Amazon.com
Christopher Buckley is not so much a novelist as a free-ranging satirist looking for targets. In Thank You for Smoking it was big tobacco and earnest reformers; in God Is My Broker it was business and religion; and in No Way to Treat a First Lady, it's the entire legal profession, not to mention the Washington establishment. The novel opens with the President of the United States returning to the conjugal bed after an illicit Lincoln Bedroom romp with the Streisandesque Babette Van Anka. His wife, the long-suffering Beth McMann, promptly clocks him with a Paul Revere spittoon. Several hours later he dies. "Lady Bethmac," as the First Lady is immediately dubbed by the media, is put on trial, and the resulting media circus gives Buckley lots of opportunity for nicely observed skewerings of legal culture. "Judge Dutch creaked forward in his chair. This is the source of the aura of judges: they have bigger chairs than anyone else. That and the fact that they can sentence people to sit in electrified ones. It's all about chairs." He gets in some neat neologisms--a lawyer performs a "credibilobotomy" on a witness--and sends up the pretensions of law TV: at a roundtable discussion, the guest from Harvard Law is invited "to provide gravitas and to shift uneasily in his seat when the other guests said something provocative." Buckley's Trial of the Millennium is so far-fetched that it seems entirely possible. --Claire Dederer
Book Description
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year
Elizabeth Tyler MacMann, the ambitious First Lady of the United States (and known in the tabloids as “Lady Bethmac”), is on trial for the death of her philandering husband, and the only man who can save her is the boyfriend she jilted in law school—now the most shameless defense attorney in America. Published to rave reviews,
No Way to Treat a First Lady is a hilariously warped love story for our time set in the funniest place in America: Washington, D.C.
Download Description
Christopher Buckley, the bestselling author of the comic classics The White House Mess and Thank You for Smoking, returns to the funniest place in America: Washington, D.C.
Elizabeth Tyler MacMann, the First Lady of the United States, has been charged with killing her philandering husband, the President of the United States. In the midst of a bedroom spat, she allegedly hurled a historic Paul Revere spittoon at him, with tragic results. The attorney general has no choice but to put the First Lady on trial for assassination.
The media has never warmed to Beth MacMann (her nickname in the tabloids is “Lady Bethmac”), and as America girds for a scandalous, sensational trial, Beth reaches out to the only defense attorney she trusts, Boyce “Shameless” Baylor, who charges $1,000 an hour and has represented a Who’s Who of scoundrels: murderous running backs, society wife-killers, Los Alamos spies, and national-security sellouts.
Why Boyce Baylor? Because Beth loved him once, when they were law students. Boyce wanted to marry her, but Beth chose the future President instead. Now, after all these years, Boyce has a second chance. To what lengths will a shameless lawyer go to win the Trial of the Millennium and regain the love of his life?
Buckley has been described by the Los Angeles Times Book Review as “one of the best and surest political humorists in America” and by Entertainment Weekly as “a superb writer of politically incorrect satire.” No Way to Treat a First Lady is flat-out hilarious. And furthermore, it’s a love story for our time.
"Unspeakably and endlessly funny. Unless you're a former president. Wicked humorist Buckley shoots fish in a barrel and makes them dance."
KIRKUS REVIEWS
"The lurid sexual excesses of the late 90's provide plenty of comic fodder for Buckley's latest satire, which doubles as a legal thriller. The political humor is first-rate as usual, as Buckley has plenty of fun with the slimy, silly mess that is Beltway politics. This is one of his better efforts, which should keep Buckley on the 'A' list of American satirists."
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Customer Reviews:
Buckley eviscerates a certain presidential power couple.......2007-09-06
This book is a riot. The ever delightful Buckley details what happens when philandering President Ken MacMann (not based on any recent presidents) dies after being hit by a silver Paul Revere spittoon thrown by edgy, lawyer First Lady Beth Tyler MacMann (bearing no resemblance to any recent first ladies) after being caught sneaking back into their White House bedroom at 2:30 a.m. from the Lincoln Bedroom, where he was building a bridge to 21st century Hollywood donations with actress, singer, activist and serial Lincoln bedroom visitor Babette Van Anka. (She's not based on any real characters, either.)
As he's found dead in the morning, his forehead bearing the reverse imprint "Revere" where the spittoon hit him, Beth MacMann is charged with assassinating her husband. She turns to the nation's top trial lawyer, Shameless Boyce, who also happens to be the fiance she dumped to marry MacMann a quarter century before in law school.
In the ensuing Trial of the Millenium. Boyce successfully chips away the government's case, until his client insists on testifying - to rehabilitate her image so that she can later run for office - and all hell breaks loose.
If you ever suffered from either Clinton or OJ fatigue (or, likely, both), you won't be able to put down this delicious satire. With the finest of literary scalpels, Buckley eviscerates politicians, TV-trial commentators, spin managers, jury analysts, Hollywood activists, preening superlawyers and mostly the once and seemingly future occupants of the White House.
Entertaining read, witty satire.......2006-09-17
Christopher Buckley's novel is an entertaining blend of satire and wit, that makes the mark the all good satire must achieve: Are the characters and the profession they represent reviled by the author, or respected for their achievements? Also, like all good satire, one can almost imagine the state of affairs depicted in this fictional novel actually occuring. Witnessing the spectacles of several trials of the century in the past few years, Buckley presents the "Trial of the Millenium", the First Lay on trial for the murder of the phialndering President.
The satirical commentary is as much about the American public as it is about the legal profession.
Funny, funny novel.......2006-08-20
Buckley really gets how Washington works, or doesn't. As a fed, I just howl with laughter. He skewers all the pompous and wrong headed people who try to run this country. Moreover, he knows how to tell a good and entertaining story.
No Way to Treat a First Lady: A Novel.......2005-08-31
Although this was entertaining in places and an very easy read it was no Carl Hiaasen. The verbal exchange between the main characters was creative but anyone with even a minor knowledge of the law would find the plot far from believeable.
Not a bad read to throw in your beach bag or take to the cabin for some easy weekend reading but thats about it.
hilarious!.......2005-04-18
No Way to Treat a First Lady is funny, witty, and smart. I'm a big fan of Christopher Buckley- he takes witty political satire and turns it into an engaging novel. I highly recommend No Way To Treat a First Lady in addition to Little Green Men and Thank You for Not Smoking.
Book Description
To tie in with the paperback publication of volume II of Blanche Wiesen Cook's acclaimed biography of Eleanor Roosevelt
"Mrs. Roosevelt's autobiography is above all the portrait of a person. The history it gives is history as she has seen it-not in the round but directly, with her clear and candid eye. Since, however, she has seen so much and from so central a point of vision, her reflections on our world and on our human prospects have more than an autobiographical interest. She is a very wise woman, and it would be correspondingly unwise not to take notice of her hopes-and fears."
-Barbara Ward
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating Life.......2006-02-17
I bought this book during a visit to Eleanor Roosevelt's Val-Kill Cottage in Hyde Park. I had read Doris Kearn's "No Ordinary Time" years prior and it had stoked an deep interest in me for more on the Roosevelts of Hyde Park. This book is an interesting look at a woman whose transformation impacted the nation and the world. Surely, she is the most interesting and influential woman of the 20th Century.
