Wish List 5: Presidential Mistresses–Nonfiction & Memoir

Once a month I am planning on sharing with you all 5 of my biggest wish list books broken up by theme.  I know that you all need more on your TBR!!!  One thing that you find when reading about the Presidents is that there were quite a few that had mistresses!  There is a new fashion for novels being released about these ladies, but I wanted to read some nonfiction about them – and there are a few that are even memoirs!

Past Forgetting: My Love Affair With Dwight D. Eisenhower by Kay Summersby Morgan

Here, at long last, is the true story of the passionate, moving secret love affair between General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, and Kay Summersby, the beautiful English fashion model who became his driver in wartime London, his staff aide, by his side through every crisis and high-level meeting of the war -- and the woman he loved.

Written by Kay Summersby Morgan herself, Past Forgetting is the intimate account of a relationship that began, haltingly, in 1942, when Kay was assigned to drive the then unknown two-star general, and ended in heartbreak when Ike, victor and war hero, returned home to face a disapproving General Marshall, the adoring American public, Mrs. Eisenhower -- and the possibility of becoming President of the United States.

Yet Past Forgetting is never a bitter or malicious book; it is the story of two people deeply in love, sharing together the great experiences of the Second World War. Here are intimate accounts of Ike at play and at work; raging against Field Marshal Montgomery; displaying his famous temper against Patton; occasionally revealing to Kay the lonely responsibility of a commander who must send his men into battle to die, and sharing the tense hours before D-Day in intimacy with Kay. Here too are portraits and memories of the great men whom Kay met at Ike's side -- Churchill, Roosevelt, King George VI and De Gaulle. Kay Summersby Morgan has a perfect gift for intimate detail, an eye for men, places and events, total recall and a marvelous wit.

Above all, this is the true story of two people in love, snatching a few moments of happiness in the midst of the cares of war and command. The Eisenhower who emerges from these pages is a man of charm, wit and passion, deeply affectionate and loving, torn between his loyalties at home and his love for Kay. More than a document, this is a beautiful, powerful love story.

The President's Daughter by Nan Britton

The President's Daughter, America's first major kiss-and-tell political biography, caused a sensation when it was published in 1928. Nan Britton described her six-year affair with the late Warren G. Harding, most famously including trysts in a White House coat closet. President Harding's paternity of Britton's daughter Elizabeth Ann, born in 1919, was proved by DNA testing in 2015.

Once Upon a Secret: My Affair with President John F. Kennedy and Its Aftermath by Mimi Alford

In '62, Mimi Beardsley was a naive teen, a product of her class & time. She'd attended the same exclusive girls' school as Jackie Bouvier, now installed in the White House as the first lady. Which is also where Mimi found herself, as an 18-year-old intern. JFK's White House was a place for which she wasn't remotely prepared, dominated by the charismatic & sexually rapacious figure of the president. Within four days, they'd started a relationship.

There are several extraordinary things about Mimi's story. One is that she'd evaded notice from any of the biographers of JFK & other chroniclers of the heady days & sexual shenanigans of Camelot. Only by chance did a reporter in 2006 follow up a mention of her name in a JFK book, & doorstep her--a married NY grandmother--to find out whether she was the Mimi Beardsely mentioned in a passing reference. This is all the more surprising given the length of the affair--18 months--& the fact that it was ended only by his death.

Mimi Beardsley Alford has decided, after decades of silence & reflection, to tell her story. This is not just a memoir of a young woman of her generation & class coming of age in the 60s, & her relationship with JFK. She also examines the significance it had in her life & relationships since, why she chose to be silent for so long & why she feels this is the time to speak out.

A Very Private Woman: The Life and Unsolved Murder of Presidential Mistress Mary Meyer by Nina Burleigh

In 1964, Mary Pinchot Meyer, the beautiful, rebellious, and intelligent ex-wife of a top CIA official, was killed on a quiet Georgetown towpath near her home. Mary Meyer was a secret mistress of President John F. Kennedy, whom she had known since private school days, and after her death, reports that she had kept a diary set off a tense search by her brother-in-law, newsman Ben Bradlee, and CIA spymaster James Jesus Angleton. But the only suspect in her murder was acquitted, and today her life and death are still a source of intense speculation, as Nina Burleigh reveals in her widely praised book, the first to examine this haunting story.

The Harding Affair: Love and Espionage During the Great War by James David Robenalt

Warren Harding fell in love with his beautiful neighbor, Carrie Phillips, in the summer of 1905, almost a decade before he was elected a United States Senator and fifteen years before he became the 29th President of the United States. When the two lovers started their long-term and torrid affair, neither of them could have foreseen that their relationship would play out against one of the greatest wars in world history--the First World War. Harding would become a Senator with the power to vote for war; Mrs. Phillips and her daughter would become German agents, spying on a U. S. training camp on Long Island in the hopes of gauging for the Germans the pace of mobilization of the U. S. Army for entry into the battlefields in France.

Based on over 800 pages of correspondence discovered in the 1960s but under seal ever since in the Library of Congress, The Harding Affair will tell the unknown stories of Harding as a powerful Senator and his personal and political life, including his complicated romance with Mrs. Phillips. The book will also explore the reasons for the entry of the United States into the European conflict and explain why so many Americans at the time supported Germany, even after the U. S. became involved in the spring of 1917.

James David Robenalt's comprehensive study of the letters is set in a narrative that weaves in a real-life spy story with the story of Harding's not accidental rise to the presidency.

If you are looking to add more books to your list, here are some of the wishlists from a few of my friends this month: (to be updated as they go live)

• Magdalena @ A Bookaholic Swede –
• Colleen @ A Literary Vacation –
• Erin @ Flashlight Commentary –
• Holly @ 2 Kids and Tired Books –
• Stephanie @ Layered Pages –

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Wish List 5: Presidential Biographies

Once a month I am planning on sharing with you all 5 of my biggest wish list books broken up by theme.  I know that you all need more on your TBR!!!  I had a goal to read a non-fiction book on each President and First Lady (where they exist).  Each year more and more come out and go on my list (even for those I have already read books on).  Sadly, I’ve been REALLY slacking on my reading in this category.  Hopefully this will change that.

