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Remember the Ladies
A gripping novel the San Francisco Book Review said "Brilliantly recaptures the moment" and NYT Bestselling Authors KRISTINA McMORRIS called “A memorable debut” and KIRSTIN CHEN "A riveting tale...I fell for the brave and resourceful Amelia on the first page." Amelia Cooke is a one-of-a-kind, high-stakes congressional lobbyist in 1887, a time before women could vote. When she's hired by the National Women's Suffrage Association to lobby for a suffrage amendment, Amelia feels empowered to give women a voice. What she doesn't foresee is her ex-lover, Senator Edward Stillman. Stillman is charismatic, driven, and desperate to crush the amendment and Amelia. But in a political game where bribery, threats, extortion, and seduction prevail, who will win and at what cost? This book is meant to highlight the amazing women in U.S. history - what they faced and the real-world difficult decisions they had to make. The wonderfully controversial ending - love or hate - is based on history. Truth sometimes is more fascinating than fiction.
406 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 18, 2016
About the author
Gina L. Mulligan
3 books92 followersGina L. Mulligan began her writing career over twenty years ago as a freelance journalist for national magazines. Her short stories have appeared in Star 82 Review and Storyacious, were performed at Stories on Stage Sacramento, and were included in the anthologies Tudor Close: A Collection of Mystery Stories and Not Your Mother’s Book…on Dogs. She’s won awards from the Abilene Writers Guild, San Francisco LitQuake, and the Soul-Making Keats Literary Competition.
After her own diagnosis, Gina founded Girls Love Mail, a charity that collects handwritten letters of encouragement for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. She was honored for her charitable work on the nationally syndicated talk show The Steve Harvey Show, People.com and Today.com
Gina is the author of two award-winning historical fictions. Remember the Ladies and From Across the Room.
After her own diagnosis, Gina founded Girls Love Mail, a charity that collects handwritten letters of encouragement for women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. She was honored for her charitable work on the nationally syndicated talk show The Steve Harvey Show, People.com and Today.com
Gina is the author of two award-winning historical fictions. Remember the Ladies and From Across the Room.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
May 19, 2016
The book title was inspired by Abigail Adams's letter to her husband John as he was drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776. I found a copy of that letter on PBS.org and here's her plea to him to include women's rights in the Declaration:
"I long to hear that you have declared an independancy-and by the way in the new Code of Laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If perticuliar care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are determined to foment a Rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation."
Nice try, Abigail. If only you had someone like this book's heroine to make it happen... but more on that later.
Amelia Cooke is a fictional young woman who was mentored to be a female lobbyist by the real Sam Ward, known during the Gilded Age as the King of Lobbyists. This is a detailed character study of a strong, determined woman, raised in an orphanage, who struggled to make her mark in Washington, D.C. using her brains, but also her feminine wiles and her looks. She felt she had no other choice. The men she tried to lobby were attracted to her beauty and thrown off guard by her skillful manipulating.
The story really takes off when she lobbies for the National Women's Suffrage Association, starting in 1887.
Aside from the woman's suffrage movement, there was a lot going on during this time period following the Civil War, so this novel touches on the many other bills and favors the Senators are involved in, with Amelia striking deals with and entertaining several of them. The politics became not only a little confusing but frustrating for me because the deal making is one of the things I dislike most about how Washington works. But I was captivated by it all.
Historically, the women's right to vote movement was just gathering steam at this time, so you can guess the outcome of the vote. But how the outcome came about in this story really felt to me like it came out of left field and not at all in character. The ending was a huge letdown following such an entertaining build up, and so points deducted.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.
"I long to hear that you have declared an independancy-and by the way in the new Code of Laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If perticuliar care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are determined to foment a Rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation."
Nice try, Abigail. If only you had someone like this book's heroine to make it happen... but more on that later.
Amelia Cooke is a fictional young woman who was mentored to be a female lobbyist by the real Sam Ward, known during the Gilded Age as the King of Lobbyists. This is a detailed character study of a strong, determined woman, raised in an orphanage, who struggled to make her mark in Washington, D.C. using her brains, but also her feminine wiles and her looks. She felt she had no other choice. The men she tried to lobby were attracted to her beauty and thrown off guard by her skillful manipulating.
The story really takes off when she lobbies for the National Women's Suffrage Association, starting in 1887.
Aside from the woman's suffrage movement, there was a lot going on during this time period following the Civil War, so this novel touches on the many other bills and favors the Senators are involved in, with Amelia striking deals with and entertaining several of them. The politics became not only a little confusing but frustrating for me because the deal making is one of the things I dislike most about how Washington works. But I was captivated by it all.
Historically, the women's right to vote movement was just gathering steam at this time, so you can guess the outcome of the vote. But how the outcome came about in this story really felt to me like it came out of left field and not at all in character. The ending was a huge letdown following such an entertaining build up, and so points deducted.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.
