Getting Better All the Time

by Liz Carpenter, Liz Cartenter

The press secretary to Lady Bird Johnson and a part of Washington's social and political life offers a reflection of her experiences, from youth and career to marriage, motherhood, widowhood, and middle age

Hardcover

First published July 10, 1987

About the author

Elizabeth "Liz" Sutherland Carpenter was a writer, feminist, former reporter, media advisor, speechwriter, political humorist, and public relations expert. Carpenter stood at the forefront of the Women's Movement when it began and never wavered from her platform. Her projects and causes ranged from supporting high tech to fighting cancer. Often called the "funniest woman in politics", she was in demand as a public speaker until her death.

Reviews

[MizLaT · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this book, Liz Carpenter covers her journey back to Texas from Washington after the death of her beloved husband, Les. Moving back brought her back to examine her roots, beginning with the houses of her own childhood to the home where she raised her two children in Salado. If you think you throw a good shindig, check out her chapter on entertaining! She moves finally into a conversation of peoples' thoughts on aging, and concludes:

"There is nothing more liberating than age...we don't have to create or establish who we are. We have our identity...we can make more of our ourselves..."

Interestingly, many "old Austin" names pop up, including that of an attorney for Colonel House (during the administration of Woodrow Wilson) by the name of Zachary Fulmore.

Liz admits, "Some of the best days of my life have been several of the wilder days of the women's movement."

For that reason, I'm not sure the title is exactly as it should be because I, for one, wasn't convinced that things were getting better all the time for Ms. Carpenter, though she organized some amazing sounding "Bay at the Moon" parties at her place!