the best and most concise analysis of first ladies and their political influence in the White House. The book uncovers the involvement of 19th-century first ladies in political campaigns, congressional debates, legislation, and even war. This book really hits its stride when it comes to 20th centiry first ladies, from the adventurous and globe-trotting Lou Hoover to the manipulative Helen Taft and the neurotic Betty Ford.Edith Roosevelt carries out secret diplomacy for Teddy, helping him earn a Nobel Prize for peacemaking, Edith Wilson learns codes and ciphers to translate diplomatic cables and intelligence reports for Woodrow, and Eleanor Roosevelt flies into combat zones to rally troop morale. Roberts doesn't have much sympathy for the public images first ladies project as glossy fashion queens, charity dilettantes and fundraisers for non-profit organizations -- he focuses on the meatier role about how political spouses help determine presidential fortunes -- and misfortunes. His analysis of Rosalynn Carter, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush and Laura Bush presents completely new information about these first ladies and their influence. The book gives a panorama of U.S. history and many interesting political anecdotes that are glossed over, buried, or simply ignored in other accounts of first ladies.

America's Top Ten
Life is competitive, right? This is an engrossing book that really helps explain why Eleanor Roosevelt ranks #1,Abigail Adams #2, Dolley Madison #3, Jackie O #4, Hillary #5, Rosalynn Carter #6, Lady Bird Johnson #7, Betty Ford #8, Edith Roosevelt #9, and Sarah Polk #10. Find out why Laura Bush is only #24!
This book dishes lots of embarrassing details passed over by other more flattering accounts of first ladies. Don't be bothered by hisotorical nit-pickers who can't see the forest for the trees -- this isn't an encylopedia, it's a way to measure first ladies. You'll never think of them in old-fashioned stereotypes again after reading this book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

First Ladies Cook Book
The book was in good condition but had a stong cigarette odor.That little bit of information should be placed in the add.

great cookbook
Great cook book- easy recipes-great selection-something for everyone!!!Love reading the backround stories connected with each First Lady and to see the table settings and dining rooms!!! ... Read more

Product Description

The closing of a definitive two-volume history, First Ladies is the fascinating examination of the modern role of the Presidents' wives. Enlisting the cooperation of all living First Ladies and gleaning new perspectives from interviews with their families, friends, and staffs, Carl Sferrazza Anthony reveals the remarkable influence of their office.

From Jacqueline Kennedy's plan to begin an arts and humanities department to Lady Bird Johnson's impact on the environment; from Pat Nixon's diplomatic missions to Africa and South America to Betty Ford's controversial feminist views; from Rosalynn Carter's agenda of social welfare legislation to Nancy Reagan's media savvy and Barbara Bush's literacy programs, First Ladies shows how seven women heightened awareness and lowered resistance to change, how they often became victims of unvalidated speculation and national tragedy. Their considerable power as unelected presidential advisers was generally underestimated. Now, in First Ladies, the balance of power is authoritatively weighed.

Product Description
Presiding in the White House longer than any other first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt championed the downtrodden as she traveled the globe, yet she was a maze of contradictions--an idealist who carried on a moneymaking career that depended on her position and a conventional-appearing wife and mother who found emotional succor from intense relationships outside her family. This book cuts through those contradictions to reveal how Eleanor operated, both in and out of public view, to advance the causes in which she believed by participating in the political process.

Although previous books have dealt with Eleanor Roosevelt, this is the first to focus on her White House years. Maurine Beasley, a scholar with extensive knowledge of Eleanor's life and times, provides a detailed examination of the innovative first lady that will enlighten those who think they already know her. Rich with detail, it effectively links her social activism from her early life, through the White House years, and to her work after FDR's presidency. From the ways in which Eleanor earned a living to the domestic arrangements in the White House, Beasley is an insightful and informed guide to the historical issues surrounding Mrs. Roosevelt's performance, describing how she took the ambiguous position of first lady and transformed it into an institution of the American political system.

Beasley leaves no stone unturned as she casts fresh light on Eleanor's relations with Franklin, the people around her, and the causes she championed. She explores how personal relationships led Mrs. Roosevelt to hone political skills that redefined the position of the first lady for years to come. And as she enlarges our understanding of Eleanor's use of media to disseminate her political views, Beasley illuminates her complex network of personal relationships, finances, contributions to New Deal programs, and extensive publicity commitments.

Here is a book that will reward general readers interested in Eleanor's historical importance and inform specialists looking for judicious appraisals of her words, her deeds, and the controversies that surrounded her. Anyone interested in the enigma that was Eleanor Roosevelt will discover here a rich trove of essential information for understanding how this dynamic and troubled woman succeeded in transforming the institution of the first lady during a dozen years of activism and commitment.