December 4, 2015
An enjoyable historical fiction novel whose subject is still very fresh and current. How can that be you say? The story follows Amelia Cooke who is left an orphan after her parents are killed in a carriage accident. She is left to grow up in an orphanage, raised by some very strong ladies there. She realizes early on the boys certainly have more freedoms when it come to education and fun and games. When Amelia turns eighteen and is turned out on her own, she find the life of a single woman just after the Civil War a tough one. With the help of the head mistress, she gets a job at textile mill in Arkansas. Amelia finds her single, independent life not very different from living in the orphanage. All the female employees are housed dormitory style in company housing, the work hours are long, the food is scant, and any fun and games are hard to find. She does manage a trip to Little Rock to see the circus and while on the train makes the acquaintance of an older man, Sam Ward. He is like no one else Amelia has ever met. He seems to observe something special about her, an intelligence and keen zest for life. She is determined to get out of her current situation and after trying to stand up to the company bosses when a woman loses an arm in the machinery, Amelia finds herself out of a job and on a train to Washington, DC with all her life savings. Once there she makes it her mission to find Sam Ward and prove to him that she is resilient, smart enough to better herself and self educate herself. Her hard work pays off and she becomes Sam Ward's protégé and one of the first female lobbyists.
I am a big fan of Netflix series House of Cards and here's where the subject matter of Remember the Ladies stays current. It was interesting to read about the workings of the federal government at that time and see that things are still pretty similar today. The back office wheeling and dealing was taking place, even at that time, trading votes for money and position. Amelia finds herself in an enviable position at times, but at others find herself almost a pariah.
As the story progresses Amelia becomes more involved with the suffragette movement which she feels a strong allegiance to, but she also finds herself quite possibly falling for a senator with whom she meets through the course of her work. I enjoyed the author's portrayal of a strong, female character. I found myself mentally cheering Amelia on as the senators, representatives and business men try to take advantage of her and demean her. It gave me a great appreciation for what woman have in this day and age.
I won't give any spoilers, only to say you will learn and appreciate our history, the workings of our government, and all the hard work that went into getting the vote for women.
I am a big fan of Netflix series House of Cards and here's where the subject matter of Remember the Ladies stays current. It was interesting to read about the workings of the federal government at that time and see that things are still pretty similar today. The back office wheeling and dealing was taking place, even at that time, trading votes for money and position. Amelia finds herself in an enviable position at times, but at others find herself almost a pariah.
As the story progresses Amelia becomes more involved with the suffragette movement which she feels a strong allegiance to, but she also finds herself quite possibly falling for a senator with whom she meets through the course of her work. I enjoyed the author's portrayal of a strong, female character. I found myself mentally cheering Amelia on as the senators, representatives and business men try to take advantage of her and demean her. It gave me a great appreciation for what woman have in this day and age.
I won't give any spoilers, only to say you will learn and appreciate our history, the workings of our government, and all the hard work that went into getting the vote for women.
Did Not Finish
December 30, 2016I'm giving up at 68%. Part of me wants to power through, but a larger part is bored and doesn't care enough.
The book started off promising. A young girl loses her parents and grows up in an orphanage before leaving at 18 to go work in a mill. She decides she wants to fight for women's rights and allow them a say in things that concern them so she moves to DC and pesters Sam Ward into becoming her mentor to become a lobbyist. And then it fell apart for me.
It starts to alternate between Edward Stillman and Amelia's POVs. First they start sleeping together, despite that that behavior seems to go against everything we've learned about Amelia so far. After they split, ten years pass and when it picks up again, neither is particularly likable. We're basically left with two modern day politicians, constantly trying to figure out how to get ahead, who they can use to their advantage, trading favors, etc, etc. And that's the rest of the book (as far as I read). Stillman wants a coveted chair position and decides he needs to crush the women's vote amendment to achieve it. Amelia is alternatively trying to get the amendment to go through. What follows is the two of them trying to trade votes for subsidies, favors, other deals, etc etc and it was the boring, manipulative aspect of politics that I can't stand. If I wanted to read a book about politics and the women's vote there are plenty of nonfiction books out there that would be more worthwhile.
The book started off promising. A young girl loses her parents and grows up in an orphanage before leaving at 18 to go work in a mill. She decides she wants to fight for women's rights and allow them a say in things that concern them so she moves to DC and pesters Sam Ward into becoming her mentor to become a lobbyist. And then it fell apart for me.
It starts to alternate between Edward Stillman and Amelia's POVs. First they start sleeping together, despite that that behavior seems to go against everything we've learned about Amelia so far. After they split, ten years pass and when it picks up again, neither is particularly likable. We're basically left with two modern day politicians, constantly trying to figure out how to get ahead, who they can use to their advantage, trading favors, etc, etc. And that's the rest of the book (as far as I read). Stillman wants a coveted chair position and decides he needs to crush the women's vote amendment to achieve it. Amelia is alternatively trying to get the amendment to go through. What follows is the two of them trying to trade votes for subsidies, favors, other deals, etc etc and it was the boring, manipulative aspect of politics that I can't stand. If I wanted to read a book about politics and the women's vote there are plenty of nonfiction books out there that would be more worthwhile.