The book covers a great many historical events as well as personal incidents in her life. The early years give us a glimpse into the thinking of an awkward and self-conscious girl. She guides us through her growing involvement in New York politics. The presidential years are interesting. But I found that reading a book ABOUT Eleanor in those years as opposed to reading her self deprecating and understated views was mor enlightening. The most captivating portions ofthis book were the post presidential years, particularly her roleas a UN Delegage and as Chairman of the Human Rights Commission. I thought the book was good, although I had to keep reminding myself that an autobiography is one person's personal story of events - not the grand history of events.
I am very glad I read her autobiography and read her own words. She is that much more a compelling woman to me. History buffs should not shy away from this book. Immensely readable, with an occasional slow spot.
A Remarkable Woman.......2005-04-21
This book sheds light a long period of American history through the narration of an amazing woman who you will grow to admire as much as I did. Born into an elite aristocratic American family, Eleanor could have remained hemmed in by the insular values with which she was raised. Women were supposed to stay out of politics, Anglo-Saxons were supposed to run the country and only mingle amongst themselves, and the poor deserved their lot.
Eleanor grew up with a lot of the prejudices someone of her class and generation might be expected to have but then she transformed into a woman who fought tirelessly against poverty, racism, sexism, and injustices of all kinds. I think that is her true legacy and what makes her so remarkable. In a society that wanted women to be purely ornamental, Eleanor could have done as so many women of her age and class did, remain prisoners to their narrow views and beliefs.
But Eleanor did more. Because she was not conventionally attractive, she was supposed to hide away from society. Because she was a woman, she wasn't supposed to get involved in political affairs. But she got involved! She told FDR what she thought about everything, urging him to pass anti-lynching legislation, include more women in his cabinet, and earning his profound respect-if not always his complience!
Sometimes she could be a bit naive, (like when, in the fifties, she told a soviet leader how much Americans had done to improve the "life of the negro", but Eleanor's empathy, compassion, humility and personal strength comes through so strongly in these profoundly human writings of hers that I really think anyone would enjoy them. What a wonderful woman!
Copelling read.......2005-03-11
While reading this book you get to share in the many personal experiences of Eleanor Roosevelt. She does not focus much on her relationships, rather she focuses on sharing her experiences. The places she has gone to and the people she has talked to are absolutley amazing. She shares her firsthand experiences of the mine workers and her talks with people in communist Russia. It is amazing that just one woman has seen and heard from so many varying perspectives. She really did try to empathize with the people and situations around her and this really comes out in her book. I think many people can learn from reading this book on how to be a better listener and observer and critical thinker of the life happening around you.
Completing the ER collection:.......2004-09-25
If you're looking for a "first" Eleanor biography, don't start with this one. Read it eventually, but not at first.
If you have read her collected writings, "No Ordinary Time" or the biography(ies) by Blanche Wiesen Cook this autobiography is a much needed voice. It may not be as engrossing or tantlizing as the others, but it offers a layered look into her history. I struggled with the Wiesen Cook books but ended up enjoying them very much and I would have to say that with out them, this autobiography would not have had such an impact. What she shares in her autobiography is enlightening at times, but what is more significant is the specifics she leaves out or vaguely refers to in the generalist of terms.
The best way to describe this book is comparing it to a long chat with a woman you've respected for a long time. You knew things about her, you heard the rumors, but now you're sitting with her, listening to her tell you how she really felt things happened.
An amazing, fascinating woman writes a dull, lifeless book.......2004-07-14
Eleanor Roosevelt's autobiography provides very little information about her life. She vaguely refers to many seemingly important events (such as the death of her father, her husband's presidency) with little emotion and no detail whatsoever. If you know a lot about her and the politics of the time already, it may offer an interesting perspective. If you want to know details of ER's incredibly interesting life, read her biography by Blanch Weisen Cook.
Amazon.com
As with most books written by politicians while in office (or at least aiming for one), Living History is, first and foremost, safe. There are interesting observations and anecdotes, the writing is engaging, and there is enough inside scoop to appeal to those looking for a bit of gossip, but there are no bombshells here and it is doubtful the book will change many minds about this polarizing figure. This does not mean the work is without merit, however, for Hillary Clinton has much to say about her experience as first lady, which is the primary focus of the book. Those interested in these experiences and her commentary on them will find the book worth reading; those looking for revelations will be disappointed.
Beginning with a brief outline of her childhood, college years, introduction to politics, and her courtship with Bill Clinton, Clinton covers a wide variety of topics: life on the campaign trail, her troubled tenure as leader of the President's Task Force on National Health Care Reform, meeting with foreign leaders, and her work on human rights, to name a few. By necessity, she also addresses the various scandals that plagued the administration, from Travelgate to Whitewater to impeachment, though she does not go into great detail about each one; rather, she seems content to simply state her case and move on without trying to settle too many old scores.
Along the way, she offers many apologies, though perhaps not the kind some would expect. She does not shy away from her "vast right-wing conspiracy" comment, for instance, though she does wish that she had expressed herself differently. Regarding the Monica Lewinsky scandal, she maintains that her husband initially lied to her, as he did the rest of the country, and did not come clean until two days prior to his grand jury testimony. Calling his betrayal "the most devastating, shocking and hurtful experience of my life," she explains what the aftermath was like personally and why she has elected to stand by her man. In all, Living History is an informative book that goes a long way toward humanizing one of the most recognizable, and controversial, women of our age. Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
The Phenomenal #1 Worldwide Bestseller
WITH A NEW AFTERWORD
Hillary Rodham Clinton is known to hundreds of millions of people around the world. Yet few beyond her close friends and family have ever heard her account of her extraordinary journey. She writes with candor, humor and passion about her upbringing in suburban, middle-class America in the 1950s and her transformation from Goldwater Girl to student activist to controversial First Lady. Living History is her revealing memoir of life through the White House years. It is also her chronicle of living history with Bill Clinton, a thirty-year adventure in love and politics that survives personal betrayal, relentless partisan investigations and constant public scrutiny.
Hillary Rodham Clinton came of age during a time of tumultuous social and political change in America. Like many women of her generation, she grew up with choices and opportunities unknown to her mother or grandmother. She charted her own course through unexplored terrain -- responding to the changing times and her own internal compass -- and became an emblem for some and a lightning rod for others. Wife, mother, lawyer, advocate and international icon, she has lived through America's great political wars, from Watergate to Whitewater.
The only First Lady to play a major role in shaping domestic legislation, Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled tirelessly around the country to champion health care, expand economic and educational opportunity and promote the needs of children and families, and she crisscrossed the globe on behalf of women's rights, human rights and democracy. She redefined the position of First Lady and helped save the presidency from an unconstitutional, politically motivated impeachment. Intimate, powerful and inspiring, Living History captures the essence of one of the most remarkable women of our time and the challenging process by which she came to define herself and find her own voice -- as a woman and as a formidable figure in American politics.
