First Ladies: The Saga of the Presidents' Wives and Their Power, 1789-1961

by Carl Sferrazza Anthony

In this previously untold story of a unique role and its evolving definitions, Carl Sferrazza Anthony has produced "an entirely new take on the first ladyship" and "an awesome work of scholarship" ( Library Journal ). Opening with a historic trip made in 1789 by Martha Washington from Mount Vernon to New York, then the capital city, First Ladies brings these women alive as never before in a saga of intertwining lives, friends, rivals, and allies. Among the women profiled in this first of a definitive two-volume Dolley Madison, Julia Tyler, Mary Lincoln, Julia Grant, Nellie Taft, Edith Wilson, Grace Coolidge, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Mamie Eisenhower. From the Federalist to the Antebellum periods, through the Gilded and Jazz ages, from the Great Depression to the Fabulous Fifties, thirty-four women confronted the towering events of American history. They also helped establish its course. We also glimpse the early years of the living First Ladies, from Jacqueline Kennedy to Barbara Bush.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, American History, Presidents, Politics, Historical

688 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1990

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wonderfully written, captured my attention right away. I focused on Fashion and how their relationship was with their husbands.
My complaint with the coverage of Martha Washington is that they made her look dumb. Its true she did not have the proper schooling but she was a well respected businesswoman. Also, I disliked the coverage of why Martha and George did not have children, she was clearly fertile and was not the reason behind their childless marriage. There was much todo over what title Mrs.Washington should have. Fun fact - both Washingtons had horrible teeth. Mrs. Washington paid handsomely for a fake set of dentures, which Abigial Adams complimented her on. After George Washington died he released his slaves on the condition of Martha's death. Dolley Madison was sighted at George Washington's funeral weeping which was insanely unusual.
Abigial Adams was more of the first political first lady.
Dolley Madison was the Washington hostess for 8 years. During Jacksons tenure and during her husbands tenure. She was the first minority First Lady because of her Quaker beliefs. Dolley Madison was the first presidents wive to take control of the executive branch while her husband was ill. Dolley is famous for saving George Washington's painting during the white house fire however, I was unaware that she also saved her own portrait. The Madisons owned Slaves, Dolley even used her slaves at receptions holding torches.
Elizabeth Monroe followed Dolley's years in the white house. She was quite different than the former first lady. She suffered from what they believe today to have been epilepsy. Elizabeth was nicknamed Queen Elizabeth and her fashion and stance reflected that nickname. Elizabeth dressed in the highest of fashion for the times
Louisa Adams suffered from health issues, such as menopause, self imposed isolation, depression. She would be the most feminist of the foremost ladies. When she did entertain she did so beautifully. She was however more of a feminist in her role than other first ladies at the time.
Rachel Jackson committed bigotry when she married Jackson although she believed herself divorced.
Letitia Tyler was the first presidents wife to die during term.
Sarah "Peggy" Taylor was said to be "poor-white of the wilds." Sarah played an unusual role in the White House - she was the hostess of the house, no question but the press and public knew nothing about her. She never sat for a portrait or a "photograph." She was nicknamed the Phantom of The White House.
Sarah Polk was nicknamed the "Spanish Madonna." She had expensive taste in fashion, rich velvets, trains on dresses and plummed headdresses. She replaced the White House staff with her slaves. Needless to say Sarah was well off. With Slavery such a hot topic during her time in the White House Sarah did not change her mind over owning slaves...."we were created for these places." She had no issue at all that Slave Labor paid for all her fine gowns.
Mary Lincoln was highly criticized while in the White House. She had enemies every where she went. She was criticized for wearing purple during funeral where she was quoted saying "I intend to wear what I please." Mrs. Lincoln was nicknamed "Hellcat" during her term. There was a rumor that Mary was firing her staff to fuel her wardrobe. She truly believed that dressing well was part of being the First Lady. Mary Lincoln became the first presidents widow who faced rumors of another woman. This quote broke my heart "music to my ears when my husband said I was the only one he cared for" is what Mary told herself privately. She was the only first lady whose son had detained to a metal ward, which Mary petitioned for a second trial and was released. She also went undiagnosed with diabetes.
Eliza Johnson also was plagued during health issues during her time in the White House, claiming that she was an invalid. She had a great influence on Andrew Johnson teaching him to read, write, simple math and assisting in public speaking.
First lady Ida McKinel also suffered from epilepsy. She was heavily drugged during her time at the white House. When she had an episode in public the President would place a napkin on her head until her time passed and she would pick up the conversation as if nothing happened. When the President died she lived for another 6 years without another seizure.
Coolest fact of Edith Wilson is that she is a descedent of Ponchatos. She knew of Woodrows affections for other women and did not stray far. Edith Wilson is responsible for decoded special top secret war messages regarding the War. Edith Wilson was strongly against the womens right to vote. Edith went as far as to say that suffragettes were "disgusting creatures." When Wilson suffered from illness Edith stonewalled everyone and only her and the drs. were allowed to see Wilson.
Lou Hoover believed firmly in the equality of races. She was once quoted that she could fix the depression with the help of corps of organized blacks. Perhaps the most controversial decision of her time as First Lady was inviting the black wife of congressman Oscar DePriest. Few political wives were as alike as Lou and Eleanor Roosevelt was. Both women addressed controversial issues, wrote in magazines and advocate that women become active in politics.
The 1920 election was the first year women could vote. Their vote went to President Harding. Florence Harding was well aware of her husbands affairs - one with her best friend. She was active in helping Warren during his presidency. She was found saying - "he does well when he listens to me, and does not do well when he doesn't." When Florence fell ill with kidney issues it was the first time the White House did not hid an illness from the public. Warren Harding died in the presence of his wife which afterwards rumors swirled that she had something to do with his demise. After Harding passed Florence burned all his correspondences while the new first lady watched - Grace Coolidge.
Eleanor Roosevelt was also well aware of her husbands affairs. Adolf Hitler was found saying that "Eleanor Roosevelt is America's real ruler." Eleanor became the modern Dolley Madison, women would be compared to her now. When FDR passed away it was one of his mistresses that was by his side Lucy Mercer Rutherford. Lucy wrote a sympathy note which in turn Eleanor responded very nicely.
Bess Truman hated being in the White House. She dreaded it. Bess found that she had the most in common with former First Lady Elizabeth Monroe. The civil rights controversy was beginning during Trumans time in office. When Truman was booed for shaking hands with a black man, Bess loudly told her husband that he did the right thing. Harry Truman was not a fan of how Bess took the First Lady role. He wanted her to be much more involved. Her response was always "I am not the one elected I have nothing to do with the public." She was upfront with the press, stating that they don't need to know her - she is only his wife and mother of his daughter. Bess however had a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed shocking people - which she did by smoking in public and taking a drink as strong as her husbands.
Maime Eisenhower was a wife who knew that the Army and her husbands career came before family - Ike informed her so. They lost a child together and their marriage was under strain. Maime's bangs were rumor to have a sentimentally meaning to both her and Ike in memory of their child. Their marriage was also threatened by rumors of adultery as well. No evidence that Ike ever cheated surfaced but Maime did question him from time to time. At Ike's inauguration it was the first time that a President kissed his wife. Maime suffered from anxiety, and vertigo before and during her stay at the White House. She was well known for her famous pink. The White House meant a full marriage to Maime - she had Ike right next to here, which was unusual compared to the earlier years of their marriage. Ike and Maime were one of the most affectionate couples who stayed in the white house. Maime loved being First Lady - she loved gossiping with all the women. One of her famous quotes is "Every woman over fifty, should stay in bed until noon."
Jackie Kennedy was well known for her fashion. A friend told Jackie that she would have to make concessions to the First Lady Role and she replied famously "I will. I'll wear hats."
Although the book did not cover Barbara Bushs' years in the White House I did find it interesting that her hair was discussed. The Bushs' lost a child and shortly after her hair turned white. Barbara did try to color but kept it as it was. I have always hated her white hair but I know a little more about it now.