February 19, 2016
Remember the Ladies is an interesting glimpse into the fight for women’s right to vote and politics in the U.S. in the late 1800’s. Amelia Cooke is orphaned at age 4 and raised in an orphanage until she reaches 18. She eventually finds her way to Washington, D.C. and doggedly pursues a lobbyist, Sam Ward, until he agrees to mentor her. Amelia becomes a lobbyist in an almost all male environment. She is hired by the National Women’s Suffrage Association in 1887 to help pass a constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote. Mulligan effectively depicts both sides of this battle as the parties each try to garner enough support to either pass or defeat the amendment. I enjoyed learning a lot about the early part of the women’s suffrage movement and the politics behind the groups.
My favorite part of the book was all of the historical references, such as Eli Lilly, Franz Liszt, the origins of the word brunch, and how the name Haven House came about. I found all of that information fascinating and fun to put in context. Mulligan’s descriptions are wonderful and clearly evoke the era about which she is writing.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
My favorite part of the book was all of the historical references, such as Eli Lilly, Franz Liszt, the origins of the word brunch, and how the name Haven House came about. I found all of that information fascinating and fun to put in context. Mulligan’s descriptions are wonderful and clearly evoke the era about which she is writing.
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 4, 2016
Remember the Ladies is an easy stroll of a novel about an orphan who becomes a lobbyist in Washington, DC and works to secure women’s right to vote in the late 1800s. It’s an easy, feel-good read with a very likable main character name Amelia. After reading a book full of her challenges, political and otherwise, I was distressed to learn at the end of the book that one of Amelia’s subconscious goals was to earn her adversary’s (and former lover’s) respect. She also discovers “What is more important in shaping a nation than rearing the next generation." This seems totally out of character. Amelia is a controlled, deliberate, and calculating success only to reverse course to capriciousness? I just can't buy it. It is like being told at the end that it was all just a dream. Sigh.
May 12, 2016
Remember the Ladies is a fascinating historical fiction debut novel set in the 1800's in the time when women were fighting for the right to vote. I found the writing and overall story to be exceptional, with well-developed characters. I especially liked the main character, Amelia Cooke, and found myself cheering her on in her determination to become a lobbyist in Washington, DC., and then eventually with her involvement in the suffragette movement. I was captivated right from the beginning and found myself neglecting household chores so that I could just sit and read this book. I highly recommend it. I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2017
The story of Amelia Cooke who rose from a penniless orphan to a powerful, influential lobbyist in what was still a man's world. Remember the Ladies offers insight into the struggle of Suffragettes and the behind-the-scenes wheelings and dealings, for better or worse, required to get a Constitutional amendment ratified. In this instance the struggle was for women's right to vote.
May 15, 2016
I don't read a lot of historical fiction but I'm so glad that I decided to read this book. The time period of this book is the late 1800s but parts of it could be written about today's political struggles in the US.
I also found it very interesting to read about the early work of the women's suffrage movement and the work that they did to give women the right to vote.
Amelia was orphaned at four and raised in an orphanage where she was upset that boys could get schooling and girls were taught to keep a clean and orderly house. When she was emancipated from the orphanage at 18, she went to work at a textile mill where she once again saw women treated as second class citizens. After being fired, she decided that she wanted to be a person who could make a difference in the world. She took the train to Washington DC and after much convincing and studying, she found a male lobbyist who would mentor her. She was one of the first female lobbyists and fought discrimination every day. Eventually she went to work for the National American Woman Suffrage Association to try to get a bill through Congress to allow women to vote. Through her struggle to be a person of importance in Washington, we learn all about the deals and tricks that were part of politics at the time - many of which still happen today.
I definitely enjoyed this book. I thought that the character of Amelia was very well done and she showed growth and change through out the book. I also enjoyed learning more about what women had to go through to get the write to vote. So many people don't take advantage of this in today's world - they all need to read about the struggle for women to be able to cast their votes and be involved in government.
I also found it very interesting to read about the early work of the women's suffrage movement and the work that they did to give women the right to vote.
Amelia was orphaned at four and raised in an orphanage where she was upset that boys could get schooling and girls were taught to keep a clean and orderly house. When she was emancipated from the orphanage at 18, she went to work at a textile mill where she once again saw women treated as second class citizens. After being fired, she decided that she wanted to be a person who could make a difference in the world. She took the train to Washington DC and after much convincing and studying, she found a male lobbyist who would mentor her. She was one of the first female lobbyists and fought discrimination every day. Eventually she went to work for the National American Woman Suffrage Association to try to get a bill through Congress to allow women to vote. Through her struggle to be a person of importance in Washington, we learn all about the deals and tricks that were part of politics at the time - many of which still happen today.
I definitely enjoyed this book. I thought that the character of Amelia was very well done and she showed growth and change through out the book. I also enjoyed learning more about what women had to go through to get the write to vote. So many people don't take advantage of this in today's world - they all need to read about the struggle for women to be able to cast their votes and be involved in government.