The President and the Assassin: McKinley, Terror, and Empire at the Dawn of the American Century by Scott Miller

A SWEEPING TALE OF TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY AMERICA AND THE IRRESISTIBLE FORCES THAT BROUGHT TWO MEN TOGETHER ONE FATEFUL DAY

In 1901, as America tallied its gains from a period of unprecedented imperial expansion, an assassin’s bullet shattered the nation’s confidence. The shocking murder of President William McKinley threw into stark relief the emerging new world order of what would come to be known as the American Century. The President and the Assassin is the story of the momentous years leading up to that event, and of the very different paths that brought together two of the most compelling figures of the era: President William McKinley and Leon Czolgosz, the anarchist who murdered him.

The two men seemed to live in eerily parallel Americas. McKinley was to his contemporaries an enigma, a president whose conflicted feelings about imperialism reflected the country’s own. Under its popular Republican commander-in-chief, the United States was undergoing an uneasy transition from a simple agrarian society to an industrial powerhouse spreading its influence overseas by force of arms. Czolgosz was on the losing end of the economic changes taking place—a first-generation Polish immigrant and factory worker sickened by a government that seemed focused solely on making the rich richer. With a deft narrative hand, journalist Scott Miller chronicles how these two men, each pursuing what he considered the right and honorable path, collided in violence at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York.

Along the way, readers meet a veritable who’s who of turn-of-the-century America: John Hay, McKinley’s visionary secretary of state, whose diplomatic efforts paved the way for a half century of Western exploitation of China; Emma Goldman, the radical anarchist whose incendiary rhetoric inspired Czolgosz to dare the unthinkable; and Theodore Roosevelt, the vainglorious vice president whose 1898 charge up San Juan Hill in Cuba is but one of many thrilling military adventures recounted here.

Rich with relevance to our own era, The President and the Assassin holds a mirror up to a fascinating period of upheaval when the titans of industry grew fat, speculators sought fortune abroad, and desperate souls turned to terrorism in a vain attempt to thwart the juggernaut of change.

Grant by Ron Chernow

Pulitzer Prize-winner and biographer of Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, and John D. Rockefeller, Ron Chernow returns with a sweeping and dramatic portrait of one of our most complicated generals and presidents, Ulysses S. Grant.

Ulysses S. Grant's life has typically been misunderstood. All too often he is caricatured as a chronic loser and inept businessman, fond of drinking to excess; or as the triumphant but brutal Union general of the Civil War; or as a credulous and hapless president whose tenure came to symbolize the worst excesses of the Gilded Age. These stereotypes don't come close to capturing adequately his spirit and the sheer magnitude of his monumental accomplishments. A biographer at the height of his powers, Chernow has produced a portrait of Grant that is a masterpiece, the first to provide a complete understanding of the general and president whose fortunes rose and fell with dizzying speed and frequency.

Before the Civil War, Grant was flailing. His business ventures had been dismal, and despite distinguished service in the Mexican War, he ended up resigning from the army in disgrace amid recurring accusations of drunkenness. But in the Civil War, Grant began to realize his remarkable potential, soaring through the ranks of the Union army, prevailing at the Battle of Shiloh and in the Vicksburg campaign and ultimately defeating the legendary Confederate general Robert E. Lee after a series of unbelievably bloody battles in Virginia. Along the way Grant endeared himself to President Lincoln and became his most trusted general and the strategic genius of the war effort. His military fame translated into a two-term presidency, but one plagued by corruption scandals involving his closest staff. All the while Grant himself remained more or less above reproach. But, more importantly, he never failed to seek freedom and justice for black Americans, working to crush the Ku Klux Klan and earning the admiration of Frederick Douglass, who called him 'the vigilant, firm, impartial, and wise protector of my race." After his presidency, he was again brought low by a trusted colleague, this time a dashing young swindler on Wall Street, but he resuscitated his image by working with Mark Twain to publish his memoirs, which are recognized as a masterpiece of the genre.

With his famous lucidity, breadth, and meticulousness, Chernow finds the threads that bind these disparate stories together, shedding new light on the man whom Walt Whitman described as "nothing heroic... and yet the greatest hero." His probing portrait of Grant's lifelong struggle with alcoholism transforms our understanding of the man at the deepest level. This is America's greatest biographer, bringing movingly to life one of our finest but most underappreciated presidents. The definitive biography, Grant is a grand synthesis of painstaking research and literary brilliance that makes sense of all sides of Grant's life, explaining how this simple Midwesterner could at once be so ordinary and so extraordinary.

The Lost Founding Father: John Quincy Adams and the Transformation of American Politics by William J. Cooper Jr.

Why has John Quincy Adams been largely written out of American history when he is, in fact, our lost Founding Father?

Overshadowed by both his brilliant father and the brash and bold Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams has long been dismissed as hyper-intellectual. Viciously assailed by Jackson and his populist mobs for being both slippery and effete, Adams nevertheless recovered from the malodorous 1828 presidential election to lead the nation as a lonely Massachusetts congressman in the fight against slavery. Now, award-winning historian William J. Cooper insightfully demonstrates that Adams should be considered our lost Founding Father, his moral and political vision the final link to the great visionaries who created our nation. With his heroic arguments in the Amistad trial forever memorialized, a fearless Adams stood strong against the Jacksonian tide, the Gag Rule, and the expansion of slavery that would send the nation hurtling into war. This game-changing biography reveals Adams to be one of the most battered but courageous and inspirational politicians in American history.

Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans: The Battle That Shaped America's Destiny by Brian Kilmeade and Don Yeager

When the British fought the young United States during the War of 1812, they knew that taking the mouth of the Mississippi River was the key to crippling their former colony. Capturing the city of New Orleans and stopping trade up the river sounded like a simple task--New Orleans was far away from Washington, out of sight and out of mind for the politicians.

What the British didn't count on was the power of General Andrew Jackson. A formidable military leader with a grudge against the British and a heart for the common man, he rallied the divided inhabitants of New Orleans, bringing together Frenchmen, Native Americans, freed slaves, pirates, and Kentucky woodsmen.
In their now trademark fashion, Kilmeade and Yaeger will trace the development of Jackson's character and bring the reader to the scenes of one of the most pivotal--and surprising--battles in American history.

President McKinley: Architect of the American Century by Robert W. Merry

In this great American story, acclaimed historian Robert Merry resurrects the presidential reputation of William McKinley, which loses out to the brilliant and flamboyant Theodore Roosevelt who succeeded him after his assassination. He portrays McKinley as a chief executive of consequence whose low place in the presidential rankings does not reflect his enduring accomplishments and the stamp he put on the country’s future role in the world.

Republican President William McKinley in his two terms as president (1897 – 1901) transformed America. He established the US as an imperial power. Although he does not register large in either public memory or in historians’ rankings, in this revealing account, Robert W. Merry unfolds the mystery of how this bland man managed so much powerful change.

McKinley settled decades of monetary controversy by taking the country to a strict gold standard; in the Spanish-American war he kicked Spain out of the Caribbean and liberated Cuba from Spain; in the Pacific he acquired Hawaii and the Philippines through war and diplomacy; he developed the doctrine of “fair trade”; forced the “Open Door” to China; forged our “special relationship” with Great Britain. In short, he established the non-colonial imperialism that took America into global preeminence. He expanded executive power and managed public opinion through his quiet manipulation of the press. McKinley paved the way for the bold and flamboyant leadership of his famous successor, Teddy Roosevelt, who built on his accomplishments (and got credit for them).

Merry writes movingly about McKinley’s admirable personal life, from his simple Midwestern upbringing to his Civil War heroism to his brave comportment just moments before his death by assassination (it was only six months into his second term when he was shot). Lively, definitive, and eye-opening, President McKinley resurrects this overlooked president and places him squarely on the list of one of the most important.

Are you interested in other Presidential biographies?

Becoming George                 Lincoln                     Wilson              
Washington                 ★★★½☆☆                 ★★★★☆      
★★★★☆                                                                          

If you are looking to add more books to your list, here are some of the wishlists from a few of my friends this month: (to be updated as they go live)

• Colleen @ A Literary Vacation – Contemporary Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
• Erin @ Flashlight Commentary – Presidential Fiction
• Stephanie @ Layered Pages – Gilded Age Southern Stories

Copyright © 2018 by The Maiden’s Court

Caught on Tape: Theodore Roosevelt

Well, my attempt to do one of these Caught on Tape segments each month has sort of flopped, but I'm going to try to correct that point forward.  I struggled to come up with a historical character to feature so I threw the idea to my husband, not expecting that he would really come up with something.  He first tossed out Atilla the Hun, which I thought might be a little tough (will continue looking into this for later), but his second idea wasn't that bad, Theodore Roosevelt.  As I thought more on it, it became a great idea!  So, you can credit this weeks theme to my husband!  I tried to select films that represented Teddy in the iconic roles of president as well as a Rough Rider.  Let's see how he is portrayed in film. 

The Wind and the Lion (1975)

The Wind and the Lion storyline weaves historic facts into a violent fictional adventure in which an American woman, Eden Perdicaris, and her two children are kidnapped by Berber brigand Mulai Ahmed er Raisuli, prompting U. S. President Theodore Roosevelt to send an armed invasion force and rescue mission to Morocco.

The Wind and the Lion is a film that takes on a rather obscure to us today topic, a kidnapping of people I have never heard of, and weaves it into a historical adventure film. Theodore Roosevelt is a president that was known for his bold speeches and actions, which makes this interesting to me even though I don’t know anything about the subject. Roosevelt is portrayed by Brian Keith (another person I don’t know), but the film also stars Sean Connery as the Raisuli and Candice Bergen as Eden Perdicaris (the kidnapped woman). In the clip below, which just shows Roosevelt giving a speech while sitting down, still seems to encapsulate Roosevelt at his core (as well as the dichotomy of nature preservation and being a big game hunter).

Rough Riders (1997)

In 1898 the US government decided to intervene on the side of the Cuban rebels in their struggle against Spanish rule. Assistant Navy Secretary Theodore Roosevelt decides to experience the war first hand by promoting and joining a volunteer cavalry regiment. The regiment, later known as the Rough Riders, brings together volunteers from all corners of the nation and all walks of life. When Roosevelt and his men finally land on Cuba, they face ambush, intense enemy fire, and a desperate, outnumbered charge up a defended hill.

One of the things (among many) that Theodore Roosevelt is known for is his participation in the Spanish-American War and leading a group known as the Rough Riders. This made-for-TV miniseries focuses on that group and Roosevelts actions in it. The signature scene is the charge up San Juan Hill. That is the scene that is included below and it not only shows the way that battle was portrayed but, also shows Tom Berenger giving an impassioned speech to his men. I bought into the action sequences, I don’t know if I buy in to Berenger as Roosevelt – he wasn’t convincing to me. It received a handful of mixed reviews and is cited for many historical inaccuracies and anachronisms.

Night at the Museum/Battle of the Smithsonian/Secret of the Tomb (2006/2009/2014)

This trio of films revolves around how museum exhibits come to life after hours and the night watchman who experiences the craziness that ensues.