This book is part of the Modern First Ladies series. ... Read more

Product Description
Although overshadowed by her higher-profile successors, Lou Henry Hoover was in many ways the nation's first truly modern First Lady. She was the first to speak on the radio and give regular interviews. She was the first to be a public political persona in her own right. And, although the White House press corps saw in her "old-fashioned wifehood," she very much foreshadowed the "new woman" of the era.

Nancy Beck Young presents the first thoroughly documented study of Lou Henry Hoover's White House years, 1929-1933, showing that, far from a passive prelude to Eleanor Roosevelt, she was a true innovator. Young draws on the extensive collection of Lou Hoover's personal papers to show that she was not only an important First Lady but also a key transitional figure between nineteenth- and twentieth-century views on womanhood.

Lou Hoover was a multifaceted woman: a college graduate, a lover of the outdoors, a supporter of Girl Scouting, and a person engaged in social activism who endorsed political involvement for women and created a program to fight the Depression. Young traces Hoover's many philanthropic efforts both before and during the Hoover presidency-contrasting them with those of her husband-and places her public activities in the larger context of contemporary women's activism. And she shows that, unlike her predecessors, Hoover did more than entertain: she revolutionized the office of First Lady.

Yet as Young reveals, Hoover was constrained as First Lady by her inability to achieve the same results that she had previously accomplished in her very public career for the volunteer community. As diligently as she worked to combat the hardship of the Depression for average Americans by mobilizing private relief efforts, her efforts ultimately had little effect.

Although her celebrity has paled in the shadow of her husband's negative association with the Great Depression, Lou Hoover's story reveals a dynamic woman who used her activism to refashion the office of First Lady into a modern institution reflecting changes in the ways American women lived their lives. Young's study of Hoover's White House years shows that her legacy of innovation made a lasting mark on the office and those who followed.

This book is part of the Modern First Ladies series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The first 'modern' First Lady
Since her husband is now permanently associated with the Great Depression, and subsequently banished to history's 'bad presidents' list, Nancy Beck Young's book accomplishes a formidable task: encouraging readers to find something positive about the Hoovers, especially Lou Henry.

Flouting her generation's ideas about what a woman (especially a 'public' woman) loved or did, Lou Henry Hoover was involved with the outdoors, particularly the Girl Scouts. Although this participation does not seem very revolutionary today, it was remarkable for a woman who had grown up when women running around in the outdoors actually was considered a very scandalous activity.

Although she did not have her own radio show or chair a presidential task force, Lou Henry Hoover was a revolutionary force in her own right.

Mrs. Hoover similarly became engaged with private-sector relief efforts which attempted to end the Great Depression, but these proved much less successful than her other projects. Like her husband, Mrs. Hoover could not realize that the private sector lacked the resources to salvage a decimated economy, the same government which printed the nation's money supply would have to step in.

Clearly empathetic towards her subject, Young is also objective enough to avoid romanticizing the Hoover's strong free-market economic beliefs. Her scholarship adds a complexity to both the Hoovers and an understanding of the first lady's constantly evolving role.

A relatively 'traditional' public demeanor ultimately enabled Mrs. Hoover to begin a transition of the "First Lady" role AND "American Womanhood" which her successors are only continuing.
... Read more

Product Description
Following on the success of their collaboration Dear Mr. President, Dwight Young and Margaret Johnson joined forces again to produce this charming collection of correspondence to and from First Ladies during their time in the White House. A wonderful gift book for any American, Dear First Lady reminds us that ours is a great government "of the people, by the people, and for the people," which entitles us to make our views known to our leaders. While some of these missives were written by the famous or the infamous, most are from ordinary Americans who wished to connect with their First Lady. Amusing, appealing, heartbreaking, and heartwarming, the letters appear as full-size facsimiles so readers can see for themselves the substance and style of these intriguing exchanges.

Richly illustrated with archival photography and images, Dear First Lady paints a fascinating portrait of American culture and a behind-the-scenes look inside the White House. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

FIRST LADIES
HAND WRITING VERY DIFFICULT TO READ..WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO HAVE THEM MORE LEGIBLE AS IN TYPE WRITTEN ON OPPOSITE PAGE.

It does include transcriptions!
This is in response to another reviewer's post. The book DOES include transcriptions of the hard-to-decipher letters--it's in a section towards the back of the book. I highly recommend this book as a gift. I heard about it on NPR too and I am giving it to my grandma as a birthday present. This is a slightly oversized book (somewhere between a coffee table sized and regular sized hardcover) with smooth glossy pages. It looks quite deluxe and all pages are full color. The font is a pleasant size for reading and the layouts are gorgeous. I highly recommend it!

