No Place for a Woman: A Life of Senator Margaret Chase Smith

This was a fabulous biography of Margaret Chase Smith. Sherman does a great job of relating her themes to the narrative. Connections are emphasized regarding major points. This book is very readable as well as informative.

I confess to a weakness for biographies of U. S. senators. I seldom see one I don't want to read, and when I saw this one I knew I would have to read it. Smith actually had an amazing career (elected to the House of Representatives in 1940 and to the Senate in 1948, reelected in 1954, 1960, 1966, and defeated for reelection in 1972) and this unpretentious book, solidly but not exhaustively researched, recounts it well. It is quite laudatory, but will be critical when it is clear criticism is warranted. Mrs. Smith was not a great brain but she was a great working politician, ably assisted by her AA.