Download Description
Hillary Rodham Clinton is known to hundreds of millions of people around the world. Yet few beyond her close friends and family have ever heard her account of her extraordinary journey. She writes with candor, humor and passion about her upbringing in suburban, middle-class America in the 1950s and her transformation from Goldwater Girl to student activist to controversial First Lady. Living History is her revealing memoir of life through the White House years. It is also her chronicle of living history with Bill Clinton, a thirty-year adventure in love and politics that survives personal betrayal, relentless partisan investigations and constant public scrutiny. Hillary Rodham Clinton came of age during a time of tumultuous social and political change in America. Like many women of her generation, she grew up with choices and opportunities unknown to her mother or grandmother. She charted her own course through unexplored terrain - responding to the changing times and her own internal compass - and became an emblem for some and a lightning rod for others. Wife, mother, lawyer, advocate and international icon, she has lived through America's great political wars, from Watergate to Whitewater. The only First Lady to play a major role in shaping domestic legislation, Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled tirelessly around the country to champion health care, expand economic and educational opportunity and promote the needs of children and families, and she crisscrossed the globe on behalf of women's rights, human rights and democracy. She redefined the position of First Lady and helped save the presidency from an unconstitutional, politically motivated impeachment. Intimate, powerful and inspiring, Living History captures the essence of one of the most remarkable women of our time and the challenging process by which she came to define herself and find her own voice - as a woman and as a formidable figure in American politics.
Customer Reviews:
The hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-19
I was too cheap to buy this book but I borrowed a copy from the library. Surprisingly I found that I liked Hilary more than I thought I would. Despite all the allegations about her cold, calculating and aggressive "masculine" nature, I found her to be very feminine and womanly. I enjoyed especially hearing about her Republican dad and her basically middle-class upbringing.
She is obviously concerned about women and children issues. To be truthful she sounds very "girly" to me - not the least bit "manly" - and being a man and liking the status, I don't know if this is a good thing.
She obviously had a better editor than her husband. Her book reads nicely and is of acceptable length. Bill is another story but we all know about Bill.
So would I vote for Hillary for president? Sure, girls don't scare me - and the smarter they are, the better.
I liked it.......2007-08-17
I don't know what people were expecting out of this book. She spent eight years in the spotlight, and was exonerated of all charges, so you weren't expecting any surprises were you? And it is a memoir, one that she freely admits to being her take on events. I know she can be polarizing, but she is also a good writer. There's nothing clunky about this book and it covers most everything quite well. It's good, regardless of your politics.
I love Hillary Clinton!.......2007-07-16
I read this book when it came out and I thought it was very good. She's a great author and a wonderful person. I'm sick of conservatives constantly going after her. She is a good person and you can tell in her book that she is a good wife as well. I liked reading about how she grew up the best. Yes I support Hillary Clinton and if she gets the nomination I will vote for her as well. Vote yes if you like Hillary Clinton and support her running for president!
Love Her, or Hate Her, Its The Real Deal........2007-07-09
As we move through the year 2007, the 2008 Presidential race is already in high gear, and it is very possible that we may have our first female President in Hillary Clinton.
I enjoyed this book for the way it "filled in the blanks" about her early life, but also went into great candor about her private tribulations, in a VERY public life. Her telling of the period when she learned the truth about President Clinton's affair with a certain intern, was chilling and real, and we perhaps came to respect her
decision to remain married to him. Mrs. Clinton attempted to do more with her role as First Lady than many of her more recent contemporaries, and while some find this unsetteling, hello, this is America. A women can choose her course, and the First Lady should be no different.
To me, the most telling part of the book is when she talks about the campaign trail. Yes, in our nation politics has bceome a very big game, and as she puts it, if you can't play the game, don't run.
Thankfully, Mrs. Clinton can play the game, and play it quite well!
Ken
Engaging, absorbing and truthful.......2007-07-03
As a foreigner, I found her book very interesting and informative. She is an excellent writer and the book showed her intelligence, dilligence and determination. She is on her way back to the white house.
Book Description
First-hand reporting and revelations of recent behind the scenes maneuverings that shows the reality between her carefully crafted image.
Customer Reviews:
Pathetic Drivel.......2007-05-31
I was hoping for some intelligent insight into Hillary Clinton when I bought this book. Clearly, much can be said on both sides of this subject. I am trying to listen carefully to both and then make up my mind about her.
This is the equivalent to a rant from a right-wing Rosie O'Donnell. Don't waste your money on this rehash of old news.
Amazing coincidence.......2007-05-17
It is quite an amazing co-incidence that at least in some ways this book presented as "fact" seems to mirror a book presented as "fiction" which is entitled The Empress Project. Both books tell of an American woman of boundless and unbridled ambition seeking ruthlessly to become president of the United States. Author Tyrrell calls Hillary "Madame Hillary", while Dr. Little, author of the other book, writes a story of political intrigue about a CHICOM plot to make an evil American woman Empress of America. Are the similarities of these two books merely coincidental ?The Empress Project
Hillary-mania : A wonderful thing!.......2005-06-30
Whatever Hillary Clinton says and does is perfectly alright with me! If Hillary says it, then it's the truth. Hillary is perfect in every way! I love Hillary so very much!
Great book about a big liar.......2005-02-06
R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. should be given a lot of thanks for exposing the liar named Hillary Rodham.
Thank you R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr.!!!!!
Swing and a miss, a good article expanded to a book.......2004-08-19
Plainly stated, I was disappointed with this book. I am certainly part of the target audience for this book, being pretty disgusted with the Clinton duo. However, what I hoped for was a factual tome of the flaws, failings, and deceit of the junior senator from NY. What I got was a repetetive, smarmy, and poorly constructed screed against her that offered little new information and was so partisan in tone that it became untrustworthy even as a source of dirt. Authors on both sides of the political debate need to realize that too snippy a tone tends to turn off the average reader.
In more detail, the book is full of allegations of radical beliefs, wretched interpersonal skills, and bald-faced deceit but precious few illustrations of same. Don't tell me that Senator Clinton is a horrid person to work for with no sense of two-way loyalty, give me examples. Don't quote the radicals who supposedly influenced her beliefs, show me examples of her demonstrating those beliefs.
In short, while there is some interesting information in this book, it misses the mark. It could have been an exhaustive record of the senator's changing of beliefs, opportunism, and political deceit. Intead, we get an annoyingly repetetive and shrill attack without a great deal of substance. For anyone but those who simply want to nod and agree without learning anything new, this book is a wash.
Book Description
Our original Big Book of U.S. Presidents has sold more than 200,000 copies! It was also a Scholastic Book Club Selection, and continues to be a perennial favorite in the $9.98 Courage Children's line. This updated edition features a revised profile of George W. Bush, plus a look ahead to our next president. In fact, it will be published less than 3 months after the 2004 election, close to inauguration, and will be one of the first books to feature a profile of the newest president. This fascinating introduction to U.S. government includes famous quotes, achievements, and a detailed timeline for quick reference to historical eras and events, plus more than 50 illustrations.
Full-color illustrations
Customer Reviews:
Politically Correct Revisionist History.......2007-01-14
This book, and it's companion, The New Big Book of America, are written from an extremely liberal and politically correct point of view. The authors bend over backwards to make the white colonists and Presidents appear as arrogant, indifferent, and overbearing in regards to everyone who is not a white male. Each President's page is around 50% about the President's actual achievements, and around 50% about the current Native American, Women's suffrage, and Civil Rights issues of the day.
These authors have an agenda, and it comes across very clear. If you want your child influenced by this politically correct revisionist history, then be sure to pick this one up.