May 3, 2016
REMEMBER THE LADIES by Gina L. Mulligan is set in the Gilded Age of the late 1800s when women’s struggle for equality had just begun. Growing up in an orphanage gave Amelia Cooke just the right backbone she needed when hired by the National Women’s Suffrage Association to help pass a proposed amendment granting women’s voting rights. As expected Amelia comes up against Washington’s Old Guard and Senator Edward Stillman desperate to hold on to power and determined to crush anyone in his way, including Amelia.
http://www.ginamulligan.com
http://www.ginamulligan.com
December 28, 2016
This took me a lot longer to finish than usual because I was reading it during the busy holiday season. It's very well written, and definitely evokes the time period of the late 1860s. It's slow paced, so be prepared for that. Very nuanced and goes deep into character and plot. The protagonist, Amelia Cooke, is complex, flawed, self protecting, scrappy, smart, guarded, and a survivor. She certainly makes for an interesting character to set the early suffragist movement against as a backdrop. A great debut novel and a nice addition to the historical fiction genre.
September 25, 2016
I gave up
February 18, 2016
GNAB I received a free ebook of this title from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review. Thank you, Gina Mulligan and Netgalley, for sharing your work with me.
We follow Amelia from her entry into a orphanage at the young age of 4 or 5 in 1861 Montana, through her emancipation and work in the first steam powered cotton mill in central Arkansas. Amelia is fired after speaking out when a coworker looses her hand, and deciding she has nothing more to loose, she heads for Washington DC and makes her way through the reels of red tape and layers of glass ceilings to become the first woman lobbyist. A fine window on politics in the 1870 - 1880's, and of women's struggle for a place in our nation's politics.
A very quick read, and interesting in many ways. I would recommend to anyone with an interest in government, the coming of age of DC, and the battle of women to get a toehold in the governing of our country.
Pub date May 18, 2016
able to review on Amazon, B&N 5/24/16
We follow Amelia from her entry into a orphanage at the young age of 4 or 5 in 1861 Montana, through her emancipation and work in the first steam powered cotton mill in central Arkansas. Amelia is fired after speaking out when a coworker looses her hand, and deciding she has nothing more to loose, she heads for Washington DC and makes her way through the reels of red tape and layers of glass ceilings to become the first woman lobbyist. A fine window on politics in the 1870 - 1880's, and of women's struggle for a place in our nation's politics.
A very quick read, and interesting in many ways. I would recommend to anyone with an interest in government, the coming of age of DC, and the battle of women to get a toehold in the governing of our country.
Pub date May 18, 2016
able to review on Amazon, B&N 5/24/16
November 19, 2016
Perfect for this election season--a reminder of the power of gender in DC and how women have to "work" men to get their votes. It's not based on a true story, other than the title coming from Abigail Adams' letter to her husband about remembering the ladies.
Amelia Cooke didn't have much of a life in an orphanage, and she took a risk going to DC to turn herself into a lobbyist in 1887. But she manages to learn how to turn her looks into her favor, and also manages to live at a hotel by herself, when every man around her wants her to be married and pregnant. She learns how Washington works, and it was interesting to see how the partnerships were made back then--lots of crooked deals, favors being pulled, and secrets being discovered for blackmail.
After reading this one, I don't see how any women could NOT vote in every possible election. Women fought HARD for the right to vote. It's not something that should be taken lightly.
Amelia Cooke didn't have much of a life in an orphanage, and she took a risk going to DC to turn herself into a lobbyist in 1887. But she manages to learn how to turn her looks into her favor, and also manages to live at a hotel by herself, when every man around her wants her to be married and pregnant. She learns how Washington works, and it was interesting to see how the partnerships were made back then--lots of crooked deals, favors being pulled, and secrets being discovered for blackmail.
After reading this one, I don't see how any women could NOT vote in every possible election. Women fought HARD for the right to vote. It's not something that should be taken lightly.
February 14, 2016
A poignant read for an election year, I am grateful for women like the main character, Amelia, who fought hard for women's suffrage.
Through Gina Mulligan's writing, I was transported to Washington DC in the late 19th century. The setting was rich with politics; the characters perfectly developed. I appreciated the alternating perspectives offered from Amelia and Stillman. Amelia used her tragic early life experiences to shape her steadfast advocacy for women. I found the book to be inspiring and empowering. This was a fast read with a message that continues to be relevant today.
I received an electronic review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Through Gina Mulligan's writing, I was transported to Washington DC in the late 19th century. The setting was rich with politics; the characters perfectly developed. I appreciated the alternating perspectives offered from Amelia and Stillman. Amelia used her tragic early life experiences to shape her steadfast advocacy for women. I found the book to be inspiring and empowering. This was a fast read with a message that continues to be relevant today.
I received an electronic review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 23, 2016
What a wonderful novel about the fight for the votes to allow women to vote. Amelia Cooke is quite the formidable woman who can hold her own in the company of powerful men. She learns how to play the game and play it well.
January 7, 2016
This is an excellent debut. Look forward to more from this truly talented author. In an election year, it's important to take a look back at how hard women fought for the right to vote.
February 19, 2016
Enjoyable read, this book just flows and is difficult to put down.
Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2017
Enjoyed reading about the suffragist movement and women with grit. As a former political staffer, it was interesting to compare-contrast Amelia's life in the late 1800's to the political world today.
August 14, 2020
Timely given the 100th anniversary. Wish I could fully celebrate the Kamala Harris nomination for VP, but the same old prejudice, smear campaigns and Washington corruption still exist.
