Product Description
With this revelatory and painstakingly researched book, Martha Washington, the invisible woman of American history, at last gets the biography she deserves. In place of the domestic frump of popular imagination, Patricia Brady resurrects the wealthy, attractive, and vivacious young widow who captivated the youthful George Washington. Here are the able landowner, the indomitable patriot (who faithfully joined her husband each winter at Valley Forge), and the shrewd diplomat and emotional mainstay. And even as it brings Martha Washington into sharper and more accurate focus, this sterling life sheds light on her marriage, her society, and the precedents she established for future First Ladies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Interesting and easy to read
Insightful book! Finally shows Martha Washington as her own person other than George's wife. Interesting details!

Good read, well written.
It was a good read - well written. It's about a beautiful, elegant young woman who marries George Washington. It's a good combination of social history and biography.

The accounting for her resistence to her husband's attitude about freeing the slaves
The book is written in context of some of our shallowest values in American culture regarding how women appear and not nearly enough about how they influence the development of the national concscience.Mrs. Adams was more admirable, whereas Mrs. Washington was just the first.She cared for her husband well but seemed not to share much of the sensibilities of the issues of the time.Her resistence to his desire to free the slaves after his death, as he had grown to believe was appropriate, was a case in point of the smallness of her viewpoint.The fact that she felt her life threathen after his death was the impetus for changing her mind, which brings into question how she had related to them(the slaves) over the years.She was the first woman of stature in the country to demonstrate how other women of different races were exploited and oppressed to preserve her way of life.

I prefer homages to Eleanor Rosevelt as examples to teach young girls values of consequence. I am surprised that we would want to elevate one more "southern belle" who just wanted to dressup and look pretty while the servants were living in hell.We already have Scarlet O'hara.

The author's recreation of her youthful image feels so anti-feminist since it seems to attach too much value to how she looked rather than how she acted. Such superficiality.

Very Readable
I thought this book was pretty well written.The author did a nice job telling the story of not only Martha but the Washington family without getting bogged down by too many details.I also learned a lot about day to day colonial life.The reason I give it 4 stars is because the author let her dislike of Thomas Jefferson show through.She mentioned that Jefferson didn't really think much of Martha but then later in the book took one paragragh and really threw Jefferson 'under the bus' so to speak.I found the paragraph out of charactor for the whole book and wondered why the editor kept it in.

Informative and Entertaining
This look at the life of Martha Washington was very interesting.She really seems to be a woman lost to history by her legendary husband's very large shadow but this book gives a look at her strength and intelligence and also at the time in which they lived.A must read for any woman with an interest in American History. ... 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

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
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
Through press coverage, U.S. first ladies have become some of the most prominent and recognized figures in American politics. While the U.S. Constitution doesn t enumerate the responsibilities of the first lady, a succession of dynamic women, beginning with Martha Washington, have shaped this post into a highly visible public office. First ladies have performed a variety of public and private roles, from hostess, escort, and social advocate to advisor and policymaker. The gendered nature of the position, however, has always influenced first ladies performance as they balanced their institutional duties with high expectations from the press and the public that they serve as role models for American women.


In First Ladies and the Fourth Estate, Burns analyzes the coverage of presidents wives in five leading newspapers and magazines The New York Times, The Washington Post, Ladies' Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, and McCall's to prove that the press has helped shape the first lady institution as well as influence the changing social and political roles of American women. By examining press portrayals of 20th-century first ladies, Burns highlights the intersection of gender, publicity, and power at particular historical moments. Through the years, journalists have used both the gender ideals of the time and the collective memories of previous first ladies to assess the performance of the president's wife.