Unlike the majority of the films presented here, this is a comedy and revolves around a silly premise that is just good, lighthearted fun. It’s a film that has big name comedy actors: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Ricky Gervais, and Dick Van Dyke. It also features Robin Williams as Theodore Roosevelt. This role holds a soft spot for many because of the recent loss of Williams and many of the clips I find related to this film are montage or memorial clips to Robin Williams. I haven’t seen much of this film to comment on it, but my husband has and said that being as it’s a comedy, Roosevelt plays as a little over-the-top and caricaturist of his personality as a rough rider. But it’s Robin Williams, so we love it!

This is My Affair (1937)

Navy Lt. Richard Perry becomes an undercover man out to discover the leaders of a group of well-connected men who pull off bank robberies during the McKinley administration (early 20th century).

This seems like one of those crazy films from the 1930s that I could get into! There are bank robberies, action, conspiracies, and more. Roosevelt is just a small role in the film, I think he doesn’t make an appearance until the last 10 minutes of it, and he could have really been any president. He doesn’t stand out as decidedly Theodore Roosevelt. The entire film is on Youtube, but if you want to see Roosevelt, go to the 1:32:00 mark and start there. I want to check this film out, but not for the president.

 So, have you seen any of these films or others featuring the character of Theodore Roosevelt?  I would love to hear what you think.
 
 



Copyright © 2016 by The Maiden’s Court

New Book Alert: America's First Daughter, Excerpt, & Tour Giveaway!

Good morning everyone!  What was supposed to be a review today has turned into a spotlight and excerpt due to some unexpected family illness - review will come later, but so far I have read a fabulous 10 pages!  So, if you haven't already, check out America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie!

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Blog Tour for Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie’s America's First Daughter, a historical fiction novel is published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, and releasing March 1, 2016! AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER is a compelling, richly researched novel by bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. Drawing from thousands of letters and original sources, the authors reveal the fascinating, untold story of Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph, Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter. Patsy was one of the most influential women in American history: not only the progeny of a founding father – and the woman who held his secrets close to her heart – but a key player in the shaping of our nation’s legacy. And her story is one seldom told, until now. Make sure you grab your copy today!

America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
Paperback & Ebook, 624 pages
William Morrow Paperbacks
Published: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 0062347268
Genre: Historical Fiction

Book Blurb:

In a compelling, richly researched novel that draws from thousands of letters and original sources, bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie tell the fascinating, untold story of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter, Martha “Patsy” Jefferson Randolph—a woman who kept the secrets of our most enigmatic founding father and shaped an American legacy. 

From her earliest days, Patsy Jefferson knows that though her father loves his family dearly, his devotion to his country runs deeper still. As Thomas Jefferson’s oldest daughter, she becomes his helpmate, protector, and constant companion in the wake of her mother’s death, traveling with him when he becomes American minister to France. 

It is in Paris, at the glittering court and among the first tumultuous days of revolution, that fifteen-year-old Patsy learns about her father’s troubling liaison with Sally Hemings, a slave girl her own age. Meanwhile, Patsy has fallen in love—with her father’s protégé William Short, a staunch abolitionist and ambitious diplomat. Torn between love, principles, and the bonds of family, Patsy questions whether she can choose a life as William’s wife and still be a devoted daughter. 

Her choice will follow her in the years to come, to Virginia farmland, Monticello, and even the White House. And as scandal, tragedy, and poverty threaten her family, Patsy must decide how much she will sacrifice to protect her father's reputation, in the process defining not just his political legacy, but that of the nation he founded.

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Praise for America's First Daughter:

Meet the Authors:

STEPHANIE DRAY is an award-winning, bestselling and two-time RITA award nominated author of historical women’s fiction. Her critically acclaimed series about Cleopatra’s daughter has been translated into eight different languages and won NJRW's Golden Leaf. As Stephanie Draven, she is a national bestselling author of genre fiction and American-set historical women's fiction. She is a frequent panelist and presenter at national writing conventions and lives near the nation's capital. Before she became a novelist, she was a lawyer, a game designer, and a teacher. Now she uses the stories of women in history to inspire the young women of today.

Find Stephanie Dray: Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | America's First Daughter Website

LAURA KAMOIE has always been fascinated by the people, stories, and physical presence of the past, which led her to a lifetime of historical and archaeological study and training. She holds a doctoral degree in early American history from The College of William and Mary, published two non-fiction books on early America, and most recently held the position of Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Naval Academy before transitioning to a full-time career writing genre fiction as the New York Times bestselling author of over twenty books, Laura Kaye. Her debut historical novel, America's First Daughter, co-authored with Stephanie Dray, allowed her the exciting opportunity to combine her love of history with her passion for storytelling. Laura lives among the colonial charm of Annapolis, Maryland with her husband and two daughters.

Find Laura Kamoie: Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | America's First Daughter Website

Excerpt:
Get to know, Patsy Jefferson a bit more with this excerpt from the novel!

Have to Marry Well

Papa’s debts were such that he had to sell our mother’s favorite plantation—Elk Hill. He’d been forced to sell land. Land, which meant everything to a Virginia planter. Everything to him. And I understood that in his perilous financial situation, the only asset I had to contribute was myself.

I’d have to marry, and I’d have to marry well.

Given that my heart was already shattered to pieces, love need be of no consideration in my decision to marry. Sally’s words from that day in the foyer at the Hotel de Langeac played back to me. Women have to give hard thought to the men we’ll wind up with. . . . Her words held a relevance now that I couldn’t have known then, and it made me all the more regretful for the way

I’d treated her.

So, yes, let my choice of husband be a wealthy man, but also a kind one. A country neighbor and friend. Someone with whom my family shared a history.

If I was to marry, why not Tom Randolph?

I could never hope for a man to see me the way William had, but Tom wanted me. And that would have to be enough. I saw no reason to delay.