Loved it!.......2007-01-11
This book is fantastic for students who like to have a nice overview and not be bogged down in too many details. I liked that there was a picture of each and every president (perfect for visual learners), a nice timeline throughout the book, and some other pictures of related events. I also liked how it was so up-to-date and not missing any major events in recent history. My 80+ grandmother, my 58 year old father, and I all found it very interesting. It is a book that you could pick up and learn something in just a few minutes. I bought it for my young children. I think it will be perfect for reports and helping them get a general understanding of American History and Government. I wish I would've had a book like this when I was in 4th grade learning about all the presidents for the first time.
A perfect biography.......2005-03-16
This book was great! I am a person who truly enjoyed this book. This book gives facts in an easy -to- find way. A person of any age- from a child to an adult would be able to read and enjoy this book. This book interested me to read more biographies on U.S. presidents. I, being a child when I read this, recommend it to everyone who likes non-fiction books.
An ideal introduction for young readers .......2005-03-04
President's Day is the annual holiday in which we honor all the men who have served in the highest political office our country has -- the Presidency of the United States of America. Now in a fully revised and updated edition to include George W. Bush, and with new artwork to enhance an informative text identifying each president in our country's history, young readers will encounter fun facts such as Thomas Jefferson's personal library of approximately 6,000 books was donated by him to create the Library of Congress. Ulysses S. Grant once received a speeding ticket on his horse! Rutherford B. Hayes' wife was the first "First Lady" to graduate from college. Franklin Roosevelt was the first president to appoint a woman (Frances Perkins) to serve in the cabinet. Featuring a timeline detailing the great inventions, literature, wars, and other historical contributions that shaped the lives and offices of these men, The New Big Book Of U.S. Presidents is an ideal introduction for young readers to the lives and accomplishments of these great men.
Book Description
In a letter to David Gurewitsch, Eleanor Roosevelt's personal physician and friend during the last fifteen years of her life, Mrs. Roosevelt wrote, "Above all others, you are the one to whom my heart is tied......" This defines the intense relationship between Eleanor Roosevelt and David Gurewitsch-- friends who often traveled and entertained together and eventually, after his marriage to Edna Perkel, bought and shared a town house in Manhattan.Their private friendship, a companionship they both treasured, has always intrigued historians, but not much was known about it. David kept diaries and took thousands of photographs, but he never publicly discussed their time together. Now, for the first time, his wife, Edna, has decided to reveal their story and hers after she married into their complicated relationship. Reading David's diaries and the hundreds of letters that he and Mrs. Roosevelt exchanged over the years, and then reflecting on her own life after the death of her husband, enabled Edna finally to write this story. She sheds new light on Mrs. Roosevelt's very private journey of self-discovery as she gained the confidence and knowledge to follow her own personal and political convictions: visiting Khrushchev at his home in Yalta, working on Adlai Stevenson's campaign, being charmed by the young Senator John Kennedy into giving her support for his presidential candidacy, and above all inspiring the love and respect of people all over the world for her compassion, eloquence, and devotion to humanity.Given her husband's unique role as doctor and confidant to Mrs. Roosevelt, Edna Gurewitsch draws on his insights and her own as a close friend to offer us a very human and inspiring portrait of this complex woman. Perceived as a strong and deeply caring person, which she was, Mrs. Roosevelt also struggled terribly with loneliness and jealousy and a need to transcend her sometimes overwhelming feelings of inadequacy. Her capacity for friendship was enormous, and Edna Gurewitsch describes what it was like to be on the receiving end of her exceptional thoughtfulness-- the carefully chosen gifts left on doorsteps, the generous notes, and the open conversations she welcomed with a humility that never trumpeted her own virtues or called attention to herself as one of the great minds of the twentieth century.Kindred Souls is filled with personal and unpublished letters from Mrs. Roosevelt. Sometimes chatty and fact-filled, but more often heartfelt and passionate, these letters reveal her yearnings and vulnerabilities as well as her comings and goings, her personal as well as her global concerns. And yet they are always balanced by her special dignity and probity. The book also includes thirty-two pages of never-before-seen photographs taken by David Gurewitsch. Combined with the author's own memories and observations, Kindred Souls is a unique, intimate look at three friends and their extraordinary lives.
Customer Reviews:
Recommended.......2006-07-21
I "read" this book as a book on tape. If you love Eleanor Roosevelt as most people do, you'll feel you "know" her almost as a friend after reading this book. One story in the book that stands out in my mind is this: Eleanor liked to always be 'on time' when she had an appointment or was going to a play, concert, or outing. Dr. Guerevitch and his wife were going with her to a concert onetime. They were "behind schedule" and arrived at the theater a few minutes late. As they entered the theater the audience started to applaud. Mrs. Roosevelt was "miffed" saying with some angry emotion to the Doctor and his wife, 'See, we're late...the audience is already applauding for the conductor!' Eleanor didn't realize that the audience was applauding for HER... not the conductor! This indicates to me that she was a rather "humble" person who wasn't self-centered. Whatever your political persuasion, you'd have to admit that she was a noble person who tried to "do good" in her life. Email:boland7214@aol.
Good book.
Lovefest.......2005-02-23
In 1945, David Gurewitsch became Eleanor Roosevelt's personal physician. Within two years, they became close friends, traveling companions and confidants. Edna Gurewitsch chronicles the relationship between her husband and Mrs. Roosevelt in Kindred Souls: The Devoted Friendship of Eleanor Roosevelt and Dr. David Gurewitsch.
Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the most intelligent, gifted, powerful, energetic yet humble women of the 20th Century. But despite all these attributes, she suffered from a definite lack of confidence in her abilities. This lack of self-esteem had several roots including her miserable childhood, her insensitive husband, her domineering mother-in-law and the shabby treatment she suffered by her five self-centered, spoiled and undisciplined children. To compensate for this serious lacking, Mrs. Roosevelt surrounded herself with an orbit of friends who served as her surrogate family. Mrs. Roosevelt demanded much from her friends, but rewarded them with love, loyalty, devotion and generosity. Her list included Esther Lape, Marion Dickerman, Nancy Cook, Lorena Hickock, Joe Lash, and others. Dr. Gurewitsch was her closest friend for the last 15 years of her life. Right before her death, she wrote to him "above all others, you are the one to whom my heart is tied." Once David married the author, they became a threesome. They even shared a house together until Mrs. Roosevelt's death in 1962.
Edna Gurewitsch's book can best be described as a lovefest. Her fawning descriptions of her "perfect" husband become very nauseating very quickly. If there are any warts exposed in Kindred Souls, they belong to Mrs. Roosevelt. She could be demanding and emotionally needy at times, and often revealed a jealousy toward those she felt were usurping her attention. There were often intrigues between her children and her friends, and even among her friends, as each group vied for Mrs. Roosevelt's love in return. Her children were the worst, as they often found themselves on the outside looking in.
For a Roosevelt fan, there is not much new information to be had, except for the background of Dr. Gurewitsch (which may be interesting, but is not the reason I purchased this book). For most readers, I'd recommend skipping Kindred Souls and reading instead one of Joseph Lash's Roosevelt biographies, or better yet, Blanche Wiesen Cook's two-part biography on Mrs. Roosevelt (which I understand will eventually be six books in all).
Adding to the ER mystic.......2004-07-25
I certainly do not claim to be an expert on the life of Eleanor Roosevelt. However, I have read my fair share of books on her life and that of FDR. As a result, I thought I was aware of ER's circle of friends and the people who shared a close relationship with her. When I discovered KINDRED SOULDS - THE FRIENDSHIP OF ELEANOR ROOSEVELT AND DAVID GUREWITSCH on audiocassete at my local library it came as a welcome surprise. David Gurewitsch was a name that was new to me.