The first lady has emerged as a celebrity, an advocate for humanitarian causes, and, in more recent years, a political activist. Burns argues that this evolution of the first lady institution from the "new woman" of the early 1900s to the "new traditionalist" and "superwoman" of the 1990s, and from the domesticity of the Cold War to the activism of second wave feminism spurred increasingly critical press coverage as the presidential wives expanded their sphere of influence from the personal to the political. The interdisciplinary approach of this study reveals the significance of the first lady institution not only to women s history and gender studies but also to the study of U.S. history, the American presidency, political communication, rhetorical criticism, and media history. ... Read more

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

1. Which president killed a man?
2. Which president had just fathered an illegitimate child when he entered the White House?
3. Which first lady taught her husband how to read and write?
4. Which president broke his arm jumping out of a window to escape his mistress's husband?
5. Which president's daughter married another president's grandson?
6. Who was the only president to be preceded and succeeded by the same man?
7. Which president had a secret operation performed to remove a cancerous jaw?
8. Which president's last words were "My nourishment is palatable."

Written by a White House speechwriter who actually served five presidents, this irresistible collection of presidential trivia reveals the more colorful side of American history. Following a Q&A format and organized around 31 themes, Which President Killed a Man? will captivate trivia fans and history buffs of every political persuasion.

Answers:

1. Andrew Jackson
2. Warren Harding
3. Andrew Johnson's wife Eliza
4. Thomas Jefferson
5. Richard Nixon
6. Benjamin Harrison
7. Grover Cleveland
8. Millard Fillmore

Customer Reviews (2)

Very amusing
If you love presidential trivia you'll find this one to be very amusing. It not only satisfied my trivia yen but it actually gives the reader a pretty good biographical portrait of some of the more interesting presidents.

Lincoln was probably the most tragic president but did you know that he once offered to use cow dung in a duel? Did you know that his wife Mary went wild if another woman ever got too close to Abe? Did you know that he loved Macbeth and idolized George Washington?

Franklin Pierce has to be one of the top five most tragic figures in White House history. In one day he lost his young son, his wife's love and ended up on the road to alcoholism and a presidentcy that disappointed everyone.

Herbert Hoover was another sad figure. On paper his administration should have been an unflashy but dignified success. Despite his experience, intelligence and stamina he got hit with the Depression and was unfairly blamed for it.

And don't forget Woodrow Wilson. He's often presented as a plaster saint but ole Woodrow was far from that. He was loved by the ladies, made up obscene limericks and was a rip roaring, shameless racist.

The president who comes "alive" the most on these pages is Theodore Roosevelt. What a man! Cowboy, naturalist, cop, adventurer, statesmen, wit, and force of nature. After reading this book of trivia I decided to go find a good biography of TR.

Political bias in an innocent-sounding cover - be forewarned
Although I enjoyed the trivia in this book and learned a lot of tidbits, the longer I read, the more I was put off by the obvious political bias.It's subtle, but after awhile it becomes unmistakable.The Harding scandals, for instance, are characterized as follows: "Harding was personally honest but exploited by his business cronies."Rosalynn Carter, we are told, "wore an old dress to the inaugural" (she could have instead been characterized as "economical").Nixon's scandals are never mentioned without an accompanying comment regarding the poor character traits of his Democratic foes.George W. Bush is called a "fine student," while we are told that Clinton "never earned a degree at Oxford" (he was not in fact on a degree-granting program).The author gives an account of Teddy Roosevelt's attitude toward muckraking that does not comport with what I have read by other historians.The instances of bias compile the longer you read; these are just a few of the numerous examples.

James Humes is a former speechwriter for Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, and the first Bush, so I suppose this bias is not surprising, and I personally have no problem with partisan argument per se.I'm an Independent voter so I have no particular axe to grind in either direction.What bothers me is that a clearly partisan stance is packaged in an apparently neutral and innocent, "fun" wrapper--"tantalizing trivia and fun facts."It's disingenious and deceitful.I believe readers deserve to know when they are getting something different than what is advertised.If Humes is trying to make a case for Republican "honesty" and superior values, it is ironic that he does so in a most dishonest manner.