William and I had parted in September. It was now January of a new year, and he’d still not written to my father or me. William had waited two years before declaring that he’d wait no more. I doubted the young Mr. Randolph would wait that long. And if we didn’t marry soon, my father wouldn’t be there for the wedding, because William’s predictions had proved to be true—President Washington had, indeed, named my father secretary of state. And Papa’s friends, like Mr. Madison, convinced him that it was an honor he couldn’t refuse.

None of us would return to France. Instead, my father would ride off to the new capital to serve in the president’s cabinet before springtime and would send me and Polly to live at Eppington, where we’d learn housewifery from Aunt Elizabeth.

Or . . . I could marry now and be my own mistress. So, I accepted Tom’s proposal, and the wedding was planned a few weeks hence.

Tom never smiled at my answer. Instead, standing beneath the pillars of my father’s neglected house, he took my hands and crushed them to his chest so I might feel the throbbing pulse beneath my fingers to prove his happiness. “My heart is yours, Patsy. It’s racing for you. Galloping with eagerness to make you mine.”

I might’ve hesitated, in that moment, if my own heartbeat hadn’t answered in kind. “I’d like to know your plans for our future,” I said.

Tom nodded, his gaze serious. “My father is settling on me a plantation near Tuckahoe called Varina, with forty Negroes. Your father is settling on you his best plantation in Bedford and twenty-five Negroes, little and big.”


Slaves. My father was giving me slaves.

They wouldn’t be mine, of course, not truly. Everything would belong to my husband the moment we wed. Tom would be the slaveholder—not me. And I knew it was considered only right and proper for every genrty bride to be given not only a settlement like this, but also a maid. Usually the girl that had attended her during her youth and courtship. By all the traditions of our country, this was no more than Papa ought to have given me, plus Sally Hemings besides. But there was no question that he’d keep her for himself, just as he’d promised.

And I didn’t know how I should feel about any of it.

The idealism of France was an ocean away. I’d chosen Virginia and a way of life that William had said was stained with evil. I couldn’t pretend I didn’t know what I was returning to. But faced now with it, I found myself more troubled than I ever thought I might be.

Tom must’ve seen the shadow of my conflicted emotions in my expression, but he mistook its cause. “Colonel Randolph intends for us to live at Varina, near Tuckahoe. But you’ve a right to know that isn’t my intention. I hope to buy my father’s holding at Edgehill and settle closer to Monticello. I’d like a small farm that I can manage myself while pursuing an honorable life of public service. I’ve no ambition to gobble up lands that can’t be farmed without an army of slaves. Such a life would weigh on my conscience more heavily than I could bear. Unlike my new brother-in-law, I don’t make wedding toasts to embarrass my hosts about the evils of the institution, but I cannot abide slavery, Miss Jefferson.” He frowned, the ferocity in those dark eyes softening until he seemed shamed. “I should’ve told you this before now. Though I’m violently smitten with you, I should never agree to start a life on a lie. So I consider it entirely pardonable if this revelation changes your mind about marrying me.”

For the first time, I kissed Tom Randolph with something more in my heart than carnal desire. I brought my lips to his with an exquisite tenderness and replied, “With all my heart, Tom, you’ve only made me more certain in my decision.”

Giveaway!
Like what you have seen? Enter the giveaway!  As part of the blog tour, there is a tour-wide giveaway for 7 winners who will receive a $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble that you can use toward your purchase of America's First Daughter (or anything else)!  Entries will be made through the Rafflecopter below - please follow the rules as put forward in that widget - and Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour!

Follow along with Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie’s AMERICA’S FIRST DAUGHTER Blog Tour with the schedule below or on Twitter @InkSlingerPR, @StephanieHDray or @LauraKayeAuthor


February 29^th

What Is That Book About – Guest Post

Only One More Page – Review

A Fortress of Books – Excerpt

For the Love of Books & Alcohol – Review

March 1^st

My Girlfriends Nook Korner – Review

Talking Books Blog – Excerpt

Smexy & Fabulous – Excerpt

Ramblings From This Chick – Excerpt

March 2^nd

Maari Loves Her Indies – Excerpt

This Wacky Momma Reads – Review

Roxy's Reviews – Excerpt

Brooke Blogs – Excerpt

March 3^rd

A Diary of a Book Addict – Review

E-Reading After Midnight – Guest Post

Small Review – Guest Post

March 4^th

Sassy Moms Say Read Romance – 2 Reviews

Leeanna.me – Review

Creative Madness Mama – Excerpt

March 5^th

A Dream Within A Dream – Guest Post

Chick with Books – Review

Vagabonda Reads – Review

March 6^th

Mama Reads Hazel Sleeps – Review

Movies, Shows & Books – Excerpt

Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne – Review

I Read Indie – Excerpt

March 7^th

No BS Book Reviews – Interview

My fictional escape – Review

Words with Sarah – Review

March 8^th

The Maiden's Court – Spotlight & Excerpt

Unabridged Chick – Review

The Book Cellar – Interview

Becky on Books – Review

March 9^th

Sofia Loves Books – Review

A Soccer Mom's Book Blog – Review

One Book At A Time – Review

Curling Up by the Fire – Review

March 10^th

A Bookish Affair - Interview

Curled Up and Cozy – Review

Into the Hall of Books – Review

Margie's Must Reads – Review

March 11^th

Book Talk – Review

JB's Book Obsession – Excerpt

Genre Queen – Review

Leigh Anderson Romance - Interview




Copyright © 2016 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: Becoming George Washington by Stephen Yoch

Becoming George Washington by Stephen Yoch

E-Book, 382 pages
Wise Ink Creative Publishing
September 1, 2015
★★★★☆

Genre: Historical Fiction, President

Source: Received from Author/Publisher for review with HFVBT tour

George Washington, action hero . . .

Long before Washington was the old man on the dollar bill, he was a fatherless boy with few resources and even less education. So how did he become the most famous person in American history?