March 2, 2016
"One could only fail if they gave up."
After an accident kills both parents, the independent Amelia Cooke grows up in an orphanage where she constantly questions why boys and girls are raised differently. Fast forward a few years and Amelia meets Sam Ward, the famed "King of the Lobbyists."
In a somewhat "My Fair Lady" situation, Amelia moves to Washington D.C. where Sam teaches Amelia how to be a successful lobbyist. Her first assignment: attending a medical conference in Cincinnati, where Amelia meets Edward Stillman, a senator. The two hit it off, but Amelia is forced back to her life in D.C. after the conference ends.
Once returning back to D.C, Amelia is a natural fit to fight for the women's suffrage movement and the book focuses on Amelia's efforts to secure the votes.
Taking place in Washington D.C. in the late 1800s, Remember the Ladies immediately draws you in with a rich setting and a wide cast of characters. The book occasionally flips back and forth between Amelia and Stillman, and while this usually annoys me a bit, I thought it worked really well in this book. I liked reading how they perceived the same situations differently.
It was also interesting to read how lobbying was treated in the 1800s because it's such a huge part of modern politics. And in an election year, it added another level of relevance to the book.
Remember the Ladies reminded me a bit of Anita Diamant's The Boston Girl. Both books had strong, self-sufficient female characters working in male-dominated professions and feminist overtones. If you liked "The Boston Girl," I would definitely recommend giving Remember the Ladies a try.
I received an advance copy of Remember the Ladies in exchange for an honest review. Remember the Ladies is available for purchase May 18, 2016.
After an accident kills both parents, the independent Amelia Cooke grows up in an orphanage where she constantly questions why boys and girls are raised differently. Fast forward a few years and Amelia meets Sam Ward, the famed "King of the Lobbyists."
In a somewhat "My Fair Lady" situation, Amelia moves to Washington D.C. where Sam teaches Amelia how to be a successful lobbyist. Her first assignment: attending a medical conference in Cincinnati, where Amelia meets Edward Stillman, a senator. The two hit it off, but Amelia is forced back to her life in D.C. after the conference ends.
Once returning back to D.C, Amelia is a natural fit to fight for the women's suffrage movement and the book focuses on Amelia's efforts to secure the votes.
Taking place in Washington D.C. in the late 1800s, Remember the Ladies immediately draws you in with a rich setting and a wide cast of characters. The book occasionally flips back and forth between Amelia and Stillman, and while this usually annoys me a bit, I thought it worked really well in this book. I liked reading how they perceived the same situations differently.
It was also interesting to read how lobbying was treated in the 1800s because it's such a huge part of modern politics. And in an election year, it added another level of relevance to the book.
Remember the Ladies reminded me a bit of Anita Diamant's The Boston Girl. Both books had strong, self-sufficient female characters working in male-dominated professions and feminist overtones. If you liked "The Boston Girl," I would definitely recommend giving Remember the Ladies a try.
I received an advance copy of Remember the Ladies in exchange for an honest review. Remember the Ladies is available for purchase May 18, 2016.
April 20, 2016
Remember the Ladies is an engaging novel that captures the calculated world of politics and the evolving role of women in it perfectly. The story is about an orphan, Amelia Cooke, that knows from an early age that she should not be defined by her gender. From what she wants to study in school to how she works in the factory, Amelia never has been able to resolve the feeling that a woman should be able to do anything a man can do. Upon turning 18, she boards a train and meets a man that will change her life, though not in the traditional way.
Set against the beginning of the Women's Suffrage Movement, Mulligan does a great job of exploring the evolving role of women in the men's world of politics. She captures the angst and agony of the women fighting for their right to vote and participate and make a difference. She also captures the insights from the wives of the political figures in her novel, which I really appreciated. As her character evolves, she re-evaluates what is worth fighting for and what is worth protecting. I could not put the second half of this book down!
I'm so used to reading historical fiction against a war backdrop that it was refreshing to read one about a critical time in history for both women and politics. The main character perfectly captures the struggles we still experience today - between defining yourself as a woman and as your profession. As one of the first female lobbyists, Amelia has to not only prove her knowledge of political dealings but also manage the struggle between having a mind that is appreciated secondarily to her body regardless of how cunning and smart she is.
There are romantic areas of this book that also seemed very natural and appropriate in the plot line. You like who you should like and cringe where you should cringe. And at the end, Mulligan ties it back into actual history quite well and in a way I appreciated. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys political conversations, women's fiction, historical novels, and stories about personal triumph. This book is empowering.
I received an advanced copy of this novel from Great Thoughts' Great Readers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Set against the beginning of the Women's Suffrage Movement, Mulligan does a great job of exploring the evolving role of women in the men's world of politics. She captures the angst and agony of the women fighting for their right to vote and participate and make a difference. She also captures the insights from the wives of the political figures in her novel, which I really appreciated. As her character evolves, she re-evaluates what is worth fighting for and what is worth protecting. I could not put the second half of this book down!