Edna P. Gurewitsch's 2002 book is a memorable history of the relationship between the author's husband, Dr. David Gurewitsch and ER. Based mainly on letters between ER and Dr. Gurewitsch and journals along with Edna's memories, the book presents a charming portrait of Mrs. Roosevelt as a pragmatic, driven, thoughtful, quirky, emotional and sometimes difficult friend. The relationship that developed first beween ER and David, who was ER's physician, and later with the addition of Edna when they married, makes for an interesting insight into the dynamics of this unique set of human relationship. Did ER really love David, a man many years her junior, and resent the intrusion of Edna? Did she finally come to accept this "other woman" in a strange threesome in order to maintain her relationship with David? These are questions that no one can answer and one that the prospective reader can ponder for themselves.
The Roosevelt children do not fair wll throughout the book, which covers the last years of Mrs. Roosevelt's life. They come across as seemingly lacking concern for their mother, going to her when they were in financial straights, especially Elliot and living lives where they believed that the society owes them a great deal because of their place in history as Roosevelts. It becomes almost trite to talk about the result of a dysfunctional family, but it's the only thing that seems to fit after listening to Edna describe ER's relationship with her children. Surprisingly, the references to FDR are few and far between. Edna speaks from the prospective of those who argue that ER took on a new persona as her own person after her husband's death and moved on with her life.
As I said, I don't claim to be an expert on ER, however, I know that she was extremely close to Joseph Lash. Then there is the rumored relationship with her one time driver, state trooper,Earl Miller, both of whom were younger than ER. There was ER's life long friendship (allegedly lesbian) with Lorena Hitchock and her interesting relationship with other women. And these are just the ones that I remember.
As a prolific letter writer ER left a great legacy in her writing. The thousands of letters addressed to "my dearest friend" with comments of "how much I love and miss you" were left behind for historians now to consider. Are we now judging her late Victorian style by 21st century standards? Were these loving comments a result of ER's loneliness and her desire to be loved in return? Only a psychologist can figure that one out.
ER clearly had a close relationsip with Edna and David. Such is evidenced by the fact that she chose to live the last years of her life with them. She traveled with them, spent weekends and evenings with them, and basically made them her family, based on Edna's account. Although Edna talks about ER's many circle of friends, how they also interacted in her life or spent time with her, I came away feeling that there was a part of ER's life that was left out in this particular picture. According to Edna, ER's life was totally encompassed in that of her and her husband to the exclusion of others.
For those who know a good deal about Eleanor Roosevelt, this is an interesting read. As I stated, I listened to it on audiocassette. The reader did a good job of varying her voice but I feel that there were several mispronunciations of proper names. The work included interesting political insights of mid 20th century politicians, especially Adlai Stevenson and JFK. But fitting the Gurewitsch's into the greater picture of ER's life is, I believe, still open for debate. In hindsight history is always reveaaed in the light most favorable to the writer, especially one who claims to have the close personal friends of a famous person. However, I would love to hear other views of the relationship between David Gurewitsch, Edna Gurewitsch and Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. I'm suspect that there is another side.
Generous, enlightening & uplifting.......2002-11-14
This is an astonishingly generous book that gives a different look at the real life of a larger-than-life woman. Mrs. Gurewitsch was (apparantly) completely unthreatened by the strong, deep, and intimate (in the non-sexual sense of the word)relationship between her husband and the redoubtable Mrs. Roosevelt. She limns the outlines of the relationship gently, with great compassion for Mrs. Roosevelt and frank admiration for her many accomplishments. Still, this is not hagiography- Mrs. Gurewitsch tells her story with simplicity and affection, but is still clear eyed about her subjects human foibles.
Through her portrait, and through the extracts of letters to David, it becomes clear that the infamous Lorena Hickok letters must be read in the context of an era (and a woman), in which language was rather more effusive.
Like so many things about Eleanor Roosevelt, the book is a bit bittersweet, but she clearly had made her peace with life, and in the end Mrs. Gurewitsch has repaid Mrs. Roosevelt's trust and friendship. The book is not a comprehensive biography, but you may inspired enough by what you read that you go read one!
A different look at Eleanor Roosevelt.......2002-05-24
I enjoyed this book. After reading so much "trash" about Mrs. Roosevelt and her friendships, this book is revealing without delving into smutty, unproveable theories. It provided a lot of personal information about Eleanor Roosevelt's last years, public and private, as well as valuable insights about her complex personality. On occasion, the author's somewhat proprietary feelings toward her connection with Mrs. Roosevelt were in evidence, but on the whole, it is a memoir that no one with an interest in Eleanor Roosevelt should miss.
Book Description
Packed with more than 300 photographs from archives and private collections -- many published here for the first time -- entertaining anecdotes, political analysis, the dynamics of family relationships, and behind-the-scenes gossip, America's First Families offers the first up-close look at the families -- from John and Abigail Adams in 1800 to Bill and Hillary Clinton -- who have intrigued and entranced the American public for two centuries.
Carl Sferrazza Anthony opens the door to the world's most famous residence to reveal life as it was actually lived there. He takes readers into the heart of loyalties and estrangements, and the emotional pressures that politics brings to bear upon the forty White House families, from their arrivals to their "notices to vacate." Readers will enjoy an unprecedented tour of the previously unseen private rooms as used and decorated by each family. Revealed too are the personal proclivities of the presidents and how their families both sustained them through public crises and were used for political advantage. They'll get a firsthand look at the preparations for White House weddings and other occasions; meet the parents and children of the presidents -- as well as eccentric relatives; and discover the patterns of working, resting, and relaxing that shaped the nuts and bolts of family life.
A magnificent combination of visual delights and insider information, America's First Families is an irresistible invitation to spend some time at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Customer Reviews:
America's First Families.......2007-01-19
This is a fascinating book. It is a wonderful compendium of trivia, probably not available in any other volume. It contains a wonderful assortment of pictures of First Families, some of which have never before been published. The book is well organized into chapters detailing various aspects of the Presidential families' lives and activities. for me, one of its prime attractions is that it does not include the politics or issues of the President's era.
At times, it is a little confusing, because the author skips from one family to another rather abruptly, so it requires a little getting used to in order to follow the narrative.
I would strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the social and "human" aspects of the White House families.
Enjoyable light historical reading.......2001-04-10
This book gives an insight into the private lives of the first families. We learn about their extended families, hobbies, illnesses, preparations for leaving the White House when their terms are completed, etc. The pictures are what really makes this book great. We see Lyndon Johnson in bed with his wife watching tv and we see the older George Bush in bed too (can you imagine Nixon or Clinton letting down his guard like this?). We see Gerald Ford in his bathrobe. If you always wanted to see such a sight, there is a photo of Eleanor Roosevelt in a bathing suit and a rare photo of Franklin in shorts with his polio ravaged legs exposed to the camera. We see painful personal moments such as the famous photo of Nixon hugging his daughter Julie when he made the decision to resign. In short this is, at times, a very rare personal and intimate glimpse into the lives of the first families. I enjoyed it and recommend it highly.
