First Ladies of the White House

This book passes the jealousy test: I am jealous that I did not write it. It is crammed with facts about all the first ladies from Martha to Laura. Each woman is pictured (usually in color) with a one or 1 1/2 page discussion of their life and times. What amazed me was the large number of first ladies with major health problems including strokes, seizures (Elizabeth Monroe fell into a fireplace during a seizure, causing herself serious injury and William McKinley would put his handkerchief over his wife Ida's face when she had an attack at state dinners), and yes there was malaria, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and psychotic depressions (Mrs. Lincoln clearly was bipolar with her spending sprees alternating with her gloom). For a first lady to spend years in her room writing letters to her dead son doesn't seem right. But I am not going to tell you who that was. You'll have to read the book. Vignette: Anna Tuthill Symmes Harrison didn't go to the inauguration of her husband because she felt the weather was too bad. President Harrison, age 78 at the time, refused a carriage ride home saying that he was an old soldier and would ride back on his horse. He got pneumonia and died soon thereafter proving the wife had better judgment that he did. I liked the way Martha Washington would camp with George and act as his personal secretary during the Revolutionary war and, following her example, so did Julia Grant camp with Ulysses during the Civil war. Would we let women in the tents of their men during a military campaign now? The past is a different country. They do things differently there. If you like short and sweet biography about lives well lived, take a look at The First Ladies of the White House.

this is a nice book on all the first ladies,not one of the best ones available but nice just the same. The details give you a brief summary of what life was like for them before, during and after there husbands term(s)in office. Some of the older photographs are the same ones that have appeared in other history books but the brief description of the contrubtion these women made to this country makes this book a little gem.

This shows that women are power in their own ways.It also shows pictures of her, him, and the family.It aslo show some rooms, hitorical information of that time. It gives this the idea of what happened then, and it shows the administration, dob and dod.The wierd thng about it is 80% are done in paintings, even the time when we had photographs!!!Also there is a picture that is repeted the background of another picture, too!( and they were painted 20 years apart!)It even gives the election results of the 43rd pres. election.I would rate this book 5 stars.SAM