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book certainly isn't going to change any history, but it's still really interesting how the concept of First Lady has changed since Martha Washington, and continues to change. You can't really call it "evolved" because each First Lady is so different. Some get into office and relish the power, others want to stick to the background. Each First Lady in Anthony's book spirals up from their birth, with Martha Washington as the first point; the spirals of each First Lady overlap and interact, with the pinnacle at the end of this first volume being the Kennedy inaugural, in which Jackie Kennedy, Pat Nixon, Mamie Eisenhower, Edith Wilson, Lady Bird Johnson, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Truman, and Betty Ford were all present (actually Wikipedia has a neat chart that shows how different First Ladies have overlapped and who was around the longest http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_F... this gathering at the Kennedy inaugural was probably more interesting for the photographic evidence than the full roster of First Ladies). Anthony is able to tell a pretty good story, although the transitions between First Ladies with no connections is occasionally a bit clunky - sort of like when you are watching the local evening news and they have to find a transition between something horrific and something fluffy.

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12.14.25. What I felt in 2012 about this book, I still feel today. If you want a good entry point to reading about First Ladies, no better place to start than here.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information on this book is interesting, but it is very long book. I found if I read it in chunks, letting it rest a little in between, I enjoyed it more. It sometimes got confusing who was actually First Lady at the time because the author inserted snatches of what other former, or future, First Ladies were doing during that period of time. The pictures are not captioned, which would have bee helpful. I could usually figure out who it was, but not always. I am glad I read it, though.

[Coralie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and well written book about all the First Ladies through Jackie Kennedy. Almost all of these women were politically involved, and exerted quite a bit of power through their husbands. It wasn't until Bess Truman and Mamie Eisenhower that First Ladies stayed out of politics and the First Lady role became more ornamental. In this book, the reader really gets to know each woman. I loved how Anthony introduces the young first ladies when they are born. While he is describing the tenure of one woman in the White House, he says, "meanwhile, in a small farmhouse in Kansas, so and so just had their third daughter." You may not think that America has a ruling class, but when you read this book, it is amazing how many of these families knew each other and were quite intertwined, especially in the later years.