The wives of American presidents have been impressively diverse in personality
The wives of American presidents have been impressively diverse in personality and their interpretations of the role of 'First Lady' of the nation. Now for the first time in our political history we have a former First Lady actively seeking to become president in her own right -- which would make her husband, a former president, our unprecedented 'First Gentleman'. "Dear First Lady: Letters To The White House From The Collections Of The Library Of Congress & National Archives" is the collaborative work of Dwight Young (Senior Communications Associate, national Trust for Historic Preservation) and Margaret Johnson (researcher, editor, and author of four previous titles for the National Geographic Society). Profusely illustrated with historic photos and full-size facsimiles of the original correspondences, readers are treated to an informative, intimate 'window' into the lives and concerns of these women and the people who wrote them letters that range from the amusing, to the tragic, to the heartwarming. From British artist John Trumbull informing Martha Washington that is he sending her an engraving of one of his portraits of her husband (which engraving still hangs in Mount Vernon today), to Queen Victoria offering consolation to Mary Todd Lincoln, to a girl with a pen pal in India asking Jacqueline Kennedy if she can accompany the first lady on a trip to that country, to Laura Bush writing a letter to the children of American after 9/11 to reassure them that people love and care about them and are looking out for their safety, "Letters To The White House" is a compendium of bits of heretofore obscure White House history that spans two hundred years. Simply stated, every school and community library should have on their shelves for the benefit of their students and patrons a copy of "Letters To The White House.

Very nice supplement to Cathy Knepper's book on Eleanor Roosevelt
This book is a nice supplement to the very thorough and enjoyable book by Cathy Knepper, Dear Mrs. Roosevelt: Letters to Eleanor Roosevelt Through Depression and War.

READ THIS BEFORE YOU BUY THE BOOK
I bought this book for my 99 year old mother. I thought it would be a good Mother's Day gift. At my Mom's age, she's been familiar with a whole lot of first ladies. I had heard about it on NPR.
I was disappointed with the layout of the book when I opened it. The author's present the original letter (hand written mostly) on the left page, then followed by comments about it starting on the right page and beyond.
What I want prospective buyers to be aware of is - most of these letters are handwritten, and in a lot of cases, very hard to read. I assumed the authors would have transcribed these handwritten letters into type, so they would be easier to read. Some of the letters I couldn't decipher at all. Some are shown on yellowed paper in handwriting from before 1900.
So the 3 star rating is not based on the content of the book, but on the layout.
I'm not sure I'm going to give this book to my Mom now, she might not enjoy it because not knowing what the letters say kind of kills the whole idea. ... Read more

Product Description
Betty Boyd Caroli's engrossing and informative First Ladies is both a captivating read and an essential resource for anyone interested in the role of America's First Ladies. This expanded and updated fourth edition includes Laura Bush's tenure, Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential bid, and an in-depth look at Michelle Obama, one of the most charismatic and appealing First Ladies in recent history.
Covering all forty-one women from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama and including the daughters, daughters-in-law, and sisters of presidents who sometimes served as First Ladies, Caroli explores each woman's background, marriage, and accomplishments and failures in office. This remarkably diverse lot included Abigail Adams, whose "remember the ladies" became a twentieth-century feminist refrain; Jane Pierce, who prayed her husband would lose the election; Helen Taft, who insisted on living in the White House, although her husband would have preferred a judgeship; Eleanor Roosevelt, who epitomized the politically involved First Lady; and Pat Nixon, who perfected what some have called "the robot image."They ranged in age from early 20s to late 60s; some received superb educations for their time, while others had little or no schooling. Including the courageous and adventurous, the emotionally unstable, the ambitious, and the reserved, these women often did not fit the traditional expectations of a presidential helpmate.
Here then is an engaging portrait of how each First Lady changed the role and how the role changed in response to American culture. These women left remarkably complete records, and their stories offer us a window through which to view not only this particular sorority of women, but also American women in general.

"Impressive...Caroli's profiles and observations of American first ladies and their relationship to the media are intelligent and perceptive." --Philadelphia Inquirer ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (20)

A Disappointment
I thought that this book was going to be a wonderful book about Michelle Obama but instead I found that the author included facts about her own family that ruined the whole book for me. I only read the first chapter because I could not read another fact about the authors family.If I wanted to know about Elizabeth Lightfoot I would have bought a biography about her. The discription of the biography is very misleading and I would never read anything by this author again because I believe she is misimforming her readers. I will discourage everyone I know from reading this book. This author needs to keep her personal life out of her professional life.