Becoming George Washington tells the story of a young man with boundless energy, bravery, and passion, who grew from a fatherless boy into a self-confident leader. At the same time, he struggled to suppress both an awful temper and his love for a married woman, Sally Fairfax. A courageous war hero, Washington rose to the pinnacle of Virginia politics. His experiences as a young man allowed him, decades later, to lead the Revolution.

This compelling historical novel reveals the person behind the famous face and how he grew to become America’s leading Founding Father.

Everyone knows the story of George Washington the great man that led the Continental Army to victory and then went on to become the First President of the United States. But what do they really know of the years that came before (because he was in his later life by that point)? The answer for most, not too much! Author Stephen Yoch takes the reader back in time to the years that really formed young George Washington into the man he would later become.

As someone who LOVES to read and learn about the presidents, I jumped at the chance to read this novel treatment of the earlier days of the first president. I have read some non-fiction that covered his earlier years, but even in non-fiction there is not usually an extended focus on this time period, with the desire to focus on his generalship or presidency. In this novel, we only see Washington in his younger iteration, and see what led to the man that the majority of us know.

For a man who just wanted to return to being a farmer in his later years, that was anything but what the young Washington wanted to do. Like most, he wanted to spread his wings and take on the world – and create a couple little scandals along the way maybe? Yoch does an excellent job of bringing this seemingly mythical man back down to earth and rooting him in the somewhat average life he led. He didn’t just wake up one day and was magically the man the country needed. He struggled and overcame and made mistakes all along the way. He made the man REAL and I felt that I really got to know him here and get inside his head.

I feel very comfortable recommending this book to any fan of presidential studies or of the early period of the United States.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Yah Gotta Read This!
• Book Lovers Paradise

To get a feel for this book before committing to buying it, check out these excerpts!

Buy the Book: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | RJ Julia

Find Stephen Yoch: Website | Facebook


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Copyright © 2015 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: The Forgotten Presidents by Michael J Gerhardt

The Forgotten Presidents: Their Untold Constitutional Legacy by Michael J. Gerhardt
ARC, e-Book, 336 pages
Oxford University Press
March 1, 2013
★★★☆☆

Genre: Non-Fiction

Source: Received for review from the publisher via Netgalley request

“Their names linger in memory mainly as punch lines, synonyms for obscurity: Millard Fillmore, Chester Arthur, Calvin Coolidge. They conjure up not the White House so much as a decaying middle school somewhere in New Jersey. But many forgotten presidents, writes Michael J. Gerhardt, were not weak or ineffective. They boldly fought battles over constitutional principles that resonate today.

Gerhardt, one of our leading legal experts, tells the story of The Forgotten Presidents. He surveys thirteen administrations in chronological order, from Martin Van Buren to Franklin Pierce to Jimmy Carter, distinguishing political failures from their constitutional impact.

Incisive, myth-shattering, and compellingly written, this book shows how even obscure presidents championed the White House's prerogatives and altered the way we interpret the Constitution.”

Well, I would not exactly describe this as “compelling”, but it was certainly different than I expected. Probably if I had read the subtitle, “Their Untold Constitutional Legacy”, I might have been a little more prepared for the book I was beginning to read. Reading through my first forgotten president, Martin Van Buren, I was able to realign my expectations and fall into the concept of this book. The presidents featured in this book (Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, Grover Cleveland [again], William Howard Taft, Calvin Coolidge, and Jimmy Carter) are primarily those who are overlooked during American History lessons, or receive very little coverage. Gerhardt does not focus so much on the events of their presidencies, but features the Constitutional legacies left by the decisions these Presidents made in office.

The Constitutional dialogue was VERY dry and so very academic. The author picks apart these Presidents and discusses how their decisions changed American policies, their legal legacy, and shaped history. While not necessary, it is a good idea to have some Constitutional legal knowledge prior to reading this book.

When I picked up this book I thought I would get a general glimpse into the lives of those presidents who do not have as much written about them – and that isn’t exactly what I got. I would recommend this book to those who have an interest in law or the Constitution, but not for the casual presidential observer. That being said, I did learn quite a bit about the legal side of the Presidency – it just took a little while to get through it. This book does show just how much of an impact a perceived “ineffectual” president can have through his Constitutional legacy.

Author Michael J. Gerhardt also has written legal non-fiction works: The Power of Precedent and The Federal Impeachment Process.

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Presidential History Geeks

If you have no intention of reading this book, but are curious about the content, below is a video of a discussion with the author about the Presidents featured in this book:

Here are some choices for purchasing the book: Amazon, B&N, RJ Julia (my fav indie bookstore).

 

 

Copyright © 2014 by The Maiden’s Court

Weekend Cooking: Review of The Culinary Lives of John and Abigail Adams

 

 

      The Culinary Lives of John and Abigail Adams
       Rosana Y. Wan
       Schiffer Publishing, Ltd
       October 28, 2014
       152 pages
       56 recipes

      **Received for review from the publisher, via Netgalley**

 

 

This is the first cookbook that I received with the express purpose of reviewing it. Being that I love all things President and First Lady, and I already have a few cookbooks along this theme, this was a no brainer for me to accept.

Layout: Every recipe in this cookbook are recipes from cookbooks that existed during the lifetimes of John and Abigail Adams and the recipe selections are based on foods that they describe in their letters. There are excerpts from letters where they described different dishes that they had eaten or types of game that were caught. As the Adams’ were prolific letter writers there is a lot to work with. There is also a great introduction where colonial cooking styles are explained, with particular focus on New England. For the historically inclined there is also a timeline of John and Abigail Adams life. The selections in this book include everything from breakfast, to vegetables, to drinks and desserts. There are very few photos included in this cookbook – they are used more for section dividers rather than for showing the recipes.