[Adrian Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Still working my way through this one, haven't finished it yet (it's a long one!). It's very very interesting, and I appreciate the way that the author intertwines the stories of the first ladies chronologically, since they were moving through history simultaneously. My only gripe is how kind he is to them - everything is wonderful and sweet, without any criticism of them at all. It's all clouds of sweetness. I'm totally fascinated with how different they were, and how they interacted, and how they interpreted the role of First Lady, which is something that had to be dreamed up from nothing at the beginning. I also am interested to read what they were before they became First Lady, and what they did after.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I kept reading back and forth in this book, wanting to memorize every interesting thing I learned about First Ladies Washington through Kennedy in Carl Sferrazza Anthony's comprehensive history. He manages to weave together the life stories of all the women in a fascinating way, letting you know that while one is occupying the White House, others are elsewhere in the country, pursuing other goals, not realizing what lies ahead of them. An excellent history of American women.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best biographical histories I ever read and more interesting than the presidents. The author never just "drops" a First Lady following the end of the presidential term but continues with their entire lives throughout their lives. A well-written book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was impossible to put down !

[Dottiebears · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best biography books I've ever read. He spent a lot of time on virtually unknown first ladies which was delightful. I loved the way that the first ladies wove in and out of each others chapter(s), this really did read like a novel. The footnotes were so extensive that it allowed me to go do further reading on some of the more obscure first ladies.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Continuing my reading reagarding the president's wives. This book provides a summary of each wife starting with Martha Washington through Lady Bird Johnson.

Read this book at the same time read the book Presidential Wives. Similar but each book did have different information.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have this book on my bookshelf. I was a little bored the other day and decided to re-read it. I forgot how good it was. I was a little disappointed when I realized I had to put it down to come to work.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not like the format of this book, I was more interested in a few chapters dealing with each First Lady, how he made them all swoop together was not a smooth translation like I am sure the author wanted.

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Man concerning the biographies of the First Ladies. This book and it's companion are the "bible" concerning the first ladies and their efforts.

[Cws]

92W

[Suzanne]

Interesting, somewhat gossipy at times, perspective on the power/influence each first lady and/or Presidential hostesses had both in and after the White House.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

see my review of vol II I am lazy today

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very descriptive; Interesting to learn how influential Americas First Ladies'were throughout history.

[Joyce Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reference book.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing wasn't particularly eloquent, but it was informative and interesting.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the chronological organization of this book. Anthony did an excellent job of overlapping the timelines of the First Ladies. I also liked that the pictures were scattered throughout the book instead of in a separate section. I was happy that he was kind to Mary Lincoln, but then realized Anthony was trying to be flattering to all the Ladies. This mostly worked except in the case of the two Mrs. Wilson's. If someone displays racist/bigoted behavior, they are a racist/bigot. I really want to read a full bio of Mamie Eisenhower who seems to have more depth than expected.
I had a good chuckle when we got to the post WWII era when Anthony wrote a line about "...streamlined kitchenware created to provide relief for women, who were now returned from the tedium of the war effort". I wonder if Anthony ever did a lick of housework in his life.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a gargantuan look at the lives of the First Ladies of the United States of America from 1789 to 1961. Covering the periods of Martha Washington through Mamie Eisenhower, Carl Sferrazza Anthony gives us a look into the lives of some of the most famous American women: the first ladies. As stated in the title of the book, the narrative focuses on the "power" these women held. Because of this, some first ladies are hardly touched on, as they held little sway over their husband's political decisions. Others, such as Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison, Mary Lincoln, Edith Wilson, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Mamie Eisenhower, were given a much larger scope in the telling of their stories. It's a fascinating read.

[Katie Mixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A more difficult read than I expected and I almost gave up a hundred pages in - but it was a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the first ladies. It jumped around a bit but I enjoyed hearing about their early lives as well. I was impressed by the sheer amount of research the author must have done to even pen a few chapters. Would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to learn more.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a LONG read, but a good one. The writing was interesting and didn't get bogged down in unnecessary details. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is that the lives of the First Ladies is written in such an intertwined manner, I sometimes couldn't figure out who the author was talking about.

[Alexandria Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I thought it was very well written (it was a huge undertaking, researching and writing on that many people with their intersecting lives), while remaining easy to follow and understand.

[Jackalyn]

Interesting, but long, with small print -- at times confusing regarding which first lady the author was referring to when a former first lady was still in the public eye after her husband was no longer in the presidency.

[Joseph J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still the definitive overview of First Lady history.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

A different angle on US history, this is an interesting book on the first ladies (up until Mrs. Kennedy) and how each interpreted and added to the role. I'm eager to read Book Two.

[Edward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It is so well researched and Anthony weaves the stories of the first ladies together in an incredible fashion.