Oh, What a Lovely Piece of Work This Is!.......2001-01-12
I have been fortunate enough to read Mr. Anthony's brilliant "First Ladies" mini-opuses, and highly looked forward to this epic on the lives of our First Families. I sat for three hours stright with an almost constant smile on my face as I ran through the pages. What an amazing acheivement Mr. Anthony has pulled together! I can only imagine the painstaking research needed to find out the tidbits sprinkled throughout. There is so much information in this novel that it almost boggles the mind at times and is a bit overwhelming. I wondered if everything was sinking in, when I saw Mr. Anthony speak at the Richard Nixon library on CSPAN one night recounting the tales found here. Every story he told was instantly recalled and sentences finished before explaining. The sheer knowledge that one can gain from reading this novel is tremendous. (Where else can you find a list of President's favorite movies? By Reagan selecting Rambo, it does nothing but prove what a complete and utter moron we had occupying the White House under his reign).....Point proven further....When listing President's favorite reading options, Mr Anthony lays out beautiful examples of this. President Clinton enjoys biographies of his predecessors, Eisenhower military biographies and TR, anything he could get his hands on. Reagan? Newspaper comics.....I shall leave my review at that.
Entertaining look at White House hsitory.......2000-11-13
I purchased this book yesterday and I can't put it down. It is filled with great pictures and stories of the forty-one famlies who lived in the White House. This is a great source of presidential trivia and provides a human element to the most famous family in America. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in American history and the lives of the presidents.
Book Description
Madame Chiang Kai-shek — a Booklist Editors' Choice for 2006 — is the first biography of one of the most controversial and fascinating women of the twentieth century. Raised in a powerful Chinese family, the beautiful, brilliant, and captivating Soong Mayling married Nationalist leader Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, and went on to become his chief adviser, interpreter, and propagandist. When the Communists broke with Chiang’s Nationalist Party, Mayling and her sister, the widow of Sun Yat-Sen, found themselves on opposing sides of a civil war. A relentless crusader speaking out against Communism well into her nineties, she sparred with international leaders and impressed Westerners and Chinese alike with her acumen, charm, and glamour. But she was also decried as a manipulative “Dragon Lady” and was despised for living in Western-style splendor while Chinese citizens suffered under her husband’s brutal oppression. The result of years of extensive research in the United States and abroad and access to previously classified CIA and diplomatic files, here at last is the story of an extraordinary woman who has become a symbol of America’s long, vexed love affair with China and China’s own struggle to define itself as a world power.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing Person. Amazing Book.......2007-01-29
Laura Tyson Li has assembled a spectacular bio. It's page turner with the authority and detail of an encyclopedia. LTL has managed to keep her opinions out of the text. It isn't until the last chapter when through an informed discussion on the Madame's possible motivations that LTL becomes subjective.
While almost every aspect of this life is intriguing, certain people and episodes stand out. I had forgotten Zhang Xueliang until he emerged after a 50 year house arrest, after which he & his wife move to Hawaii. Apparently he was able to keep his pre-war fortune, or had been cared for financially; he is deemed a friend of the Madame. (Another 5 year house arrest of a physician who botches an operation of the General suggests house arrest is a common punishment for "friends" and other professionals.) Madame's war time US appeal for funds, with its cross country caravan of staff whom MCKS treats "as coolies" is certainly an episode worth a small volume. (The $800,000 she raises goes to her personal account.) While the Wendel Wilkie relationship (true or false) is intriguing, I fixed on the William H. Donald relationship, which may have been a professional friendship and refuge from her husband's authoritarianism, but her end of life treatment of him suggests something else.
There are a host of issues worthy of their own books. Perhaps these books exist but I don't know about them. One issue is the "arrival" of 2 million mainlanders to the island of Formosa, who's 7 million citizens seemed to have some degree of prosperity under the Japanese. While the Chaings arrive with resources, others huddle in makeshift places and cry at night. "Invasion" appears to be a better word for this arrival (particularly after 2/28), but it is certainly not portrayed as such (or allowed to be portrayed as such) by the Nationalists who felt entitled to rule and had the resources to make it so. Even later, Madame objects to the appointment of Taiwanese to government posts.
Another issue deserving its own book is Madame's money. Whether or not the NYC exterminators actually saw it, a closet of gold bars is not far fetched. For maybe 30 years, Madame's "charity" received a % of all imports to Taiwan. There were several "vacation" homes in Taiwan, one built at a cost of $2 million. Then, the resources brought from the mainland to Taiwan. This money provided Madame with luxury and a large staff until her death. How large was it? How was it acquired (any from the US war assistance?) and where did it go?
MCKS can be noted for her longevity alone. There must be something Guinness-worthy about her survival despite many years in a war zone, continued medical treatments, operations including several for breast cancer, nervous afflictions, a late in life automobile accident, lifelong cigarette smoking (and potential drug abuse) and at least one assassination attempt. Any one of these factors would tend to predict an early demise, not a life of 103 years.
If you read this book, it's riveting, so be prepared to give it time. Also, the level of detail might make continuity difficult if you have to make gaps in your reading time.
Dazzling Dame, Riveting History.......2006-11-15
This is a book to dive into, and lose yourself for days. Madame Chiang Kai-Shek is that good a story, and this is that good an account of her life. Madame Chiang used her political cunning and legendary drive to seduce supporters to her side of China's epic civil war during the middle part of the 20th century.
The Nationalist regime, headed by her husband, was hated by the Chinese people for its notorious brutality and corruption. But as portrayed by Madame Chiang, especially to American audiences, Chiang Kai-shek's government was a modern, educated bulwark of democracy and freedom for a country whose history had allowed little of either. Indeed, Madame Chiang personified the vaunted hopes, bitter disappointments and complex misunderstandings of the U.S.-China relationship, which vacillated wildly during her exceptional 105-year lifetime. Laura Tyson Li's incisive new biography, rises to the tall task of capturing this pivotal figure in all her splendor and humiliation, against a backdrop of war, revolution and unending political turmoil. Li, a journalist with a decade of experience in Asia, accurately portrays her as "beautiful, vain, witty, spirited, capricious, scheming, selfish, and driven."
What a character. What a tale.
The book opens in the waning days of China's second-to-last emperor in the late 1890s, when Mayling Olive Soong was born in Shanghai, the youngest daughter of a businessman who had made a fortune selling Bibles and presided over a family of savvy, idealistic and recklessly ambitious children. One married Sun Yat-sen, China's first president. Another became finance minister and acting prime minister of Nationalist China. Another became one of China's richest women. Mayling became Madame Chiang Kai-shek.
In an era when few girls learned to read and fewer traveled, Mayling was schooled in Georgia, then graduated from Wellesley College, where she excelled at French, violin and religious studies. She returned to Shanghai in 1917 just as China lurched into a bloody warlord period, and soon she was courted by the most severe warlord of all, Chiang Kai-shek. He divorced one wife and sent another off to Columbia University before Mayling agreed to marry him.
During World War II, Madame Chiang became a superb envoy to the United States, where her address to Congress in 1943 thrilled Washington, and her barnstorming across the country won renewed support and money to defeat the Japanese. In China, she was a poised partner to her husband, softening his imperiousness while sharpening his political machinations.
In Li's telling, husband and wife (who shared a bedroom with a screen separating their beds) could not have differed more. He was an early riser; she stayed up late watching movies. He was ascetic; she insisted on luxury. Still, they called each other 'Dar' (short for 'darling') and for years collaborated to cement fragile political alliances and keep a shaky hold on power.
