Thrust to the forefront through marital ties, the First Ladies were a curious mix of shy, formidable, dreary and dazzling women. History dealt them brutal blows. But they also had their odd and hilarious moments.
Anthony S. Pitch is the author of “They Have Killed Papa Dead!” on the Lincoln assassination, The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814, and Our Crime Was Being Jewish. A journalist on four continents, he has appeared on C-SPAN TV, the History Channel, National Geographic TV, Book TV, NPR, and PBS. He lives in Potomac, Maryland.