I'm so used to reading historical fiction against a war backdrop that it was refreshing to read one about a critical time in history for both women and politics. The main character perfectly captures the struggles we still experience today - between defining yourself as a woman and as your profession. As one of the first female lobbyists, Amelia has to not only prove her knowledge of political dealings but also manage the struggle between having a mind that is appreciated secondarily to her body regardless of how cunning and smart she is.
There are romantic areas of this book that also seemed very natural and appropriate in the plot line. You like who you should like and cringe where you should cringe. And at the end, Mulligan ties it back into actual history quite well and in a way I appreciated. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys political conversations, women's fiction, historical novels, and stories about personal triumph. This book is empowering.
I received an advanced copy of this novel from Great Thoughts' Great Readers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2016
Imagine House of Cards and Scandal meets late 1800s. Mind blown. Who knew there was so much scandal and bribery in politics in our country’s short history? I was pleasantly surprised with this novel. At first, I was expecting a rags to riches story with victory closing the story out. What I found was a narrative of fighting for what is right (or perceived to be right) from two passionate, persuasive, and determined individuals – both alternately sharing their first-person perspective. I loved how much of a puzzle it was even though as an audience we may be aware of the historical context of women’s suffrage but not necessarily the different steps, successes, and failures that led to the decisions. It was like watching a game of chess, the players had plans laid out in their mind several steps ahead and needed to outsmart their opponent and/or deal with the new twist in the game when it was their turn. A taste of how politics works was a great way to educate the readers, especially with big issues recently in the U.S. and the upcoming Presidential election.
As a woman, I pictured myself in this time in history and wondered what camp I would fall into. I would like to think I would be in support of the women’s right to vote but who knows since there were women on both sides of the fence on the issue and Gilligan accurately painted that dichotomy and how that affected female relationships. It was interesting how quickly some of the women portrayed turned on one of their own in the face of challenge. I found that disheartening but utterly realistic as emotions run high with a life-changing vote. There was one part of the story that spoke to me about how with any population that is marginalized, even if the vote goes through in favor, there is so much more work to be done. It is a small step towards equality that should be celebrated but not quickly forgotten.
Read Remember the Ladies if you like the themes of:
Women empowerment
Sacrifice
Battle of the sexes
Politics
As a woman, I pictured myself in this time in history and wondered what camp I would fall into. I would like to think I would be in support of the women’s right to vote but who knows since there were women on both sides of the fence on the issue and Gilligan accurately painted that dichotomy and how that affected female relationships. It was interesting how quickly some of the women portrayed turned on one of their own in the face of challenge. I found that disheartening but utterly realistic as emotions run high with a life-changing vote. There was one part of the story that spoke to me about how with any population that is marginalized, even if the vote goes through in favor, there is so much more work to be done. It is a small step towards equality that should be celebrated but not quickly forgotten.
Read Remember the Ladies if you like the themes of:
Women empowerment
Sacrifice
Battle of the sexes
Politics
February 10, 2016
Orphaned at a young age, Amelia Cooke may not have had an easy start in life, but she is a bright little girl. She wants to learn, expand her mind and find her place in the society of her time, in Gilded Age. At 18, she leaves the orphanage and starts working in a factory, discovering the harsh realities of her new world. She desperately wants to change her life, have an impact to improve the life of others and prove women are capable of handling complex jobs.
How to do that ? By becoming a lobbyist, to influence political decision making ! Amelia has the nerve to ask the help of Sam Ward, the “King of the Lobbyists”. Fascinated by her sharp mind… and ability to attract men’s attention, he accepts her as his apprentice.
During a conference, Amelia meets state senator Edward Stillman, a young politician promised to a bright future, thanks to his family connections. She is very attracted to him, but soon discovers that Edward is not looking for a relationship with her, he is just using her. From this point on, Amelia and Edward will become adversaries. Edward is ruthless, unscrupulous and rather successful in the political arena. So is Amelia.
To be given a prestigious and lucrative committee appointment, Edward must defeat the women’s voting amendment, advocated by Amelia. He is ready to declare war on Amelia and do the necessary to take her down.
I liked the period and political details that were included into the plot of this story. The author did a good job giving details on the way important decisions for the community were taken, and the role of the lobbyists. Overall, I enjoyed the storyline, it was an easy read. I hoped that Edward Stillman would redeem himself, but this book is not a romance. Amelia’s destiny was indeed extraordinary !
I received an ARC, courtesy of publisher Five Star Publishing, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
How to do that ? By becoming a lobbyist, to influence political decision making ! Amelia has the nerve to ask the help of Sam Ward, the “King of the Lobbyists”. Fascinated by her sharp mind… and ability to attract men’s attention, he accepts her as his apprentice.
During a conference, Amelia meets state senator Edward Stillman, a young politician promised to a bright future, thanks to his family connections. She is very attracted to him, but soon discovers that Edward is not looking for a relationship with her, he is just using her. From this point on, Amelia and Edward will become adversaries. Edward is ruthless, unscrupulous and rather successful in the political arena. So is Amelia.
To be given a prestigious and lucrative committee appointment, Edward must defeat the women’s voting amendment, advocated by Amelia. He is ready to declare war on Amelia and do the necessary to take her down.