Recipes: I would have to say that the recipes presented in this cookbook are fairly easy – I would feel safe saying that almost everyone could cook the recipes here. New England style foods are very sparse with ingredients and have simple preparation methods. Some of the recipes are as simple as: peel carrots, slice carrots, boil in salted water, drain and eat. I’m not even kidding – but this is how a lot of the foods would have been prepared at that time. The proteins probably have the highest levels of difficulty, but they are not too bad. I made the roasted chicken a couple weeks ago and it came out very good.

I would have to say that this is a well-researched historical cookbook. The recipes come from cookbooks that existed at the time and are based on things that the President and First Lady are known to have, at the very least, discussed. Short of a recipe book in their own handwriting, I think this is the next best thing.

A couple of recipes that I found interesting and might make: Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce, Cod Stew, Cherry Pie, and Abigail’s Punch.

Here are some choices for purchasing the book: Amazon, B&N, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.

 

Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads. Any post remotely related to cooking can participate.

 

Copyright © 2014 by The Maiden’s Court

Weekend Cooking: Roast Chicken

You know how I love to cook and you know how I love the Presidents and First Ladies? How about combining those passions with a cookbook about John and Abigail Adams?! Review of the cookbook, The Culinary Lives of John and Abigail Adams: A Cookbook, is upcoming, but today I wanted to take a look at one of the recipes that we tried from it. We started with something simple – Roasted Chicken.

Chickens were among many types of fowl prepared in New England during the colonial and early American period – many of which are still made today. Among these types of fowl are: quail, duck, chicken, turkey, pigeons, and partridge. New England preparations are known for being simple to prepare and quite frankly, a little bland.

Roast Chicken
Serves 4-5

Ingredients:
3 lb roasting chicken
2 tsp. fresh ground pepper, divided
3 tsp. table salt, divided
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
1 Tbsp. all purpose flour, plus one pinch
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. parsley flakes, for garnish
Slices of lemon for garnish

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 425°. Sprinkle the chicken’s interior with 1 teaspoon pepper and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Truss the chicken. Grease the baking pan with a tablespoon butter.
2) Mix 3 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon flour in a small bowl. Rub the mixture on the chicken. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pinch of flour on the bird. Place the bird in the roasting pan.
3) Cook the chicken for about 15 minutes, until the skins starts to turn a light brown. Remove the pan from the oven, flip the chicken over, spread with remaining tablespoon butter, another pinch of salt and pinch of flour. Return to the oven.
4) Every 10-15 minutes remove the chicken from the oven and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pinch of flour. Cook until chicken reaches a temperature of 180° - about an hour and a half total cooking time. Remove skewers and serve with lemon and parsley garnish.

From the method the chicken is cooked it made me think that this was rather bland and I couldn’t figure out the sprinkled flour aspect. So, I changed it up just slightly. We stuck some fresh herbs inside the cavity with the salt and pepper – however these herbs still fit into the historical aspect because they would have been available in New England in the Adams’ time, we used rosemary and marjoram. We also only sprinkled with flour about 2 times instead of every 10 minutes. It did absorb some of the oils and made the skin a little crispy. Overall, not a bad tasting chicken.  Paired it with rice and some maple carrots.

 

Weekend Cooking is hosted by Beth Fish Reads. Any post remotely related to cooking can participate.

 

Copyright © 2014 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: Don't Know Much About the American Presidents by Kenneth C. Davis

Don’t Know Much About The American Presidents by Kenneth C. Davis
Unabridged, 23 hr. 52 min.
Random House Audio
Arthur Morey, Kirby Heyborne, and Mark Bramhall (Narrators)
September 18, 2012
★★★★☆

Genre: Non-Fiction

Source: Purchased audiobook through Audible

"Which president broke the law to prevent enslaved people from being freed? Who said, "When the president does it,that means it's not illegal"? Why does America have a president? From the heated debates among the framers of the Constitution in 1787 over an "elected king," to the creation of the presidency, and on through rich profiles of each man who has held the office, New York Times bestselling author Kenneth C. Davis takes readers on a guided tour of American history. Examining each chief executive, from the low lights to the bright lights, the memorable to the forgettable and the forgotten, Davis tells all the stories, offering rich anecdotes about real people. He also charts the history of the presidency itself, debunking myths and grading the presidents from A+ to F. For history buffs and history-phobes alike, this entertaining book may change your understanding of the highest office in the land throughout more than two hundred years of history."

After having enjoyed the initial installment of the Don’t Know Much About… series I was excited to read Kenneth C. Davis’ take on the American Presidents. Davis breaks his narrative down into three major sections: The Making of the President; Presidential Profiles; and What Should We Do With the President?. The first section focuses on what the Constitutional framers intended the role of the President to be (or not be). The second, and admittedly where the bulk of the book takes place, is a look at each individual President and a grading/ranking of their place in American history. The final section is a wrap up that looks at where the role of the President goes from here. A complete, well-rounded view of the presidency.

The first and final sections were utterly forgettable – honestly, I didn’t pay any attention to these sections. The main action transpires in the individual biographies of the Presidents, from George Washington up through the first term of Barack Obama. If you have read widely within the Presidential biography realm, there wasn’t much new material presented here; a general scope of their presidencies. What was interesting for me was to read about some history that I have actually lived through with regard to the late 1980’s through the present. There were some great appendices presented at the back of the book as well. Short on time? Check out the Milestones in each President’s life at the beginning of each chapter or the Milestones in the Presidency of each Presidents as the chapter wrap up.

Davis presents his content in his traditional, easy to digest, question and answer format. Ultimately if you are in the market to learn a little something about each of the Presidents, this could be the book for you.

★★★★☆

The three narrators were presented in the same manner as his prior book. There is one narrator for the questions, one for the answers, and a third who reads the other material. This worked well for the style of the material being presented and the change of narration kept it from being monotonous.

