American First Ladies

This companion to The American Presidents takes a look at the other occupant of the White House. All 44 First Ladies are included, from Martha Washington to Laura Bush. Each life is detailed in a biographical essay (2000 - 5000 words), with sidebars discussing the President and a well-known anecdote or episode about the First Lady herself. As well as looking at the First Ladies themselves, the guide also contains articles on their roles as the nation's social hostess, their campaigns, legislative activism, and presidential partners. There is also a look at family life in the White House. The volume concludes with a section on other White House Hostesses and finally a special essay on State First Ladies.

Grade 8 Up-Organization is one of the strong points of this resource containing 44 biographical essays. From Martha Washington to Laura Bush, each entry begins with important dates and a brief overview of the subject's life or impact while separate sections cover "Early Life," "Marriage and Family," "Presidency and First Ladyship," and "Legacy." These sections will allow for quick and easy access of facts and be useful for comparative studies. The engaging entries describe how each woman's personality shaped the role. Additionally, readers will learn how the issues of the period and changing expectations contributed to the evolution of this position. Boxed sidebars contain information about their husbands and anecdotes about each woman. An annotated list of suggested readings follows each article. Black-and-white photographs, drawings, and reproductions add interest. A valuable feature of this book is the inclusion of nine topical essays on aspects of the First Lady's role (as presidential partner, as campaigner, etc.), White House hostesses, and life in the White House. A list of the special interests of these individuals is included in the essay on "First Ladies and Policy Issues, Causes, or Charities." An extensive bibliography and a list of libraries, museums, historic sites, and Web sites are also provided. A useful tool for students researching these women.
Lana Miles, Duchesne Academy, Houston, TXRESOURCE UPDATE
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

This companion to American Presidents (rev. ed., 2000) presents 44 entries on women who were married to or, like Patsy Jefferson Randolph and Angelica Singleton Van Buren, served as hostesses for American presidents. Entries are signed by a variety of contributors and range in length from five to ten pages, with the longest generally devoted to women from Jacqueline Kennedy on. Each entry adheres to the same format: a brief overview followed by discussions of early life, marriage and family, the White House years, and legacy. Sidebars offer information on each president and highlight a significant aspect of the first ladyship. Each entry offers at least one illustration and concludes with a bibliography. Nine additional entries examine such topics as family life at the White House and the involvement of First Ladies in policy issues. The volume winds up with a chronology of First Ladies; a chronology of presidents; a list of libraries, museums, historic sites, and Web sites; and an extensive general bibliography. RBB
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