I liked the period and political details that were included into the plot of this story. The author did a good job giving details on the way important decisions for the community were taken, and the role of the lobbyists. Overall, I enjoyed the storyline, it was an easy read. I hoped that Edward Stillman would redeem himself, but this book is not a romance. Amelia’s destiny was indeed extraordinary !
I received an ARC, courtesy of publisher Five Star Publishing, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
June 9, 2016
Wow! The book starts out with Amelia Cooke growing up in an orphanage, and how she follows a man she met who works as a lobbyist and followed him around until he finally gave in and listened to her she wanted to do what he did. She had learned as much as she could and she had a knack for never forgetting people's names or the names of their wives or children. That helped him a lot so he took her in and started training her, later in the book, he has died, and she was hired by the National Women's Suffrage to lobby for them to convince all of the voting Senators to vote for women to get the right to vote. How she went about doing what she did for them, and descriptions of how the men did things in this book, I can see how it is probably true that men and women in the Senate now probably do things the same way. I found the book engrossing, following Amelia from a small child until she was one of the only female lobbyist's who wasn't always welcome among the men. I think most anyone would find the story very interesting and it is definately a fast read! Loved the book.
Description of book as found on Good Reads: Growing up in an orphanage prepared Amelia Cooke for the high-stakes role of a female lobbyist surrounded by the egos of the 1887 Congress, a time before women had the right to vote. Her success in the isolating male arena comes from using the tactics she’s learned from those who oppressed her. So when she’s hired by the National Women’s Suffrage Association to help pass a proposed constitutional amendment granting women’s voting rights, Amelia feels empowered to at last win a place for herself and give all women a voice in the world. What she doesn’t foresee is the charismatic and calculating Senator Edward Stillman who threatens to ruin her hard-earned reputation and end her career.
Description of book as found on Good Reads: Growing up in an orphanage prepared Amelia Cooke for the high-stakes role of a female lobbyist surrounded by the egos of the 1887 Congress, a time before women had the right to vote. Her success in the isolating male arena comes from using the tactics she’s learned from those who oppressed her. So when she’s hired by the National Women’s Suffrage Association to help pass a proposed constitutional amendment granting women’s voting rights, Amelia feels empowered to at last win a place for herself and give all women a voice in the world. What she doesn’t foresee is the charismatic and calculating Senator Edward Stillman who threatens to ruin her hard-earned reputation and end her career.
July 16, 2016
“Remember the Ladies” by Gina L. Mulligan was quite an interesting novel. I was not prepared to be as interested as I was. I thought that this would be just another story of an orphan who wanted to be successful. Instead, I got an education about Washington, D.C. life – the members of Congress, lobbyists, and women’s suffrage.
This novel is set in the late 1800’s and follows a young girl as she tries to make something of herself after living in an orphanage for fourteen years. She decides that she wants to follow in a famous lobbyist’s footsteps and convinces him to teach her the tricks of the trade. She is very successful and is eventually hired by the women’s suffrage movement to lobby for votes in the House and Senate. Although women did not get the vote until 1920, plans were underway for many years for the passage of that bill.
I was intrigued by the machinations of the lobbyists and senators and congressmen and their aides in order to get a bill passed. It is much the same today. There are many deals made and broken trying to pass laws pertinent to one group or another. I found that this author obviously did a lot of background research to write so authoritatively about this time in history. The ending was a surprise. The only comment I have about the writing style is that the end came too quickly and was a little too contrived.
I received a galley proof of this novel from NightOwlReviews.com in return for my honest opinion of the book.
You can find this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-m0. Other reviews can be found at http://imhookedonbooks.wordpress.com.
This novel is set in the late 1800’s and follows a young girl as she tries to make something of herself after living in an orphanage for fourteen years. She decides that she wants to follow in a famous lobbyist’s footsteps and convinces him to teach her the tricks of the trade. She is very successful and is eventually hired by the women’s suffrage movement to lobby for votes in the House and Senate. Although women did not get the vote until 1920, plans were underway for many years for the passage of that bill.
I was intrigued by the machinations of the lobbyists and senators and congressmen and their aides in order to get a bill passed. It is much the same today. There are many deals made and broken trying to pass laws pertinent to one group or another. I found that this author obviously did a lot of background research to write so authoritatively about this time in history. The ending was a surprise. The only comment I have about the writing style is that the end came too quickly and was a little too contrived.
I received a galley proof of this novel from NightOwlReviews.com in return for my honest opinion of the book.
You can find this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-m0. Other reviews can be found at http://imhookedonbooks.wordpress.com.
March 15, 2016
I haven't read a book this good in a really long time. From the very first scene I was hooked on lead character, Amelia Cooke. The book begins with heartbreaking tragedy and winds its way through one fascinating turn after another until it reaches a twist ending I absolutely love. And just when I thought it was over the author's note left me speechless. Remember The Ladies is the kind of book you can read over and over and still discover new and clever things hidden within it. It's a fast read that I found hard to put down.