Author Kenneth C. Davis also has written the following for adults: Don’t Know Much About the Bible, Don’t Know Much About the Civil War, Don’t Know Much About Geography, Don’t Know Much About Mythology, and Don’t Know Much About History. He also has a series of books for kids focused on specific topics such as the Pilgrims or Space. You can view the whole children’s list here. You can visit the author’s website for additional information about the book. Check out this audio excerpt.

My reviews of other books by this author:

• Don’t Know Much About History

Here are some choices for purchasing the book: Amazon, B&N, RJ Julia (my fav indie bookstore).

 

Copyright © 2014 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: Mr. President by Harlow Giles Unger

Mr. President: George Washington and the Making of the Nation’s Highest Office by Harlow Giles Unger
Unabridged, 6 hr. 57 min.
Blackstone Audio, Inc
Dean Robertson (Narrator)
October 29, 2013
★★★★☆

Genre: Non-Fiction, Presidential Biography

Source: Received for Review from Audiobook Jukebox Solid Gold Reviewer Program

“Although the framers gave the president little authority, Washington knew whatever he did would set precedents for generations of his successors. To ensure their ability to defend the nation, he simply ignored the Constitution when he thought it necessary and reshaped the presidency into what James Madison called a "monarchical presidency." Modern scholars call it the "imperial presidency." A revealing look at the birth of American government, "Mr. President" describes George Washington's assumption of office in a time of continual crisis, as riots, rebellion, internecine warfare, and attacks by foreign enemies threatened to destroy the new nation.”

Unlike the prior books I have read on President George Washington, this book focuses primarily on the issues of the presidency, rather than on his personal life – almost to the point of ignoring his personal life entirely. While it was nice to focus on the intricacies of the developing role of the presidency, it left something to be desired because it was much more difficult to connect with the person being presented; a little cold and distant if you will.

The development of the presidency was presented in terms of the “pillars of power” – war, finance, law enforcement, and foreign affairs – that Washington assumed for the President. These “pillars” guided the progression of the book and kept it narrative rather organized. The book was rather short – just under 7 hours of narration (equivalent of approximately 288 pages). Despite the short format, I feel like the author presented enough information about the evolution of the role of the president to make a cohesive narration. If the book was any longer, I actually think it might have felt too dense to read because of how much information was packed within those few pages.

This book is a tightly focused history where Washington the man is less of a focal point and the politics of the day are highlighted.

★★★★☆

The audiobook narration was nothing spectacular. It didn’t make the material any less dry or any more exciting. Rather standard.

Author Harlow Giles Unger also has written The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation's Call to Greatness, John Quincy Adams, Lafayette, Lion of Liberty: The Life and Times of Patrick Henry, American Tempest: How the Boston Tea Party Sparked a Revolution, John Hancock: Merchant King and American Patriot, Noah Webster: The Life and Times of an American Patriot, and Improbable Patriot: The Secret History of Monsieur de Beaumarchais, the French Playwright Who Saved the American Revolution. You can visit Unger’s website for additional information about the book. If you would like to preview the story before reading it, why not try out this excerpt of the book?

You can watch a video of Harlow Unger speaking at a Book TV segment about Mr. President at the following link.

Here are some choices for purchasing the book: Amazon, B&N, RJ Julia (my fav indie bookstore).

 

Copyright © 2014 by The Maiden’s Court

Book Review: The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin

The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Unabridged, 36 hr. 42 min.
Simon & Schuster Audio
Edward Herrmann (Narrator)
November 5, 2013
★★★★☆

Genre: Non-fiction, Biography

Source: Received from publisher for review

“Doris Kearns Goodwin, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and author of Team of Rivals, captures the Progressive Era through the story of the broken friendship between Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft, culminating in their running against one another for president in 1912.”

I selected this book because it included both Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. I figured that would kill two birds with one stone on my Presidential reading list. Nowhere in the description above, which I found on Goodreads, did it prepare me for the in-depth story of the muckraking journalists working for S.S. McClure; I was caught off guard by the equal amount of time spent on the journalists as the Presidents themselves.

Being as this is a book that has three foci there was a little bit of the tennis game whiplash transitioning between subjects. Sometimes these individual sections were so lengthy that by the time I got back around to a subject I had entirely forgotten what was happening with them. As mentioned above, while I didn’t know that there was going to be a significant focus on the journalists at McClure’s, I found myself enjoying this portion of the book the best. There were so many distinct personalities within that group and their contributions to journalism had a huge impact on the political atmosphere.

Goodwin handled the relationship between Roosevelt and Taft in a way that is not typically portrayed in presidential biographies. Their lives were intertwined extensively during both of their presidencies and they frequently relied on each other, until a rift arose between the two of them. While I’m sure that both presidents received approximately equal time in the book, I felt that I got to know Roosevelt much better – this could be just because he was such a “big” personality while Taft was quieter.

Overall, a worthy read, although it did take quite some time. It was so dense with facts that it took me just shy of two months of listening – so that is not based on my pace of reading. I just didn’t want to pick it back up all the time.

★★★★½☆

The narration here was very well done, as I would expect. This narrator has narrated several other big name non-fiction works including: John Adams by David McCullough, Einstein by Walter Isaacson, and Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power by Jon Meacham. He wouldn’t have worked these without a great performance.

Author Doris Kearns Goodwin also has written Team of Rivals, No Ordinary Time, The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys, and Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream. You can visit the author’s website for additional information about the book. If you would like to preview the story before reading it, why not try out this excerpt of the book? Or would you rather hear an excerpt of the audiobook?

Below is a video clip of Goodwin on Q&A on C-SPAN talking about The Bully Pulpit:

Reviews of this book by other bloggers:

• Presidential History Geeks
• The Disgruntled Individual

Here are some choices for purchasing the book: Amazon, B&N, RJ Julia (my fav indie bookstore).

 

Copyright © 2014 by The Maiden’s Court