Had I known there were so many "mini-sermons" embedded among the "tantalizing trivia," I would have saved my [money].Good presidential trivia books abound, and most of them are marketed more honestly than this deceptive little volume.Truly irresponsible reporting and marketing.Mr. Humes, your prejudices are showing. ... Read more

Product Description
Here are the personal philosophies, opinions, thoughts, witticisms, and feelings of some of America's most upstanding and quintessential first ladies. ... 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
He was the only president from Pennsylvania. He was the last president to be born in the eighteenth century. He was the last of the Federalist Era presidents. He was the eighth in a line of successive one-term presidents. He was the last president to serve before the Civil War. Inaugurated in 1857, he was the last Democrat to serve as chief executive until President Grover Cleveland took the oath of office in 1885. His niece would be the first woman to be referred to as First Lady. She would establish a style that would not be witnessed again until the Kennedy administration in the 1960s. He was our only bachelor president. His closest friend for nearly twenty years would be our only bachelor vice president. He may have been a homosexual. He was blamed for the Civil War. After his death, she would continue in public life, establishing a pediatric center, a national gallery, a boy’s school and a monument in his honor. He was the fifteenth president of the United States, and she was his official hostess and the envy of every woman in America. He was James Buchanan, and she was Harriet Lane. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Educational, thorough and well researched
This author knows his history, and he has an excellent grasp of what made Buchanan tick. I have just finished reading his second book, Harriet Lane, America's First Lady, and it is extremely entertaining and informative. I wish I had a chance to meet James Buchanan and Harriet Lane.

Great resource on the lives of James Buchanan & Harriet Lane
What a great resource on the interesting lives of the fifteenth President of the United States and his niece, the first woman to be called First Lady, Harriet Lane. There is an enormous amount of new material in the book, including never before published letters and other documents. I really enjoyed all the author's facts and other tidbits of interesting information.
I understand he is working on his second book, an extensive biography of Harriet Lane and her life after the White House.
I am looking forward to it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An Excellent Book on First Ladies and the Press
Maurine Beasley is a leading scholar of First Ladies and their press relations. This well-written and well-researched book brings together a great deal of valuable information about how presidential wives handled journalists, with special emphasis on the modern period. Anyone interested in how the press covers a First Lady will find this volume an excellent place to start for helpful sources and wise analysis. ... Read more

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Describes Martha Washington, wife of the first president of the United States, her activities during the Revolutionary Was and as first lady, and some of the foods she served at various stages in her life.Includes recipes. ... Read more

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Describes Edith Roosevelt, wife of the twenty sixth president of the United States, her role as first lady, and some of the foods she served at various stages in her life.Includes recipes. ... Read more

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Meet Michelle Obama and all her predecessors in the first book that profiles every woman who has served as our nation's First Lady. In America's First Ladies: Power Players from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama, Rae Lindsay reports behind-the-scenes details about the lives of these forty-plus un-elected, unpaid women who filled what many call the world s hardest job.

They range from the famous to the obscure, from the beloved to the unpopular, from the well-educated to those who could barely read. Some were elegant and gregarious entertainers; others endured grief and pain in private. Many served as their husbands' eyes, ears and voices. Some bloomed, while others wilted under the light of public scrutiny. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, Any woman who goes into public life has to have a hide like a rhinoceros.

When Michelle Obama took on the First Lady role she set some major precedents: not only is she the first black First Lady, but in addition, her great-great-grandfather was a slave. She has vowed to be "Mom-in-Chief" to her pre-teen daughters (the youngest children to live in the White House since Amy Carter), but her education and career experience will lead her to take on significant national projects as well. Barack Obama calls her his "rock," and, in this role, she most certainly will act as her husband's influential "eyes and ears."

In America's First Ladies, Rae Lindsay relates the major roles played by our Presidents wives or surrogates, as well as the First Lady foibles that impacted on presidential families and, sometimes, our country. Martha Washington was such a poor speller that often George wrote her letters for her. She also recycled muslin grain sacks as morning dresses. Abigail Adams often wrote three love letters a day to her husband; in one she urged him to remember the ladies, one of the first feminist statements.

Dolley Madison and Nancy Reagan fudged their true birth dates Eliza Johnson and Abigail Fillmore taught their husbands, Andrew Johnson and Millard Fillmore, to read. Mamie Eisenhower transformed much of the White House into Mamie Pink and often greeted her staff, in bed, wearing a Mamie Pink bedjacket. Julia Grant wanted an operation to fix her cross-eyes and wanted to live off campus in Georgetown; Ulysses S. Grant denied both these goals.