The book is about fictional Amelia Cooke who is a lobbyist in 1887. She's trying to help women get the right to vote in the male dominated world of politics. Her main opponent is Stillman, a crafty guy who actually I kind of liked in a way. He was real and dimensional. In an election year with maybe a woman running for President, this book is really timely. I learned so much! But what the author also does so well is explore a deeper question - "Where does a person's power lay?" She explores power in numerous forms; the power of politics, the power of the press, the power of religion, the power of gender and sex, the power of family, and the power of psychology.
I'm recommending Remember the Ladies to my book club. Great book club find! Great read that I'm still thinking about.
The book is about fictional Amelia Cooke who is a lobbyist in 1887. She's trying to help women get the right to vote in the male dominated world of politics. Her main opponent is Stillman, a crafty guy who actually I kind of liked in a way. He was real and dimensional. In an election year with maybe a woman running for President, this book is really timely. I learned so much! But what the author also does so well is explore a deeper question - "Where does a person's power lay?" She explores power in numerous forms; the power of politics, the power of the press, the power of religion, the power of gender and sex, the power of family, and the power of psychology.
I'm recommending Remember the Ladies to my book club. Great book club find! Great read that I'm still thinking about.
March 12, 2016
Orphan Amelia Cooke begins life with no family ties to bind her and little but a sense of justice and a stubborn determination to sustain her. Hungry for knowledge, she resents the limited education offered to girls at the orphanage. Later she questions the conditions fellow workers endure at the factory job where she lands upon emancipation. She runs away to Washington D.C. to gain an education and becomes a lobbyist for women’s suffrage under the reluctant tutelage of Sam Ward.
Mulligan beautifully describes burgeoning postbellum D.C. and the political circus Amelia thrives within. She also draws a memorable cast of characters, highlighted by the noble Sam Ward, the principled Perla, and the dastardly Mr. Stillman. I don’t know if Amelia’s decision at the end of the book can be called noble—Amelia believes it to be so—but it illustrates, well, the twisted path we make toward necessary change. Definitely worth a read.
Mulligan beautifully describes burgeoning postbellum D.C. and the political circus Amelia thrives within. She also draws a memorable cast of characters, highlighted by the noble Sam Ward, the principled Perla, and the dastardly Mr. Stillman. I don’t know if Amelia’s decision at the end of the book can be called noble—Amelia believes it to be so—but it illustrates, well, the twisted path we make toward necessary change. Definitely worth a read.
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April 3, 2016We'll all remember 2020 for COVID, lockdown, those we lost, and the heroes we supported. It was also the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment - the Right to Vote for Women. Across the country exciting celebrations were canceled. Sadly, many couldn't be rescheduled. But you can still learn about this MONUMENTAL MOMENT in women's history and have fun doing it!
I wrote this book to share what I learned about amazing women in our history - what they did, how they lived, and the real-world difficult decisions they had to make. I love that there's controversy about my ending - love or hate - because it's based on history. Truth really is sometimes more fascinating than fiction.
Find out more and get a FREE short story at www.ginalmulligan.com. Fun fact... In 1911, popular mountain climber Annie Smith Peck planted a "Votes for Women" pennant atop Peru's Mount Coropuna. She was 65 yrs old!
I wrote this book to share what I learned about amazing women in our history - what they did, how they lived, and the real-world difficult decisions they had to make. I love that there's controversy about my ending - love or hate - because it's based on history. Truth really is sometimes more fascinating than fiction.
Find out more and get a FREE short story at www.ginalmulligan.com. Fun fact... In 1911, popular mountain climber Annie Smith Peck planted a "Votes for Women" pennant atop Peru's Mount Coropuna. She was 65 yrs old!
August 15, 2016
Since most of the reviews here have given a synopsis of the story, I will refrain from doing that. I found this book well-written and entertaining. The final chapter of the book jumps to 1920 when the suffrage amendment was finally ratified by one vote finally giving women the right to vote. My mother was one of those 17,000,000 women who voted for the first time in a Presidential election. Although I knew the history of the suffragettes, it was interesting to read about the political aspects from a female lobbyist's point of view. I thought the ending was in keeping with the character as she was told by her mentor, Sam Ward, that one day she would have to choose between being a woman or being a lobbyist, and she did choose.
I highly recommend this book. I found that I could not put the book down even though I knew when women got the vote.
I highly recommend this book. I found that I could not put the book down even though I knew when women got the vote.
February 22, 2016
First, I would like to thank the Author, Publisher and NetGalley for my Advanced copy for a fair and honest review.
This is one of those historically based gems that informs and educates you as you are wrapped up in the story while keeping the story light and entertaining. The story is about the life of Amelia Cooke and her beating the odds, not only of survival, but of being a part of the Suffrage Movement and eventually helping women to get the vote. This wonderful piece of fiction was well written and pulled all the loose ends together in the end beautifully. I am looking forward to enjoying more from this author!
This is one of those historically based gems that informs and educates you as you are wrapped up in the story while keeping the story light and entertaining. The story is about the life of Amelia Cooke and her beating the odds, not only of survival, but of being a part of the Suffrage Movement and eventually helping women to get the vote. This wonderful piece of fiction was well written and pulled all the loose ends together in the end beautifully. I am looking forward to enjoying more from this author!
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