The book has delicious tidbits, such as an affair with Republican presidential nominee Wendell Wilkie and her insistence on getting silk sheets when she stayed in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's White House.
Overall, Li delivers a thoughtful portrait of a complex woman and resists the considerable temptation to crucify her. That is a refreshing contrast to the shock-and-awe approach seen in so many recent books on prominent figures in China's recent history. Li deconstructs critical historical events with skill: the Xian Incident, when Chiang Kai-shek was kidnapped by rebellious generals; the 50-year house-arrest of the leading kidnapper, with whom Madame Chiang developed a curious friendship; Madame Chiang's mysterious disappearances for months at a time, caused, Li thinks by physical and mental illnesses, including debilitating hives, breast cancer and nervous breakdown.
More reporter than writer, Li assiduously draws on Madame Chiang's extensive personal correspondence, from archives around the world, to explain each stage of her drama. It's a spellbinding period of history. And it does not end well for the Chiangs. The Nationalist regime crumbled to the Communists in 1949. The Chiangs fled to Taiwan, admitting no fault, but blamed President Truman and vowed to retake the mainland. That dream faded gradually after Chiang Kai-shek died in 1975.
Madame Chiang's antagonistic stepson, Chiang Ching-kuo, would oversee a murderous suppression of dissidents as head of Taiwan's intelligence network. Paradoxically, as president, he later paved the way for the launch of Taiwan's democracy just before his death in 1988. That year, at age 90, she tried to rally Taiwan's Old Guard and prevent the onset of democracy she once spoke of so often. She failed.
Madame Chiang lived out her days in New York, watching China and Taiwan as one became capitalist and the other became a democracy. Despite her illnesses, she lived until 2003.
Ultimately, Madame Chiang was "a deeply flawed heroine," Li writes, "that rare creature who stuck resolutely to her beliefs, however misguided some of them may have been, through the decades and the trials."
No Rock Left Unturned.......2006-11-15
Reading "Madame Chiang Kai-shek: China's Eternal First Lady" was like going through everything in the attic and leaving nothing unexamined. Tyson-Li covers every aspect of Madame Chiang's life without ever letting us forget that life's relevance for today. The "Dragon Lady's" significance never disappears in the wealth of the personal, historical, political, psychological, medical, and religious dimensions of her complex life. Her fanatical anti-Communism calls to mind Richard Nixon's personal crusade. Her use of religion to define her and her husband's sense of destiny parallels certain leaders who employ religious language for similar ends. Her manipulation of people and events exceeds the ambitions of any demagogue who has come to believe his or her own public statements.
All this and more the author achieves with vivid prose that takes you into private parlors where Madame Chiang herself has invited you to tea, but leaves you feeling that just maybe everything you've heard is really true and that your hostess is neither monster nor statesman, but an enigmatic individual using the world as a stage to work out her insecurities.
This book is key to a thorough understanding of not just the woman, but Chinese politics and influences in particular........2006-11-06
It's surprising to note that this is the first biography of one of the most politically influential women of modern times, but MADAME CHIANG KAI-SHEK: CHINA'S ETERNAL FIRST LADY remains the only title to provide the complete story of a woman who seized unofficial and official power during China's civil war. Her position against Chinese Communism and her diplomatic relations affected decades of Chinese-American relations, so this book is key to a thorough understanding of not just the woman, but Chinese politics and influences in particular.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Book Description
The intriguing story of Eleanor Roosevelt traces the life of the former First Lady from her early childhood through the tumultuous years in the White House to her active role in the founding of the United Nations after World War II. A Newberry Honor Book.
Customer Reviews:
Must read book........2007-08-27
I purchased this for my 10 year old daughter, hoping to get her interested in starting to read more nonfiction. She loved the book and read it all in three sittings. It must be very well written, because I saw her engrossed in it for hours at a time.
A life of discovery.......2007-07-25
This is a must have for any historian. I loved the book. I was able to use it for my recent bibliography for college. There was a lot of little tidbits that I did not see elsewhere.
my review of eleanor roosevelt.......2006-04-01
I learned that eleanor roosevelt was a very kind loving person who had a very odd child hood, she was known as the ugly duckling.Her mother did not treat her right and made eleanor afraid of everything.
Personaly, I think that this information was very helpful and would be grate to do a scool project on. this book had lots of pictures that gave wonderful information and were very deitailed, and showed me how to eleanors life was when she was a kid. I also learned that that eleanor loved her father very much, more that enything, and he loved her just as much. eleanor was an orffan at age ten because her whole family died of yellow fever. as I said before this book has a lot of amazing pictures [194]and about half of them showed eleanor and her father together.
I enjoued this book alot and I think you will to. the only thing is I would not try to read this book in one week because it is pretty long. Something I liked about this book is that it gives lots of details and is very factual. I also recomend this book if you like a traditional paper back book. I highly think this book is agreat book for a school project, like I did it on a biograghy. I hope you wil llearn as much as I did reading this amazing historical book, Eleanor roossevelt.
A highly readable reference on a remarkable woman.......2004-09-15
This Newbery Honor Book, subtitled "A Life of Discovery," covers Eleanor Roosevelt's life in 11 chapters and nearly 200 pages. The biography covers Roosevelt's childhood, education, courtship, marriage and motherhood, entrée into politics alongside her husband, and her humanitarian work independent of FDR. The text itself is straightforward and easy to read, presented in a scholarly fashion rather than the sort of fictionalized manner of some biographies. While certain events are dramatized, no dialog is invented - the words the reader encounters are those of the figures themselves, from journals, letters, and speeches. The best passages are the friendly and informative explanations offering children some background knowledge about the time, such as this account of courtship at the turn of the century, seamlessly woven into the chapter on "Cousin Franklin":
Of course, Eleanor and Franklin were never alone together. That would have been highly improper in those formal Victorian days. When Eleanor visited Hyde Park or Campobello, when she met Franklin in New York for lunch or tea, even they went riding in the Roosevelt carriage, a third person was always present. If a relative wasn't available, Eleanor's maid served as a chaperone (38).
These frequent explanations offer the reader a broader insight into time, describing the conventions of the era in order to later set Roosevelt's often unconventional views and activities in contrast. This treatment gives young readers a strong sense of why Roosevelt is worthy of special attention. The text is accompanied by more than 100 black and white photographs, both formal portraits and informal candid views of Roosevelt. Overall, the book focuses on Roosevelt's life as a public figure, though does not shy away from intensely personal matters such as her father's alcoholism, her adolescent insecurities, and even her husband's infidelity. In this way, Freedman manages to create a very intimate portrait of the woman herself and to make a larger-than-life figure, with a highly privileged background seem very real and accessible. Although Freedman's tone clearly indicates an admiration for his subject, the book does not idolize her, often drawing attention to her faults such as her lack of her tenderness as a mother when her children were very young (acknowledged by her son). The book concludes with a photo album, bibliography, and index. The book is readable from beginning to end and usable as a reference for exploration of specific events or issues from Roosevelt's life. Children will likely come to this book because of a classroom assignment, but in the process will certainly be entertained and inspired.