Eleanor Roosevelt absentmindedly served sweetbreads to FDR six days in a row, and gave away silver teaspoons to visitors as White House souvenirs. Mary Lincoln ordered $1,000 in mourning clothes over a year before Lincoln was assassinated;a shopaholic, during one spree she bought over 100 pairs of gloves. Jacqueline Kennedy was criticized for reportedly spending $60,000 on clothes, while Pat Nixon wore a respectable Republican cloth coat. Jane Pierce stayed upstairs at the White House writing letters to her dead sons during Franklin Pierce s term in office. Pat Nixon urged her husband to destroy all his tapes; his refusal led to Watergate and his resignation. Sarah Polk, Helen Taft, and Rosalynn Carter attended their husband s cabinet meetings. Betty Ford and Nancy Reagan relied on astrologers for clues about their husbands futures.

In America's First Ladies, Lindsay tells you about parties and problems, weddings and funerals...cows on the White House lawn and rats in the White House walls...and about the women who cared deeply about what was happening in their country, as well as those who couldn t care less. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Wow! Interesting read.
There's tons of stuff in here about which I had no idea!Well put together and obviously well-researched.A great read from cover to cover.

A Great Read
Great book, very insightful and flows beautifully.Gives a good inside look at these fantastic ladies! ... Read more

Product Description
"I went to Yale. There, a bulldog was the mascot, but somehow, the jowled bulldog's status got diminished over the years, while Reveille lives on, sparking the Aggies on to greatness. Go Reveille!"--George H. W. Bush, former President of the United States

Reveille needs no introduction to Aggies; she is the First Lady of Texas A&M--surrounded by traditions, honored and privileged anywhere on campus. She is a goodwill ambassador as well as a mascot, a symbol of Aggieland as well as the highest ranking officer in A&M's Corps of Cadets. Her lifestyle, accessibility, and popularity combine to make her, above all, among the most widely beloved dogs in the country.

This richly illustrated book traces the history of Reveille, from the first mutt of uncertain origins to Reveille VII, an American collie of purebred lineage and scientific breeding. It tells the collective story of the lives of Reveille at Texas A&M: Reveille's life in the dorm and her privileges in classrooms; the dog-napping by in-state rivals that made national news in the 1990s; and her effect on the lives of those who have shared the campus with her, cared for her, and loved her.

A visible part of university life throughout the year, for many students Reveille is the pet they left at home. Rusty and Vannessa Burson have gathered anecdotes, statistics, and pictures that tell the little-known story of a well-known dog: her origins, tales and traditions, antics and adventures, and evolving role. It is the story of special dogs, caring people, and a legacy shaped through the decades.

The text is accompanied by formal portraits of the successive Revs and candid snaps of her at work and at play. Further spice is added through interspersed facts and figures and quotes from the many people whose lives she has touched.

Like Lassie, Old Yeller, and Rin Tin Tin, Reveille appeals to any dog lover--but she has a special place in the hearts of her fellow Aggies. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

What beautiful dogs!
What? You're an Aggie or a fan, and you need to know if you would like this book? Okay, then. It's a warm, informative, and enthusiastic look at one of A&M's most endearing traditions. This book is an easy read and is well-illustrated with beautiful color photos of the First Ladies. You'll probably finish reading it in a session or two. Read it, enjoy it, and then go get your picture made with Reveille! ... 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

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A biography of the man who led the colonial army in its fight for independence from England and went on to become a new nation's first president. ... Read more

Product Description
"below the peacock fan" traces the progress of five aristocratic english gentlewomen who suddenly found themselves, with the appointment of brother or husband as viceroy of india, expected to accompany him to that distant disturbing land. One moment, they were looking forward to afternoon tea under the elms if the mists cleared in time and the sun came out- the next, they were painfully uprooted and flung half-way round the world to a country where to venture outdoors when the sun struck dowm at noon was to risk sudden death. UK YES ... Read more