Extremely Poor and Very Disappointing
My six year old daughter picked out this book for me all on her own for my birthday.It was a wonderful gift and I was very excited to read it.Well, until I actually started reading it.To find out the author had never interviewed the First Lady was unbelievable.This book is just a research paper with the author comparing her own life with Michelle Obama's life.The only first hand information was about the author herself which is not why anyone would buy a book unless of course it was an autobiography, which this clearly is not.I also stopped reading this book after just a few chapters realizing it was not going to get any better.It was very poorly written.I only made it that far because it was a very thoughtful gift from my beautiful daughter.I intend to buy the book Michelle Obama, Our First Lady by Michelle Obama.I believe this is more along the lines of my daughter's intention.

First Lady of Hope

Seeing the Obamas on nearly all the news channel, I had read about them. Specially about Michelle as I wanted to know her incredible journey to being the First Lady.

Michelle Obama. First Lady. This is the first book that introduces the life of First Lady Michelle Obama by exploring her childhood in Chicago, her education, and her successful careers as a lawyer and a hospital administrator. The author also shed light on Michelle and Barack Obama's marriage and their life with their daughters, Sasha and Malia.

Readers are given a revealing and intimate look at Michelle Obama's remarkable life - from her Chicago childhood to her education at Princeton and Harvard, from how she first met Barack Obama at the prestigious law firm where they were the only African-Americans, to her role as his closest adviser, and to her own political beliefs. Michelle Obama has played an influential role in her husband's campaign. For Michelle, family comes first, and-like so many women who struggle between family and career-she seriously weighed her husband's presidential ambitions before giving her stamp of approval. Apparently she struck a hard bargain: he had to give up smoking.

It's an amazing journey of a lady who is never afraid of speaking her mind. Must read.

President's wife
It is wonderful to be able to read first hand about who Michelle Obama is and where she came from. It is fabulous reading. Great delivery and salesmanship AAAA++++++++++

One of the best I've read
I've read several books on the Obamas and this is really one of the best books out there. The editor/ writer clearly took the time to research the subject matter and compile it in a well organized way that is enjoyable to read. ... Read more

Product Description
People often associate Theodore Roosevelt with the Rough Riders, the volunteer cavalry regiment that he led to vic-tory in 1898 in the Spanish-American War. But the list of accomplishments of the 26th president of the United States is long: besides holding office as vice president, governor of New York State, and police commissioner of New York City, he was a writer, cowboy, historian, conservationist, and soldier. Above all, he ushered the United States into the ranks of the world"s great powers. His incredible exuberance and strength continue to inspire, and his progressive views on government and corporate corruption, labor laws, and feminism are still relevant today.

Award-winning author Betsy Harvey Kraft has written a sweeping biography that draws from diverse sources, including Theodore Roosevelt"s journals, correspondence, and autobiography, as well as the memoirs of family and friends and newspaper reports of the time. This excellent book also features archival photographs, political cartoons, and drawings by Roosevelt himself. Endnotes, bibliography, index. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Remarkable Overview
Sure, this biography is targeted to a young readership, and covers only briefly the incredible range of exploits of this resounding American.Nonetheless, the style is delightful and straightforward, giving a readability unmatched in presidential biographies. Proves that not all such texts need be dry, complex or exploitative in nature. I'd recommend this effort hands down as the ideal starting point for any age of reader seeking Teddy Roosevelt background. One of the most concise yet informative presidential bios of the dozens I've read across the spectrum.Even includes interesting photos and period cartoons frequently overlooked in the usual tedious biographical fare. Try it.

colorful, balanced, engrossing
I really can't imagine why this work is indicated as a grade-school level selection ("grades 5-8"), even being tagged as "juvenile" in the Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Print metadata backing the title page. I found the work to be balanced, well-written, extremely engaging, quite informative, and visually attractive. Maybe only dry, stuffy biographies that present eight hundred odd pages of extraneous details--what TR ate for lunch on 1/14/1906, how much the train fare to Syosset was--rate as "adult" works, but they bore me to tears. (Plus, having scored 12+ on the standardized New York State reading tests when I was seven, I believe I am competent to speak with authority about both adult-oriented and putatively juvenile texts.) Of all the myriad works about TR, this is the one that I would gladly choose in exclusion to all others.

Great, accessible biography of our 26th president
The choice of Teddy Roosevelt is a good one to get kids to read about this raucous period of American history.Well illustrated with period photos and cartoons, the text is engaging and fast-paced.Perfect gift for that young teenager on your list, I can't wait until my daughter is old enough to read this!

He Tackled the Status Quo
Even the Presidency did not take the boy out of Theodore Roosevelt.A century ago, when Washington was a simpler place, TR engaged in such youthful sports as wintry swims in the Potomac. President Roosevelt showed similar courage in tackling financial tycoons or forcing Spain out of Cuba. TR was a significant figure on the political stage from the 1880s through World War I.He was an active, early conservationist. Betsy Kraft's well-paced, illustrated biography will engage young (and older) adults. The author brings this man and his era to life.Public libraries and high schools should find it valuable. ... Read more