Woman of the century.......2004-01-31
To my mind there are two biographers that write for children and that can do no wrong. On is the ineffable J. Giblin (author of "The Life and Death of Adolf Hitler") and one is Russell Freedman. Freedman is best known for his well-rounded and intensely researched biography of Abraham Lincoln (entitled "Lincoln: A Photobiography"), winner of the Newbery award. Turning his sights to a slightly more modern personage, Freedman examines the life and times of Eleanor Roosevelt.
Every biography needs a hook. It's not enough to lay out the facts of a person's life and let them speak for themselves. Many times, a work examining a famous figure needs to go a little further. To find out what exactly made this person tick. Eleanor Roosevelt's life was not a common one, but it many ways it began ordinarily. Born to beautiful but distant parents, Eleanor struggled with her plain looks and her inordinate shyness from day one. Freedman is often in a position to demonize those people in Roosevelt's life that let her down, yet he never wishes to do so. Rather than actually say, "Eleanor's parents were negligent baboons", the author instead places the facts before the viewer. Examining them, we see that, yes, they were negligent baboons. But we have reached that conclusion on our own, without being told what to think. So goes the rest of Freedman's book. As she grows, Eleanor matures, finds strength in herself, and eventually becomes the best known (and most widely respected) first lady of the United States.
There are a few problems with the biography, though they are small. The book allows itself a small flourish occasionally. One example might be Eleanor's death scene, wherein the author supposes that the former first lady may have seen the image of her father upon dying. Also, though the sources cited are many, Freedman fails to footnote a single page in any way (a talent Giblin has always excelled in). A timeline of Eleanor's life would not have been out of place here either. Just the same, these are small potatoes.
This is a book written specifically with children or young adults in mind. As such, it is interesting and informative. Beautiful photographs accompany almost every page, and there is even a small photo album of additional shots in the back. Hearsay and conjecture about Mrs. Eleanor's private life has been ignored entirely. The book does observe FDR's romantic liaisons (some provided by his daughter, no less) but it does not dwell on them obsessively. As Eleanor forgives but does not forget his dalliances, and so too the reader comes to forgive (maybe a little less) but not forget them either. FDR is interesting, but this is a book about Eleanor Roosevelt and the life she led. Anyone wishing to teach about a popular proto-feminist would do very well to use this woman as their primary example. Freedman has treated her with the dignity she deserves. It is a noteworthy accomplishment.
Book Description
"Fascinating. . . . First Ladies is a wonderfully generous look at the women who, often against their wishes, took on what Truman calls 'the world's second toughest job.' "
--The Christian Science Monitor
Whether they envision their role as protector, partner, advisor, or scold, First Ladies find themselves in a job that is impossible to define, and just as difficult to perform. Now Margaret Truman, daughter of President Harry Truman and an acclaimed novelist and biographer in her own right, explores the fascinating position of First Lady throughout history and up to the present day.
With her unique perspective as the daughter of a First Lady, Ms. Truman reveals the truth behind some of the most misunderstood and forgotten First Ladies of our history, as well as the most famous and beloved. In recounting the charm and courage of Dolley Madison, the brazen ambition of Florence Harding, the calm, good sense of Grace Coolidge, the genius of Eleanor Roosevelt, the mysterious femininity of Jackie Kennedy, and the fierce protectiveness of Nancy Reagan, among others, Margaret Truman has assembled an honest yet affectionate portrait of our nation's First Ladies--one that freely acknowledges their virtues and their flaws.
Customer Reviews:
FIRST LADIES: AN INTIMATE GROUP PORTRAIT OF WHITE HOUSE WIVES.......2006-08-28
THIS WAS A VERY INTERESTING BOOK AND GAVE AN INSITE TO THE LIVES OF THE WHITE HOUSE FIRST LADIES. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.
Excellent and Informative History on First Ladies.......2005-04-18
This book is a very well researched, excellently written piece of history. Highly recommended non-fiction when you're looking to learn something you didn't learn in high school.
Political Partners.......2003-11-08
From her unique perspective and personal contacts with many Twentieth Century First Ladies, Margaret Truman has told their stories in a most interesting way. The brief biographies primarily cover the years each of these Ladies resided in the White House, although their roles in getting there are not overlooked.
The concept of President and First Lady as political partners is central to the book. How and to what extent each First Lady fits into this mold is carefully examined. The influence that each First Lady has had on her husband and his administration brings some surprises.
We know of the public partners, such as Rosalynn Carter and Hillary Clinton, as well as those such as Lady Bird Johnson, who would do anything to advance Lyndon's career, and Eleanor Roosevelt, the eyes and ears of Franklin, but there were others. Who would have thought of Julia Tyler, the young second wife of John Tyler who, in her year in the White House, orchestrated a whirlwind entertainment campaign to achieve the annexation of Texas. Another second wife, Edith Wilson, virtually ran the country during her husband's two year illness after his stroke. There were those, such as Julia Grant and Helen Taft, who wanted the White House worse than their husbands.
Margaret Truman does an excellent job at categorizing the First Ladies topically. Among the tragic topics are those who may have been killed by newsprint, Rachel Jackson and Lou Hoover. Maligned First Ladies, such as Mary Lincoln, and those who lived with domineering husbands, such as Grace Coolidge, get sympathetic reviews. No sympathies are wasted on the undeserving, prominently Florence Harding.
In this book Margaret Truman gives us a splendid introduction to one of the most crucial jobs in our country. I am glad that I read it. You will be too.
First rate praise for "First Ladies".......2003-02-26
Thank you Ms. Truman for doing what our high school teachers never quite accomplished. You made the past come alive with colorful characters who changed the world. I have a new appreciation for our Presidents and their wives. You accomplished what your father wished -- you wrote the definitive book on the subject and spoke to our hearts. I would love for you to add a chapter about Laura Bush, who has been such an inspiration to us all since 9-11.
A Charming look at our First Ladies.......2001-06-06
I LOVED THIS BOOK! Margaret Truman uses her own unique perspective as the daughter of a First Lady to share a charming look at First Ladies throughout our history.
This is a very interesting, easy-to-read book with a variety of antecdotes illustrating the different roles First Ladies have taken on.
Books:
- Plutarch's Lives Volume 1 (Modern Library Classics)
- Rand McNally Encyclopedia of Military Aircraft: 1914 to the Present
- Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't
- Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't
- Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't
- Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know--And Doesn't
- Retracing the Past: Readings in the History of the American People, Volume II (Since 1865) (6th Edition) (Retracing the Past)
- RKO Story
- Science, Explanation, and Rationality: The Philosophy of Carl G. Hempel
- Ship of Ghosts: The Story of the USS Houston, FDR's Legendary Lost Cruiser, and the Epic Saga of Her Survivors
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- History: Fiction or Science
- Times Square Red, Times Square Blue
- Lettering for Architects and Designers, 2nd Edition
- Rotonda: The Vision and the Reality : A Short History of a Florida Development
- Rocket Propulsion Elements, 7th Edition
- The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't
- The Killing Hour
- One Place after Another: Site-Specific Art and Locational Identity
- Perfect Palettes for Painting Rooms: Plus Complete Decorating Guidelines
- Biota Rioplantense V - Plantas Trepadoras
Comic
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Florence of Arabia: A Novel
Thank You for Smoking: A Novel
Little Green Men: A Novel
Boomsday
God Is My Broker : A Monk-Tycoon Reveals the 7 1/2 Laws of Spiritual and Financial Growth
